Beauty Care: Makeup by Mario Pearl Soft Glow Highlighter Review & Swatches

Pearl

Makeup by Mario Pearl Soft Glow Highlighter Makeup by Mario Pearl Soft Glow Highlighter ($28.00 for 0.16 oz.) is a very pale, golden peach with moderate, warm undertones and fine gold and pink pearl woven throughout a high-shine, metallic finish. It was less overtly shimmery as it was intensely shiny to the point where it looked almost glossy on my skin.

The texture was moderately dense, slightly firmer in the pan, but to the touch, it felt almost emollient and wet. There was no powderiness, which helped it apply well over bare skin as well as on top of base products without lifting them up. It had semi-opaque, buildable pigmentation, which was a little more coverage than marketed, that stayed on nicely for eight hours before fading visibly.

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

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Viseart Highlight #1 (PiP, ) is darker (90% similar).
Catrice Champagne Campaign (P, $5.99) is darker (90% similar).
JD Glow Beyunce (P, $16.50) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
Anastasia Eclipse (PiP, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
ColourPop Princesa (LE, $7.00) is darker, less pigmented, cooler (85% similar).
MAC Tutu (LE, $37.00) is more shimmery, darker (85% similar).
ColourPop Upgrade (LE, $8.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
Tarte Believe (LE, $28.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
ColourPop Smoke 'n Whistles (P, $8.00) is darker (80% similar).
Guerlain Electric Look #1 (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (80% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

$28.00/0.16 oz. - $175.00 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to highlight while "smooth[ing] the appearance of your skin" with an "ultra-silky" texture that "blends effortlessly." The collection this formula launched in was touted as having all buildable formulas, though I'd say that the highlighter formula was more semi-opaque to opaque for the most part.

It was easy to use a lighter hand as the texture was denser and firmer (without being stiff), so there were no issues controlling how much product was picked up. The product felt incredibly smooth and almost cream-like--as if it were emollient to the touch--which helped the highlighter "melt" onto skin after five minutes or so.

Some shades were smoother and more luminous than others; a few yielded a more intense glow that seemed just shy of emphasizing my skin's natural texture. They all applied evenly and blended out with very little effort. Most of the shades wore well for eight hours on me.

Browse all of our Makeup by Mario Soft Glow Highlighter swatches.

Ingredients

Talc, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Isostearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Zinc Stearate, Silica, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Tin Oxide, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol May Contain/Peut Contenir (+/-): Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742).

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.