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Rant & Rave: Loose Highlighters

This Week’s Topic: Loose Highlighters!

Your Mission: Tell us what you love, hate, or are otherwise indifferent to about loose highlighters. What drives you bananas? What makes them necessary?

my answer: If they’re finely-milled and have the right packaging, they can look really lovely on the skin–but they do tend to yield clouds of shimmering dust every time you open them!

14 Comments

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Ali Avatar

well I really try to avoid loose products as much as possible, the only ones I own that I use sometimes are bare minerals foundation and bronzer occasionally, but the only loose highlighter I have is MAC silver dusk powder, which I don’t really like anyhow, despite the form. It’s too chunky and looks unrealistic, and trust me I LOVE glitter, even on the face if it’s done right (I’m only 15 so I think it’s ok) and this is not it, it doesn’t look ‘cool’ nor flattering, but I keep it because one of my friends likes to use it when she comes over and theres a crazy amount of product left cause the thing is huge and I hardly touch it.

Laurence Avatar

That’s so true haha! I opened Silver Dusk by MAC once after it had been rattled around my kit and upon opening almost choked on the admittedly fabulous cloud!
I’m not a fan of overly glittery kind of powders either, they tend to emphasise pores way too much.

Chris25 Avatar

They make it easy to apply too much, but the loose aspect works perfectly for body application. I can mix some into a dollop of lotion and apply it. A pressed powder would be harder to use in this manner, because I would have to scrap it off onto a plate and break it up.

xamyx Avatar

I actually prefer loose powder products of any sort, as they tend to be more sanitary. I just pour a bit out into a lid or mirror (if it’s a “one time” look), or into a smaller sifter jar for more frequently used items. I recently acquired a Minerals Mate, I absolutely love it.

I find pressed highlight powders tend to break easily, and with loose powders, I don’t have to worry about breakage. I’ve never had a significant mess occur with loose powders, but broken compacts (that I don’t realize are broken) have caused massive accidents!

Ani_BEE Avatar

I find them to bee to loose/airy for me unless their in a loose eyeshadow form. Naked Cosmetic Ivory stack is a good example of a multipurpose product that does have the right density.

Wanda Avatar

I used to be EXACTLY the same, but recently I’ve got into loose products. I like that you can so easily mix them, add them to primer/moisturiser etc. I love Stucco highlighter by Freak Laboratory, it’s the smoothest, glowiest (that’s not even a word haha) highlighter i have ever tried. Fixing powders are also something that can only be loose!

Wwendalynne Avatar

I tend to prefer and use cream highlighters just for ease and directness of application. My Guerlain meteorites could be classified as a highlighter, I suppose, but in my mind it’s more of a loose finishing powder. I’m not looking for spot accuracy with that product.

Anne Avatar

I must admit I’m not a fan of loose products, I’m more into pressed highlighters. The only ones I like are Guerlain Meteorites, but I only find the latest Pucci ones a highlighter, while the rest are a setting powder to me.

Adelita Avatar

I hate loose highlighter, most of them are glittery! I prefer subtle sheen effect like M·A·C Strobe Cream/Estée Lauder Spotlight/Benefit High Beam/Moon Beam/Sun Beam.

Until… I find this gem called, Crystalline Cat Glow Powders by Meow Cosmetics. This is by far the most subtle highlighter (in any powder form) I’ve ever knew! Who needs shimmery-fake looking if we can fake a glow… 😉

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