Beauty Care: Lisa Eldridge Crystal Nebula Elevated Glow Highlighter Review & Swatches

Crystal Nebula

Lisa Eldridge Crystal Nebula Elevated Glow Highlighter ($38.00 for 0.43 oz.) is a light, yellowy gold with fine, lighter pearl and a soft, luminous sheen. It imparted a glowing, almost wet-like shine to my skin that wasn’t overtly shimmery but was more intense than a lot of other liquid highlighters on the market (which are often very sheer and lower in pearl).

It had a sheerer base, but the intensity of the glow was more moderate, and the intensity could be built up by layering the product; layering achieved an almost metallic radiance that didn’t emphasize my skin’s natural texture. The formula did live up to its “smoothing” nature when left on bare skin for about three minutes to set, and it was smooth, reflective, and flattering on even my drier skin.

The consistency was fluid, lightweight, and thin without being too watery, though I did find it easiest to work with it from the back of my hand as it ensured I didn’t over-apply and had better control over the area of application. It stayed on well for eight hours before fading a bit.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

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View Swatches

Formula Overview

$38.00/0.43 oz. - $88.37 Per Ounce

The formula is described as a "sheer, lightly tinted and skin adaptive base" with "small" pearls that give a "glowy and seamless" highlighting effect to skin. It is also supposed to have a "subtle skin tightening and smoothing effect." The intensity of the pearl can be built up per the brand.

It had a soft, luminous sheen that wasn't so dewy that it veered into oily territory and had fine pearl that illuminated without emphasizing skin texture. The effect could be intensified by layering more product on, as described. The pigmentation was sheer, as marketed, and buildable to more semi-sheer to medium coverage if desired.

To see the subtle smoothing effect, the product was best applied directly to bare skin, left to set (three minutes as advised by the brand), and then add-on base products as desired. I found that the formula was definitely more smoothing this way, though it never added to the texture of my skin, even when applied directly on top of foundation.

The consistency was thin, lightweight, and more watery, so application was easiest dabbing a bit on the back of my hand, and then using a fingertip or a stippling brush to pick up product and pat onto my skin. The product applied well over bare skin as well as over base products as it wasn't prone to lifting up foundation when I did it this way. If I applied directly from the doe-foot applicator over foundation, it seemed to over-apply product and be too wet, so it was harder to work with and tended to spread out to a larger area than I intended.

It stayed on well for eight and a half hours before fading a bit on me.

Browse all of our Lisa Eldridge Elevated Glow Highlighter swatches.

Ingredients

AQUA / WATER · HYDROGENATED DIDECENE · GLYCERIN · MICA · ISODODECANE · HYDROGENATED POLYDECENE · PROPANEDIOL · PEG-10 DIMETHICONE · HYDROGENATED STYRENE/ISOPRENE COPOLYMER · SODIUM CHLORIDE · POLYGLYCERYL-3 DIISOSTEARATE · SODIUM DEHYDROACETATE · CAPRYLYL GLYCOL · 2-HEXANEDIOL · SODIUM PHYTATE · AVENA SATIVA KERNEL EXTRACT / AVENA SATIVA (OAT) KERNEL EXTRACT · TAMARINDUS INDICA SEED POLYSACCHARIDE · TRIETHOXYCAPRYLYLSILANE · CAESALPINIA SPINOSA FRUIT EXTRACT · SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE · KAPPAPHYCUS ALVAREZII EXTRACT · ALUMINUM CALCIUM SODIUM SILICATE · PHENOXYETHANOL · ALCOHOL · ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN · PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE · TIN OXIDE · MAY CONTAIN/ PEUT CONTENIR [(+/-): TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891) · IRON OXIDES (CI 77491· CI 77492 · CI 77499)].

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.