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What's your current go-to highlighter?
Estee Lauder Modern Mercury!
— Christine
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Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Highlight 01 or Victoria Beckham Modern Mercury!
ColourPop Lunch Money or Mac Strobe Cream
Again, I change things up almost every day, but some I know I’ve been hitting more often than others lately. Notably, the pinkish peach shade in KVD Alchemist, along with Emerald or Saphye, plus CP Lunch Money have all been getting plenty of use. MAC Highlight The Truth MSF and LM Matte Radiance 01, also.
I am waiting for that Alchemist palette to come back in stock. I am wanting to use it as a cheek highlighter.
Just a thought if you’re wanting color like blush, Laura Geller balance and brighten blushes are shimmery, baked powders.
The shades in the Alchemist palette literally make your skin look like it’s naturally radiating whatever color you use. It’s amazing. You can see it from every angle and it looks like your skin! It’s an insanely amazing formula. Def grab it when you get a chance.
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal. But I am not much of a highlighter girl.
I prefer to use a lighter concealer as a highlighter versus a shimmery cream or powder. I alternate between two Charlotte Tilbury products: The Retoucher and Mini Miracle Wand. Both are light-reflective and I prefer the look and finish they give my skin versus something with shimmery particles.
For a subtle highlight, Becca Moonstone pressed powder; for a blinding hightlight, MAC Tutu from the Nutcracker Sweet, so pretty!!
I am using a more subtle highlight over the past couple of weeks and it doesn’t have a name. It is from a Heimish (Asian makeup company) face palette that has a highlighter, blush and contour. I really like the highlight and the blush. The contour is too dark and red undertoned for me to use as a contour or a bronzer (which I don’t really use anyway) but I have used it as a transition shade when used lightly through the crease,
Girl meets pearl by Benefit
I haven’t been using one lately! But most recently, the liquid Becca in Opal–I blend it out with a damp beauty blender and it’s nicely subtle, but glowy.
Either Becca Rose Quartz or the MUFE Pro light fusion highlighter in 01. I love pinky toned highlighters!
I so wish Becca would make Rose Quartz permanent!
Modern Mercury is a nice one, I have it too!
MAC Extra dimension Eyeshadow in Triple Impact (yes, really!) and Milk makeup holographic stick. Holo or nothing, I guess ?
Oooohhhh! I have the Holographic Stick too and I really love it!
If I have one, it’s probably UD Aura.
The Essence Pure Nude Highlighter in Be My Highlight. It’s subtle and perfect for everyday.
I rarely highlight but when I do it is Essence Be My Highlight, MAC Lightscapade or Benefit High Beam
Becca Moonstone on my NW 10 skin tone.
All others have been abandoned for the subtle Laura Mercier Matte Radiance 01. At my age, it’s enough. It doesn’t highlight my eye troughs, which most other highlighters seem to. The LM adds just enough. So many others are SOOOO beautiful, but this works best for me.
Becca Poured Creme Highlighter in Rose Gold
Laura Mercier baked Highlight 01, Revlon cream highlighter 200 Pink Light, Dior Amber Diamond. For night out the bolder Modern Mercury, Dior Glowing Nude. The Balm Mary-Lou. Huston, I have a problem’
Chanel camelia de plumes ? ! It is perfect for my skintone!
Becca Moonstone
I’m still experimenting with different highlighters, but when I’m in a hurry and want something that’s reliably pretty on me, no matter what else I have on, with minimal effort, then Hourglass Incandescent (or Iridescent) does the trick.
Wet ‘n’ Wild Reserve Your Cabana
the Balm Mary-Lou Manizer
Essence Be My Highlight 🙂
This really is another nice, reasonably priced highlighter. I just found it at my local Ulta last week.
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Pearl!
