21 Best Highlighters To Get Your Glow On

Powder highlighters pack on the most shine as they are quite pigmented and deposit more shimmer particles in comparison to liquids and creams. Do make a note that powder highlighters are not your on-the-go glow kind of product since they require precise application with a brush for a completely diffused blend. Also, it's not that easy to tone down the shine if you go overboard with the application and apply way too much. So, it's better to save your powder highlighters for special occasions when you want all that drama for your full beat.

If you are a true makeup girlie, we are sure you have entertained the wish of owning the OG Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter Duo for at least once in your life. The pay-off is insane and the cream-powder hybrid formula blends beautifully on the skin. The shimmer present in it is extremely fine so you need not worry about any harsh streaks. You can either use a single shade solo or build it up with the partnering shade for some supercharged highlighting action.

Nykaa Rating: 4.9/5

Beauty fanatics around the world were heartbroken when Becca Cosmetics was shelved in 2021 but thanks to Smashbox for bringing two of their cult products back — the Under Eye Brightening Corrector and one of the most viral powder highlighters till date, the Shimmering Skin Perfector in the shade, Champagne Pop. The reason for its virality, you ask? The ultra-buttery stellar formula that melts into the skin for a natural, luminous glow which is far from chunky shimmers that look super artificial and the pale gold colour which makes it universally flattering. 

Nykaa Rating: 4.5/5

Dior is one of the few designer labels doing luxury makeup right. Their Glow Face Palette doesn't take much time to become your favourite once you get your hands on it! The pearlescent finish makes you fall in love with delicate strobing in place of harsh highlighting that looks unflattering and streaky. What's more to love is that since it's a quad, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to colours, and since they have a number of shades available in these, it's not difficult to find one that suits you!

Milani's baked blushes and highlighters are top-tier drugstore finds that never disappoint. The baked highlighters are made with multi-tonal, micro-fine luminescent powders which give it that velvety-smooth texture. Since the formula is quite buildable, you can take your look from subtle au natural to full glam with a few swipes of the brush. Also, this is a fragrance-free product so beauties with sensitive-skin don't have to doubt before buying it. 

Nykaa Rating: 4.7/5

An OG from the good ol' days, the Maybelline New York Face Studio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter is every beauty YouTuber's trusty pick for a pocket-friendly highlighter that has loads of pigment. The pearl pigments leave a reflective finish for an almost blinding glow. For those going for that 'dripping in gold' look for an occasion, this highlighter might be the pick for you but if you or on the other end of the beauty spectrum and don't enjoy immensely pigmented highlighters then you will have to skip this one.

Nykaa Rating: 4.5/5

ColourPop's Super Shock range is super cute and popular, and their highlighter is one of the best rated highlighters in the drugstore makeup sphere. The cream-to-powder formula layers well over the base without troubling anything below it and looks stunning too. It's a soft highlighter that's weightless, buildable, and super-blendable and can be easily built up in case you want to up the shine quotient.

Nykaa Rating: 4.2/5

theBalm's Mary-Lou Manizer has been considered a dupe for the Becca C-Pop by many. What we love about this highlighter apart from the cheeky wordplay for its name is its smooth and expensive-feeling formula that gives your skin that natural-looking diffused glow. The pearly particles are milled to perfection so there's no chunky glitter pay-off seen on the skin post application. Additionally, this highlighter is free from parabens and talc which is a plus for many who have sensitive or reactive skin.

Nykaa Rating: 4.4/5

Liquid highlighters have become a new favourite among all since they are super blendable and give you that soft lit-from-within glow in a jiffy. And when your makeup memo says 'dewy', a liquid highlighter is just what's needed to bring some healthy-looking glow to the skin. Additionally, liquid highlighters are super easy to apply since you can simply put them on using your fingers for a seamless finish on the areas you want to highlight, or even mix with your foundation for a glass skin effect. 

The Halo Glow Liquid Filter from e.l.f. has become the it product in the last year or so. Popularly known as the dupe for Charlotte Tilbury's Flawless Filter, this liquid glow booster can be used in several ways — an illuminating primer under your base, a strobe cream for highlighting over your makeup or as it is on bare skin for adding a little something. Enriched with skin-loving ingredients like squalane and hyaluronic acid, the formula gives a boost of hydration to the skin while also giving that undetectable glow.

Nykaa Rating: 4.4/5

Pretty much the product that started the craze for liquid highlighters that blend like a dream and give your skin that pearlescent touch that looks absolutely stunning. The Charlotte Tilbury website states that the reason behind this magical product's formula are 'treated pearls' that boost brightening and highlighting to give a luminous complexion with a soft-focused finish. The light reflecting particles lend the skin that 'natural glow'. The shade is a beautiful rose gold inspired by the digitally-remastered tricks of Hollywood (aka filters). The only thing that might ick you about this product is the cushion applicator (yes, similar to the Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer) that makes the application of the product a tad tricky.

