Kat Von D Metal Crush Extreme Highlighter Palette Review, Photos, Swatches
Metal Crush
Kat Von D Metal Crush Metal Crush Extreme Highlighter Palette ($36.00 for 0.24 oz.) is a new, limited edition trio of powder highlighters. The formula is “loaded with hyper-reflective micro-crystals” (translation: tons of glitter) that can be used “on their own, or blend and layer them together.” They had semi-sheer to semi-opaque, buildable pigmentation that yielded a very shiny, metallic, and glittery sheen on the skin. They shifted noticeably swatched, but the shift on my cheeks wasn’t as noticeable to my eye. There were some sparkles that traveled to parts unknown on my face, which wasn’t unexpected with just how glittery the shades were. I recommend patting the highlighter on and lightly buffing it toward the end, which helped to shed any loose particles and minimize “fallout” during wear.
Ingredients
Look Using this Product
Metal Crush
LELimited Edition. $36.00.
Gammaray
Gammaray is a light, yellow gold that shifts to a warmer, peachy gold with a sparkling, metallic finish. It had good pigmentation, which was buildable, but I did find that the amount of sparkle had a tendency to move and shift the underlying powder as I blended it out so that it never looked truly opaque on my skin. The texture was as smooth as could be given the heavy sparkle content, and it didn’t feel chunky nor did the powder feel too loose, so I felt like I could grab quite a bit of the product with a brush and actually get the sparkles to transfer onto my skin. On me, it lasted for eight hours but had noticeable “fallout” as some of the glitters fell off my face or traveled beyond where I applied it initially.
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Star Brite (P, $10.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Dior Golden Peach (LE, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Tarte Daylight (LE, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Fire Crystal (PiP, $36.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Kaja Twinkle Lights (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Make Up For Ever 4 Golden Peach (P, $24.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- Smashbox Prismatic Petal (LE, $39.00) is cooler (85% similar).
- ColourPop Frosty (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery (85% similar).
- MAC Show Gold (P, $42.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Anastasia Lyra (PiP, ) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
Look Using this Product
Gammaray
LELimited Edition. $30.00.
Helix
Helix is a light gold that shifts to a cooler, almost greenish-gold with a sparkling, metallic finish. It had semi-sheer color coverage that was buildable to semi-opaque coverage on the skin. The texture was a bit loose compared to the other shades, which might have been why it was also less pigmented/ I had more fallout with this one over the eight hours it lasted for, though I saw more of a shift in person with this color than the other two.
Top Dupes
- The Estee Edit Snowlit (LE, ) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- MAC Double-Gleam (P, $42.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Morning Star (P, $39.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Tarte Skylight (LE, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Extra (LE, $12.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Icy Nude (PiP, ) is warmer (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Light-Medium (02) (P, $38.00) is darker (85% similar).
- Urban Decay Sesso (Highlighter) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (85% similar).
- Anastasia Wish (LE, ) is darker (85% similar).
- MAC Born to Dazzle (LE, $26.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
Helix
LELimited Edition. $30.00.
Roseshock
Roseshock is a light-medium, pinky lavender with silver and violet sparkle. I didn’t notice much of a shift to this shade swatched on my arm or on my cheeks, though it was certainly shiny, sparkling, and noticeable. It had opaque pigmentation that applied fairly well to the skin, though it had a tendency to sheer out a bit as the larger sparkles seemed to move the powder around a bit. The highlighter wore well for eight hours but had some “fallout” as the sparkles migrated while worn.
Top Dupes
- Urban Decay Disco Queen (LE, $29.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Stila Queen (LE, $30.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Trickles (LE, $12.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- ColourPop Still Loading (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Fenty Beauty 7daywknd (PiP, $36.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Sleek MakeUP Hemisphere (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- ColourPop Poor Unfortunate Souls (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild Royal Calyx (P, $4.99) is lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- MAC Anarchista (PiP, $34.00) is less shimmery, darker (85% similar).
- Too Faced Plumagranate (Highlighter) (PiP, ) is less shimmery (85% similar).
After a mad … and loooong scroll down the page, I just pictured Christine buried under an enormous pile of sparkly highlighting powder.
Gawd.
Whose head isn’t spinning at this point. Which begs the question: where do highlighters go (or should I say glow) when they die?
Everywhere, anywhere. I find shimmer/sparkle/glitter on me at any given moment even if I haven’t used anything yet!
If I want a KvD highlighter I’ll just use the Thunderstruck shadow… Though I realize I can only get away with that because I am pale AF. I could see this set appealing more to people who don’t have porcelain skin, though I’m sure it would be more appealing if it didn’t have so much glitter fallout!
I don’t think these have much in common with the eyeshadow formula!
I agree! The Metal Crush shadows don’t have glitter in them, just that yummy metallic finish.
I can do without a glitter bomb in every shade after Chanel blew it out of the water with their Le Signe du Lion; that one is just about perfection and really fulfilled my holiday highlighter craving all on its own. I have to say even with the Sinner/Saint palette I’m not really feeling Kat’s holiday releases this year. I was really hoping her highlighters would set a new benchmark for the price point she occupies.
What were your favorite highlighters this season?
Honestly, I’m just so behind on getting reviews out and focusing on trying to not be an utter disappointment that I haven’t processed the releases as a whole, as I’m just working from one to the next. I’ll be compiling lists of my favorites from the year as we get closer to year-end, which is when I’ll have time to take stock at what’s been reviewed. Right now, I’m just trying to fight the feeling of failure!