The new Milani Strobelight Instant Glow Powder in the shade Afterglow. When it first arrived I wasn’t the most blown away by it. (it was beautiful but took SO long to build up) I did this trick I remember having to do on a MAC blush once, took a very scratchy brush I don’t like and took it all over the surface of the highlighter to get the very top layer off. Not so buildable anymore but I don’t mind because it is LITERALLY the glow I have been looking for all my life. I am considering passing on the upcoming Plisse Lumiere de Chanel and instead going in on a couple backups of this baby. I really am impressed with the way it works with my particular skintone (MAC NW15-20ish, fair with pink undertones) and how NOT glittery it is. This is a highlighter I can wear absolutely anywhere depending on how I apply and build it. I love it so much, even my Cle de Peau Luminizing Face Enhancer has taken a backseat lately.
I read a review just yesterday praising the new Milani Strobelight Instant Glow Powder. The writer spoke of the ease of application and the wonderful effects of the powder. She had tried the Golden Glow shade. I wonder if perhaps the Afterglow shade is more difficult to apply than the Golden Glow?
I will have to check this out. Thank you for the tip on using a scratchy brush to take away the top layer of a powder.
Lately it’s been Becca Champagne Pop! An oldie but still a goodie.
TheBalm Mary Lou-Manizer. Although, I finally bought WNW Reserve your Cabana last week and I’ve been experimenting with it. Color is nice but it’s so dusty. I prefer the application of TheBalm so I’m still not sure how I feel about WNW.
I find Reserve Your Cabana to be closer to an ambient lighting powder than a true highlighter, though in my opinion it is more subtle than both! I used it more as a finishing powder and and under eye setting powder to brighten up under the eye (though I don’t really do it in winter as where I live is very hard on skin and it can make my under-eyes look dry since my skin tends towards dryness by default). It doesn’t reflect under a flash and is very sublet in sheen so outside of deep winter it works quite nicely.
I suspect it will play more nicely with my skin tone in the summer time. I agree it is subtle which makes it useful!
Becca topaz and nars unfiltered I watch me. I use the Becca when I want more a a blingy blinding highlight and the nars for a soft but glowy highlight. These two highlighters are all I need in life! Love them. I hope the nars is sold separately so that I can repurchase.
I don’t have a single go-to. Lately I’ve been mostly using the ABH Moonchild and KVD Alchemist palettes, because they’re my newest.
Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Powder
Mac Lightscapade & Lorac Daylight are my favs of the bunch … & I do mean bunch!
I LOVE Lightscapade!
Hands down the MACxTaraji Highlight. It’s the perfect peachy highlight that gives deeper skin tones that “lit from within” type of glow. I never thought I would use a highlighter everyday, but this one has been on non stop since I bought it.
For nights out, I use The Balm Mary Loumanizer or a MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish that has a bronzy and golden highlight ( I can’t remember the name).
NYX Duochromes. I have three of them that I rotate.
For day, Tom Ford Spin Spin Sugar. For evening, Laura Mercier Devotion.
Becca Pressed Pearl!! I love ittttt.
That’s been on my list forever! I really need to just put it on my list to budget for and get it.
lately i’ve been reaching for kevyn aucoin starlight! The tone is perfect for my skin
Hourglass Diffused Light. More like a powder than a real highlighter, but it’s the only one I have — am not so much into highlighters — and it works fine for my needs. I use lightly on top of checks / below the undereye area, to bring just a little brightness.
Agree! Diffused Light is such a perfect “contour” type highlighter, it’s like a slightly glowy banana powder.
Rituel de Fille Ghost Light
Although I don’t wear highlighter regularly, I’ve really been enjoying Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Topaz for nights out. For a more subtle, casual glow, I’ve found a beautiful gem at the dollar store by L.A. Colors in the color bronze. It is so pretty and versatile on my NC45 skin tone! I can use it on its own for a subtle glow, or I mix with blush for a nice bronze tone. I have two or three for backups just in case Dollar Tree discontinues it.
Dior Nude Air Glowing Gardens Illuminating Powder 001 (LE Pink)
Burberry Fresh Glow Nude Radiance No. 1 Highlighting Powder
Could these names get any longer? Sheesh!
