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    Friday, November 22
    Beauty

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    26 Mins Read

    Contents

    Plus, expert-approved recommendations for all skin types.

    In This Article

    In This Article

    People often criticize highlighters without cause—they believe they’ll look and feel like they’ve slathered their skin in craft glitter glue. In reality, the right formula can naturally define features, emphasizing the high points on your face, like cream bronzers. Or, they leave complexions with a stunning glass skin finish similar to an illuminator. “Due to the versatility, experimental beauty lovers love a liquid highlighter versus a powder highlighter,” says Melinda Solares, beauty director at Sephora. “On the other hand, those who prioritize efficiency might prefer powder highlighter, as the application feels quicker.”

    Still, all is fair in glam and glitter, and anyone can benefit from sparkly liquids, dazzling powders, or luminous creams if they know where to look. I diligently tested the most popular options and relied on expert insight to determine which ones are worth your time.

    Our Top Picks Best Overall: Chantecaille Liquid Lumière at Nordstrom ($48) Jump to Review Best Drugstore: e.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Highlight Beauty Wand at Amazon ($9) Jump to Review Best for All Skin Tones: Saie Glowy Super Gel Highlighter at Amazon ($16) Jump to Review Best for Mature Skin: Westman Atelier Tinted Cream Highlighter at Sephora ($75) Jump to Review Best for Sensitive Skin: Typology T31 Glow Drops at Typology.com (See Price) Jump to Review Best Buildable: Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter at Nordstrom ($49) Jump to Review Best Luxury: Victoria Beckham Beauty Reflect Highlighter Stick at Victoriabeckhambeauty.com ($42) Jump to Review Best Palette: Dior Glow Face Palette at Sephora ($48) Jump to Review Best Powder: Too Faced Moon Crush Highlighter at Nordstrom ($36) Jump to Review Best for Medium Skin Tone: Danessa Myricks Beauty Illuminating Veil Liquid Highlighter at Sephora ($22) Jump to Review

    Best Overall

    Chantecaille Liquid Lumière

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $48 at Nordstrom View on Chantecaille.com $48 at Saks Fifth Avenue

    The Chantecaille liquid highlighter is melted-down liquid gold, and I wouldn’t expect anything else from the luxury skincare brand. This stunning formula brightens with radiance rather than glitter and bronzes skin with sunset-inspired hues of gold and pearlescent pinks. Its expertly perfected shades may not be strong enough to carve out a cheekbone, but their brilliant lightweight coverage will never make your features look cartoonish no matter how much you pack onto your skin.

    Even still, I achieved the definition by squeezing Brilliance, a warm yellow-toned shade, on the back of my hands and taking an angled eye shadow makeup brush to stipple it on my cheekbones and right under my brow bones. My tip: Mix it into a tinted serum to achieve an all-over glow and benefit from its skin-softening ingredients like bamboo and pea extract.

    Finish: Radiant | Shades: 3 | Key Ingredients: Bamboo, pea extract, glucosamine | Coverage: Medium | Size: 0.8 oz

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    Best Drugstore

    e.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Highlight Beauty Wand

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $9 at Amazon $9 at Ulta View on Elfcosmetics.com

    Whether you need a super precise application for complicated contour techniques or are more in need of a swipe-and-go product, you’ll wield all the power with this one tool. The E.l.f. highlight wand dispenses its three metallic shades—rose gold, champagne, and gold—in smart, targeted stamps. For the best results, squeeze it like you would with toothpaste (from the bottom), and apply it directly to the areas you want to highlight. The soft, dome-tip distributes the perfect quantity of product—it never leaves me with a goopy mess to blend out. While its pigment may not last all day (that’s where a face primer comes in handy), the squalane-packed formula did keep my skin well-hydrated for hours.

    Finish: Radiant | Shades: 3 | Key Ingredients: Squalane, glycerin | Coverage: Buildable | Size: 0.33 oz

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    Best for All Skin Tones

    Saie Glowy Super Gel Highlighter

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $16 at Amazon $16 at Sephora View on Cultbeauty.com

    Formulating a “universal” beauty product is every brand’s dream. Many have tried, and while not all have failed, the Saie Beauty Glowy Super Gel is a reigning victor. Though it’s not extremely pigmented (Out of the two colors, I saw the most impact by building up the bronze shade) celebrity makeup artist Emily Gray, says this deceptively sheer product surprised her with its stunning glow. She also adores the formula because “It doesn’t pill under makeup, and it’s almost transparent, so it works on almost every skin tone.

