Sydney Grace Cantata Highlighter Review & Swatches
Cantata
Sydney Grace Cantata Highlighter ($12.00 for 0.25 oz.) is a bright, light-medium peachy-pink base with a strong, gold metallic shimmer. The base color looked slightly pinker when blended and diffused on my cheeks, while the warmer gold shimmer gave it a peach-to-gold shift at times. The consistency was creamy, dense but not too thick or firmly pressed that it became difficult to pick up with typical blush/highlighting brushes. It had opaque color coverage that applied evenly to my cheeks and blended out with little effort. When wore at semi-opaque or greater coverage, it emphasized my skin’s natural texture slightly. It stayed on well for eight and a half hours on me before fading slightly.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Becca Beach Nectar (LE, $38.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Anastasia Peach Fizz (P, $25.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Dior Peach Delight (007) (LE, $50.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Aura Voir (P, $7.00) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Hot Damn-oiselle D'Avignon (LE, $44.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Becca Coral Crystal (LE, $38.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Looxi Beauty Valley Girl (P, $7.50) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Make Up For Ever 11 Golden Orange (P, $21.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty Jet Girl (82) (LE, $49.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
- ColourPop Hit Rewind (P, $7.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$9.00/0.25 oz. - $36.00 Per Ounce
The highlighters are supposed to be "smooth and pigmented" that "blend like a dream" and "last all day long." The majority of the shades in the range are incredibly pigmented with a creaminess to the texture that makes them a cinch to apply and blend out on my skin.
I was most impressed by how soft, almost cream-like the powders were, yet they weren't too loosely-pressed nor were they prone to powderiness. Some of the finishes are very metallic or frosted, so when worn at semi-opaque or higher coverage levels, they can emphasize my skin's natural texture slightly. They have worn between eight and nine hours on me.
Browse all of our Sydney Grace Highlighter swatches.
Ingredients
Silk Mica (Mica (77019), Boron Nitride, L-Lysine Mica (Mica 77019 and Lauroyl Lysine), Caranuba Mica (Mica 77019 and Caranuba Wax), Magnesium Stearate, Magnesium Myristate, Zinc Stearate ((+/- Mica (Mica 77019), Fractionated Coconut Oil (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891) Vitamin E (Tocopherol), Silk Powder, Allantoin, Chromium Hydroxide Green (CI77289), Chromium Green (CI77288), Carmine, Iron Oxide (CI 77499, 77491, 77492), Tin Oxide (CI 778161), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Ultramarines (77007), Silica, *Synthetic Flurophylogopite, Zinc (CI 77947), Bronze and Copper Powder (CI 77400), Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Hexylene Glycol))
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.
I have at least THREE listed dupes, but I swear, none of them have the complexity or as potent a shift as Cantata does! Not even Becca Beach Nectar, which is a favorite of mine! Nor does CP Aura Voir or ABH Kitty Kat. This one is a winner in my book!
What an unusual shade and it looks so beautiful on you Christine.
This would be a gorgeous highlighting blush on fair skin, I think. The gold shift is glorious against that beautiful peach shade.