If you've ever wished your skin could have that post-SoulCycle glisten without breaking a sweat, or the glow of a K-pop star without having to know how to sing and dance, we have a solution. A very particular set of highlighters exists that could help you achieve that intensely dewy effect. Each one of these makeup artist-approved luminizers makes your skin shine like glass rather than glimmer like a disco ball, for all of those people out there who want a more natural sort of sheen.
With that being said, the overload of options can often feel intimidating and leave you wondering what is the right one for your skin—and when you do find it, how best to use it. So, our editors put tons of options to the test to help you narrow down your search. We evaluated each product based on its formula, application, shade range, and wear. After consulting a makeup artist and considering dozens of options, we landed on these top picks.
When choosing a highlighter, the world is your oyster. Do you want a liquid formula with a molten metal-like gleam? There's a product for that. A clear balm that makes your complexion look effortlessly dewy? There's a product for that, too. You get the point—there are more highlighters on the market than ever before, and in every possible formula and finish you can think of.
Best Overall
MAC MAC Mineralize Skinfinish
Maccosmetics
View On Amazon
$38
View On Ulta
$42
View On Walmart
$29
What We Like
Smooth, lightweight formula
Diverse shade range
Shiny, but natural-looking finish on skin
Great for all skin types
What We Don't Like
Some shades have micro glitter in them
This highlighter was one of the original highlighting products on the market, and it stands the test of time. The baked powder formula is soft and lightweight, and it works to illuminate the complexion without looking overly metallic, greasy, or powdery. It comes in a range of shades with various depths and undertones that complement different complexions, and it's quick and easy to apply with a few strokes of a highlighting brush. Unlike cream formulas that can contribute to excess oil—especially for those with oily skin—this one is flattering on all skin types. With one gentle swipe, you're able to achieve a natural-looking glow, but it can also be built up for a more intense highlight, making it a versatile product that any makeup collection can benefit from.
Price at time of publish: $40
Type: Powder | Shades: 5 | Size: 0.35 oz | Cruelty-Free: No
Best Drugstore
e.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Liquid Filter
Target
View On Amazon
$14
View On Ulta
$14
View On Target
$14
What We Like
Smooth, creamy formula
Comfortable feel on skin
Subtle, glowing finish
Large shade range
Versatile formula
What We Don't Like
Shades could go a bit lighter and a bit deeper
E.l.f. nailed it with this liquid formula that works beautifully as a luminous primer or a traditional highlighter for more targeted application. The texture is smooth and lightweight, and there are absolutely no large glitter particles, making it an excellent option for those on the hunt for a skin-like glow. The large doe-foot applicator makes application quick and easy, and it can be blended out in seconds with your desired blending tool. Once applied, it creates an ethereal radiance that truly looks like it's coming from within. While we adore that it's offered in so many shades, we would love to see a lighter option for those with very fair skin, as well as a darker option for those with very deep skin.
"I raved about this product when it launched last spring and my feelings are just as strong," says Jasmine Phillips, Social Media Editor. "E.l.f.'s Halo Glow Liquid Filter offers lightweight coverage that is perfect for warmer temps. I typically wear this alone for a your-skin-but-better look but it can also be worn under foundation for an extra complexion boost."
Price at time of publish: $14
Type: Liquid | Shades: 8 | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Luxury
Chanel Baume Multi-Use Glow Stick
Chanel
View On Violet Grey
$45
View On Chanel.com
$47
What We Like
Goes on smoothly
Easy to apply
Dewy finish
What We Don't Like
Remains tacky on the skin
If you want to treat yourself to a little luxury item, this gorgeous highlighter is a great place to start. The silky-smooth, wet-looking formula looks gorgeous when swiped onto cheeks, lips, or lids. While one layer offers a more sheer, dewy finish, you can also build it up for more impact. Bonus points for the fact that it comes in an easy-to-use twist-up stick. We also love that it's almost totally translucent, meaning that it looks beautiful on all skin tones. While we adore the dewy glow it creates, beware that it does remain a bit tacky on the skin.