    The clean formula is safe for all skin types, although especially parched complexions will love the added hydration from glycerin, squalane, and rosehip oil. Even oilier types can feel confident wearing the thin liquid formula as its radiant finish melts into a second-skin-like finish, rather than emphasizing slick areas.

    Finish: Radiant | Shades: 2 | Key Ingredients: Glycerin, squalane, rosehip oil | Coverage: Light | Size: 1 oz

    Best for Mature Skin

    Westman Atelier Tinted Cream Highlighter

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $75 at Sephora View on Westman-atelier.com $75 at Verishop.com

    While highlighters claim to be multiuse products, I challenged this one by using it in all the places it promised you could: On my eyes, lips, and cheeks. It favored every area with a lustrous wash of color—never sticky or glittery—and my skin beamed from its lit-from-within finish. Although it's a cream formula, the highlighter has a very fine formula and applies similarly to a lightweight powder. To capitalize on the creamier texture, I warmed the silky powder between my fingertips and patted it directly on the skin.

    Two key factors play into its luxury price tag: First, the formula nourishes skin throughout the day by tapping super hydrators such as hyaluronic acid and jojoba seed oil. Additionally, the sturdy heavy compact, which includes a mirror and clicks close with a satisfying snap, and darling little velvet carrying case makes every application feel special.

    Finish: Radiant | Shades: 4 | Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, jojoba seed oil, caper extract | Coverage: Medium | Size: 0.14 oz

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    Best for Sensitive Skin

    Typology T31 Glow Drops

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    View on Typology.com

    Incorporating the Typology T31 into my everyday makeup routine started to feel like taking a morning walk: I didn’t miss it before but once I started doing it my life improved tenfold. My complexion is fresh and fabulous, and it has the healthy glow of spending hours outside at shore, but not looking so dewy that you’d think my little luminous face was from a dip in the Mediterranean. 

    Even better, its skincare claims are no joke either. I’ve regularly mixed the illuminator into my Typology Tinted Serum for a few months and my complexion looks all around more even. The areas where I usually saw redness around my nose and cheeks have dissipated, likely thanks to the inclusion of vitamin C and soothing aloe vera.

    Finish: Luminous | Shades: 1 | Key Ingredients: Aloe vera, vitamin C | Coverage: Light  | Size: 0.5 oz

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    Best Buildable

    Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $49 at Nordstrom $19 at Sephora View on Charlottetilbury.com

    Out of the many makeup products she uses to achieve radiance, Gray says the Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter is the one she reaches for most often in her treasured kit. Lying in neutral territory between a traditional liquid highlight and sheer foundation, she explains it’s perfect for red carpets and editorial photography because “It gives a small amount of coverage that blends into the skin and the most unworldly glow.”

    Its sheerer coverage is exactly what you want from an all-over illuminator. If you’re seeking something to achieve the feature-defining effects of a bronzer or contour she suggests going two or three shades darker than your natural skin tone.

    Finish: Radiant | Shades: 13 | Key Ingredients: Squalane, glycerin, porcelain flower extract | Coverage: Light | Size: 1 oz

    Best Luxury

    Victoria Beckham Beauty Reflect Highlighter Stick

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $42 at Victoriabeckhambeauty.com $42 at Violet Grey View on Bergdorfgoodman.com

    Armed with a golden suit of armor, the highlight encased in this dazzling tube has an equally impressive product inside. Victoria Beckham Beauty incorporates shimmer into the highlighter like how light sparkles off water: Naturally reflective as if I inherently had an ethereal glow rather than help from this ingenious formula. Available in two colors, I often used both simultaneously. The warm amber shade gives me more definition while the pearl-toned color catches and reflects life for an absolute unreal topper to my makeup look. As a bonus, the formula has strawberry seed oil and shea butter which helps the highlighter glide smoothly across the skin and makes the semi-sheer finish melt into the skin.

