One of my favorite ways to treat myself, stock up and try new products is buying makeup or skincare collections or kits a few times a year. To that end, after a few years of doing this I've built up quite a little stash, and I'd love the share with you some of the things I've discovered.
One of the kits I got last year is BeneFit's "Finding Mr. Bright" and it's still available online! For a little more than the price of one full-size highlighter, you can try out four popular products: Erase Paste concealer, Girl Meets Pearl highlighter, Highbeam highlighter, and Posie Tint cheek and lip stain. Unfortunately, I misplaced the High Beam a while ago so I can't comment on it. But as for the others, here we go!
Formula: powder | finish: pale nude gleam | rating: ★★★
This is a great, universal color for highlighting the inner corners of the eyes, browbone, cupid's bow and the tip of the nose. If you've ever been tempted by a pricey compact of champagne illuminating powder, give your wallet a break and pick up this eye shadow first!
Formula: stick | finish: golden-nude shine | rating: ★★★
Okay, so this product has adorable packaging, a cute name, and a pretty, warm peachy-champagne shade. But unfortunately, like most of the BeneFet products I've splurged on, the product itself doesn't match up with the marketing or price. To me, there's no reason to spend $30 on this when more affordable products look and feel exactly the same.
MAC cream colour base in pearl and shell $19
Formula: cream | finish: sheer, buildable sheen | rating: ★★★
I've always appreciated how easy this product is to apply with a brush. It's easy to control and you don't gunk up your fingers. The consistency is super soft and light, and builds well. However, now that I know that Elf's one-dollar facial whip comes in six similar shades, I won't be shelling out (see what I did there?) for this particular MAC product again.
Formula: liquid | finish: golden-pink shine | rating: ★★★
Again, I am usually drawn to and then repelled by BeneFit products, but this one kind of got me. The texture is lighter than the other liquid formulas, almost whipped, and it has a very pretty and unique bronzey-pink hue. I am fairly happy with the little tube I've been using, but I can't say I would buy the full size product until I'd tried all the others out there.
ELF shimmering facial whip in lilac petal $1
Formula: liquid | finish: pinkish-silver sheen | rating: ★★★
Now that I've discovered there is more than one shade, I'd say this stuff is pretty great, and not just because of it's incredibly low price. The "lilac petal" color itself is almost a perfect dupe for MAC's cream color base in hush, the first shade I tried of that line (see next review). One con of the product is that it's a bit more metallic than any of the others, and not very subtle in the sun. This can remedied by applying it under powder blush, or thinning it with a bit of face lotion.
Formula: liquid | finish: sheer shine | rating: ★★★
Do ya'll remember Revlon's SkinLights line? They discontinued it years and years ago, and while I've held onto my prized bottle of Instant Skin Brightener in warm light, the company thankfully offers something similar under a new name. Their Age-Defying Spa Face Illuminators come in four colors (bare, pink, gold, and bronze light). Since it's a drugstore product, it is less densely pigmented than higher-end products, but still offers a fabulous, medium-priced alternative to any of the flossier liquid highlighters.
★★★ = LOVE it and will buy again
★★★ = Like it, but...
★★★ = No thanks!
Was this at all helpful? Have you tried any of these products? What's your favorite illuminator?
I use Benefit's Watts up and I pretty much agree with you. Love the packaging, love the way it looks on my hand, but then when I put it on it's just not $30 worth of wow. Still have yet to discover something better though, I was eying some of the Nars ones last night actually. I might have to try the Revlon.
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