Inside my Highlighter Stash (with Swatches)

A post like this is long overdue because if there's one product (besides lipstick!) that gives me endless joy it's highlighter! I actually posted a picture on Instagram of a few of the highlights (I'm so funny!) of my stash and it dawned on me that somehow it has never been a blog pot. Today we are fixing that...

The Powders

The Balm Mary Lou Manizer | £16 | I went back to this recently after neglecting it a bit and I was like 'daaaaamnnnn'! This stuff is just amazing and I don't think I've ever heard a negative review of it. It's a gorgeous light gold shade that's not too frosty on my skin tone but still packs a punch in terms of illumination. It has this incredible dewy finish but doesn't have a single bit of glitter in it. Like I said; it really isn't for the faint-hearted but you can use it with a fan brush for a more daytime-appropriate look. It's got such a soft, smooth texture that blends beautifully on the skin. It's almost too soft though: mine smashed! Luckily I managed to fix it with some rubbing alcohol (it was totally useable but because it's an all-time favourite I did repurchase it) but definitely be careful with it. 

Laura Geller Gelato Swirl Illuminator in Gilded Honey | £21 | This is a bit of a deeper, warmer gold colour, though realistically maybe you don't need both this and the Mary Lou! It's pretty small for the amount of product you get, however it's pretty handy for travelling. It's less of a dewy glow and has more of a metallic finish. It isn't as smooth and creamy as the Mary Lou but I still find it easy to work with.

MAC Mineralise Skinfinishes in Soft & Gentle & Global Glow | £24 each | These definitely look glittery in the pan but it really doesn't translate to the skin (perhaps the glitter is just very fine). They have this beautiful, very natural dewy effect on the skin and it's almost impossible to go too full-on with these. Soft and Gentle is a light peachy-gold-champagne and Global Glow is a deeper, more bronze shade that I love for the Summer.

Topshop Highlighter in Horizon | £10 | This is a really beautiful formula; it's not at all glittery and instead has a muted, metallic sheen that looks very natural on the skin. It blends out so smoothly too. I'm really not sure why this doesn't have more hype because it's fantastic, especially for a tenner! It has a really nice bronze tone to it so is perfect for a sun kissed glow.

Illamasqua Beyond Powder in Epic* | £32 | This is actually quite similar to Horizon, though it's slightly lighter I'd still recommend Horizon as a dupe. Again, this very much a metallic sheen as opposed to a full-on dewy highlight and looks very subtle and natural on the skin. If you prefer a'glow from within' look then this is the one I'd recommend. It's another bronze-gold shade that really suits my skin tone.

Laura Mercier Face Illuminator in Indiscretion | £32 | The colour of this highlighter is really hard to describe; I guess it's a cool gold champagne sort of shade. It's a very natural look on me; it's kind of dewy but nothing that intense. It isn't glittery so I often reach for this when I want an everyday sort of glow. 

Becca x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop | £32 | This is probably my all-time favourite! This is a full-on super-dewy highlighter that I often use with a fan brush to get a more daytime-appropriate look. It blends out so effortlessly and the champagne-gold with peachy undertones seems to suit so many people. I find the formula so unique because it doesn't have any glitter despite the intense shimmer and it glides onto the skin so smoothly.

Becca x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Prosecco Pop | £48 (for palette) | This is the same formula as Champagne Pop but I don't find this *quite* as beautifully smooth as the individual I have. However it is still amazing so I really can't complain! When I'm travelling it's really handy to have these all in one place. Prosecco Pop is a very true gold shade so I think if you're quite pale it might look like a yellow stripe on you! However for me it's just the perfect sun kissed highlighting shade when I want something quite intense and bold.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Illuminator in So Hollywood | £28 | Based on the brand, I did expect these highlighters to be super-intense and for the pigmentation to rival Becca's. However I was surprised in a good way because these are so natural. Sadly this shade is no longer available but you can still get two of the others in this formula, which I'd recommend doing. There isn't a speck of glitter in the pan; it has a subtle light gold sheen on the skin instead.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in That Glow | £39 | I heard that these were meant to be the permanent line replacement for the Illuminators but to me the formula is totally different. These are much more dewy and give a more wet-look highlight. They're actually very natural on the skin and look so perfect during the Summer time. This colour way seems to be out of stock everywhere in the UK for some reason but you can still get the other shades (Sun Dipped seems similar) or order That Glow from Sephora or the ABH website. This is a champagne-gold themed palette with removable magnetic pans, which is handy. You also get an impressive amount of product in here for the price. Sunburst is an iridescent white-gold-yellow shade, Golden Bronze is as the name would suggest, Bubbly is a champagne tone and Dripping in Gold is a similar champagne colour but with gold undertones.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Strobe Powder in Brilliant Light | £34 | I was really unsure about whether to get this after finding the legendary powders a little bit 'meh' however I impulse-purchased this and am glad I did! It's quite a stark highlight on me but this light white-gold still doesn't look ashy. It's a very natural look despite seeming so glittery in the pan.