Nykaa Rating: 4.4/5

The Pink Light shade of this liquid highlighter from Makeup Revolution is one of the best highlighters we have across in a pinky shade. It gives you that subtle dewy look, thanks to the fine shimmers and has enough pigmentation to qualify as a blush-lighter. The blend is seamless and we love the squeezy tube packaging for carrying around in our bags.

Nykaa Rating: 4.3/5

This product went viral on TikTok and for good reasons. The texture is super thin but insanely pigmented so expect a dose of shimmers with the slightest amount. This concentrated liquid shimmer can also be added to your foundation, primer or moisturiser, or simply used on its own for a super highlighted glow if you want to skip strobing with it. Do make a note that this liquid highlighter does have that 'glittery' look so unless you are buying it for full glam days, you mighty want to skip on this one.

Nykaa Rating: 4.3/5

The Kay Beauty Hyper Gloss Liquid Luminizing Highlighter is a top-rated highlighter on Nykaa with a 4.5/5 rating based on 786 ratings and 115 reviews. Those who have used it, love it for its pearly finish that doesn't leave behind any chunky glitters and silky creamy formula that melts into the skin seamlessly. If you are looking for a high-performance liquid highlighter, consider investing in this one!

Nykaa Rating: 4.5/5 

Probably our most favourite highlighter on this list, the Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer is all you need from a liquid highlighter- its dewy, has enough sparkle and gives the most impact with the use of one dot. The formula is silky and gives you that second-skin like finish which is quite buildable glow too in case you wish to amplify the drama. Six shades are available as of now, each one more stunning than the other. We have our hearts set on the shade, Mesmerize, which features a rosey bronze hue and adds unbeatable radiance to the skin.

This pink-hued liquid highlighter does an impeccable job as a strobe cream under your base with its moisturising creamy formula and pearlescent glow which pretty much is that girl. The hydrating dew it gives to the skin with the finely milled pearls is simply unbeatable and we love how it's an easy choice especially for no-makeup makeup days. 

Nykaa Rating: 4.4/5

LBB Tip: These products give the same effect as the MAC Strobe Cream.

The brand that might or might not have fueled the craze for beauty products in stick packaging, Nudestix does the best cream highlighters, bronzers and blushes. The shade 'Bubbly Bebe' is the perfect shade of champagne gold that suits majority of skin tones. The texture is more balmy than creamy which we honestly don't mind since it's easy to layer below and on top of makeup. The pigment can be easy built up in case you want a more sparkly effect from this. Additionally, the detachable brush it comes with is a big plus since it saves you from the hassle of carrying an extra brush.

Nykaa Rating: 4.4/5

This one's a new cream highlighter in the market that can be easily applied with one swipe of the stick and blended with ease with your fingertips. Be careful of the fact that it is quite pigmented so be mindful of how much you apply. Smooth as butter and as sparkling as milky way, this one's for those love aa well-blended but popping highlight effect.

Nykaa Rating: 4.3/5

A game-changing product that does it all! On one side, the pearlescent cream highlighter features a silky formulation that glides on effortlessly to give a sheer, buildable hit of luminosity to the skin. On the opposite end, you have a transparent gel-based balm containing moisturising argan oils and hyaluronic acid to lend a dewy veil to the skin. All in all, a revolutionary product for those who enjoy wearing natural-looking highlighters over shimmery ones.

Nykaa Rating: 4.2/5

With its shimmering, ultra-smooth formula, Anastasia's stick cream highlighter is perfect for adding instant light and luminosity in just one swipe. The weightless formula melts effortlessly into the skin for a second-skin like finish for a healthy glow. The stick formula glides onto the skin with a soft-focus effect that blurs and diffuses for a skin-perfecting finish. What makes this one special is that it sits really well on your makeup and doesn't move the makeup underneath so all your hard work won't be lost.

Nykaa Rating: 3.8/5

Probably the cheapest highlighter available on Nykaa, this one's a hidden gem which gives you the most beaming glow at just INR 110. It's immensely pigmented and is loaded with shimmers so you genuinely need the lightest touch of it for a full-on glow. The formula is a little thick so we would suggest warming it between your fingertips before application. It comes in a variety of shades with gold, silver, peachy, pink and bronzed hues so you can choose according to what your preference is.

Nykaa Rating: 4.3/5

This one is more of a moisturising stick that leaves a subtle glow on the skin sans any metallic shimmers. It's basically a moisturiser in solid form, the compact design makes it an ideal, no-fuss travel companion that you won't want to leave home without. For your no-makeup makeup days, swipe this on above your cheekbones, your eyelids and the bridge of your nose for that lit from within effect.

Nykaa Rating: 4.2/5

The Chanel Baume Essential Multi-Use Glow Stick is one of the best highlighters in cream formula in the market and definitely worth the splurge if you are looking for a fabulous glow instead of chunky glittering action on the skin. The transparent shade gives your skin that wet, glistening look and since its Sofia Richie-approved, you can bet we already have it on our carts, waiting to be bought when the next pay cheque comes in.

Check out our guide on highlighting makeup here.