This is part 2 of Specktra's Fake'n It campaign, to check out Part 1: Top Bronzers for Summer, click here!
To get that glowy, luminous skin for summer, check these products out :
1. The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer (Permanent)
Color: Champagne with a yellow undertone
Formula/Texture: Shimmery powder that delivers a strong color payoff. Easy to blend and buttery soft!
Availability: Permanent - retails for $24 (8.5g) and is available at Nordstrom, Kohls, and The Balm’s website.
Review: Although the website describes this as a “subtle glow”, I have to disagree. If you aren’t light handed with this, it will definitely turn you into a disco ball. Nonetheless, it is a staple in my makeup collection, and a cult classic for a good reason!
2. Too Faced Candlelight Glow Highlighting Duo (Permanent)
Color: Duo - Left side is a light champagne with a gold undertone. Right side is a soft baby pink with a yellow gold flex.
Formula/Texture: Lightweight texture with a finely milled shimmer flex. Claims to have a PHOTOLITE technology that gives you a filtered appearance. Easy to blend with a soft color payoff. Basically, you can have a heavy hand and not look like you bathed in highlighter.
Availability: Permanent - retails for $30 (10g) and is available at Ulta, Sephora, HSN, Macy’s, and Too Faced’s website.
Review: Unique highlighter to my collection - simply because it combines a soft pink and champagne color that flatters a variety of skin tones, and doesn’t come off as a stark highlighter. I found myself using it similar to an Ambient Powder, and it worked just fine!
3. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft & Gentle (Permanent)
Color: Light peachy bronze with a frosted golden finish.
Formula/Texture: Smooth, velvet soft powder that melts into your skin. Alike most of the highlighters that I’m raving over, this is easy to blend - with no fall out.
Availability: Permanent - retails for $32 (10g) and is available at Macy’s, Dillard’s, Belk, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, and MAC’s website.
Review: Another cult classic that everyone and their Momma owns! If you don’t have it, you need to jump on the bandwagon fast, because you are missing out! One thing that really impresses me with this formula is the lasting power - it seriously stays on all day for me. The only complaint I have is the new packaging - it’s HORRIBLE. If you have it, you know exactly what I mean.
4. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Moonstone and Opal (Permanent)
Color: Moonstone is a pale yellow gold and Opal is a peach gold with an opal flex
Formula/Texture: Creamy powder texture that is finely milled and easy to blend. No fall out or patchiness here!
Availability: Permanent - retails for $38 (8g) and is available at Sephora and Becca Cosmetics’ website.
Review: These powder claim to have luminescent pearls that reflect light and adjust to your natural undertones. What I do know is that it looks like I crushed up a bunch of pearls and dusted them on the tops of my cheekbones! Two of my favorite highlighters, hands down!
Moonstone:
Opal:
5. Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Duo in Pink Beige & Golden (Permanent)
Color: Pink Beige is a pale pink with an opal sheen and Golden is a true gold
Formula/Texture: Gel-powder that creates a natural-looking, “wet” sheen. Lightweight and easy to blend. Lasts a good amount of time, without fading.
Availability: Permanent - retails for $39 (8g) and is available at Sephora.
Review: I can’t say enough good things about these highlighters. They are extremely unique, formula wise. They appear on your skin as a beautiful sheen, without shimmery particles. I am light complected and can pull off wearing both, so I think these will fit a wide range of complexions.
Pink Beige:
Golden:
6. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light (Permanent)
Color: Light champagne/beige with a pearl flex
Formula/Texture: Soft, velvet-like powder that blends seamlessly with your skin. Hourglass’ Ambient Lighting technology allows you to custom your ideal lighting situation, creating a multidimensional luminosity to the skin, which ultimately blurs imperfections.
Availability: Permanent -retails for $45 (10g) and is available at Sephora, Barney’s, and Hourglass’ website.
Review: I personally use this as an all over face powder, because I find that it gives life back into my dry-skin. I would recommend this “highlighter” if you are looking for something subtle, or if you have mature skin. The finely-milled texture will blend in with the skin, without just “sitting” on top of it.
7. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Poured in Pearl (Permanent)
Color: White base with a pearl flex
Formula/Texture: Thin, cream formula that offers a high color payoff, and a classy “glow”. This is probably my favorite highlighter, simply because it has a white base, which is perfect for fair to light skin tones; sometimes golds and pinks can be a little unnatural looking. The consistency provides a smooth finish on the skin, and is perfect as a highlighter base!
Availability: Permanent - retails for $38 (5.5g) and is available at Sephora and Becca Cosmetics’ website.
Review: This highlighter gives me the highlighted look I want - brightening, light reflective, and natural looking. I wouldn’t say this is subtle, but it’s definitely no Mary-Lou Manizer. Maybe a good in-between highlighter that I think most people would appreciate!
8. Girlactik Face Glow in Natural (Permanent)*
Color: Muted champagne with beige undertones and subtle pearl flexes
Formula/Texture: Silky-smooth powder that has some kick-up when you dip your brush in it, but nothing a tap to the brush won’t fix. Easy to blend and forgiving - won’t make you look cakey if you go a little overboard!
Availability: Permanent - retails for $25 and is available at some Rite Aid stores and Girlactik’s website.
Review: I would consider this comparable to the Ambient Lighting powders, simply because they give a subtle, yet radiant glow to the face, while diffusing imperfections. Like the Ambient Lighting powders, I use this as an all over glow to set my foundation - which I find looks perfect for “no-makeup” looks. I would say the formulas aren’t exactly the same, but considering the price difference, this is definitely worth your while!
Now that you have seen our favorite highlighters for Summer, tell us yours!!!
*The asterisk indicates products that were sent to Specktra for review purposes. This does not influence or taint our judgement. Our opinions are 100% honest, and we do not accept or receive money in exchange for reviews.