My holy grail highlight is Sephora Brand Baked Luminizor in 01 Star Dust.
But MUFE ME512 (a shimmery gold!) has been my go lately for a quick highlight!!
Rose gold from Becca and Oh Darling from Mac
Estee Lauder Modern Mercury. I just love this highlighter and I wish they would make more but I don’t think it will be happening anytime soon. My favorite two items from Estee Lauder Victoria Beckham collaboration is the Modern Mercury Highlighter and the Single Shadow Bitter Clove. I just purchased the New Dior in 02 which I hope I love just as much as the 01.
I don’t use highlighter. Ever.
ELF baked blush/highlighter in Pinktastic. One of the best highlighters I have ever used and was only $3. It is pigmented, nice color, perfect shimmer.
Mary Lou – I have only one (sacrilege I know!).
Eh, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That saves you money, time, and indecision. And Mary Lou is lovely.
My everyday highlighter is Fiona Stiles Illuminating Palette. When I want it over the top, I go to ABH Riviera or So Hollywood
Becca Liquid Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone, and if I feel like having more on my skin TheBalm Mary Lou-Manizer!
Both of those are amazing!
I don’t really wear much in the day, a touch of Tom Ford’s Moodlight or some of Guerlain’s Meteorites. I just received the Kevyn Aucoin Neo Highlighter, and it seems very subtle and glowy for day so it might be a new favourite. I collect highlighters like a fiend though, must be the packaging!
Depending on the day, my go-two highlighters are MUG Lit & Jouer Ice. Lit I love bc it doesn’t have a color as a base. It’s a translucent base w/ peach & pink reflects. But Ice is has that white base that stands out on my skin & shines beautifully. I have a million highlighters but these are the two I reach for over all others.
I have actually discovered that in addition to a bomb highlight, Laura Mercier’s Matte Radiance 01 makes an amazing finishing powder with a light hand – it makes my skin look like CREAM!!! And I own all the Hourglass Ambient Light powders, they don’t compare.
I’m determined to use up 2 highlighters this year. One is a very old pan of Laura Gella Portofino & the other is a Mac cream highlighter in shell. These two are well loved, but I’ve promised myself not to add anymore to the collection until I see these in the empties bag!
it Cosmetics Hello Light Crème Illuminator. It’s subtle and it gives a ‘Lit from within’ look.
Becca Pearl is my one and only true highlighter.
I’ve got a few that have migrated to my everyday basket. MAC pink buttercream face powder, mac strobe cream. BECCA ssp poured in Pearl and ssp pressed in rose quartz. MAYBELLINE master highlight blush in nude. HARD CANDY glow all the way ombré baked blush in punch. GUERLAIN meteorites in 02- Clair. Charlotte Tilbury bar of gold.
Which is way more highlighter than anyone needs but I love to switch it up everyday.
Mac Whisper of Gilt extra dimension skinsinish from the nutcracker sweet collection.
I’m enjoying Aura After Glow from Urban Decay and Reserve Your Cabana bronzer by Wet n Wild.
At the moment, I’m loving Urban Decay After Glow in Aura and Wet n Wild bronzer in Reserve your Cabana.
Becca opal poured. Now I’ve been using Becca opal in a bottle that’s a facial highlighter, a little bit does a lot and oh so dewey faced.
The Balm – Mary Lou-Manizer
Hourglass in Dim. Perfect.
MAC Lightscapade! Such a lovely and delicate glow
For everyday, I use my trusty The Balm Mary Lou-minizer. I have a tan complexion, and it works great for me. (I’ve been wearing just this one highlighter for a few years now! A pan lasts forever!) I get compliments all the time!
I did buy the new Too Faced Peach Palette with the highlighter, blush, and bronzer, so we’ll have to see if I like it.
For special events or nighttime, I like Jefree Star Ice Cold. Again, I have a tan complexion, but a little goes a long way and is so beautiful.
This was a fun question. I do love a blinding highlight!!!
I used Too Faced Candlelight Glow in Rosy Glow for years … actually was on my second compact when I bought the trio of fair skin highlighters from Make Up Geek. I’m using those for the time being.
I only have one and I love it so I use it subtly every day! It’s Mac mineralize something Soft n Gentle. It’s silver and Gold I adore it! I’m thinking of trying a pink one next maybe BB sunset glow and/or hourglass.
MAC Pearl Cream Color Base if I’m going for a cream, Becca Opal if I’m going for a powder.
Surprisingly NARS Hot Sand. Typically I don’t wear a gold highlight as I don’t think it compliments my skin tone but since it was included in Unfiltered II I tried and OH MY. I just love it. It gives me the most beautiful warm glow.
I’m loving Unfiltered II so much that I want Unfiltered I but know the colors won’t go well w/my skin…
Cory I’m very tempted by it too.
Oh boy. MAC Extra Dimension Skin Finish in Double Gleam, Lorac Starlight, Makeup Revolution baked highlighters in Radiant Light and Peach Light (quite nice and very reasonable in price), MUFE Pro Light Fusion in 01 Golden Pink, and if I want something more subtle I’ll use the ELF highlight palette or Hourglass Ambient Lighting palette. I came late to the highlighter party and I’m trying to catch up, lol.
MAC Tutu from the Nutcracker Sweet Peach palette!
essence pur nude highlighter is my favorite. it looks so natural on the skin which is perfect for everyday.
Laura Mercier Matte Radiance 01. Probably always will be! It goes with my skintone so perfectly that I don’t have to worry about which bronzer or blush to wear with it, I just know that it’ll work. Plus it’s both intense and nearly textureless.
Mine is LM Matte Baked Radiance in 01…subtle and glowy!
I do have a suggestion for you, Christine: do you think you can show us a side face picture to demonstrate the highlight on the cheekbones? Its hard to tell the texture, shimmer, sparkle, etc from that far away and also from a front-view picture of your face. Its almost like it captures the light on the apple of your cheeks the same way for every highlighter and it makes it difficult to compare highlighters on your face and predict how they will look on us… If you could make a gif of you turning your head to see how light captures your highlight on your cheekbone, that would be even better.
What do you think?
Mac highlight the truth and whispers of gilt. I use Mac highly illogical as an all over blush topper/highlighter as well.
Lately I’ve been using 3 with some regularity: BECCA Opal Poured, RMS Living Luminizer and Laura Mercier Matte 01.
MAC strobe cream
Mine is the solstice highlighter palette from Sleek Cosmetics!
MAC Nutcracker Sweet Tutu and Too Faced Candlelight Glow in Rosy Glow. I have Becca Moonstone, but I feel like it emphasizes my pores a little bit. I prefer powder form.
Am probably a lightweight compared to a lot of you ladies as I only own 4 highlighters – NARS Albatross, UD Angel from the Gwen Stefani palette and both Ballerina and Gilded Honey by Laura Geller. Out of these my go to is Ballerina as it gives just the right amount of subtle sheen.
MUFE Pro Light Fusion in 01 (the pink)! This is the fist advertised highlighter that doesn’t emphasize my larger pores & looks as natural as a highlighter can look from every angle. Love. Love. Love!
* KVD’s Alchemist palette formula has a similar effect on my skin, in how it makes it look like it’s just naturally glowing w/color, however is less “natural-looking”.
* first advertised, not “fist” lol
Nars Illuminating in Copacabana, or Anastasia glow kits.
I actually own a few highlighters but I always reach for a random sparkly gold eyeshadow to highlight with.
Oldie but a goody MAC Soft and Gentle
Becca moonstone is my fav
Chanel Coups De Minuit (LE) and an oldie but a goodie: MAC Soft&Gentle
Hourglass Incandescent Light for more of a subtle highlight. Or, for more, Guerlain Cruel Gardenia.
Forgot to add — Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer #2.
Oh yes! A great one for warm and fair skin tones
MAC Highlight the Truth (Limited Edition-Taraji colletion)
Essence pure nude highlighter! Such a gem