The Best Highlighter Makeup

Whether you didn't get much sleep and you want to look refreshed; you want to give your dry, dull skin a burst of hydration and shine; or you simply want to look (and feel) just a little extra gorgeous, I have one word for you: highlighter. The right highlighter makeup can take you from drab to fab in an instant (and it doesn't have to make your face look glittery or sparkly, if that's what you were thinking). Especially during the colder months, I love to give my face a burst of radiance by dabbing a little highlighter on my cheekbones, brow bones, and the inner corners of my eyelids. The result? Skin that looks moist, glowy, and altogether healthy. It's a genius product (as long as you remember that a little goes a long way). Here we've selected and reviewed a few of the best highlighters available on the market so that you can get the glow for yourself.

Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Highlighter

Get the Radiant, Sun-Kissed Skin You Deserve

With this one from Physicians Formula, you'll enjoy glowing, dewy skin, all year long.

Best Overall

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There’s no question: when you want to add a little shimmer and glow to your life, Physicians Formula Highlighter is the way to go. This highlighter melts and blends onto the skin like butter, creating a lit-from-within radiance that most other highlighters can’t even come close to mimicking. It’s available in a range of shades, and the formula contains refined pearls and soft-focus pigments that make your sun-kissed glow look natural and subtle. You’ll never look back after you buy this much-beloved product.

Pros:

Lightweight and very blendable
Gives your face a radiant, natural-looking glow
Available in a range of shades
Hypoallergenic and suitable for sensitive skin; made without harsh ingredients
Considering the quality of this product, the price point is affordable

Cons:

You do need to match the shade to your skin in order for this highlighter to appear as natural as possible

Lifus Highlighter Palette

Gotta Love a Long-Lasting Glow

This highlighter palette creates a sheen that lasts for hours.

Most Long-Lasting

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For a lovely glow that lasts all day, get the Lifus Highlighter Palette. This glow kit comes with four highlighters, so you can mix and match shades. On top of that, the texture of each is silky-soft, creating a smoothness and evenness to the skin. It’s great for brightening crucial parts of the face, like your eyes and cheekbones, and coverage lasts for a surprisingly long time. You’ll love the beautiful, long-lasting shine that you get with the Lifus palette.

Pros:

Super long-lasting formula
Ideal for brightening and enhancing your skin’s natural glow
Coverage is seamless; doesn’t cake on
Works well with a range of skin tones
Cruelty-free ingredients

Cons:

Works better for nighttime than daytime

Niceface Highlighter Stick

Totally Sweat-Proof

This Niceface powder is designed to withstand water and sweat like nobody's business.

Best Waterproof Formula

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The Niceface Highlighter Stick boasts a waterproof formula that goes on smooth and creamy and doesn’t flake or glide off, which definitely sets it apart from the crowd. Plus, the glow is subtle and not too dramatic. In fact, it’s easy to customize how much you want to put on, since this is a shimmer stick, meaning that all you have to do is twist the stick up and swipe (usually just once) wherever you’d like to apply highlighter. To be as precise as possible, you can even use the edge of the stick, which especially comes in handy when you’re applying product to the bridge of your nose or brow bone.

Pros:

Quick and easy to apply – it’s virtually impossible to cake too much product on
Formula is waterproof
Since the top of the stick is so flat and wide, it’s easy to highlight your cheekbones in one swipe
Glow is subtle and not too shimmery

Cons:

There’s not a ton of product in one tube, so you may have to purchase multiple highlighters

Sace Lady Liquid Highlighter

Oh-So-Creamy and Smooth

Get an insane glow with this Sace Lady highlighter, which is the perfect liquid formula.

Best Liquid Formula

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Like the equivalent of drinking eight glasses of water (but for your face), the Sace Lady Liquid Highlighter will make your complexion look and feel more hydrated, plump, and glowy. That’s because this highlighter is infused with moisturizing ingredients like vitamin E and sunflower seed butter. In addition to giving you a stunning, sheer glow, it actually hydrates the skin (unlike some other highlighters, which can result in a cakey, unnatural look). Oh, and here’s a pro-tip for you: mix just a couple drops of this highlighter into your regular foundation, and you’ll get an all-over dewy glow that looks super-natural.

Pros:

Very buildable formula
Can be applied on bare skin or over foundation
Contains hydrating ingredients like sunflower seed butter and vitamin E
Skin looks and feels noticeably smoother
A little goes a long way, so you don’t have to use a ton of product

Cons:

Not the best pick for oily skin types

Maybelline Strobing Stick Illuminating Highlighter

Light as a Feather

Prone to breakouts? Hate the feeling of heavy, caked-on makeup? Get the Maybelline Strobing Stick.

Best Lightweight Formula

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A cult-favorite product, Maybelline Strobing Stick Illuminating Highlighter will give you that luminous glow you crave without clogging up your pores or making you look too shiny or fake. This highlighter’s formula is super-lightweight, non-comedogenic, and buildable, and it’s even safe for all skin types (including oily and sensitive skin). Application is easy, and the formula’s micro-pearls create an iridescent, lovely glow and velvety finish. This highlighter even adds dimension and depth, making your face appear slimmer. Trust us when we say: your skin has never looked this good.

Pros:

Non-comedogenic and lightweight; won’t clog up your pores
Very easy to use: simply swipe and blend on the areas you want to highlight
Specifically designed to add dimension and slim your face
Suitable for all skin types

Cons:

Only available in two shades

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I use highlighter?

Highlighter is great for those times when you just need to look a little more awake, fresher, healthier, and extra-ready to start the day. It adds dimension and shine to your face and makes your cheekbones and eyebrows really pop. To apply, you’ll want to focus on the spots on your face where light naturally hits (otherwise known as the “high points” of your face), like your brow bone, the bridge of your nose, your cheeks, or even in the inner corners of your eyes.

What are some tricks for how to apply highlighter?

One of the most common mistakes that people make with highlighter is applying too much of it, and applying it all over the face. To avoid doing this, never apply highlighter to the middle of your cheeks, your chin, or your forehead—this area of the face is called the T-zone, and it’s already naturally shiny, so you don’t want to add to it. Also, less is more with highlighter. Use a brush or sponge with powder formulas, or lightly apply with your fingers if you’re using a cream highlighter to avoid using too much product.

Should I use highlighter if I have oily skin?

Yes, even oily skin types can benefit from using a highlighter, but you’ll likely want to use a powder formula as opposed to liquid. That way, your skin doesn’t end up looking even oilier.