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- For a high-impact highlight with an incredible shade range, you can't go wrong with BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector.
- The pressed powder formula is buildable, so you can wear it day or night.
My ride-or-die, desert island beauty product has to be a highlighter. It's not that it's my favorite to apply (I love the artistry of eyeshadow) or the thing that makes me look most human (that award goes to under-eye concealer, certainly). But nothing quite beats the thrill I get from turning my face toward the light and seeing the glowy flash of my cheekbone. That, my friends, you can only get with highlighter.
There are so many beautiful illuminators on the market, not to mention different formulas that give you varying, yet equally beautiful, affects — how can you possibly choose between them? My answer is that I basically don't choose. I have dozens of highlighters and I'm not in a rush to whittle down my collection anytime soon.
If, however, you consider yourself a reasonable person who doesn't need six versions of champagne gold highlight, I'm here to help you narrow things down. The options on this list vary from "natural" to "strobe light" in terms of intensity, but they all make you glow without emphasizing texture or making you look like the Tin Man — unless that's the vibe you're shooting for, in which case, it's totally doable.
Here are the best highlighters you can buy:
- Best highlighter overall: BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed
- Best stick highlighter: Glossier Haloscope
- Best natural highlighter palette: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette
- Best intense highlighter: Fenty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter
- Best cream pot highlighter: Decorté Dip in Glow Cream Highlighter
Updated on 06/26/2020 by Remi Rosmarin: Updated links, prices, and formatting.
The best highlighter overall
BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector is the first word in highlighter, known for its intense glow and impressive shade range.
The first highlighter I ever fell in love with was Champagne Pop, a best-selling illuminator that BECCA Cosmetics developed in conjunction with YouTube star Jaclyn Hill. Though I now prefer dewier cream highlighters on a daily basis, it remains a staple in my collection.
BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector is by far one of the most popular highlighter formulas on the market — the pressed powder formula alone has more than 5,000 Sephora reviews and a 4.6-star rating — and I consider it responsible for my personal highlighter awakening.
These highlighters manage to be intense without looking too wild for the office or a casual setting. I use a fan brush and a very light hand to apply the powdered version to my cheekbones for bold highlight, but they're super buildable if you want to go "full glam" with your look.
There are 12 Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed shades available to accommodate most skin tones, from icy Pearl to deep Chocolate Geode. Some of the colors also come in liquid and cream formulations, so you're sure to find one that matches your highlighter personality.
I'm partial to the powders because they are super smooth and versatile. I even wear them as eyeshadow sometimes. One downside to note: BECCA pressed powders are super delicate, so store them somewhere safe and pick a more durable formula for travel.
Pros: Intense and buildable highlight, shade range incorporates a variety of skin tones, comes in multiple formulas
Cons: Powder is really delicate and breakable
Check price at SephoraThe best stick highlighter
With just one quick swipe, Glossier Haloscope gives you a dewy, natural highlight — if "natural" means "glowing like you dipped your face in icing," that is.
I'm a creamy stick highlighter devotee, especially for daytime, and Glossier Haloscope is one of my favorites. It's considered a "dew effect" highlighter (read: glossy and natural, not overly sparkly) with a nourishing formula containing coconut, castor seed, and sweet almond oil and real gemstones that give it pizazz.
It comes in three versatile shades — bronzey Topaz, pearly Quartz, and opalescent Moonstone. I use all three in different ways, treating Quartz and Moonstone as traditional highlighters and Topaz as a bronzer for a sun-kissed look. Sometimes I even pop them on my eyelid. The effect: kind of sweaty, but in a hot way.
Haloscope is pretty sheer, so each color adapts to multiple skin tones. Moonstone, for example, looks almost white in the tube, but blends out to a clear gloss with subtle opalescent sparkles.
I adore these for everyday use, and I'm not alone — Glossier won a Glamour Beauty Award in 2016 and has been recommended by countless other publications, including The Strategist.
"When it comes to daytime makeup, this product is one of my go-tos and certainly one of my most-used 'natural' highlighters," writes Rio Viera-Newton.
Pros: Dewy, natural highlight; convenient stick packaging, great for travel, three versatile shades
Cons: Avoid if you are sensitive to oils
Check price at Sephora Check price at GlossierThe best natural highlighter palette
The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette is not a highlighter palette in the traditional sense, but that's exactly what makes it so special.
If you're not a fan of a really intense, strobing highlight, here's something different. The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette contains six powders that give you a glow visible from the moon, but without the sparkle you find with many highlighters. This is a true "lit from within" vibe.
I've tried these powders in a variety of different ways, but I love Dim Light, which blurs imperfections and gives skin luminosity under my eyes and in the t-zone, Incandescent Light on the cheekbones as a subtle highlight, and Radiant Light under the cheeks for a natural bronze glow.
This is roughly how the brand recommends applying the powders, but you really can mix it up to find what's best for your face and skin tone — there's even an entire Reddit thread dedicated to discussing how to use it.
Many of the more than 1,000 reviews on Sephora (the palette has a 4.3 rating) also point out how incredible this palette makes their skin look in photos, so it could be a fabulous option if you have a big event, like a wedding, coming up.
The biggest note of praise I can bestow on these powders? They considerably lessen the trauma of accidentally opening your phone to the front-facing camera.