Really? I feel like I’ve been seeing pretty consistent content from you!
What with your “best of” posts along with frequent swatches/reviews, I think you’re doing great. There’s only so much you can hit at one time. 🙂
It’s just not enough to be on top of everything.
I think 2017 in the beauty market has set a record pace for churning out product and the Holiday season has been particularly overwhelming.
I think all of us are grateful and amazed for what you do. I think you shouldn’t be so critical of your efforts. I say that knowing you will completely disregard what I say.. but I’m putting it out there anyway 😛
It’s not an area I seem to get better with as I get older – I only become more critical in many ways! During the holidays especially, I genuinely feel like a disappointment to myself and readers on most days. Other times, I’m a bit split on it – there are days where I think, “Wow, I did a decent job covering products this year,” but it rarely lasts as it’s clear most days what I’ve not covered and who that has disappointed.
After seeing the sneak peek video on social media of the super sparkly, blinding prototype, I had high hopes for these, but these swatches aren’t wowing me at all. I love the Metal Crush shadows, but I don’t think these highlighters deserve the Metal Crush name
They aren’t really like the Metal Crush eyeshadows to me, so I don’t think they should share a name either…
I use Thunderstruck as an actual highlighter on my skin…. not at all the heavy Metal formula with these.
Oh what a great idea! I love yellow golds, so now I’m eyeing Thrasher!
Thanks for the glitter warning! I don’t mind intense highlighters, but I hate glitter and fallout. The glitter makes it an easy skip!
No problem, Carrie! I know some feel very strongly about glitter 😉
I find this whole palette odd. The release was all about how so many people love using Thunderstruck as a highlight – why didn’t they release that in a larger pan in a palette with two other shades of the same formula? This glittery nonsense makes no sense (and I love glitter).
I also expected Thunderstruck to me a shade in the palette, haha!
After reading about how the shimmery, sparkly bits migrated around the face……nope.
Thank you for the review Christine.
No problem, Genevieve!
I love the Metal Crush shadows and love using Thunderstruck as a highlighter. I don’t understand using this formula and calling it “Metal Crush”. We have a saying in the South East, “don’t fix what ain’t broke.”
It is strange to me – I could see “Extreme” being more metallic but glittery is quite different.
This highlighter: HARD pass.
Your earrings: KILLER! <3
Thanks!
Why would you name a product after one of your existing products, which one of (Thunderstruck) is already regarded as a fantastic highlighter, only to have it……not be the same formula? That’s truly strange to me. If they were the Metal Crush shadow formula, these would’ve been awesome. But that much glitter is a hard pass.
It is odd!
I can appreciate a glitter bomb highlighter if the shimmer is even when buffed out (Just not my go-to for daily makeup or even cosplays unless I’m doing a creature. ;P ) But it looks a patchy mess of glitter and pearl finish with these…. It doesn’t do the formula any justice either way.
Roseshock looks like legitimate Glitter instead of large shimmer particles. 8(
Just done with ill-formulated highlighters lately to capture indie brand trends. You’re a main access brand you need to do it right, glitter needs glue and I don’t need glue on my cheeks. lol
Also piled under a few highlighter reviews now… Doing a long assed Liquid Highlighter Dare to Compare post as a way to get through them…. 😉
It’s not bad as long as you enjoy glitter, but I don’t think it really feels like a derivative of the Metal Crush eyeshadows!
These are really pretty, and more “wearable” for me than I expected, but by the time the release date was announced, I’d already picked up both ABH Moonchild & Aurora with my Sephora 20% off. Had I she set a concrete release date earlier, I probably would’ve just waited for this, regardless of discount, but I don’t need this one.
Yikes. Even the new Maybelline Master Chrome shades will probably be better than these. They’re apparently being released soon in pink, purple, and blue, and they’re metallic as well. Not to mention cheaper
Gammaray looks pretty, but I’m not too much a fan of really glittery highlighters. Looks like a pass for me
You post the same picture of Roseshock twice, but no cheek swatch 🙁
I see four images, can you try refreshing?
I don’t love a glittery highlighter but I don’t hate it either. It really depends on the formula b/c I really do love the Nicole G x ABH palette and I love the Fenty Beauty Trophy Wife highlighter which are all glittery but somehow they really work to me. I knew this was going to be an easy pass when it was first announced and the photos were released, your review just solidified it for me. Thanks!
Gammaray is my favorite one, but I like all three. I don’t need any more highlighters in my life, though. Also, you have reviewed an incredible number of things this holiday season ( and all year long!), so please don’t think that you’ve let us down!!! You’re doing a fantastic job!!! You get more done than Santa and his elves 🙂
I could tell from the first swatches of this that KVD beauty released and shared on Instagram that these were not going to that impressive.The comment sections on some of the pages on Instagram that posted the swatches besides KVD Beauty own page were super harsh people did not like what they saw.I was waiting for reviews personally because it needs to be worn on the face before anyone can truely tell if it’s good or bad but If was pretty sure these were going to be sheerer and glitter filled not the best combination for a highlighter in my opinion.I don’t mind a glittery highlighter done right like the ABH x Nicole Glow Kit but I personally prefer a smooth reflective metallic or frost finish.
Ugh. These don’t deserve the name “Metal Crush”. Thunderstruck is my HG all-over lid shade and an occasional highlighter. It’s phenomenal.
These are just…sad. I wonder if KVD will pull it like she did the blush duos a while back.