For years, makeup artists have skillfully used makeup highlighters to enhance the radiant beauty of our favorite celebrities. This technique has been particularly invaluable when natural light was limited or unavailable, ensuring that these stars shine bright even in less-than-ideal conditions!
For those of us outside the glamorous world of Hollywood, the trend of using makeup highlighter to illuminate our beauty has exploded in popularity in recent years. I remember learning about this trend when YouTube was starting to become huge and it eventually made its way to other social media platforms! This is where we saw beauty enthusiasts share their knowledge and techniques with a global audience. As a result, makeup lovers everywhere have gained access to valuable tips and tricks that were once reserved for the elite.
Today, it feels like there’s an irresistible new makeup highlighter around every corner, each promising to deliver a unique and dazzling glow. Whether you’re a seasoned makeup artist or just starting your journey into the world of cosmetics, the allure of trying these innovative products is hard to resist! Makeup highlighters are available in every formula you can imagine—powders, creams, and liquids—and I love them all! Whether you’re looking for a subtle glow or something bright and beaming, there’s a makeup highlighter out there for everyone, and today we’re going to find the right one for you! Let’s dive in!
All products featured on BiedazzleBeauty were personally tried and independently selected by Ashley. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Best Powder Highlighter – Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter
This highlighter has been featured in our “Best 17 Makeup Products in 2023” and “Top 7 Rare Beauty Products in 2023” articles, and there’s a good reason for it! I’ve never found a highlighter I love as much as this one. I use this powder highlighter almost every day to complete my look. It’s easy to create a subtle glow or achieve that trendy beaming look by using a heavier hand. It’s currently available in four beautiful shades, and once you try one, you’re probably going to want to collect them all like Pokemon!
Best Drugstore Powder Highlighter – Milani Cosmetics Baked Luminous Glow Highlighter
This is by far my favorite makeup highlighter at the drugstore. Its fragrance-free baked formula is great for sensitive skin. However, this highlighter does have quite a bit of shimmer in it, so if that’s not your preference, you may want to steer clear of this one. Personally, I don’t mind it at all and find that it looks really beautiful on the cheekbones and browbones. It’s extremely pigmented, so a little bit on your brush will go a long way. Furthermore, this highlighter is roughly half the price of the Rare Beauty highlighter mentioned above. If you’re looking for something more budget-friendly, this is the one for you!
Best Highlighter Stick – Anastasia Beverly Hills Stick Highlighter
This is my favorite stick highlighter; I’m completely obsessed with the shade Pink Diamonds. It complements those with fair skin so well. The product is available in five other shades, all equally beautiful. This cream highlighter has a built-in brush on the other end of the stick, making it great for travel purposes. It came with me on my trips to the Dominican Republic and Mexico! This product definitely provides a healthy-looking glow to the skin and is not overly shimmery. It’s super easy to blend as well.
Best Liquid Highlighter – Iconic London Illuminator Liquid Highlight
I first discovered this product through my monthly Boxycharm. This liquid highlighter is so versatile, and that’s what I love most about it. The dropper applicator is perfect for mixing it into your foundation to give an all-over glow or just dabbing it on the high points of your face and cheekbones. I haven’t found anything else in liquid form that’s quite as intense as this one. It’s currently available in three shades.
Best Drugstore Liquid Highlighter – L’Oreal Paris True Match Lumi Glotion
As far as drugstore highlights go, this is the closest I have found to the Iconic London Illuminator, but it is much more subtle. My favorite way to use this is by mixing it with the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer & Blur Oil-Free Primer for an all-over glow! If you’re looking for our top primer picks, check out our “Top 6 Makeup Primers in 2023“!
It’s available in four different shades, which may seem like a small range, but it really does complement all skin tones when mixed with a primer or foundation. Due to its ingredients, such as shea butter and glycerin, it can help keep the skin hydrated. Overall, it enhances the skin’s natural glow and isn’t overpowering.
Best Highlighter Palette – Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit
If you’re a makeup artist or just someone looking to purchase multiple shades of highlighter at once, the Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit is one of my favorite palettes. The product is currently available in two options: Sugar or Sun Dipped. Each kit includes four powder shades. A little bit goes a long way with this one, making the palette seem to last forever, even when used daily. I love using this palette to complete my eye makeup; it’s gorgeous in the inner corner and on the brow bone!
Best Drugstore Highlighter Palette – Wet N Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Palette
Wet n Wild’s MegaGlo highlighter is easily one of my favorites at the drugstore, and being able to buy four shades at once is even better. Many drugstore highlighters can look a little too chalky on the skin. Wet n Wild’s MegaGlo is not like that and is one of the most affordable highlighters out there. The downside of this palette is that there is only one version of it, whereas Anastasia Beverly Hills currently has two versions. As a result, this specific Wet n Wild palette will probably not work for those with darker skin tones.
I hope this blog helped you find a new makeup highlighter to try out! If you have any additional tips or tricks for achieving that perfect highlight, feel free to share them with them! Your insights can be incredibly valuable to others seeking to enhance their highlighting game. Leave a comment down below and let us know!
We’ll see you soon!