To get that glowy, luminous skin for summer, check these products out :
1. The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer (Permanent)
Color: Champagne with a yellow undertone
Formula/Texture: Shimmery powder that delivers a strong color payoff. Easy to blend and buttery soft!
Availability: Permanent - retails for $24 (8.5g) and is available at Nordstrom, Kohls, and The Balm’s website.
Review: Although the website describes this as a “subtle glow”, I have to disagree. If you aren’t light handed with this, it will definitely turn you into a disco ball. Nonetheless, it is a staple in my makeup collection, and a cult classic for a good reason!
2. Too Faced Candlelight Glow Highlighting Duo (Permanent)
Color: Duo - Left side is a light champagne with a gold undertone. Right side is a soft baby pink with a yellow gold flex.
Formula/Texture: Lightweight texture with a finely milled shimmer flex. Claims to have a PHOTOLITE technology that gives you a filtered appearance. Easy to blend with a soft color payoff. Basically, you can have a heavy hand and not look like you bathed in highlighter.
Availability: Permanent - retails for $30 (10g) and is available at Ulta, Sephora, HSN, Macy’s, and Too Faced’s website.
Review: Unique highlighter to my collection - simply because it combines a soft pink and champagne color that flatters a variety of skin tones, and doesn’t come off as a stark highlighter. I found myself using it similar to an Ambient Powder, and it worked just fine!
3. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft & Gentle (Permanent)
Color: Light peachy bronze with a frosted golden finish.
Formula/Texture: Smooth, velvet soft powder that melts into your skin. Alike most of the highlighters that I’m raving over, this is easy to blend - with no fall out.
Availability: Permanent - retails for $32 (10g) and is available at Macy’s, Dillard’s, Belk, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, and MAC’s website.
Review: Another cult classic that everyone and their Momma owns! If you don’t have it, you need to jump on the bandwagon fast, because you are missing out! One thing that really impresses me with this formula is the lasting power - it seriously stays on all day for me. The only complaint I have is the new packaging - it’s HORRIBLE. If you have it, you know exactly what I mean.
4. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Moonstone and Opal (Permanent)
Color: Moonstone is a pale yellow gold and Opal is a peach gold with an opal flex
Formula/Texture: Creamy powder texture that is finely milled and easy to blend. No fall out or patchiness here!
Availability: Permanent - retails for $38 (8g) and is available at Sephora and Becca Cosmetics’ website.
Review: These powder claim to have luminescent pearls that reflect light and adjust to your natural undertones. What I do know is that it looks like I crushed up a bunch of pearls and dusted them on the tops of my cheekbones! Two of my favorite highlighters, hands down!
Moonstone:
Opal:
5. Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Duo in Pink Beige & Golden (Permanent)
Color: Pink Beige is a pale pink with an opal sheen and Golden is a true gold
Formula/Texture: Gel-powder that creates a natural-looking, “wet” sheen. Lightweight and easy to blend. Lasts a good amount of time, without fading.
Availability: Permanent - retails for $39 (8g) and is available at Sephora.
Review: I can’t say enough good things about these highlighters. They are extremely unique, formula wise. They appear on your skin as a beautiful sheen, without shimmery particles. I am light complected and can pull off wearing both, so I think these will fit a wide range of complexions.
Pink Beige:
Golden:
6. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light (Permanent)
Color: Light champagne/beige with a pearl flex
Formula/Texture: Soft, velvet-like powder that blends seamlessly with your skin. Hourglass’ Ambient Lighting technology allows you to custom your ideal lighting situation, creating a multidimensional luminosity to the skin, which ultimately blurs imperfections.
Availability: Permanent -retails for $45 (10g) and is available at Sephora, Barney’s, and Hourglass’ website.
Review: I personally use this as an all over face powder, because I find that it gives life back into my dry-skin. I would recommend this “highlighter” if you are looking for something subtle, or if you have mature skin. The finely-milled texture will blend in with the skin, without just “sitting” on top of it.
7. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Poured in Pearl (Permanent)
Color: White base with a pearl flex
Formula/Texture: Thin, cream formula that offers a high color payoff, and a classy “glow”. This is probably my favorite highlighter, simply because it has a white base, which is perfect for fair to light skin tones; sometimes golds and pinks can be a little unnatural looking. The consistency provides a smooth finish on the skin, and is perfect as a highlighter base!
Availability: Permanent - retails for $38 (5.5g) and is available at Sephora and Becca Cosmetics’ website.
Review: This highlighter gives me the highlighted look I want - brightening, light reflective, and natural looking. I wouldn’t say this is subtle, but it’s definitely no Mary-Lou Manizer. Maybe a good in-between highlighter that I think most people would appreciate!
8. Girlactik Face Glow in Natural (Permanent)*
Color: Muted champagne with beige undertones and subtle pearl flexes
Formula/Texture: Silky-smooth powder that has some kick-up when you dip your brush in it, but nothing a tap to the brush won’t fix. Easy to blend and forgiving - won’t make you look cakey if you go a little overboard!
Availability: Permanent - retails for $25 and is available at some Rite Aid stores and Girlactik’s website.
Review: I would consider this comparable to the Ambient Lighting powders, simply because they give a subtle, yet radiant glow to the face, while diffusing imperfections. Like the Ambient Lighting powders, I use this as an all over glow to set my foundation - which I find looks perfect for “no-makeup” looks. I would say the formulas aren’t exactly the same, but considering the price difference, this is definitely worth your while!
Now that you have seen our favorite highlighters for Summer, tell us yours!!!
*The asterisk indicates products that were sent to Specktra for review purposes. This does not influence or taint our judgement. Our opinions are 100% honest, and we do not accept or receive money in exchange for reviews.