Urban Decay Afterglow 8-Hour Highlighter in Sin | £19 | For some reason I really haven't got the use I expected to out of this. It's a white-gold shade with a very unusual iridescent sheen to it. It isn't quite as smooth in texture as some of the others in this post but it still blends out nicely. It's a bit more of an 'obvious' highlighter for me and is quite cool-toned (perhaps why I don't reach for it so much).

The Creams & Liquids

No7 Instant Radiance Bronzing Highlighter | £9.95 | This is such an underrated gem that I feel the need need to mention more on my blog because it's a highlighter I always go back to. I was put off cream highlighters for a while because so many that I'd tried had a thin, greasy texture that was just all glitter, however this one really changed my mind. This has a creamy, easy-to-blend formula that gives a natural sheen to the skin. It's a stunning pearly golden-bronze colour that always serves me well during the Summer months. Like with all of the cream highlighters I'll be talking about, I just like to blend this out with my fingers.

KIKO Radiant Touch Creamy Stick Highlighter | £7.90 | I'm concerned that this pretty highlighter has been discontinued in the UK! It's very much in a similar vein to the No7 one in terms of formula; creamy but not shiny and sheeny as opposed to glittery. However this is more of a light pearlescent gold colour.

Topshop Glow Pot Highlighter in Gleam | £9 | I just love this stuff! You only need a tiny amount because this little pot definitely packs a punch when it comes to pigmentation. Again it has a thicker formula that isn't greasy, however this has a dewier finish than the cream highlighters I've mentioned so far. I tend to reach for it when I want serious glow! The colour Gleam is a sort of gold-champagne.

ColourPop Super Shock Highlighter in Glo Up, Dream Catcher and Wisp | $8 each | I'm a massive fan of these bargains from ColourPop! There are some formula differences between the shades I have; Dream Catcher is more mousse-y than the others. Overall though, these aren't too shiny and have a pigmented formula. Again, I feel like these blend out to a very natural look. Though they don't contain glitter, they do give a more dewy effect on the skin. Glo Up is a true warm gold with bronzed undertones, Dream Catcher is an interesting light gold with a pink iridescent sheen and finally Wisp is a golden-champagne.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfectors Poured in Opal and Moonstone | £30 each | These have a dewy look so give amazing glow to the skin without making you look overly shiny. They have really great pigmentation even from just one swipe but I love how easy they are to work with at the same time. There's no glitter in these shades but they are still quite intense given that they're a cream formulation. Opal is a cool champagne-gold-peach colour whereas Moonstone is a lighter pearly gold shade.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal | £34 | This is really quite pricey for what it is and, dare I say it, a little overrated. However it's a nice product I've spent my money on so I'm going to use it! I find this is most intense when used on top of my foundation for a dewy pearly-gold highlight. You can also wear it underneath your base or mixed in with it, however I really only find it worth doing when I'm wearing something light coverage like a tinted moisturiser.

Benefit Sun Beam Highlighter | £19.50 | I'm not sure it really shows in the image but this is a more golden shade than Opal so although it still has that pearly sheen going on, it gives a more bronzed look. It actually isn't as dewy as you might expect, giving more of a subtle sheen than a full-on evening highlight.

Looking at this post; I definitely do not need any more highlighters! But what can I say? This really is a product that brings me happiness! What are your favourite highlighters?

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*DISCLOSURE - PRODUCTS MARKED WITH AN ASTERISK ARE PR SAMPLES/GIFTS OR PURCHASED WITH GIFTED VOUCHERS. ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN. 

PLEASE VISIT MY DISCLOSURE PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION.