Staff Picks: Top highlighters we actually use
We're girls with less than perfect complexions and skin textures, so we rely on some pretty shimmer to keep us looking fresh and radiant. Achieving that pretty, luminous glow even on tired, stressed-out skin makes the experience so addicting! If you haven't fallen down that rabbit hole yet or simply want to expand your existing face-brightening arsenal, make sure to check out these splurge and save highlighter recos for every budget.
Here are the secrets to our glow in this week's Staff Picks!
Liz: A topnotch highlighter can look like light happened to pay a visit to your skin, no big deal. That's what the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal is like for me! Its texture is finely milled and creamy (even though it's a powder) and it looks beautiful when patted onto the high points of the face. I also love the Bobbi Brown Highlighting Powder in Afternoon Glow. It's like warm sunlight compared to Opal's cooler tone!
Den: I didn’t start using highlighters until recently because it felt like an extra, unnecessary step. Since getting the Lunasol Pressed Face Color in Lavender Pink though, I’ve realized that a light sweep of shimmer can do wonders for brightening my often ashy complexion! The lavender shade puzzled me at first but the PV gals explained that it’s apparently a popular highlighting shade among the Koreans and Japanese because it gives a lightly tinted luminousity that flatters yellow-toned skin. I love that the gorgeous compact includes both shimmer and shimmer-free options!
Marielle: I have two that I can't imagine being without at this point. Even though TheBalm Marylou Manizer has broken twice on me already, I can't bear to part with it. I've already repaired twice with alcohol! It gives off a gorgeous golden, soft-focus glow that makes my pale skin come alive. The second is Becca Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal. Perhaps the shade Moonstone would look more natural, but Opal gives me an ethereal glow for days that I want a more obvious highlight (peg: Jeffree Star).
Charlie: I don't usually highlight unless I feel like it. And when I do, I'm after that really, really subtle highlight. I love using the Essence Cookies and Cream shimmer pearls mostly because it smells so much like cookies and it gives a great peachy-champagne glow. If I want something more of natural-looking brightening highlight, I reach for my Victoria's Secret Mineral Pressed Powder. It will never work for me as a regular powder since it's very light on me and has a bit of shimmer but it's perfect as a highlighting powder.
Crystal: Highlighters have been all the rage lately and brands have been producing highlighters at an all-time high! Despite owning several popular highlighters, I find that my favorite is an old player in the game: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade. While most of the popular highlighters tend to be on the warm side, this one has more of a pearly finish that goes on very sheer. It looks very subtle on my light skin tone that I can use it every day!
Kim: I haven't found my HG highlight yet but the one that I reach for the most is the highlight shade from Sleek's Face Form Contouring Palette in Light. It's a nice peach-pink highlight that gives me a natural-looking pearly finish. It's very versatile and buildable, and I like that it won't give me that "blind the deer with headlights" look.
Angela: After having tried Becca Champagne Pop and discovering it as my holy grail and lifesaver for highlighting, I promised myself to save up for it. But right now, I'm using Pink Sugar's eyeshadow palette and it works well for me! Most highlighters available in our market are too white and unnatural-looking for my morena skin. This palette has ones in pink tones that really give me a good highlighted blush.
Gett: While it's primarily an eyeshadow, I use it to highlight (if I'm ever in the mood to since my oily skin already gives me a natural highlight lol). L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Blinged & Brilliant is a peachy-champagne color that goes so well with any skin tone. Little goes a long way, unless you're into the high-shine, blinding highlight look!
Claire: I used to think that Becca highlighters were over-hyped and overpriced. I got the (always out of stock) Becca Glow on the Go at Sephora.ph expecting to be underwhelmed, but fell in love instead! This pressed highlight has won my heart, getting me to tilt my head left and right whenever I glimpse my reflection. A single dab of my brush gives a natural, healthy glow that lasts all day!
Stacie: Etude House's Face Color Corset in #4 Light Shading Corset is the highlighter I've been reaching for the past few weeks. It's got a bit of glitter mixed in with the pearly powder which reflects light ever so subtly. It gives my glowy base an extra glow boost while still looking natural. I definitely recommend this to beginners who doesn't want to have face-blinding highlights!
Clearly, we've all become highlighter converts over at PV. Do you use a highlighter? What are your fave products and how do you use them