Highlighter sticks are great for adding a little extra glow to your face. They’re easy to use, and it’s fun to experiment with different colors and shades.
When applied properly, a quality highlighter can make your face appear softer, younger, and more radiant. Use it alone or over a tinted foundation or moisturizer to highlight your cheekbones, eyes, and nose bridge. Highlighters come in powder, cream, and liquid formulas—and choosing one that works best for your skin type is extremely important.
If you have sensitive skin, for example, you may want to read the label carefully to be sure there are no unpleasant ingredients. For individuals with oily skin types, powders are preferable over creams since they tend to last much longer after usage. On the other hand, those with dry skin may prefer cream-based formulations because they are less drying than powders.
Highlighter sticks come in a wide range of colors and textures, so you can find one that suits your skin tone and makeup preferences best. If you’re looking to add incorporate new products into your makeup routine, look no further! Here are ten of the best highlighter sticks on the market today.
1. Milk Makeup Cream Highlighter Stick
The multipurpose nature of this pearlescent cream highlighter stick from Milk Makeup is evident. Featuring moisturizing ingredients like coconut oil and mango butter, it applies easily and blends in completely for a healthy sheen and long-lasting moisture.
Meanwhile, avocado and apricot oil assist the skin in looking and feeling more hydrated and radiant. It’s multipurpose; it works well as a lip balm or cream blush. Put it anywhere you want a little more glow. The product’s versatility lies in its availability in three different finishes: white gold, champagne pearl, and golden bronze.
“I have this highlight in the shade ‘Turnt’ and I love how easily it applies. With a subtle glitter, I love it,” shared one reviewer.
2. Anastasia Beverly Hills Stick Highlighter
This lightweight cream highlighter comes in a foolproof stick form, making it ideal for beginners. There are six colors available, and the result is a flawless, streak-free, and smudge-proof look. Use over bare skin or over existing makeup without ruining your finished appearance.
The synthetic brush included allows for fast and easy application and blending, whether you’re at home or on the road. As an added bonus, this chic tool comes in a beautiful rose gold case that easily fits in any cosmetics bag.
One reviewer stated, “Application is so easy and it glides over my makeup without taking any off and adding such a nice glow to highlighted areas.”
3. Clover by Clove + Hallow Glow Stick Illuminator
This highlighter stick is perfect if you’re searching for something that will give you a gentle, glossy shine without being too sparkly or shimmery. Castor oil is a key ingredient in this composition, making it ideal for highlighting the high points of the face like the cheekbones. Wipe or dab some of the highlighter onto your skin directly from the tube.
The balm illuminator is available in two different shades: one is transparent but still imparts a noticeable sheen, while the other has a subtle shimmer that gives it a little more depth and dimension. Whether you’re going out after work or seeing friends for brunch on the weekend, both are great ways to give your skin a quick glow.
4. Beautycounter Illuminating Cream Highlighter
In a nutshell, this highlighter stick from Beautycounter gleams with understated brilliance. This beginner-friendly product is lightweight and will help you achieve an appearance that seems to be illuminated from the inside.
The sheer, blendable, and buildable product has a delicate, dewy finish. You can use it to emphasize your cheekbones, brow bones, décolleté, or any other part of your body you like by simply gliding it on and blending it in.
“I love that these are so easy to apply and look fabulous on. They look perfect on and add really great shimmer,” explained one buyer. “I haven’t found another bronzer or highlighter that is comparable. This is the best and clean one on the market.”
5. Hourglass Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick
This revolutionary highlighter stick from Hourglass gives you a natural-looking glow right away. To get a flawless, dewy glow on your cheekbones, brow bones, cupid’s bow, and anyplace else you want to highlight, use this cutting-edge solution, which adapts to your body temperature for a seamless, natural look.
Since it’s made of hollow microspheres, it won’t feel heavy or cakey on the skin, and it won’t be seen in photos, even though it gives a very noticeable glow.
6. Glossier Haloscope
The outer core of Glossier‘s Haloscope cream highlighter stick is made from genuine crystal extracts, giving the product a natural, brilliant sheen without any glitter. The inner core contains oil-based moisturizers to moisturize your skin and make you appear dewy and beautiful. This product’s three hues are easily combined and flatter women of all complexion tones.
“I’m not a skilled makeup person and this makes it really seem like I am! It’s truly so easy to put on and melts in so well,” revealed one wearer.
7. Westman Atelier Lit Up Glow Highlighter Stick
This multipurpose gel highlighter may be used to create either a sheer or light coverage. Fruit extract helps to noticeably tighten skin and increase moisture, while an ayurvedic oil combination helps to calm, cushion, and maintain the skin’s natural moisture barrier.
This highlighter’s illuminating components work together to give your complexion a radiant, iridescent sheen that will leave you looking radiant and radiant.
“Love how clean the ingredients are, highlighter is really pretty! I find I can even skip concealer and use this on under-eye bags too. My go-to skin product lately,” shares one beauty enthusiast.
8. Well People Supernatural Stick Highlighter
Infused with organic elements, Well People’s Supernatural Stick Highlighter can be applied in a variety of ways and leaves skin looking radiant and supple. Easy to use morning or night in your makeup routine, the cream stick brightens skin instantly.
Vitamins A and E nourish skin for a radiant glow, while vitamin C helps protect against environmental damage in this solution. Elsewhere, green tea extract is rich in antioxidants known to fight against free radicals. There are three different tones available for this dermatologist-formulated highlighter.
9. NYX Wonder Stick Contour And Highlighter Stick
The new and improved Wonder Stick from NYX is perfect for highlighting, contouring, and blending. We’re releasing eight new color combinations of our best-selling contouring stick.
Use the darker shade to trace your face’s natural contours, then switch to the lighter shade and sweep it over your cheekbones and brow bone to accentuate your features. Use a blending or sculpting brush to get a beautiful result.
10. NOTO Botanics Hydra Highlighter Stick
It’s no secret that we’re suckers for a good highlighter stick in the office. We love the sheer, dewy glow they give us—especially when they’re filled with organic ingredients that act as skincare first.
This one is no exception; use it before your regular foundation for a dewy finish, or use it as a highlighter for your eyes or lips. To use, twist up the bottle and dab it anywhere you want a touch of shimmery sparkle.
So, if you’re looking for a highlighter stick that will give you that perfect glow and make your skin look amazing, then these are the best options out there. These products are great for all kinds of skin types, which means that you don’t have to worry about whether or not they will work for you.