Last Updated on September 23, 2026 by Eve Dawes
From the best highlighters to the ones to avoid
From the best cream highlighters to liquid illuminators and highlighting powders, finding the right formula can make all the difference between a gorgeous, lit-from-within glow and emphasizing every fine line. I’ve tried everything from Charlotte Tilbury and COVER FX to ICONIC London, Lumene and BECCA, and some have definitely performed better than others. Highlighter is one of my favorite makeup products, but my preferences have changed over the years. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started favoring cream and liquid highlighters on my cheeks because I find them more flattering around fine lines. However, I still love a good highlighting powder for my nose, inner eye corners and anywhere I want a little extra definition. Here are my personal highlighter hits and misses, how I apply them, which formulas I prefer for mature skin and some newer options worth considering.
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What’s the best highlighter makeup for your face?
The best highlighter depends on your skin type, preferred finish and how you like to apply your makeup. I’ve tried so many different cruelty-free highlighters over the years because I wanted to compare the formulas for myself rather than simply recommend whatever was trending.
I only really got into highlighters when the Instagram full contoured face look became popular. I’ve loved contouring and highlighting ever since because they’re such easy ways to create definition and bring attention to particular features.
My application has become much lighter over time. These days, I tend to highlight the bridge of my nose and inner corners of my eyes, while sticking to cream or liquid formulas on my cheeks to avoid emphasizing the lines around my eyes.
I also love using Glowscreen SPF 40 as my primer for a gorgeous bronzed glow and sun protection, then finishing with ICONIC London Prep Set Glow hydrating setting spray for additional luminosity.
Before switching to cruelty-free makeup, I used Bobbi Brown Highlighting Powder in Sunset Glow back in 2017. It’s a beautiful pink with gold shimmer, although I always thought it worked better as a combination blush and highlighter because it was too pink to use as a traditional highlighter.
Which is better: cream, liquid or powder highlighter makeup?
Although I generally prefer the appearance of creams and liquids on mature skin, I sometimes find that cream formulas disturb my foundation, however lightly I dab them on. Liquid highlighters and finely milled powders can be easier to layer over my existing makeup.
Which formula should you choose?
| Formula | Finish and application |
| Liquid | Versatile, from a subtle glow to an intense highlight. Can often be mixed with primer or moisturizer. |
| Cream | Usually gives a fresh, dewy finish. Ideal for applying with fingers, but some formulas can disturb foundation. |
| Powder | Easy to control and layer. Great for targeted highlighting, although very shimmery formulas can emphasize texture. |
| Stick | Convenient for travel and touch-ups. Available in both dewy balm and more pigmented finishes. |
If you have dry or mature skin, I’d start with a liquid or cream highlighter that gives a smooth sheen rather than visible glitter. If you prefer powder, choose a finely milled formula and apply it sparingly.
Best highlighter makeup: My personal hits and misses
These are the highlighters I’ve personally tested, including the products I’d happily use again and those that didn’t work for my skin. Some of the older formulas may no longer be widely available, but I’ve retained my original reviews because the comparisons are still useful when choosing between different finishes and formulas.
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow Sculpting and Highlighter palette (light/medium).
Charlotte Tilbury’s sculpting and highlighting palette appears on plenty of beauty favorites lists, and the travel size is particularly convenient for throwing in your handbag.
The bronzer in the Light/Medium palette is lighter than I normally wear, so I’d choose a darker shade next time. I tend to contour and bronze with the same shade, and I prefer something with a little more depth. Both powders blend beautifully, though.
The highlighter is a light, shimmery beige rather than a sparkly formula. It’s very subtle, but I actually found it a little too light for me, and I’m pale! I think it’s particularly pretty for winter, fair complexions and anyone who prefers understated makeup. Personally, I tend to prefer a golden highlighter rather than a pale one.
Charlotte Tilbury Highlighter Superstar Glow: Best highlighter palette powder
This was my favorite Charlotte Tilbury powder highlighter from the original products I tested. The soft-focus peachy gold shade is natural-looking but buildable, and I found that it lasted well when I finished my makeup with setting spray.
If you prefer a really intense, beaming highlight, you might prefer a cream or liquid formula. This one gives a softer finish, particularly when you buff it into the skin.
I also love using it as a body highlighter on my collarbones, shoulders and décolletage. The compact is generously sized and lasts ages, assuming you don’t drop it like I did with my first one!
One of my favorite application tricks is to spray a small makeup brush with setting spray before applying the powder to the inner corners of my eyes. It gives them a gorgeous little pop of brightness.
Charlotte Tilbury Bar of Gold Highlighter Palette
I had such high expectations for this palette after hearing so many good things about it, but none of the three shades worked particularly well for me individually. The original gold was too yellow for my complexion, the rose gold was too pink, and the deeper bronze-gold shade looked a little too orange and dark. I feel like Goldilocks saying this, but I ended up mixing all three shades together to get something that worked!
Although the finished result looked pretty when I first applied it, I ultimately preferred Superstar Glow because it wasn’t as warm. The Bar of Gold shades may be better suited to warmer, olive or deeper complexions, depending on undertone.
