Best Face Highlighters of 2026
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Face highlighters are cosmetic products that add a radiant glow to the skin. They are available in various forms, such as powder, liquid, cream, and stick. These products are designed to enhance the high points of the face, such as the cheekbones, brow bone, and nose bridge, and give a luminous finish to the makeup look. Highlighters come in different shades and finishes, from subtle to intense, to suit different skin tones and preferences. They are a must-have in any makeup routine to add a touch of radiance and dimension to the face.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
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Top 10 Face Highlighters
Makeup Revolution Highlight Reloaded, Just My Type
The Revolution Highlight Reloaded in Just My Type is your ticket to an ultimate glow-up. This champagne-toned highlighter features an intensely pigmented formula that instantly brightens your complexion. With its high-impact finish and flattering shimmer, it glides onto your cheekbones with ease, adding definition and radiance. You can also use it to illuminate the bridge of your nose and the inner corners of your eyes for a striking pop of glow. Its super-sized compact makes it convenient for achieving a natural, luminous look all over your face.
Revolution Reloaded Highlighter for Ultimate Glow
The Revolution Highlighter offers an ultimate glow-up with its stunning range of shades designed to leave you with an irresistible radiance. The silky formula is intensely pigmented, providing an instant brightness to your complexion that enhances your natural beauty. You can easily apply it to your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, and the inner corners of your eyes for a captivating shimmer. For those looking for a more dramatic effect, using a damp brush or a fixing spray can create an intense, foil-like finish.
e.l.f. Halo Glow Highlighting Wand for Radiant Skin
The e.l.f. Glow Highlighting Wand is your go-to for achieving dewy, radiant skin in seconds. Its lightweight liquid formula is infused with hydrating squalane, helping you create a lit-from-within glow. You can easily build and blend the formula to suit your desired level of illumination, making it perfect for any occasion. The cushion-tip applicator allows for precise application on the high points of your face, ensuring you look your best with minimal effort.
Technic Get Gorgeous Highlighting Powder Compact
The Get Gorgeous Highlighter offers you a fabulous glow with its incredible pigment and metallic shine, making it easy to achieve a radiant look. Its buildable formula ensures a lightweight sheen that lasts all day without transferring, so you can maintain your glow from morning to evening. This versatile highlighter can be applied to both the face and body, as well as used as an eyeshadow, complementing all skin tones beautifully. With just a small amount needed, it provides excellent value for your makeup bag.
MUA Makeup Academy Radiant Cashmere Highlighter Powder
The MUA Radiant Cashmere Highlighter offers a warm champagne glow that suits all skin tones, giving your face a soft and luminous finish. Its highly pigmented formula lets you build your desired glow, whether you prefer a subtle shimmer or a bold highlight. The velvety texture ensures the powder glides on smoothly and feels lightweight for a natural, radiant look. You can easily apply it on your cheeks for a high shine effect or add an extra pop of shimmer to your eyes, making it a versatile addition to your makeup routine.
Illamasqua Beyond Powder Highlighter for Face and Body
The Illamasqua Beyond Powder Highlighter offers a highly pigmented formula, perfect for adding a striking glow to your skin. You can apply it wet to achieve an intense metallic finish, ideal for a bold, standout look. Its lightweight texture means it glides effortlessly onto your skin, making application smooth and comfortable. Additionally, this versatile highlighter can be used on your body to create a natural, bronzed effect, enhancing your overall radiance with ease.
Rimmel London Sculpting Highlighter Palette, Coral Glow
The Rimmel Sculpting Highlighter Palette offers a fantastic way to enhance your natural beauty. Designed by Kate Moss, this kit features three shades that allow you to highlight, contour, and add a touch of blush effortlessly. The long-lasting colour blends seamlessly with your skin tone, ensuring you achieve a radiant and healthy glow. Plus, it's easy to remove, making your makeup routine hassle-free.
Makeup Revolution Beam Bright Highlighter Powder Liquid
The Revolution Beam Bright offers a unique glass skin glow, giving your complexion a soft, luminous finish that mimics the golden hour light. Its silky powder texture melts seamlessly into your skin like a liquid, making application effortless and natural-looking. With five everyday shades available, you can easily find the perfect colour to enhance your features, whether you prefer a rose, pink, bronze, gold, or icy silver glow. This highlighter is vegan and cruelty-free, so you can enjoy a radiant look while supporting ethical beauty choices.
e.l.f. Halo Glow Highlight Beauty Wand
The e.l.f. Halo Glow Wand is a liquid highlighter designed to give you radiant, luminous skin in seconds. Its lightweight formula, enriched with hydrating squalane, helps create a natural, lit-from-within glow, making your skin look fresh and dewy. The buildable and blendable formula allows you to control the intensity, so you can achieve a subtle or more pronounced highlight with ease. The cushion-tip applicator provides precise application, allowing you to highlight the high points of your face effortlessly for an instant boost of illumination.
MUA Makeup Academy Pink Shimmer Highlighter Powder
The MUA Pink Shimmer Highlighter offers a soft rosy shine, giving your skin a youthful, radiant glow perfect for any occasion. Its highly pigmented formula allows you to build the intensity, whether you want a subtle shimmer or a striking highlight. The velvety texture ensures the powder glides on smoothly and feels lightweight, making it easy to blend for a natural finish. You can use it on your cheeks or sweep it up to your temples for a luminous look, or even add a pop of shimmer to your eyes for extra sparkle.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is illuminator better than highlighter?
Think of illuminator as more of a light-diffusing product than a light-reflecting one: illuminating product is generally much softer and gives more of a subtle glow than what you'd get from a highlighter.
2. How do I choose a bronzer and highlighter?
If you are using bronzer, blush, and highlighter, just make sure you apply them in the right order. Bronzer goes on first, then blush, then highlighter. Bronzer will be just below your cheekbone, blush on your apples, and highlighter at the top on the upper cheekbone.
3. What is the difference between illuminator and highlighter?
The main difference: "Highlighter is for a concentrated area of light, while an illuminator casts light more generally," explains Anthony.
During our face highlighter research, we found 288 face highlighter products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 139,303 customer reviews through our big data system to write the face highlighters list. We found that most customers choose face highlighters with an average price of £6.04.
The face highlighters are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of face highlighters, including Revolution Beauty London, e.l.f., Technic, MUA, Illamasqua.
Charlotte Powell is a dermatologist and a licensed cosmetologist from Westminster, London. However, she was first a cosmetologist from London Beauty Training School. According to Charlotte, she needed better insight into the human skin, hence the dermatology degree. Long before she acquired her degree, she wrote and edited articles, eBooks, and editorials for companies and websites. Charlotte combines her skill and knowledge in providing DIY Beauty tips amongst other fashion related topics.