Let's take a look...
When I first got this home, I was a little disappointed that it didn't look "shiny" enough to be a highlighter. It looked more satin-finish, like a face powder would be. Turns out, when you apply it to your face, it has the perfect amount of sheen to it. It's not an in-your-face highlight and it doesn't have visible shimmer particles. But when you dip your brush into this ultra-smooth powder and smooth it across your cheekbones, it just lights them up with the most beautiful, natural-looking glow.
These photos will never do this highlighter justice...heck, swatching doesn't even do it justice. I have the worst time trying to photograph highlighters...they just never come out looking like they should! But trust me when I say this goes on SO beautifully. It's very close to my skin tone which is usually the kiss of death for me because they don't show up. I'm always trying to find highlighters that are lighter than my skin to make them pop (not an easy task since I'm so pale) but in this case, I like that it blends in because all you see is the sheen from it, rather than the product itself. Basically, my skin just looks like it's glowing.
Here, I wanted to compare the color to some other popular highlighters so you can get a feel for what it looks like. It does have a little bit of pink in it and also some gold. It's not as pink as Wet n Wild's Precious Petals, and is just a little more golden (and less peachy) than Becca's Champagne Pop although it's pretty close to that (with less shimmer). It leans more golden than Becca's Opal but not as pure gold as The Balm's Mary Lou-Manizer since it does have that little bit of pink to it.
Grab yours now at Ulta.com
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I'm having trouble getting on the highlighter-train because of the fair skin factor as well. I have a few deluxe samples of benefits watts up, a buxom liquid, and an urban decay powder highlighter but haven't been able to splurge to buy one because they're so-so looking. I think I could swing $5 though!!
ReplyDeleteThat's what I figured! I don't wear highlighter every day so it's hard for me to spend a lot of money on them. Thankfully, there are some great budget-friendly options out there! :)
DeleteHmm, I'm intrigued... How does it compare to Wet n Wild Reserve Your Cabana?
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried this specific highlighter from Essence, but I have tried their other highlighting compact, and I agree, Essence has some great products and it's VERY affordable. The ones I have are called "SooGlow!" Cream to Powder Highlighter by Essence. It comes in two shades “Look on the Bright Side” and “Bright Up Your Life”
ReplyDeleteOoh those sound nice...I definitely need to check out more from this brand! :)
DeleteYes, I have both of those and love them! The more white shade of the two came from my cousin who used to bring it from Albania but they're now both easy to find since Target sells Essence!
DeleteOooh must try this! It does look so similiar to Champagne Pop, which I own, and dare I say it looks nicer :) (But I find Becca highlighters to be too shiny for me, I know, I'm clearly the odd one out lol).
ReplyDeleteI finally got my hands on this yesterday, just love it!!
ReplyDeleteI'm pleasantly surprised by your review! I've bypassed this product several times because I was afraid it would be too dark, but it looks great on you! It might work for me, and for $5 I can risk it.
ReplyDelete