I admit that I have a weakness when it comes to highlighters, and I've been collecting them for a long time...since way before "strobing" became a thing. The first one I bought was The Balm's Mary Lou Manizer, followed by Benefit Watts Up and Becca Opal. At the time, there weren't that many drugstore options, but lately there are a ton of amazing highlighters under $10! So whether you're into palettes, creams, or powders, I've got you covered...here's a round-up of some of my favorites.
Highlighting Palettes:
Makeup Revolution Radiant Lights Palette ($12.28)- Okay so this one is slightly over $10 but it's one of my favorites so I had to include it. This is a very close dupe of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting palette (see my comparison review here) and I might like the formula of these even better...they're so soft, silky, and blend into the skin beautifully.
Profusion Studio Highlight Palette ($5.99)- So many gorgeous highlight shades in one palette from white pearl to rose gold to golden bronze, you're sure to find at least a few that you like. Plus the pigmentation is amazing (see my review and swatches here). This is one of those bargains that's just too good to pass up.
Elf Illuminating Palette ($6)- This is another Hourglass dupe and they give a softer glow rather than in in-your-face highlight (see my review here). So if that's your thing, this is an amazing pick at only $6.
Powder Highlighters:
Hard Candy Tiki Bronzer ($9)- Don't be fooled by the name...this isn't a bronzer even on my fair skin. It's actually a very close (maybe identical) dupe of The Balm's Mary Lou Manizer (see my review and comparison swatches here).
Makeup Revolution Goddess of Love Highlighter ($7.66)- This is a gorgeous baked champagne colored highlighter that takes on a pink-violet shift in certain light. It's so beautiful (and the heart-shaped packaging is super cute too!). See my review here.
Elf Baked Eyeshadow in Enchanted ($3)- Yes, this is an eyeshadow, but I don't let that stop me when I'm searching for the perfect highlighter. In this case, it ended up being an exact dupe for Becca's Champagne Pop (see my comparison swatches here). You're welcome! :)
Elf Baked Blush in Pinktastic ($3)- Again, this one's not marketed as a highlighter either, but this blush is the perfect soft golden shade with a hint of pink and lots of shimmer. See my review and swatches here.
Elf Baked Highlighter in Pink Diamonds ($3)- This is a beautiful soft pink highlight, sort of like the powder version of Benefit's High Beam. It can also be used wet for more intensity.
Cream Highlighters:
Colourpop Super Shock Cheek Highlighters ($8)- These have such a beautiful texture that blends easily and feels like silk on the skin. The come in 20 shades and create that dewy sheen everyone is looking for. (See my review here).
L.A. Girl Velvet Contour Sticks ($5)- These creamy sticks come in three highlight shades as well as blush and contour versions. There's a matte highlighter, plus champagne and warm golden shades. I love the easy stick format...just glide on and go! See my review and swatches here.
Flower Beauty Glisten Up Highlighter Chubby ($10)- This highlighter stick comes in three shades...a cooler champagne, warm gold and warm bronze. I love how creamy and blendable they are, and again the chubby stick format is super easy! See my review and swatches here.
Sonia Kashuk Chic Luminosity Highlighter Stick ($10.99)- I found this at Target one day when I was looking for a dupe for Benefit Watts Up. It looked similar in the store but when I got it home, it was definitely more golden. Still, I love this color so much! See my review here (sorry for the bad pics...it's over 2 years old).
City Color Glowing Complexion Illuminating Cream ($6.99)- I picked this up on a whim at Five Below for only $5 but I'm so glad I did. This is one of the prettiest highlighters I own and the blendable cream formula really pops on my cheekbones. See my review and swatches here.
So there you have it! Thirteen highlighter options at (around) $10 and under. What are your favorite highlighters? I'd love to hear about them!
Cream formulations work best on my mature skin - thanks for the tips on some budget friendly options I can investigate!
