Archived Post
Survey Says... December 3rd, 2014
- Your skin tone/coloring:
- Favorite over-the-top highlighter?
- Favorite subtle highlighter?
- Your go-to highlighter?
Explore Temptalia
We're here to help you make better beauty purchases that you'll enjoy and love! We recommend signing up to take advantage of personalized features like tracking products you own, viewing dupes that you already have, and more!
Here are some useful resources for you:
Compare Any Two
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
60 Comments
Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!
Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).
We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!
Comments on this post are closed.
We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!
Skin tone- MAC NC20, MUFE 117
Over the top highlighter- MAC Soft and Gentle
Subtle highlighter- Hourglass Luminous Light
Go to highlighter- MAC Soft and Gentle
Your skin tone/coloring: Mac NC50/Estee Lauder Rich Cocoa
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? Becca Opal/Fig or Opal/Raspberry Soufflés
Favorite subtle highlighter? Duwop Darker (it is very similar to the Hourglass ones)
Your go-to highlighter? MAC Superb
Which EL formula do you use? I was thinking about trying their Double Matte.
I like the Double Wear. I have combo skin and it is not too drying or dewy on me. It is like a satin finish.
â– Your skin tone/coloring: NC20
â– Favorite over-the-top highlighter? Not sure it this can be considered over the top… MAC Soft and Gentle.
â– Favorite subtle highlighter? Hourglass Dim Light
â– Your go-to highlighter? MAC Soft and Gentle
I agree & think Soft & Gentle can definitely be over the top!
HI MADDIE I NOTICE YOU AND OTHER MEMBERS IDENTIFY SKINTONE BY LETTTERS FOLLOWED BY NUMBERS (EX: NC20) WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? THANKS LEAH
MAC foundation shades are NC15-NC55, NW15-NW55 typically, and a lot of people have used MAC over the years (and even if they don’t use it often or at all, often know what MAC shade they would be ).
Skintone: Fair
Fav over the top highlight: Essence 3D Shadow in “Irresistible Vanilla Latte”
Fav subtle highlighter: none, love the dramatic!
Go to highlighter: Stila All Over Shimmer Powder
Your skin tone/coloring: Fair
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? BECCA Shimmering Powder in Opal
Favorite subtle highlighter? Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette
Your go-to highlighter? YSL Touche Eclat in No.1
My skin tone is medium to fair NC 25 – NC 30
My favourite over the top highlighter is Estee lauder heat wave
My fav subtle highlighter is Mac soft and gentle
My go to highlighter is estee lauder heat wave
Ooh I forgot about the Estée Lauder one! Good call!
Your skin tone/coloring: MAC NW20
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? theBalm Mary- Lou Manizer or Bobbi Brown Pink Glow
Favorite subtle highlighter? Hourglass Diffused Light or Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit’s Sand
Your go-to highlighter? MAC Soft and Gentle
Your skin tone/coloring: Deep/Dark NW47
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? Rose Bronzer by Madison Street Beauty or theBalm Mary Lou-Manizer
Favorite subtle highlighter? Laura Geller Baked Body Frosting with Body Puff in Tahitian Glow
Your go-to highlighter? Lorac TANtalizer Baked Bronzer
Your skin tone/coloring: light warm
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? None, lol 🙂 I only use very subtle highlighters. Otherwise I turn into an oilslick of a discoball.
Favorite subtle highlighter? Sisley L’Orchidée Rose Highlighter Blush
Your go-to highlighter? Sisley L’Orchidée Rose Highlighter Blush 🙂
Your skin tone/coloring: light with yellow undertones (chanel b20)
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? Mary Lou-manizer
Favorite subtle highlighter? Métier de Beauté highlighter in the kaléidoscope face kit, or Hourglass Ambient Lighting powder in Radiant Light
Your go-to highlighter? For now, the Becca one in Rose Gold – but I like to switch up everyday makeup a lot!
Your skin tone/coloring: Very Fair/Cool, Revlon Colorstay 110 – Ivory
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? With this oily skin? I’d die with over-the-top highlighter!
