Top 5 Favorite: Highlighters

Highlighting is like an extra luxury step in my makeup routine. I do not feel that it is a necessary step but definitely something that can add an oomph factor to the overall look. I own several different formulas and brands of highlighters but I prefer using powders over creams, liquids and other stick forms. The main reason for this preference is the compatibility and mixing of textures. For example, I own Benefit High Beam, which is a cult favorite of the beauty community, but I do not like it much because usually I forget the highlighter part while working with cream products and if I use it over powder it looks somewhat cakey. 

I have picked up the top five favorite highlighters based on continued preference and the frequency of use. 

Natural Light: ELF Golden Bronzer; Physicians Formula Powder in Translucent; Sephora Illuminating Powder in Rose.Pink; TheBalm Mary-Lou-Manizer; Lorac Perfectly Lit Spotlight

Indoor Lighting: Same order as above

I didn't notice it earlier, but surprisingly all of these highlighters are somewhat different from each other in terms of their undertones. 

ELF Golden Bronzer: I am a huge fan of ELF studio line in general. They have amazing quality products with durable and functional packaging at very reasonable prices. This particular product is marketed as a bronzer but it is so light and shimmery that  it qualifies as a highlighter for my skin tone (NC25). The swatch is of the lighter shade in the lower left corner (since the post is about my faves) but I have also used the other three shades mixed up together. Out of all the other highlighters, this one appears to be a true beige-y champagne shade. Also, I feel that this is a versatile product because it has four shades which could either be mixed up or applied individually so people of different complexions can use it. 

Physicians Formula Happy Booster Powder in Translucent: First of all, the packaging and all the hearts make this powder special for people like me who pay extra attention to such details. Secondly, just like the ELF bronzer, this powder has multiple shades that could be mixed together or used individually. I personally like to use the big whitish heart towards the upper left side (thus the swatch is of that particular shade). I usually go for this highlighter when I want a very subtle glow, and it is definitely not as stark white as it looks in the swatches. Even though it has some shimmer but it is so finely milled that the highlight comes across as a sheen on the cheeks. 

Sephora Highlighting Compact Powder in Rose.Pink: This is a true rosy pink highlight which definitely has some shimmer in it. However, the shimmer just adds up to the beauty of this highlight and does not look tacky at all. I literally used it religiously for at least six months when I bought it, and it took some conscious effort to put it down. I don't know why Sephora brand products are not talked about when they have such amazing quality products at reasonable prices. 

TheBalm Mary-Lou-Manizer: This is a very intense golden-y champagne color, which can be used as a highlighter, shimmer or an eye shadow according to the TheBalm's description. I totally love this brand and all their products just like the rest of the beauty community so there isn't much to say about it. It is super pigmented so you need the tiniest amount to highlight therefore, it is a great investment of $24 because this product is going to last a lifetime. Also, many people say that the Hard Candy Baked Bronzer in Tiki is a dupe of this product. I do not own Tiki but I have swatched it a couple of times and I feel that it is not as smooth and creamy as TheBalm, but would still make a great dupe in terms of color. 

Lorac Perfectly Lit Spotlight: This is a peachy highlight with no shimmer whatsoever, which makes it look very subtle. It gives a very pretty natural sheen making it a perfect highlight for no makeup kind of nuanced look. Many youtube gurus, compare this with WnW Reserve Your Cabana, but I find the WnW version to  be very chalky and powdery. Also, the WnW powder doesn't seem to have the peachy tint like Lorac, and I feel that peachiness is something that makes Spotlight different from other highlighters. 

What are your favorite highlighters? What formulas do you prefer?

Thankyou for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!