ReplyDeleteHi Sheila, I have really dry skin so creams tend to work best on me also. I hope one of these will work well for you! :)
DeleteOh my, I LOVE that Elf Illuminating palette! After you recommended it, and it came back in stock on ELF, I grabbed it. I now have one at home and one at work for touch ups. The highlight is very subtle, and it makes a great finishing and/or setting powder because it's so finely milled, like a HE powder. I wear medium to full coverage foundation, and I don't need a heavy powder-- this is so light and I can use all over my face without looking like a disco ball, gives a very natural glow. (Katherine T.)
ReplyDeleteHi Katherine, same here! It's so perfect for everyday...I love it! :)
DeleteLove this post! Sophie xx
ReplyDeletehttp://stylestarsandsparkle.com/
Thanks Sophie! :)
DeleteNice selection you got here! I don't highlight much, but when I do I often use that e.l.f. palette.
ReplyDeleteIt's so pretty! I use it a lot because it's a great everyday subtle highlight.
DeleteGreat picks!! I will have to try some of them. One I recommend if u can find it, elf highlighter in blush gems...HG status!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, I will definitely be checking that one out! :)
DeleteLove highlights... I love elf "gold" from the essential line it is a blush but I consider this a highlight... AMAZING AND FOR $2.
ReplyDeleteElf has so many shades in their eyeshadow and blush collections that could totally work as highlighters. I love it! :)
DeleteElf has very affordable pieces and those Baked Blushes are really nice. I was about to order the City Colors contouring palette, but I was sceptical as I haven't tried anything from this brand and I hardly find anyone that uses City Colors. Have you tried anything other than the Illuminating Cream? :)
ReplyDeleteYiota
pinkdaisyloves.blogspot.com.cy
OMG I'm a total City Color junkie...I love their products! Don't be afraid of the low prices...they're amazing. If you click on the "Reviews by Brand" tab at the top of the page and then click on City Color Cosmetics, you'll see all of my reviews! :)
DeleteI have the City Color Contouring Effects 2 Palette and I absolutely love it. It has great pigmentation and blends easily. In fact I've been very happy with everything I tried from the brand. Definitely a hidden gem.
DeleteI really want to try the Makeup Revolution highlight palette! Most of my favorite highlighters are over $10 unfortunately :/
ReplyDeletewww.makeupmusicbooks.com
I hear ya. I have a lot of favorites over the $10 mark too...but I'm glad there are more budget-friendly options these days. The Makeup Revolution palette is so worth it...I just wish Ulta would start carrying it!
DeleteAlso, I should mention that their Be Matte Blushes and Shimmer Shadows are two of my favorite City Color products...they're high-end quality.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could get my hands on the colour pop highlighter and their stuff in general! Too bad they don't ship to the UK....yet! If you can ever get your hands on the Sleek highlighting palette in Solstice, do it because its amazing!
ReplyDeleteDom xx
unpolishedbeauty.blogspot.co.uk
I love the Makeup Revolution Radiance palette! I wish colour pop were easier to get hold in the Uk. I really like the Makeup revolution Single highlighters. They are so cheap! xx
ReplyDeletewww.lpagebeauty.com
Thanks for this post! I'm after a new highlighter and my budget isn't very big, will definitely check out some of these choices :)
ReplyDeleteJust Little Things xo
So excited to give some of these highlighters a try! I've been wanting to purchase a new highlighter, but the ones that I hear being raved about like the Becca highlighter and Hourglass one are too expensive for me to justify the purchase. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteMimi
www.coffeeandsunday.com
Great finds! Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDelete-Emily
http://simply-emily.net
Thank you for this list, definitely a variety of brands. I'm curious for the makeup revolution one, but I think they only sell in Europe or shipping is expensive for this side (the Americas)? Not sure, but I'm already a fan of Elf, so I might try some of those out (already got Pinktastic!). And the ColourPop one, even though I've only try a few of their products, I really like the formulas :)
ReplyDeleteI only got a travel size of the Benefit Watts Up, but I love it this way, it's perfect for on-the-go and I use it in my eyes inner corner as well, so it's become a favorite multi-use product.
Makeup Revolution sells to the US also...on their site you can change the currency to US dollars. Shipping is about $12...not cheap but also not the worst I've seen. I agree about the Benefit Watts Up. I've never owned the full size because I keep getting those little minis. They last a long time and are perfect for getting into small spaces. I love that one! :)
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