Which Charlotte Tilbury highlighter is best? My comparison review
Charlotte Tilbury has so many highlighting products that choosing between them can get confusing. In my original comparison video, I tested Filmstar Bronze & Glow, Superstar Glow and Bar of Gold so you can see how the different shades and finishes actually look when applied.
The lighting improves after approximately 1:35, so bear with me during the opening!
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ICONIC London Illuminator: My liquid highlighter miss
I love ICONIC London hydrating Prep Set Glow setting spray. It’s one of my favorite products for adding glow, so I was expecting equally good things from its liquid highlighter drops. Unfortunately, the Iconic London liquid highlighter wasn’t for me.
I’d seen influencers rave about the intense, glossy finish and the whole dolphin-skin effect, but I found the formula difficult to work with. It’s highly pigmented and dries down so quickly that I struggled to buff and blend it before it set. I normally love liquid highlighters because I find them more flattering than some powders, but this particular formula required more effort than I wanted to put into my everyday makeup.
However, I did find a way to make it work. Mixing a couple of drops with primer creates a lovely lit-from-within glow without having to blend such an intense highlight directly onto your cheeks. You can also mix it into body lotion for an all-over glow, particularly across your shoulders and décolletage.
Lumene Invisible Illumination Midnight Sun Liquid Highlighter
I really wanted to love Lumene liquid illuminator highlighter, but I have mixed feelings about it. On the positive side, I love that Lumene is cruelty-free, the shade is beautiful and the finish looks incredibly natural. It’s the sort of product that gives you a subtle glow rather than an obvious stripe of shimmer.
However, I found it harder to blend than some of my other liquid highlighters because it dries quickly. I use it with Lumene’s liquid watercolor blush, but you really have to work fast. Once the product sets, it’s difficult to blend without disturbing the rest of your makeup.
It’s a lovely option if you prefer a natural finish and don’t mind working quickly, but it’s not the easiest formula I’ve tested.
BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter: My biggest powder disappointment
I know these BECCA highlighters have a huge following, but the original BECCA pressed powders were among my least favorite formulas. I tried several shades in a Christmas gift set of mini highlighters. Initially, I thought Rose Gold and Champagne Pop might work for me, but then I saw myself in a photograph taken with flash!
The powders looked incredibly pigmented and harsh on camera, however much I blended them. I also found the formula drying, and it emphasized the fine lines around my eyes. Rather than a finely milled, flattering sheen, I felt that the shimmer looked too obvious on my skin.
The shades I originally tried included:
- Champagne Pop: A soft white-gold highlighter with peachy undertones. This was the most flattering shade for me, although still too sparkly.
- Opal: A golden opal pearl.
- Moonstone: A pale gold.
- Rose Gold: A soft gold with rose tones.
- Vanilla Quartz: A light gold with pink pearl that looked too pale and sparkly on me.
The BECCA name lives on through Smashbox’s collaboration, including its Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter. The current product is still featured in 2026 beauty roundups, although my review above refers specifically to the original formulas I tested.
More highlighters and glowy makeup I’ve been loving
PIXI On-the-Glow SuperGlow
If you love the convenience of a highlighter stick, PIXI On-the-Glow SuperGlow is another option worth checking out. It’s ideal for anyone who prefers a quick, targeted application rather than having to reach for a separate highlighting brush. A stick format also makes it convenient for travel and touching up your makeup as you just swipe, blend with your fingers and go.
Shop PIXI On-the-Glow SuperGlow
DIBS Beauty GlowTour Duo: The blush that makes me skip highlighter
This isn’t technically a highlighter, but it’s become one of my favorite ways to get a gorgeous glow without adding another product to my makeup routine.
I’m a huge fan of DIBS Desert Island Duo but I think DIBS Beauty GlowTour Duo in Moondust replaces that for me as it combines a soft rose shimmering blush with a golden taupe contour. Unlike the original Desert Island Duo, it has a more luminous finish, with the highlight built directly into the blush which is a time, space and money saver.
What sold me was how flattering this shade looked on my skin. The formula is creamy, highly pigmented, buildable and easy to blend, so a little goes a long way. It also feels hydrating and doesn’t settle into or emphasize my fine lines and crow’s-feet, which is an issue I have with a lot of traditional highlighters.
I love that the shimmer looks like part of my blush rather than a separate stripe of highlighter across my cheekbones. The finish is so pretty that I don’t feel the need to use a separate highlighter at all!
Read my full DIBS Beauty review
Haus Labs Bio-Radiant Gel-Powder Highlighter: A flattering formula for mature skin
This is one of the newer gel powder highlighters I’ve tested that genuinely impressed me, although I wish I’d chosen a different shade! I went with Rose Quartz because most of my highlighters are champagne, bronze or golden shades, and I wanted to try something different. Unfortunately, the soft pink was a little too pink for my light-medium skin tone to work as a traditional face or body highlighter.
The formula, however, is gorgeous. It’s highly pigmented, so one swipe is more than enough, and the finely milled gel-powder texture blends beautifully into the skin. Instead of obvious glitter, it gives a soft-focus radiance that I find much more flattering on mature skin. It didn’t emphasize my pores or texture, which is something I always look for in a highlighter.