    Finish: Radiant | Shades: 2 | Key Ingredients: Strawberry seed oil, shea butter | Coverage: Light | Size: 1 oz

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    Best Palette

    Dior Glow Face Palette

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $48 at Sephora $48 at Dior.com View on Doordash.com

    Picking your poison never felt more optimistic—the Dior offers the Backstage Glow Face in a “Universal” and “Glitz,” both promising a stunning dusting of lit-from-within radiance. Since I’m a soft-glam girl I picked the Universal which has a radiant finish as opposed to the more high-shine Glitz leaves behind. Notably, the strobe effect from the translucent shade brightened up my complexion without feeling like my next plans involved bottle service.

    Whatever option you go for, the four brilliant powder shades are each works of art on their own—the bronze dust eyes in golden color while the pinks pinch cheeks with cute kisses of color. If you’re worried about not using all the colorways in the palette, know they’re incredibly complementary and look best layered on top of each other. Consider yourself bronzed, blushed, and highlighted within seconds.

    Finish: Shimmer | Shades: 4 shades; 2 colorways | Key Ingredients: Glycerin, vitamin E | Coverage: Light | Size: 1.6 oz

    Best Powder

    Too Faced Moon Crush Highlighter

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $36 at Nordstrom $36 at Sephora View on Ulta

    If you like your makeup products to look pretty (who doesn’t), there’s nothing more charming than this vintage-style compact, which features a pearlescent finish, gold trimming, and heart-shaped closure. Beyond that, the powder did as promised and slid silkily across my skin, never grabbing onto flakier patches or areas where my makeup began pilling. The finish impressed me most—this powder leaves a crystalized, prismatic effect on the skin as if you’re looking through a diamond in the sun, not glitter glue packed on construction paper. Personally, unless we’re discussing lip glosses, I’m not a huge fan of makeup products with scents, but I hardly noticed the apple fragrance.

    Finish: Shimmer | Shades: 2 | Key Ingredients: Apple seed oil | Coverage: Full | Size: 0.24 oz

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    Best for Medium Skin Tone

    Danessa Myricks Beauty Illuminating Veil Liquid Highlighter

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $22 at Sephora View on Beautybay.com View on Danessamyricksbeauty.com

    You don’t need to use much of this product to get your glow on, and have it remain radiant all day long. “Danessa Myricks’ Illuminating Veil is stunning mixed with foundation,” says celebrity makeup artist Delina Medhin. “It’s the only Illuminator I use, and there are a lot of different colors for every undertone so everyone can find something that works.” This highlighter is no exception to the brand’s testament that every one of its beautiful blushes and foundations comes in a shade that leaves all skin tones with a natural finish. However, if you’re looking for a highlighter with even more shade options, or if you have oily skin and want radiance without the sheen, the Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Lowlighter balm-to-powder formulates each shade by undertones.

    Finish: Radiant | Shades: 8 | Key Ingredients: Glycerin | Coverage: Buildable | Size: 1.06 oz

    Best Pigmented

    Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer Highlight

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $16 at Sephora View on Rarebeauty.com $25 at Kohls.com

    “If your TikTok algorithm has anything to do with beauty, you’ve likely seen the Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Positive Light Liquid Luminizer Highlight before, which was made famous by mixing it with the Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Soft Pinch Liquid Blush,” says Solares. Like the Rare Beauty Blush, this one went viral for how much color payoff you receive from a teeny, tiny drop. Worried a beginner may go accidentally overboard? The brand is one step ahead of us. I used the tip of its thoughtfully designed angled doe foot applicator to apply just the right amount to my cheekbones. I’m also impressed with the eight shades which range from warm ambers to cool rose tones and bronzes.

