BEAUTY: TRIED & TESTED
Dewy, shimmery skin is still at the top of our wish list this summer. Whether you’re after a subtle sheen or a full-blown glow, there is a highlighter out there for you.
The team puts highlighters to the test
Sir John x WBeauty Illuminator, R180
I wasn’t shy to really pack this illuminator on my cheeks and temples with a tapered highlighter brush. And believe me when I say this: I looked like a bronze statue. I’m absolutely in love with this product, but because my skin is on the dry side I’ll probably try the Sir John x WBeauty Illuminating Stick for a creamier finish. For the animal lovers out there, all WBeauty products happen to be anti-animal cruelty as well as vegan friendly. – Christina
Essence Glazed Donut Highlighter, R86
I absolutely love the name ‘Glazed Donut’ for a highlighter; there’s nothing wrong with a bit of humour in beauty, and if you go in with a heavy hand, that is exactly what you may land up looking like! The powder looks very white and quite rough in texture at first glance, but what I absolutely love is that it applies very smoothly and evenly. It was the perfect colour fit and left me with very smooth and healthy looking skin – nothing close to a glazed treat! I was very impressed with the quality. – Janine
The Body Shop Illuminating Drops of Glow, R310
Technically speaking, this isn’t a highlighter – according to the bottle, it’s a ‘lustre finish creator’. Fancy. The liquid formula can be used by itself as a highlighter – just dot onto the tops of your cheekbones with the dropper and tap in with your fingertip – or as an illuminator: you can mix it into your foundation to give your skin a dewier finish. The formula is quite sheer so it’s easy to play around with; you could also dab it on top of your lipstick or eyeshadow for a bit of shimmer. It’s quite watery and blends into the skin seamlessly to give you a subtle sheen – no chunky bits of glitter here. I’m a fan. – Liesl
Catrice 3D Glow Highlighter, R79
This is a great highlighter. It blends very well with my foundation and it’s highly pigmented, which gives my cheekbones a beaming, bright highlight. The shade (Pinch of Rose) works well as both highlighter and blush. It’s a creamy, soft powder texture and glides smoothly onto the skin with minimal effort. I’m definitely sold on this one. – Sima
Physician’s Formula Mineral Glow Pearls, R249,95
This palette is made up of pearls of varying colours – ranging from a soft pinky colour to a light bronze. I used the tip of my finger to highlight my cheekbones and dabbed a bit on my temples. Even though it’s probably a bit sparkly for someone my age, this actually was rather pretty. It was very subtle and shimmered just a wee bit when the light reflected off my face.– Caryn
L.A Girl Glowin’ Up Highlighting Jelly, R135
I’ve never used a highlighter before, let alone a jelly version, but I figured: how hard could it be? I would describe the shade as iridescent pearl, which I thought worked well with my light skin tone and blended pretty well with my foundation. After watching a few tutorials, I was ready to get started. I used my finger to tap the jelly along my cheekbones to the tops of my brows and then on my Cupid’s bow. I then blended it out a bit. It looked great – just noticeable enough without sticking out like a unicorn. I’m officially converted. – Charis
Urban Decay Naked Flushed, R575
My product is a trio of bronzer, highlighter and blush – all powders. I don’t wear foundation, so I just applied them over my moisturiser. I started with the bronzer, then the blusher (loved the dark rosy-pink colour) and ended off the look with a light dusting of highlighter on my cheekbones. I loved the final result! The colours complement my skin tone perfectly and I’m using it daily now. – Crystal
Pretty by Flormar Baked Highlighter, R139,95
This powdery baked highlighter gave my bare skin a lovely subtle glow. I swiped it onto my cheekbones with my fingertip and got an instant pink shimmery
Essence Glow to Go Highlighter Palette, R99,95
I love that this has four gorgeous shades so I can switch it up depending on the time of day and occasion! I’ve been obsessed with rose gold lately; at the moment it’s my favourite: the medium rose-gold has a metallic finish which complements my medium skin tone perfectly. It feels really soft and smooth on my face on application, and I’m amazed by how long it lasts on the skin. – Liezel
Catrice Light in a Box Highlighter Palette, R180
The five powder colours were quite good for my skin tone and the texture was great – very easy to apply with my fingers, which is how I like to do it. The problem for me was the shine.
It was just SO shiny. I applied it in dim light (rule no 1, I know), then caught a glimpse of myself in the passage on my way out – and went back inside immediately. I really battled to get it off which, under normal circumstances, is probably a good quality. My conclusion? I think this is a great product if you’re in your 20s or 30s, but for me it was a bit much. I was shining, as Paul Simon says, like a National Guitar. – Suzy