i haven't used Vanilla pigment, but I will say that Albatross is incredibly smooth and soft.
Albatross is one of my favorites, but lately I really like Perfect Topping MSF. Both are smooth and provide a really nice glow.
For a non-shimmery highlighter, I like Accentuate or Lightsweep from the MAC PRO Sculpting powders. Very natural-looking because of the tiny, faint shimmer.