    Finish: Shimmer | Shades: 8 | Key Ingredients: Sacred lotus flower extract, sunflower seed oil | Coverage: Buildable | Size: 0.5 oz

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    Best for Oily Skin

    Pixi On the Glow SuperGlow

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    View on Pixibeauty.com

    Not quite a liquid, cream, or powder the Pixi On the Glow highlighter is an entity all its own. Its tackier texture doesn’t smear on oily skin or disturb the makeup underneath. And, as someone whose cheeks start to feel greasy about five minutes into my day, I appreciate how I won’t contribute to sheen by touching my dirty makeup brush or fingertips to my sin. The twist-style rectangular tool allows me to apply the highlighter directly where I need it and applies so smoothly that I never blend it out with another tool.  Additionally, like its drugstore blush counterpart, the formula is host to a couple of skin-loving ingredients all types can benefit from using, such as ginseng and aloe vera.

    Although I always feel brighter and more luminous wearing the highlighter, they wouldn’t be the best picks for bolder styles. On the flipside, since they apply in a thin lightweight layer they could be great for topping off a high-glam look with more radiance.

    Finish: Radiant | Shades: 4 | Key Ingredients: Ginseng, aloe vera | Coverage: Light | Size: 0.6 oz

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    Best Highlighter Drops

    Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops Sun Glow Serum

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $35 at Sephora $35 at Kohls.com

    Whether highlighters or bronzing drops came first is a classic chicken-egg situation, but sometimes you get the perfect marriage of both. Indeed it’s true with the Glow Recipe Niacinamide Hue Drops. While the drops deliver the radiance of a highlighter by using reflecting mica pigments, my skin also simply looks plumper and more vibrant thanks to skin-brightening ingredients such as niacinamide and hyaluronic acid.

    Although it’s a one-shade situation, the best part is you can simply build the pigment up for more coverage—one or two drops is enough to bless pale skin with warmth while four or five will give deeper tones that faux vitamin D feel. Most frequently I tap a few regulated drops from the push-down style applicator on my fingers and apply to my cheekbones. However, (even as a beauty writer) I’m notoriously bad at upgrading my foundation shades when the seasons turn, and mixing this bronzed beauty into my lighter shade helps ensure my jawline and neck always match up. One aspect of application I always have to remember is that each layer of skin care needs to be fully dry before I use it, otherwise I sometimes see pilling.

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    Finish: High shine | Shades: 1 | Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, centella asiatica, hyaluronic acid | Coverage: Buildable | Size: 1.35 oz

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    Best Shimmer

    Live Tinted Hueglow

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $38 at Amazon $38 at Ulta $38 at Target

    Recommending a liquid highlighter is a bold choice for mature skin—often, these formulas sink into fine lines and wrinkles. However, the Live Tinted drops feature a grippier consistency and conditioning ingredients that help it apply evenly across textured skin. “Live Tinted is slightly tacky but blends in smoothly and easily on the skin,” says celebrity makeup artist Jaleesa Jaikaran. Translation: It’s an ideal luminous base and primer for your other makeup.

    She adds, “Regardless of the skin texture, this can be used—it would just need to be adjusted so as to not overpower the look.” For instance, if you have textured skin use less product to start and continue building until you’ve reached desired coverage. No matter how much you use, you can count on moisture-replenishing ingredients like squalane and hyaluronic acid to prevent this drier skin type from looking flaky under the formula.

    Finish: Radiant | Shades: 4 | Key Ingredients: Squalane, sunflower seed oil, hyaluronic acid | Coverage: Buildable | Size: 1.6 oz

    Best Long-Wear

    Freck Slimelight

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $14 at Sephora View on Freckbeauty.com

    Like many people, I fell in love with Freck for its faux-freckle pens and lash growth serums, and rounding out its winning regime of products is the Slimelight liquid highlighter. Initially, the bright, punchy colorways worried me—I was particularly skeptical that the green hue would give my skin an Elphaba-adjacent hue. Pleasantly, it’s more complementary and functions almost like a color corrector, neutralizing the redness around my cheeks. Even the daring purple shade has a near-translucent tint. Yet, each prismatic color has a holographic quality that makes a statement each time I wear it.

    If you want to fall headfirst into a kaleidoscope-flecked rainbow, it's best to build up the liquid formula since it dries within seconds and doesn’t look chunky piled on top of layers.

    One problem I experienced, however, was squeezing the right amount of product from the (very adorable) triangle-shaped squeeze tubes. Occasionally, my brushes took the brunt of too much glittering goop.