Favorite subtle highlighter? FLOWER Glisten Up! Highlighter Chubby in Pearl Shimmer
Your go-to highlighter? FLOWER Glisten Up! Highlighter Chubby in Pearl Shimmer (again)
Skin tone: NW10 or paler
Over the top: Bobbi Brown Pink Glow (built up it becomes quite frosty)
Subtle: Chanel Poudre Signee
Go-to: Nars Nico
Your skin tone/coloring: Very fair, neutral undertones; auburn hair, hazel/green eyes
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? Mary Lou-manizer
Favorite subtle highlighter? Too Faced Candlelight
Your go-to highlighter? Too Faced Candlelight or e.l.f. Gotta Glow
Your skin tone/coloring: NC25, NARS Punjab
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? Bobbi Brown Sandstone
Favorite subtle highlighter? MAC Lightscapade
Your go-to highlighter? Bobbi Brown Sandstone 🙂
Your skin tone/coloring: Light medium with yellow undertones
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? MAC Whisper of Gilt
Favorite subtle highlighter? Benefit Sun Bean
Your go-to highlighter? MAC Soft and Gentle
Your skin tone/coloring: Medium-light with yellow undertones
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? NARS Copacabana. Sometimes I sheer it out for subtlety though.
Favorite subtle highlighter? Hourglass Dim Light
Your go-to highlighter? Lately it’s been Benefit Watt’s Up, but this changes a lot for me!
Your skin tone/coloring: fair, cool-toned
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? I’m not wild about “over the top” but if I had to choose one, I suppose it would be MAC Silver Dusk loose powder (not a true highlighter but an awfully sparkly loose powder)
Favorite subtle highlighter? Guerlain Cruel Gardenia
Your go-to highlighter? TheBalm Mary LouManizer
Your skin tone/coloring: Light neutral
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? Urban Decay’s Naked Illuminated… I got it on sale, and it turned out to be a total glitterbomb. Like, hilariously sparkly.
Favorite subtle highlighter? I still haven’t figured out subtle highlighting… it’s all or nothing for me right now
Your go-to highlighter? TheBalm’s Mary Loumanizer.
Skin tone: nc30/35
Over the top: Benefit Watts Up
Subtle: HG Luminous Light
Go to: HG Luminous Light or ItCosmetics lightest shade in ombré bronzer
Christine, would love to know your picks for these!!
Your skin tone/coloring:
Fairest neutral. Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Moisture Foundation in 001 and my most recent foundation love Bobbi Brown Skin Weightless Powder Foundation in Alabaster.
Favorite over-the-top highlighter?
I don’t own it (yet) but Chanel Camélia de Plumes highlighting powder. That’s pretty OTT for my taste in highlighters these days.
Favorite subtle highighlighter?
It’s a tie between Shiseido Luminizing Satin Face Color in WT905 (High Beam White) and Barbara Daly Make-Up Light Illusion Powder Highlighter. The first is a finely-milled white powder to accentuate features more with the lightness of colour and satin finish whereas the second is a smooth-textured powder in a nude colour with the slightest hint of glow for subtle radiance. I love that it is nigh-on impossible to overdo it with these ones!
Your go-to highlighter?
Either one of the above or, depending on the foundation I’m using, I’ll use a liquid highlighter. Either Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Pearl or Rouge Bunny Rouge Seas of Illumination in Sea of Tranquillity. Pearl is a shimmering white and Sea of Tranquillity has some warmth to it with hues of gold and pink. They’re both lovely to mix with other liquid or cream products such as your moisturiser or foundation for an all-over glow.
â—¾Your skin tone/coloring: MAC NC30
â—¾Favorite over-the-top highlighter? MAC Soft and Gentle
â—¾Favorite subtle highlighter? Hourglass Dim Light
â—¾Your go-to highlighter? Bare Minerals Love Affair and LORAC Spotlight
Your skin tone/coloring: nc30
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? Mac soft and gentle when I want something bolder (which is rarely the case with a highlighter)
Favorite subtle highlighter? Hourglass Radiant light, warms/smooths and adds a glow to my cheeks.
Your go-to highlighter? Kevyn aucoin candlelight cream (duo #4) subtle, brightening ethereal glow.
I also love Hourglass’s Mood light!! Beautiful pinky glow without ANY shimmer!
