Melt Cosmetics Morning Star Digital Dust Highlight Review & Swatches
Morning Star
Melt Cosmetics Morning Star Digital Dust Highlight ($39.00 for 0.28 oz.) is a bright, pale gold with warmer undertones and pink and gold micro-sparkle over a metallic finish. It had opaque pigmentation in a single layer, which was easily blended out for sheerer coverage or applied with a lighter hand (or more feathery brush) for more buildable coverage. It had a moderate glow in one layer, and it built up to more metallic, lit-from-space kind of glow with two layers of product.
The texture was smooth to the touch, firmer and denser without being heavy or thick, so it needed a more rounded, moderately dense brush to pick up product evenly (as it had more of a gel-powder formula). The powder applied evenly to my skin and blended out without difficulty. It didn’t emphasize my skin’s texture unless worn at high coverage and built up for a more intense glow, but one layer (and blended) of product was luminous without accentuating my skin’s texture. It wore well for eight and a half hours (though it was marketed as 12-hour wear) on my skin before fading noticeably.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Kaja Gold Drip (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
- Natasha Denona My Dream (Glow Cream) (PiP, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Milani Pearl (PiP, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Tarte Daylight (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Laura Mercier Gold Radiance (LE, $45.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Lunch Money (P, $10.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Golden Wonder (P, $9.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Gleam Sheen (PiP, ) is warmer (90% similar).
- Milani Brighten Up My Day (PiP, ) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Chanel Duo de Camelias (Left) (LE, $80.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$39.00/0.28 oz. - $139.29 Per Ounce
The brand doesn't have a great description of the highlighter formula generally, just descriptions of each shade. The lightest shade--Stargazer--is described as "buildable" but the other two are silent with respect to pigmentation, and the lightest shade was quite pigmented. Since there was no general description, I'm holding the formula to the average powder highlighter's claims--pigmented, long-wearing, and blendable, except Stargazer, which I would expect to have "buildable" pigmentation. The formula has a denser, firmer texture, but it never felt stiff nor was it difficult to blend out on the skin. The coverage was semi-opaque and buildable with a high-shine to metallic finish. All three lasted eight hours on me.
Browse all of our Melt Cosmetics Digital Dust Highlight swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Squalane, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tin Oxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Xanthan Gum, Silica, Dicalcium Phosphate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite.
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
51 smackaroonies here so I think I’ll pass and maybe check out the dupes (though I think I tried MAC Double Gleam and realized it wasn’t for me, but maybe I’m thinking of another shade).
This one with their Nevermore blush will definitely be my jam going into fall! There is something I am drawn to with this slightly duochrome or iridescent glow I’m seeing this impart. Perhaps a bit too light for my complexion, but I don’t care, I’ll rock it anyway!
This and Nevermore are the two products I really want to get for fall, too!
Dumb question, but do you place the highlighter on the apple of your cheek too? If so, is this more so for the highlighter to show in your photo, or do you do that all the time?
Reason I ask is I apply it just on the very top of my cheeks (in a half arc circle going toward the skin on side of the eye), as I have some bagginess on the upper cheeks. I’m wondering if I should try going around the bagginess (which I don’t want to highlight) and go down towards the apple a bit, or if that would look odd). If you have any thoughts about this, please share (if not, that’s okay too :)).
Hi Kitty,
In order to show the color for reviews, I apply to my cheek and cheekbone (so it is a larger area). Similarly, I show products more heavily so that all skin tones can get a better idea of intensity/coverage/finish.
Makeup washes off 😉 No harm in trying a different application method for your highlighter and seeing what you like best!
That’s what I thought but since I consider you my “guru,” I wanted to make sure. 🙂
I love shades like this that are silvery-gold, cool and yet warm. I don’t know why I don’t actually own any. This one is going on my wish list!
I need this and one other Melt highlight to complete my collection. Of all their offerings this one looks to be light enough for my skin tone and I can’t wait to pick it up.
I love the name of this because I love the mythos of the morning/evening star. I also think I can easily dupe this and call it that in my head ^_^. It IS pretty though.
This looks lovely!
Need highlighter, no.
Want highlighter, yes.
Buy highlighter, no.
Admire highlighter, oh yes!