    Finish: Shimmer | Shades: 3 |  Key Ingredients: Shea butter, glycerin | Coverage: Light | Size: 0.85 oz

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    • Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    Best for Dark Skin Tones

    Fenty Beauty Glow Enhancer

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $34 at Sephora $34 at Ulta $34 at Kohls.com

    Likely, you’re familiar with the Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter, specifically the shade Trophy Wife, after it showed how well its megawatt shine illuminated brightly on all skin tones. This liquid version is equally pigmented but without the glitter or high-shine finish. “Deeper skin tones look stunning with bronze, golden, and copper tones,” says Jaikaran, who recommends the Fenty Beauty All-Over Glow Enhance for its warm bronze and gold shades.

    “This is perfect to use on top of foundation but you can also use it mixed in with foundation—this is my favorite way to use it as it gives all over radiance,” she adds. And, it will blend seamlessly with your other makeup thanks to hydrating ingredients like sodium hyaluronate, a derivative of the ultra-hydrating hyaluronic acid, and squalane.

    Finish: Radiant | Shades: 4 | Key Ingredients: Sodium hyaluronate, squalane | Coverage:  Light | Size: 1.22 oz

    Best for Dry Skin

    Jones Road Beauty Miracle Balm in Pinched Cheeks

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    View on Jonesroadbeauty.com

    If all makeup felt as smooth, creamy, and rich as the Jones Road Miracle Balm, face moisturizers for dry skin may become obsolete. My skin felt fully nourished under this lightweight formula and the luminous base, and it revitalized my tired-looking complexion. Since the highlighter applied in a thin, sheer layer, I was surprised at its long-lasting coverage. (The equally hydrating liquid Shimmer Face Oil has a bit more glint and glimmer if you want to pack on more glamor). I fully expected it to slide off throughout the day but the tackier texture held on for eight hours.

    Plus, I appreciate its extensive range of 12 shades (one of the broadest I saw throughout my research) and how each one has a special superpower. The rosy hues gave my cheeks the cutest pop of pink, while the dustier mauves and browns evened out any discoloration from my self-tanner. While the inclusion of jojoba seed, argan, and ginger root oils no doubt contributed to my healthier-looking, more hydrated skin, they do give the balm a botanical scent that could be hit or miss depending on how you feel about fragrances.

    Finish: Radiant | Shades: 12 | Key Ingredients: Jojoba seed oil, argan kernel seed oil, ginger root oil | Coverage: Light | Size: 1.75 oz

    Best Liquid

    Iconic London Illuminator

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $40 at Sephora $40 at Ulta View on Iconiclondoninc.com

    Impressive color payoff and bronzed, shimmering skin are only the tip of what makes the Iconic London Illuminator a stellar liquid highlighter. Unlike a squeeze tube or doe foot applicator, this one features a dropper that allows me to practice my biology lab skills and better control the amount I pick up and carefully drip onto my skin. This design detail is a huge bonus for liquid-style formulas, which are easy to overdo. Notable ingredients like chamomile extract and vitamin E also helped the formula melt into my skin rather than sitting on top in a skin-contrasting streak of color.

    That said, if you’re a little impatient about blending, the Rollaway Glow may be a better option. It’s essentially the same formula but comes in a rollerball-style applicator that allows you to directly apply it to your skin and roll it out into a seamless finish.

    Finish: High shine | Shades: 3 | Key Ingredients: Green tea, chamomile extract, vitamin E | Coverage: Medium | Size: 0.45 oz

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    Best for Fair Skin

    Kevyn Aucoin Glass Glow Face Liquid Highlighter

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    View on Kevynaucoinbeauty.com

    Gold highlighter shades often appear yellow against pale skin and we all fear the muddy finish a too-dark bronze can leave behind. Yet, Kevyn Aucoin masterly formulated these sheer shades, available in a translucent, yellow gold, bronze, rose gold, and fiery orange hue, to compliment all skin tones.

    The 3D holographic finish is cosmic and otherworldly without veering way off into a cartoonish stratosphere. I wore it into the office and no one second-guessed whether I was heading to a rave after 5 p.m. The key here is how the highlighter reflects rather than piles color on top of the skin so that it glints without looking garish. Beyond that, I thought the press-down pump applicator was a thoughtful way to ensure each application distributed the ideal amount of product.

