Whether you’re looking for a liquid, cream or powder highlighter, this editor-approved and -tested guide to the best highlighters available in 2021 will help you sift through the numerous highlighters on the market. In order to add some of the newcomers, old favorites were removed, but with such steep competition, I’ve also made it a point to ensure that there is greater variety in types of highlighters at different price points.
Every product recommended below has been tested and reviewed by me, your editor-in-chief, and I test thousands of products every year–so they’ve earned their way onto this list. To read more about a specific shade or view swatches, make sure to use the drop downs and buttons below, as we’ve tried to make this guide comprehensive and easy to use!
Dior Dior Forever Couture Luminizer
It was described as having a "multidimensional glow" that "blend[ed] seamlessly" and was long-wearing. The formula felt like it was a gel-powder formula, which was indicated by its slightly firmer, almost stiff, feel in the pan, but there was no powderiness, and the product picked up well with a moderately-dense brush. Once on, the powder almost "melted" on my skin, which gave it a particularly seamless look that was never dry or dusty. Read more...
Auric Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer
The formula is supposed to have buildable coverage so it can be used "alone" or "blended" with skincare/foundation or "used as a highlighter on top of foundation." Read more...
Pat McGrath Divine Glow Highlighter
The formula is supposed to have an "ultra-reflective finish" and "silken feel" to give a "high intensity glow." The texture felt more emollient, almost wet to the touch, though it was distinctively a powder-based formula in practice. Read more...
Lethal Cosmetics Magnetic Pressed Highlighter
The formula is supposed to have a "radiant glow" that is "never glittery" and long-wearing. The pigmentation ranged from semi-opaque to opaque, but all were buildable if desired. The texture was soft, smooth, and blendable without being too firmly nor too loosely-pressed, which made it easy to adjust pressure or use with both feathery and denser brushes to change the application results. Read more...
Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer Highlight
It's supposed to have "superfine, light-catching pearls" that can be built up from "soft sheen to pure pop." Per the description, it is intended to be used as a standalone highlighter--applied over liquid, powder, or cream--or mixed with foundation. It worked well on bare skin as well as over foundation, and it was mixable, though the style of applicator made it less readily mixed into foundation compared to a dropper. I had slight lifting issues with certain shades, but it was less prone to doing so overall. Read more...
Sydney Grace Highlighter
The highlighters are supposed to be "smooth and pigmented" that "blend like a dream" and "last all day long." The majority of the shades in the range are incredibly pigmented with a creaminess to the texture that makes them a cinch to apply and blend out on my skin. Read more...
ColourPop Lite Stix
The formula is supposed to "blend effortlessly" with a "natural, skin-like finish" that can be layered or applied on bare skin. The brand recommends applyling directly from the tube for heavier coverage and using a brush to pick up product for less coverage, though the coverage "easily builds colour to your heart's desire." Read more...
Milk Makeup Flex Highlighter
The formula is supposed to apply "seamlessly" to skin and hydrate skin with a "weightless pearlescent base" that gives "next-level glow." There's no specific description about coverage, but the promotional swatches showed all shades as opaque. The formula is as smooth and as silky as described; it felt like a thinner, powdery cream than it felt like a true powder. Read more...
Maybelline MasterChrome Metallic Highlighter
It’s supposed to have a “chrome effect” that can be applied “lightly for a subtle glow” or built up for a “bold melted metal look.” The texture was soft, smooth, and blendable that was delightfully creamy to the touch, but it was still more loosely pressed (without being powdery), which made it particularly easy to apply with a slew of brushes. Read more...
Natasha Denona Super Glow Highlighter
The formula is supposed to be a "super-soft powder" that "mimics skin's natural texture for a slick, seamless finish that won't settle in fine lines" while creating a "multidimensional glow" and "glass-like sheen." The powder has a denser consistency with slight slip and creaminess, but it definitely feels like a powder. Read more...
Sydney Grace Loose Highlighter
Dior DiorSkin Nude Luminizer
It's a new line of powder highlighters that are supposed to give the "face a multidimensional glow" with a "high concentration of shimmering pigments." It's an update on their previous Luminizers but with lighter-weight packaging (and no included brush, which wasn't anything to write home about anyway!) and a lower price. Read more...
MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish
The Extra Dimension Skinfinish formula is supposed to give “the perfect glow to the skin” with a “creamy powder formula” that wears for “10 hours.” It’s a powder highlighter that I’d describe as a moderate to intense highlighter, and they come in varying hues with some that might work as highlighting blushes/bronzers are on some skin tones and true highlighters on other skin tones. In general, the formula is very pigmented, blendable, and wears around eight to nine hours on me.
