Get Yo' Glow On: Top Rated Highlighters We Saw Going Viral This Year

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If your highlighter ain't popping then it ain't a highlighter. Back in the day, this was definitely the norm; when dripping in highlighter for a beaming shine on your face (and even your body) was the look. Shimmery, glittery, metallic and gleaming were the words we were chasing because everyone wanted that insane shine on their cheekbones. But, times have changed and so have the words to describe your highlighting makeup — soft, lit-from-within and dewy have entered the game and made our highlighter preferences no-makeup makeup appropriate. So, if you are looking for highlighters (powder, liquid or cream) that are far from chunky glitters then check out our recommendations below:

Powder Highlighters

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.

Smashbox X Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector

Smashbox X Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector

Smashbox X Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector

1990
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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. 

Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette

Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette

Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette

4500

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 Baked Highlighter

Milani Baked Highlighter - 130 Rosa Italiana

Milani Baked Highlighter - 130 Rosa Italiana

1850
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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. 

Maybelline New York Face Studio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter

Maybelline Face Studio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter

Maybelline Face Studio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter

749
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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.

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer Highlighter

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer Highlighter

1150
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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.



Liquid Highlighters

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. 

e.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Liquid Filter

e.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Liquid Filter

e.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Liquid Filter

1750
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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.

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Beauty Light Wand

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Beauty Light Wand

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Beauty Light Wand

3650
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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.

ICONIC London Illuminator

ICONIC London Illuminator

ICONIC London Illuminator

3790
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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.

Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer

Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer

Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer

3200

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.

NYX Professional Makeup Born To Glow Liquid Illuminator

NYX Professional Makeup Born To Glow Liquid Illuminator

NYX Professional Makeup Born To Glow Liquid Illuminator

850
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NYX is one of the few drugstore brands that always gets it right! And their Born To Glow Liquid Illuminator is no different. 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 replicates the magic of the famous MAC strobe cream.

Cream

Cream highlighters usually come in a stick or pan packaging and flaunt a very creamy, emollient-enriched formula. Don't expect loads of shimmer here since cream highlighters have less pigment but a more glossy sheen to them which gives you the end result of a healthy glow on the skin. For those who are seeking the 'natural-looking' dewy skin look, a cream highlighter would work best!

Nudestix Nudies Glow All Over Face Color

Nudestix Nudies Glow All Over Face Color

Nudestix Nudies Glow All Over Face Color

3500
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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.

Benefit Cosmetics Watt's Up! Cream Highlighter

Benefit Cosmetics Watt's Up! Cream Highlighter

Benefit Cosmetics Watt's Up! Cream Highlighter

3100
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With a cream-to-powder finish, the Watt's Up! Cream Highlighter from Benefit Cosmetics has been a constant player in the cream highlighting game. This one's a popular soft focus highlighter in a champagne gold shade that can be easily applied with one swipe of the stick and blended with the applicator on the other end of the stick. Be mindful of the fact that it is quite pigmented so be mindful of how much you apply.

PAT McGRATH LABS Skin Fetish Highlighter & Balm Duo

Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish Highlighter & Balm Duo

Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish Highlighter & Balm Duo

4200
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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.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Stick Highlighter

Anastasia Beverly Hills Stick Highlighter

Anastasia Beverly Hills Stick Highlighter

3700
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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.

Insight Cosmetics Highlighter

Insight Cosmetics Highlighter

Insight Cosmetics Highlighter

110
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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.

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An opinionated Gen-z beauty enthusiast who knows about a beauty product even before it goes viral, watch this space for the best recommendations :)