    Additionally, the gel-cream hybrid has a tackier texture that helps it stick to the skin, even with persistent face touching. While this scored points in my book, if your skin is extremely dry and you’re worried about it sticking to rough patches you may fare better with a liquid or cream formula.

    Finish: Radiant | Shades: 5 | Key Ingredients: Marula oil, passion fruit oil | Coverage: Light | Size: 1 oz

    Best Natural Looking

    Catrice Cosmetics More than Glow Highlighter

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $6 at Amazon View on Catricecosmetics.com

    Natural-looking makeup finishes are similar to beach waves—in theory, they should be simple to achieve but looking effortless requires a lot of time and attention to detail. The Catrice Cosmetics More than Glow highlighter thought wisely about what would make the process as simple as possible. It designs universal gold and rose gold shades to suit any skin tone and formulates featherweight powders that effortlessly dust across my skin. The finely milled powder never stuck to oilier spots on my face, which would’ve betrayed the naturally diffused look of its finish. While it may take a little longer to build these up to an ultra-pigmented finish, there’s no doubt these are ideal for serving a stunning no-makeup makeup look.

    Finish: Radiant | Shades: 2 | Key Ingredients: Silica, mica | Coverage: Light | Size: 0.13 oz

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    Best Stick

    Merit Day Glow Highlighting Balm

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $32 at Sephora $32 at Meritbeauty.com $32 at Kohls.com

    No sparkles? No problem. I didn’t find myself wishing for the extra glitter from the Merit Day Glow because its slightly dewy finish reinvigorated my dull skin all on its own. Particularly my favorite shade, Solstice, mirrored a copper penny with its warm hue and doubled down as a nice warm eyeshadow for my lids.

    The soft, buttery consistency is a huge perk for blending, but it’s not all that makes the application seamless. The rounded tip helps roll the product in smooth even layers along the cheekbones—it’s so simple to swipe a line across the inner hollows of my cheekbones or along the top of my forehead for a contouring effect. Plus, Merit loads the skincare-focused formula up with squalane and an amino acid blend so I felt better about wearing the nourishing cream on my skin all day. One note: The highlighter has a slightly waxy, crayon-like scent that’s not wholly unpleasant, but it’s something to bookmark if you prefer a fruity-fragrance product.

    Finish: Radiant | Shades: 4 | Key Ingredients: Squalane, olive fruit oil, phytosterol and amino acid blend | Coverage: Light | Size: 0.7 oz

    Best Without Glitter

    Refy Gloss Highlighter

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $26 at Sephora

    I’ve always had trouble achieving that enviable glass-skin glow on my combination skin. Highlighters either, well, highlight, the oil on my skin or clump in the dry patches. However, the Refy Gloss Highlighter is a glorious exception. The universal trophy-bronze shade washed my cheekbones with sun-drenched warmth and I finally have that gorgeous, au-natural luminosity. I also appreciated the gel-like texture that remained on my skin for hours and didn’t slide off even as my skin started to look greasier as the day wore on. It’s a little difficult to distribute just the right amount of product from the squeeze bottle tube, but truly you can’t go overboard with the highlighter. It applies in a sheer layer and ingredients like olive oil and rosemary leaf extract allow it to sink into the skin, not sit on top of it.

    Finish: Radiant | Shades: 1 | Key Ingredients: Rosemary leaf extract, olive oil | Coverage: Buildable | Size: 0.67 oz

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    Best Lightweight

    Benefit Cosmetics Cookie Highlighter

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    $35 at Nordstrom $18 at Nordstrom $35 at Sephora

    Alix Earle sent the internet into a whirlwind when she incorporated the Cookie and Tickle Powder Highlighters into another one of her enviable “Get Ready With Me.” And I have to say, it was a stellar endorsement. From the cute name to the pink packaging and powder inside it was exciting to have a playful makeup product again, and one that adheres to all my grown-up wants. I.e., it wasn’t packed full of chunky glitter or short-lived in wear time.