Your skin tone/coloring: Pale translucent Very fair skin with mostly cool undertones Green/Grey/Blue eyes Strangly deep purple/Berry pigmented lips Natural dark blonde/light brown
Favorite over-the-top highlighter?: *GLITTER!*!!*^_^*
Favorite subtle highlighter?: Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter (It’s the liquid) in Pearl & Nars’s Copacabana squeeze-tube luminizer
Your go-to highlighter?: MAC Lightscapade, Hourglass ALP in Ethereal & Diffused & the Highlighter side in the Laura Gellar Baked Powder Ethereal Rose and Highlighter duo thingy in a box that has a hinge lid and drawer with brush.. ???… Random find, great product.
Your skin tone/coloring: Olive Tan
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? The Balm Marry Lou Manizer
Favorite subtle highlighter? Just a matte white or cream eye shadow
Your go-to highlighter? Hourglass Ambient Light Powder Luminous Light
Your skin tone/coloring: Porcelain
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? Urban Decay naked illuminated in Aura.
Favorite subtle highlighter? theBalm Cindy Lou-Manizer
Your go-to highlighter? theBalm Cindy Lou-Manizer
Skin tone: NW/NC15-20 (I’m quite neutral, not pink, not yellow…)
Over the top highlighter: MAC Soft and Gentle!!! I just bought this and my jaw dropped ^o^
Subtle highlighter: I don’t do subtle highlighters but probably Lightscapade applied gently. My skin is pale so it needs all the glow it can get otherwise I look like a corpse!
Go To highlighter: Soft and Gentle <3
I HAVE A MEDIUM COMPLEXION WITH OLIVE UNDERTONES. MY FAVORITE SUBTLE HIGHLIGHTER IS YSL TOUCHE ECLAT. I LIKE THE FLESHTONES AS WELL AS THE GOLD. MY GO TO HIGHLIGHTER WOULD ALSO BE THE TOUCHE ECLAT IN EITHER #2 OR #3 DEPENDING UPON THE SEASON. (I LIVE IN NEW YORK)FOR AN OVER-THE-TOP HIGHLIGHTER I LIKE SEVERAL SHADES OF GIORGIO ARMANI WHICH LAYER BEAUTIFULLY[‘;/’
NW20
Fav over the top highlighter: RBR Sea of Tranquility
Fav subtle highlighter: KA Candlelight cream (from the sculpt/candlelight duo)
Fav go-to highlighter(s): KA Candlelight powder or the highlighter from Tom Ford Softcore duo
Your skin tone/coloring: very fair neutral, nw/nc 05
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? mac vanilla pigment
Favorite subtle highlighter? shiseido high beam white luminizer
Your go-to highlighter? the balm mary lou manizer
Your skin tone/coloring: light with yellow undertones
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? No highlighter is over the top for me?!?!??
Favorite subtle highlighter? BareMinerals The Premiere Luminizer
Your go-to highlighter? theBalm Mary Lou ‘Manizer
Your skin tone/coloring: light med/yellow
Favorite over-the-top highlighter?: The blam Mary-Lou manizer
Favorite subtle highlighter?: Hourglass Luminous Light
Your go-to highlighter?: Becca Opal
Skin tone fair/light-,neutral
becca rose quartz skin perfector
bare minerals chandelight gold
it cosmetics cream illuminator
Your skin tone/coloring: Mac NC40
Favorite over-the-top highlighter?: BB Bronze Glow (LE)
Favorite subtle highlighter?: Tarte Champagne Gold (LE…I think)
Your go-to highlighter?: Tarte Champagne Gold
Your skin tone/coloring: fair/cool (NW10)
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? Nars Copacabana
Favorite subtle highlighter? Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked
Your go-to highlighter? MAC Sculpt and Shape in Bone Beige
– Your skin tone/coloring:
NC/NW 25
– Favorite over-the-top highlighter?
MAC Vanilla… Or just straight-up holographic glitter. 😛
– Favorite subtle highlighter?
Revlon Skinlights in Bare Lights & MAC Strobe Cream.
– Your go-to highlighter?
Too Faced Candlelight & Wet ‘n Wild Brulee for browbone.