Price at time of publish: $45
Type: Stick | Shades: 3 | Finish: Gloss | Size: 0.3 oz | Cruelty-Free: No
Best Cream
RMS Beauty Living Luminizer
Sephora
View On Amazon
$40
View On Sephora
$40
View On Dermstore
$40
What We Like
Gives a sheer, natural-looking glow
Hydrating formula
Skin looks lit from within
What We Don't Like
Can look a little patchy when layered
This long-beloved pick (Byrdie’s Editor-in-Cheif, Hallie Gould, is just one of a legion of devoted fans) is more about leaving skin with a natural-looking glow rather than coating it with glitter. It strikes that perfect balance, offering plenty of radiance without veering into disco-ball territory. The creamy finish is super easy to blend onto the high points of the face with your fingertips, making it a great product for an on-the-go makeup look.
The luminous finish offers a gorgeous wash of incandescent color—it comes in four shades—while the base is rich in skin-loving hydrators such as coconut oil and vitamin E. Plus, it works equally as well dabbed on your cheekbones as it does on spots like your collarbone, chest, or even shins.
Price at time of publish: $35
Type: Cream | Shades: 4 | Size: 0.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Powder
Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter
Sephora
View On Sephora
$25
View On Rarebeauty.com
View On Kohls.com
$25
What We Like
Weightless powder
Smooth, high-shine finish
Blends seamlessly
What We Don't Like
Powder is very fragile
Rare Beauty has created yet another fantastic product with this silky powder highlight. The ultra-smooth formula is finely milled and completely weightless, allowing it to provide an airbrushed finish on the skin. In fact, it's so soft that the product is prone to cracking if you drop it, so be careful. We love that while it provides a super high-shine finish that can be built up to create a blinding highlight, it doesn't look overly metallic on the skin, nor does it look dry or powdery.
"Highlight is an essential in my makeup routine, but liquid formulas can make my skin feel like an oil-slick in the summer," says Holly Rhue, Associate Editorial Director. "Instead—as the weather warms—I use this powder formula from Rare Beauty. It's aptly named; this is an incredibly finely-milled powder that has a gorgeous, silky slip to it for easy blending and a wet-skin look." If you're looking for a powder formula to give your complexion some serious illumination that somehow looks pretty skin-like, this is the one for you.
Price at time of publish: $25
Type: Powder | Shades: 4 | Size: 0.1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Stick
Victoria Beckham Beauty Reflect Highlighter Stick
Victoriabeckhambeauty
View On Victoriabeckhambeauty.com
$42
View On Violet Grey
View On Bergdorfgoodman.com
What We Like
Universally flattering
Sheer, shiny finish
Luxe packaging
Glitter-free
What We Don't Like
Remains slightly tacky on the skin
We often reject the idea that products are universally flattering, as everyone's skin tones are truly so different—but this highlighter really does look so beautiful on everyone. It has a clear base with an extremely fine pearl running through it, so the color is almost undetectable—it's just enough to provide the most natural-looking glimmer. The stick format makes it easy to swipe on, and the creamy formula can be effortlessly blended with your fingertips, a brush, or a sponge. It can be used on bare skin or layered on top of foundation for a sophisticated, glowing finish, and we love that the compact packaging is chic and easy to pop into any bag.
"If ever I'm looking for a dewy highlighter that will pair perfectly with any makeup look, this is one I choose," says Alyssa Kaplan, Commerce Writer. "I love that there's no base color to it so it doesn't alter the tone of the blush I layer with it, and the luminous, juicy-looking finish it creates on the cheekbones is hard to beat."
Price at time of publish: $42
Type: Stick | Shades: 1 | Size: 0.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Liquid
Auric Cosmetics Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer
Auric-cosmetics
View On Auriccosmetics.com
$47
What We Like
Inclusive shade range
Creamy formula
Glitter-free
Skin-like, glowing finish
Luxe packaging
What We Don't Like
Shades are pretty opaque, so they're not super flexible across skin tones
If you're looking for a liquid highlighter that appears incredibly natural and elevated on the skin, we highly recommend checking this one out. The creamy formula contains squalane and glycerin to keep the skin hydrated, yet it's not greasy or heavy once applied, making it an excellent liquid option for all skin types. It can be applied underneath foundation or layered on top for a subtle glow, and you can build it up slightly for added luminosity. It also works beautifully as a mix-in product to enhance the radiance of your foundation—it's truly quite versatile.
The brand nailed the shade range of this formula—there are eight different colors that range from fair to dark with varying undertones. While there's no need to get an exact shade match to your skin, it's worth noting that the formula is pretty opaque, so getting a color that's as close to your skin tone as possible is ideal.