Pros: Gives a gorgeous and natural glow, works for a lot of skin tones, minimal sparkle
Cons: There's a bit of a learning curve and the price tag is high
Check price at SephoraThe best intense highlighter
Sometimes, you want to go all-out. For those "life is a fashion editorial" moments, reach for the Fenty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter.
The beauty of highlight, and makeup in general, is you can be someone different every time you wear it. Sometimes I'm in the mood for that fresh, no-makeup makeup vibe. Other days, I just want to douse myself in glitter and fun colors and pretend on I'm on the cover of Vogue.
Those days are all about the Fenty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter. Fenty Beauty was founded by Rihanna, and if anyone can make beaming highlight seem infinitely wearable, it's Rihanna. The color range includes everything from a gold shade called Trophy Wife to a pearlescent Lightning Dust/Fire Crystal, so there really is something for everyone. As long as you're the type of "everyone" who loves blinding highlighter.
I tested Lightning Dust/Fire Crystal and the peachy pink Girl Next Door/Chic Phreak duos, and was surprised by how versatile they were on my fair skin. Both sets feature an intense highlight and a more subtle one. Together, they pack a seriously shimmery punch.
While I could get away with the less pigmented shades for daytime, I liked these best with full glam evening looks because they have a fair amount of glitter.
These highlights already have more than 3,000 Sephora reviews and a 4.6-star rating. Shoppers are especially impressed with the shade selection, which features gorgeous options for dark skin tones as well as lighter ones.
Pros: Bold and intense highlight, colors that work for many skin tones
Cons: Best for fans of intense shimmer because there is visible glitter
Check price at Sephora Check price at Fenty BeautyThe best cream pot highlighter
Not a fan of color? Decorté Dip in Glow Cream Highlighter looks white in the pot but deposits a clear sheen when blended onto the skin.
I thought I'd seen it all when it comes to makeup, but the Decorté Dip In Glow Cream Highlighter took me by surprise. It comes in a tiny pot with a luxurious metallic screw-on lid. The product looks pearl white in the packaging, but it transfers onto the skin completely clear.
It almost gave me the same effect of patting lip balm onto my cheekbones (this is something I also do), minus the stickiness. In short, you will beam if you wear this, but in that natural "I just came from midday yoga and didn't bother showering after but still look amazing" kind of way.
If you're intrigued by Glossier Haloscope in "Moonstone" but fear the blue shift it gives you in certain lighting, try Decorté Dip In Glow. I think it's a great option for mature skin or anyone who loves a very subtle highlight because it blends seamlessly and doesn't emphasize texture or fine lines.
Decorté is a newer brand in the States so there aren't a ton of reviews online, but Kate Moss is a fan, as is my mom, who called this stuff "magic" when I let her try it on a recent visit. And everyone should listen to my mom.
Pros: Translucent highlighter that doesn't deposit color, natural glow, not sticky
Cons: Pricey
Check price at Saks Fifth AvenueCheck out our other makeup buying guides
The best blush you can buy for any skin tone
The right blush can help bring an entire makeup look together, wake up your face on tired mornings, or reinstate some life on your cheeks after you've blotted out your natural color with foundation. Glossier Cloud Paint is our favorite because it's easy to use, not too expensive, and depending on the color that suits your skin tone, looks oh-so-natural.
The best makeup setting powder you can buy
A good makeup setting powder must cut down on shine without caking, look natural but last for hours, mattify but enhance luminosity, and remain undetectable on most skin tones. The Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder is our favorite makeup setting powder because it goes above and beyond with its great mattifying effect, multiple shades, and general versatility.
The best concealer you can buy for any skin tone
Finding your ideal concealer shade is tricky, so we tested a bunch to find the best concealer you can buy.
The best formulas can make you look airbrushed with very little product required. I put a bunch of highly-rated concealers to the test over several weeks. This list features my top five favorites. Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage is our top pick because each compact comes with two colors you can mix and match to suit your skin tone and use all over your face if you want to.
The best long-lasting lipsticks you can buy
One of the major grievances I have with lipstick is that you apply it only to find your lips are bare the next time you look in the mirror. The solution? A long-lasting lipstick that'll stay all day. For a high-performance lipstick that's long-lasting, looks amazing, and comes in a nice range of colors, Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick is our all-round winner.
The best mascara you can buy
If there's one thing many women never leave home without, it's mascara. It makes your eyes pop and brightens up your face in an instant. We tested dozens of mascaras to find the best, and Chanel Le Volume Mascara is our top choice because it delivers long, lush lashes that last all day.
The best foundation you can buy
Picking the right foundation makeup for your skin type and skin tone can be a real hassle, but once you find the best one for you, you've got it made. We've done the research to find some of the highest-rated foundations you can buy, and the NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation is a real winner.
The best bronzers you can buy
A bronzed glow can make you look healthier and feel more confident, but we all know how damaging sunbathing can be. Faking it with a bronzer is a much safer option. For the ultimate sun-kissed glow in an instant, Becca's Sunlit Bronzers are our top pick.
Erin Mayer Freelance Writer Erin Mayer is a freelance writer who covers beauty, culture, lifestyle, and her feelings for a variety of publications. In her spare time, you can find her watching true crime documentaries and having an existential crisis while doing a face mask. Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Read more Read lessYou can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.
Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.
Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
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