    For whatever reason, my fluffy powder brush had a hard time hanging on to the formula and it applied best when I used my fingertips. However, once on my skin, the airy texture was extremely easy to blend across my complexion.

    Finish: Shimmer | Shades: 2 | Key Ingredients: Mica | Coverage: Light | Size: 0.28 oz

    Highlighters are hard-working, multitasking products that top off your makeup with additional radiance. Whether you want to add warmth with a bronze shade or emphasize the high points of your face, we spoke with highly sought-after experts and tested dozens to determine the best ones for any kind of application.

    What to Keep in Mind

    • Your Skin Tone: For a natural-looking match, Solares says the shade should not be deeper than your skin tone. “You don’t want a blob of color, instead, you want a skin-like look with a lit-from-within glow that blends in seamlessly,” she explains. While fair skin should stick with silvers, soft golds, and light champagnes, skin tones that range from medium to deep can experiment with richer colors, like bronze and gold.
    • Type of Highlighter: When choosing between a liquid and powder formula, Solares says “Liquid highlighter offers the most versatility and can be used in just about every way imaginable.” She combines it with foundation, liquid blush, or bronzer when she wants to add an extra glow to her complexion. And, “On no makeup days, I mix it with my daytime SPF moisturizer—I am obsessed with how the reflectivity tricks the eye, creating smoother and more even-looking skin,” she adds.
    • Shade: “Remember if the shade is too light, it will appear dull, so instead, lean towards golden shades that will bring your skin back to life,” she says. Additionally, Solares adds that deeper skin tones should “avoid anything too light or icy, as it can create a gray cast.” But, your highlighter doesn’t always have to perfectly match your skin tone, explains Gray.

      She says she also keeps her overall makeup look in mind when selecting a color. “For example, if I do a warm bronzy smoky eye, I’m going to want to match with a gold-bronze warm highlight, regardless of the undertone,” she says. “For fair skin tones, I recommend opting for highlighters with champagne, pearl, or even rosy undertones to complement the complexion without appearing too stark,” says Jaikaran.

    • Skin Type: “Skin type is also a consideration—those with oily skin may opt for a powder format, while those with dry skin may prefer a liquid format,” says Solares.

    Your Questions, Answered

    Where do you put highlighter?

    “I usually put highlighter on the high points of the face,” says Gray, explaining, “So that would be the cheekbones, brow bone, top of the sides of the forehead, down the bridge of the nose, and a little on the top of the lip.

    She also reminds us that applicator tools are equally important for blending purposes and evenly distributing products. For example, using a beauty blender is easier for someone to blend out a liquid highlighter. “However, if you want the highlighter to have more coverage, using a brush would be better—a beauty blender tends to give a more medium, sheer application of products,” adds Gray.

    How do you apply highlighter?

    “For a more dewy finish, I prefer using my fingers as the warmth helps blend the product seamlessly into the skin,” says Jaikaran. On the other hand, if she wants a more subtle effect, Jaikaran says a fluffy brush helps diffuse the product evenly without disturbing the makeup underneath. “I also love to use a fan brush for a soft, wispy, application of a product,” she adds.

    Although you can apply an illuminator as a liquid highlight, the two products differ in pigmentation. “Highlighter is generally a more concentrated formula that is meant to be applied to the high points of the face, including cheekbones, bridge of the nose, and so on,” says Solares, who explains that illuminators, on the other hand, are formulated to apply all over your face for an all-over glow.

    Why Shop with Us

    Irene Richardson is a fashion and beauty writer for the InStyle Evergreen team. As someone constantly trying to achieve dewy, luminous skin and find faux ways to bronze her fair skin, testing the most radiant highlighters on the market was a no-brainer. She swiped over half the products on this list on her bare face and over makeup, wearing them all day to determine their longevity as she skirted around sweaty subway stations and perpetually touched her face. Additionally, she got application tips and additional product recommendations from:

    • Celebrity makeup artists Emily Gray, Jaleesa Jaikaran, and Delina Medhin. They are experts in finding products that stand out and look natural on red carpets and in photo shoots.
    • Sephora Beauty Director Melinda Solares has been with the brand for over a decade and connects with beauty professionals worldwide to educate and inspire others.
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