Price at time of publish: $28, $47
Type: Liquid | Shades: 8 | Size: 0.5, 1.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Palette
Dior Glow Face Palette
Sephora
View On Sephora
$48
View On Dior.com
$48
View On Doordash.com
What We Like
Smooth, lightweight formula
Powder blends into the skin seamlessly
High-shine finish
Excellent color story
What We Don't Like
Some shades have fine glitter in them
If you like to customize your highlight color, you'll love this palette from Dior. It comes with four different shades that range in depth and color, and the formula is buttery smooth and ultra-shiny. The baked powder doesn't produce any kickback, making it totally mess-free, and just one or two swipes with a brush is all you need to get an intense color payoff. Despite how shiny it is, it still manages to maintain a fairly authentic-looking appearance on the skin, and miraculously, it doesn't emphasize texture nearly as much as other powder highlighters do. While some shades to have a fine glitter to them, we find that tapping off your brush and being sure to really blend the product into the skin seems to mitigate a glittery finish.
"This is one of those staple palettes in my routine that I always go back to," says Holly Rhue. "Not only does the 4-in-1 make it perfect for travel, but each shade within the palette is incredibly versatile (I use it on my complexion, but also as an eyeshadow and collarbone highlighter). The result is always flushed, lit-from-within skin that gets me tons of compliments."
Price at time of publish: $45
Type: Powder | Shades: 2 colorways | Size: 0.35 oz | Cruelty-Free: No
Best Multi-Tasker
UOMA Beauty Double Take Contour Stick
Ulta
View on Ulta
View On Nordstrom
$40
View On Morphe.com
What We Like
Great for contouring and highlighting
Buildable
Silicone-free formula
What We Don't Like
Highlighter shades all lean pretty warm in tone
As any professional makeup artist will tell you, the key to creating natural-looking contour is to pair a creamy contour stick with a strategically placed highlighter. Enter this dual-ended stick, which makes it easier than ever to do just that. The contour end is made with 30 percent pure pigments, so just a little bit delivers the right amount of color to help accentuate your features. Then flip it over and use the shimmery side, which imparts buildable glow that can easily be more subtle or full-on strobe-like. It's a great option to use when you're on-the-go, and we love that it comes in a variety of shades.
Price at time of publish: $40
Type: Stick | Shades: 5 | Size: 0.4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Translucent
Ami Colé Light-Catching Highlighter Balm
Sephora
View On Sephora
$22
View On Amicole.com
$22
View On Violet Grey
What We Like
Universal for all skin tones
Glowy, natural finish
Looks beautiful on bare skin or over foundation
Feels lightweight on the skin
What We Don't Like
Not the most long-wearing
Translucent, balm-like highlighters are excellent for anyone who appreciates a no makeup, makeup look. We adore this one because it's completely transparent, meaning it works for every skin tone and won't leave a cast on the skin. While you will notice super fine shimmer particles scattered throughout the stick, they're almost undetectable once you apply the formula. The balmy texture blends into bare skin to create an effortless glow, and it also layers nicely on top of foundation. It's not the most long-wearing highlighter formula, but the stick format and easy application make re-applying totally doable throughout the day.
"I love this highlighter so much because it has a translucent, naturally luminous finish, without being glittery or chalky on the skin," says Shannon Stubbs, Commerce Updates Writer. "It's the perfect finishing touch to my makeup for a noticeably dewy glow."
Price at time of publish: $22
Type: Stick | Shades: 1 | Size: 0.14 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Glitter-Free
Merit Day Glow Highlighting Balm
Sephora
View On Sephora
$32
View On Walmart
$40
View On Meritbeauty.com
$32
What We Like
Natural-looking sheen
Adds warmth to skin
Hydrating formula
What We Don't Like
Not the most long-wearing
When you want to add a touch of gloss to your cheekbones or cupid's bow but you don't want shimmer or chunky glitter, reach for this silky highlighting balm. The oil-based formula glides onto the skin and imparts a luminous glow with a touch of warmth. It applies beautifully on a bare face and also looks great when layered on top of foundation. The three shades give a soft candlelit effect to the skin without being overly pigmented or stark. We love that it feels moisturizing without being sticky, but note that it doesn't set down all the way.
Price at time of publish: $32
Type: Stick | Shades: 3 | Size: 0.7 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes