We earn commission on sales tracked from our links and codes. Thank you for your support! We earn commission from affiliate links/codes. Thank you!
I like ’em all — subtle, moderate, intense — and I don’t mind fine pearl to high-shine to glittery finishes, either. What I do want is really even, smooth application that can highlight without being too emphasizing of skin texture.
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:
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
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!
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!
I’m not a big fan of highlighters in general. The only highlighter I use is Laura Mercier Matte Radiance 01. I like it because it gives a subtle, natural glow. For me, dealbreakers include holographic, glitter, “unicorn,” or non-powder highlighters.
I prefer moderate highlighters so glitters and high metallics are out. With me, there is always an exception: I do love me a bit of the metallic Cover FX drops (tiny tiny amount) mixed in with my foundation.
I definitely don’t have a straight forward “deal breaker”, I feel like most highlights work for me in some way or for a certain time. I would say some of my very least favorite on the everyday are incredibly glittery ones, but I still like them at times. I think one of the only other issues I have had was so subtle highlight that it doesn’t show up.
Super metallic, emphasizes skin texture regardless of what kind of highlighter it is, glitter, and loose highlighters are my deal breakers.
1. Subtle to moderate. I do not do intense highlights.
2. Sheen, NOT metallic. See above.
3. I prefer cream or liquid over powder, but it’s not the biggest issue per se.
4. Cannot gunk up on my skin. I put it on to make my skin glow, not to make me look like a hobgoblin.
glitter is my deal breaker
Glitter, definitely. And any that emphasize skin texture.
Glitter, mostly! Also, anything emphasizing skin texture. White or silver highlighters.
Not a fan of big chunks of glitter or something that emphasizes my skin texture. Generally, I love when a highlighter looks wet/glossy, whether its intense or subtle.
No vivid colors (purple, green, orange, etc.)
No metallics
None that require buffing (moving what’s underneath)
Nothing chunky in texture (be it powdery, glittery, dry, gritty, etc.)
Highlighters are not stand-alone products is my rule-of-thumb. They have to melt seamlessly into everything else to keep the big picture about ‘skin.’
This may come off as too vague but I like my highlighters to be highlighters, NOT eyeshadows. Intense color and blinding metallic finish is what I put on my lids.
Not many! As long as it doesn’t show up my pores or the mild krinkling I get whenever I break into a big smile, then it’s all good! The only other thing I’m not crazy about, is overly glittery or chunky glitter in it. The ABH Nicole Guerriero Palette is as glittery as I’ll go.
On my, anything that’s sparkly or shiny is a non-starter. All I use now is just a touch of Becca Backlight Priming Filter along my cheekbones underneath my foundation, so a highlighting use, name of the product notwithstanding. I have come to really like the effect so may explore further someday.
Poor pigmentation, poor texture, chunky glitter. I’m also usually not into super-subtle HLs. I want some glow!
I don’t like some of the cream/stick ones that lift my foundation as I try to blend. The worst for this has been Benefit Watts Up, though it’s fine when I don’t use a foundation or CC cream under it.
Undertones that are too warm, I feel like a lot of so-called highlighters are more like shiny bronzers.
Chunky glitter that gets into my pores. But to be fair I don’t like many highlighters, so I am probably being harsh.
Glitter; I don’t mind intense, highly metallic, or shimmery, but I’m not a fan of obvious glitter particles.
Color; I’m pretty fair, so I need something light in shade, otherwise I may as well just wear a shimmery blush. I also don’t care for “gold” shades, which aren’t bad, but I already have several, and prefer cooler tones.
Opacity; again, if I want high-impact color, I may as well just wear a shimmery blush. I personally like a sheer layer of light-reflecting glow on the high points of my face.
I’m also really fair and have trouble finding shades that don’t leave a dark or orange stripe on top of my cheekbones. A lot of popular shades like Becca Opal, ABH So Hollywood, and Wet n Wild Precious Petals are just too dark.
As I age, I tend to shy away from sparkly, highly luminous highlighters – and most of them are. I rarely use it nowadays as I prefer a more mattish finish to my face.
Price! Once we get over $50 – it’s a pass for me. There are so many dupes for everything, I don’t see the need to spend a fortune. I’m never going to hit pan on even one from my collection so I don’t see it as worth it.
I prefer powder over liquid or cream, subtle to moderate, and white to light golds. I don’t like obvious glitter or anything that emphasizes texture or rainbow colored highlighters. I’m pretty fair so my favorites are champagne colored powders by MAC and Lorac. I love MAC Double Gleam.
I can’t do actual glitter in my highlighters and I have to have a fairly light tone. My super pale skin doesn’t like anything even remotely dark. I have to be careful because most make me look bruised on my upper cheek bone. As far as intensity goes, I like them all.
I also have some texture on my cheekbones and hyperpigmentation so I need a highlighter than smooth’s a little or at least doesn’t intensify the texture.
Green. Lol! Pretty much any color that is not close to a natural skin color. I have debated on blue and so far have not used it. Lavender, I have used on occasion. I have the ABH Aurora Glow palette and the Moonchild Glow palette. I use some of the more outrageous colors as eyeshadow as they are really gorgeous colors. Really blinding silver is a no for me but just because it’s not flattering on my skin tone. That is most likely because I’m one of the whitest white people in America :/
My only dealbreaker is a shade being too dark (which many are). Other than that, I feel like there’s a time and place for all highlighters!
Glitter.
Crazy Colors. (Purple/Blue/Green)
Frosty Shades.
Glitter. No go.
I really prefer the highlighters that are just one step more shimmery than your average finishing powder, so … very subtle. I’m okay with stronger ones, right on up to metallic, but the reflect needs to be homogenous — no distinct sparkly bits!
And it’s not a deal-breaker necessarily, but it’s best if they have some adhesive ability built in (not especially powdery), as my face is always powdered, and very powdery things don’t last long because of that.
I don’t like anything with noticeable sparkle (including the Becca highlighters)! My favorite kind of highlight is one that gives my cheekbones a natural/dewy look or a glazed/wet look. A little glitter is okay for me as long as the base product looks smooth on the skin. If it’s a subtle highlight (like Benefit Dandelion Twinkle or Fenty Metal Moon), it has to have great staying power. If it emphasizes texture, it’s a no (I find that the Hourglass Ambient Lighting powders make my skin look kind of dry… I have the palette, but don’t reach for it all that much).
I love them all but prefer no chalky, big glitter on it. A smooth application of any color with light to the moon pigment but ni chunky glitter. I actually wear it very slightly.