Hi Ryou! I think you’re the only other person than myself to say glitter for OTT highlighter! Glitter Respect! <3 😀
Yay for mutual glitter-love! <3
Always! 😀 <3 Happy Holidays, Ryou! *Tosses a splash of glitter up in the air and stares awestruck at the sparkle* 😉
Happy Holidays, Lotus! May your holiday be filled with love and sparkles. 😉
Awww! That makes me so happy! Thank you, Ryou! *Hugs* May the Winter Wonderland glimmer upon you with iridescent glowing warmth and Peace & Comfort twinkling like lights aglow in great health & Beauty! 😉 🙂
â– Your skin tone/coloring: Light olive
â– Favorite over-the-top highlighter?: MAC Soft and Gentle
â– Favorite subtle highlighter?: Keving Aucoin Celestial Skin Liquid Lighting
â– Your go-to highlighter?: Keving Aucoin Celestial Skin Liquid Lighting
Your skin tone/coloring: NW…something. I’m not sure as none of the mac foundation are anywhere near pale enough for my skin
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? N/A
Favorite subtle highlighter? Hourglass Ambient lighting powder in Ethereal Light
Your go-to highlighter? I mostly just use my white cream concealer and tap a bit on the tops of my cheekbones. Normally I would use my white face powder from Illamasqua but it’s discontinued and I am scraping the bottom of the pan.
Your skin tone/coloring: Light medium, yellow undertones
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? Sleek Royal Gold – shimmer and glitter!
Favorite subtle highlighter? Dior Amber Diamond
Your go-to highlighter? TheBalm Mary Lou-manizer
Skin tone: Cool-neutral vampire
OTT highlighter: Chanel Fantasme (three cheers for outright glitter! Yes, I know it’s an eyeshadow ;-))
Subtle highlighter: Hm. I don’t actually really use highlighters, so maybe my Touche Eclat in 01?
Go to highlighter: see above, LOL! I’m so glow0in the dark anyway that highlighter has never really been a huge thing on my makeup radar….
Skin tone: Fair with neutral/olive tones.
Over the top highlighter: Hourglass Luminous maybe? My most OTT ones aren’t favourites on the whole but I always feel magnetically drawn to the shiniest and sparkliest face products, even though often they’re not that flattering on me.
Subtle highlighter: Hourglass Diffused Light
Go to highlighter: bareMinerals The Love Affair or Hourglass Diffused. I also like using a fair mineral foundation as a matte highlight and sometimes I use a light dusting of MAC Style or Springsheen or theBalm Hot Mama as a highlight too.
Your skin tone/coloring: Light with neutral to warm undertones – MAC NC20
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? MAC Soft and Gentle
Favorite subtle highlighter? I don’t reaaaaally have one…
Your go-to highlighter? MAC Soft and Gentle, LOL!! So much love from other people here too! Glad to see 😀
Your skin tone/coloring: Nw50, Deep dark
â—¾Favorite over-the-top highlighter? Mac iridescent loose in golden bronze
â—¾Favorite subtle highlighter? Mas Msf Stereo rose
â—¾Your go-to highlighter? Fashion Fair shimmer
Coloring: Snow White (character)
Over the Top: Any of Meow Cosmetics Crystaline Cat Glow powders.
Subtle: Benefit Watts Up applied before foundation.
Go to: Silk Naturals Spended Perfecting Glow
Your skin tone/coloring: NC15/ NARS Gobi
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? The Balm Mary Loumanizer
Favorite subtle highlighter? Hanskin Glossy Magic BB Cream
Your go-to highlighter? NYX Radiant Finishing Powder in Brighten
Your skin tone/coloring: NC45
Favorite over-the-top highlighter?: Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Bronze
Favorite subtle highlighter?: Benefits Sun Beam
Your go-to highlighter?: Benefits Sun Beam
Skin Tone NC15
Over the top Mary Lou Manizer – can be sheered down or amped up
Subtle Highlighter: Hourglass in Diffused Light
Go to Highlighter: Mary Lou
Your skin tone/coloring: fair/MAC NC15
Favorite over-the-top highlighter? Purminerals Afterglow (seriously underrated imo!)
Favorite subtle highlighter? NARS Devotee
Your go-to highlighter? I try to switch it up, but if I want to look my absolute best I wear Afterglow!!
Skin tone/coloring- Fair with neutral undertones (NW15)
Over the top highlighter- The Balm Mary Lou-manizer
Subtle highlighter- Hourglass ambient lighting powder
Go to highlighter- Mac soft and gentle or Hourglass ambient lighting powder