Rather than letting the shade go to waste, I’ve been using Rose Quartz as a blush and even as an eyeshadow. Surprisingly, I love it for both! It ties my makeup together beautifully and looks much softer than I expected.
I’d happily buy this formula again in a champagne or golden shade. It’s a great example of why choosing the right highlighter color is just as important as choosing the right formula.
Read my full Haus Labs makeup review
Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter
A finely milled powder worth considering if you want something more modern than the heavily shimmery formulas I disliked in my original review. Its buildable finish makes it suitable for both a subtle glow and more noticeable highlighting.
Dior Forever Glow Maximizer
A luxury liquid highlighter available in multiple shades. It’s one to consider if you prefer a more luminous, buildable finish rather than a traditional pressed powder.
Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand
I tend to always have 3 Charlotte Tilbury liquid highlighters in my makeup collection to create different looks. Pinkgasm for when I’m doing pink makeup, Peachgasm for peachy, bronze sunkissed looks, and Spotlight for when I’m paler. I find them more flattering on my skin and wrinkles than her powder highlighters I originally tested. The sponge-tip applicator makes targeted application easy, and the formula can also be used on the eyes and body.
Best highlighter for mature skin: What I look for
My approach to highlighter has changed as my skin has matured. I still love a gorgeous glow, but I don’t want anything that emphasizes crow’s-feet, fine lines or skin texture.
The biggest difference for me has been switching from heavily shimmery powders to smoother liquid and cream formulas on my cheeks.
However, formula isn’t everything. Placement and application make just as much difference. Even a beautiful highlighter can look unflattering if it’s applied too heavily or directly over areas with pronounced texture.
For mature skin, I generally look for finely milled shimmer, a smooth finish, easy blending and a formula that works over foundation without disturbing it.
Where should you apply highlighter on your face and body?
Highlighter works by reflecting light, so I generally apply it wherever the light naturally catches my face or wherever I want to bring attention to a particular feature.
- Cheekbones, to add definition.
- Brow bones, for a subtle lifted appearance.
- Bridge or tip of the nose, depending on the look.
- Inner corners of the eyes, to make them appear brighter.
- Cupid’s bow, to accentuate the lips.
- Chin, if you want additional luminosity.
- Collar bones, shoulders and décolletage for body highlighting.
I particularly love using a little highlighter on my nose and inner eye corners. It’s a simple way to brighten my makeup without making my entire face look overly shimmery.
How to apply highlighter makeup
One of the best highlighters can quickly become one of the worst if you don’t apply it correctly.
For powder highlighters, I prefer using a double-ended makeup brush so I can apply the product with one end and blend it with the other.
The Tarte Cosmetics brush I used in my original video has been discontinued, but I’ve linked some alternatives in the shopping section. I loved how convenient it was for travel and for keeping my makeup bag less cluttered.
For liquid highlighters, I prefer using my ring finger or the fleshy part of my thumb. I find that pressing the product gently into the skin gives me more control than dragging it across my foundation.
Start with a tiny amount and build gradually. It’s much easier to add more highlighter than to remove an overly intense stripe without disturbing the rest of your makeup.
How to stop highlighter settling into fine lines and crow’s-feet
I used to apply highlighter right at the top of my cheekbones, extending it toward the outer corners of my eyes. Unfortunately, I found that it settled into the fine lines around my eyes and emphasized them.
Now I concentrate more on the apples of my cheeks and the beginning of my cheekbones, avoiding the areas where I have the most texture.
I also make sure my skin is well moisturized and primed. Before applying liquid highlighter, I sometimes spritz my face with setting spray to slightly dampen the skin.
I find this gives me more time to blend the product before it dries down, resulting in a smoother, more flattering finish.
Highlighter makeup FAQs
What’s the difference between highlighter and illuminator?
A highlighter is generally used to accentuate specific areas of the face, such as the cheekbones, nose and inner eye corners. An illuminator typically gives a more diffused glow and can often be mixed into moisturizer or foundation for an all-over luminous finish.
Is cream or powder highlighter better for mature skin?
I generally prefer cream or liquid highlighters on my cheeks because they tend to look smoother on my skin. However, a finely milled powder can also be flattering when applied sparingly and kept away from areas with pronounced texture.
Can you mix liquid highlighter with foundation?
Yes, although I prefer mixing mine with primer. I found that adding too much liquid highlighter to foundation could thin it out and reduce coverage. Start with a tiny amount and experiment to see what works with your particular products.
How do you fix too much highlighter?
If you’ve applied too much, gently press a clean makeup sponge over the area to soften the shimmer. You can also use a tiny amount of foundation or concealer to tone it down without removing the rest of your makeup.
Can you use face highlighter on your body?
Absolutely. I love using highlighter across my collarbones, shoulders and décolletage. Liquid formulas can also be mixed with body lotion for a more diffused glow.
Shop the best highlighter makeup
Whether you prefer a subtle, natural glow or something more intense, there are plenty of highlighter formulas to choose from. These are my personally tested favorites and some additional options worth considering.
More cruelty-free beauty
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