Milani Strobelight Instant Glow Powder
The formula is powder highlighter that’s supposed to have a “radiant finish” and is available in seven shades. The consistency was similar to a lot of other “gelee” highlighters: smooth, soft but more firmly pressed (where there was no powderiness but was still pigmented) with semi-opaque to opaque coverage and a frosted to a metallic finish. Some shades emphasized my skin’s natural texture slightly when worn heavily. This formula will be most suitable for someone who likes an intense, more metallic highlighter and warmer-toned shades.
Our Methodology
The way I approach my guides is by focusing permanent formulas that have stood the test of time–they are high quality, consistent, and all formulas that have performed well. Every shade is thoroughly tested and reviewed, and these are formulas where I’ve often tested every shade in the line of, so I really grasp each formula’s strengths and weaknesses!
More product guides: Best Blushes, Best Eyeshadow Palettes, Best Single Eyeshadows, Best Lipsticks, Best Lip Glosses, Best Blush Brushes, Best Eyeshadow Brushes.
Top Rated Highlighters from 2021
Check out the current top 10 highest-rated highlighters (individual shades) reviewed by the editor in 2021–this list will update automatically! This list is focused on any and all highlighters reviewed during 2021, and it includes individual shades (rather than consistently high-performing formulas, like the first list) that are both a mix of limited edition and permanent.
Avalon is a bright, medium copper with strong, warm undertones and a pearly sheen. It had opaque pigmentation when applied with a fingertip and more...
Avalon is a bright, medium copper with strong, warm undertones and a pearly sheen. It had opaque pigmentation when applied with a fingertip and more...
Smokin' Whistles is a pale, champagne gold with warm undertones and a pearly sheen. It had more opaque pigmentation when applied with a fingertip,...
Smokin' Whistles is a pale, champagne gold with warm undertones and a pearly sheen. It had more opaque pigmentation when applied with a fingertip,...
ColourPop Beach Party Super Shock Cheek (Highlighter) ($8.00 for 0.15 oz.) is a medium peach with moderate, warm undertones and slightly cooler,...
ColourPop Beach Party Super Shock Cheek (Highlighter) ($8.00 for 0.15 oz.) is a medium peach with moderate, warm undertones and slightly cooler,...
ColourPop U Got Mail Super Shock Cheek (Highlighter) ($8.00 for 0.15 oz.) is a medium-dark pink with subtle, warm undertones and a smooth, pearlized...
ColourPop U Got Mail Super Shock Cheek (Highlighter) ($8.00 for 0.15 oz.) is a medium-dark pink with subtle, warm undertones and a smooth, pearlized...
Auric Tourmaline Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer ($45.00 for 1.13 oz.) is a medium-dark brown with subtle, warmer red undertones and a natural sheen. The...
Auric Tourmaline Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer ($45.00 for 1.13 oz.) is a medium-dark brown with subtle, warmer red undertones and a natural sheen. The...
Auric Morganite Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer ($45.00 for 1.13 oz.) is a light, peachy beige with warm undertones and a soft, luminous sheen. It had...
Auric Morganite Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer ($45.00 for 1.13 oz.) is a light, peachy beige with warm undertones and a soft, luminous sheen. It had...
Auric Pyrite Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer ($45.00 for 1.13 oz.) is a darker beige with muted, golden olive undertones and a natural sheen. It had fine...
Auric Pyrite Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer ($45.00 for 1.13 oz.) is a darker beige with muted, golden olive undertones and a natural sheen. It had fine...
Auric Citrine Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer ($45.00 for 1.13 oz.) is a medium, peachy brown with strong, warm undertones--more orange-leaning relative...
Auric Citrine Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer ($45.00 for 1.13 oz.) is a medium, peachy brown with strong, warm undertones--more orange-leaning relative...
Auric Axinite Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer ($45.00 for 1.13 oz.) is a medium-dark brown with subtle, warm undertones and a natural sheen. It had...
Auric Axinite Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer ($45.00 for 1.13 oz.) is a medium-dark brown with subtle, warm undertones and a natural sheen. It had...
Auric Goldstone Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer ($45.00 for 1.13 oz.) is a medium brown with warmer, golden undertones and a natural sheen. The finish had...
Auric Goldstone Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer ($45.00 for 1.13 oz.) is a medium brown with warmer, golden undertones and a natural sheen. The finish had...
Dior Dior Forever Couture Luminizer
Dior Dior Forever Couture Luminizer
Dior Dior Forever Couture Luminizer
Dior Dior Forever Couture Luminizer
source https://www.temptalia.com/best-highlighters/
No comments:
Post a Comment