Liquid highlighters, like contour makeup, have the power to turn an ordinary makeup look to one with a bit more oomph. Just a dab on the corner of your eyes can instantly make you look more awake, while a swipe on the cheeks can give you that glass skin effect. It's a great way to pull together your entire look and make your features pop!
If you're new to liquid highlighters and want to ease into them, then you've come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss how to choose liquid highlighters with our buying guide fact-checked by visual and makeup artist Ida Siasoco, as well as our recommended picks to help you get started.
Quick List - Top Liquid Highlighters
Nars
A Multi-Purpose Illuminator for a High-Shine Effect or a Natural Dewy Look
Makeup artist and hairstylist since 2017 and has worked on various commercial and editorial projects. Likes to put glitter on everything and believes that "you can never put too much blush".
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
Highlighting or strobing helps you achieve naturally glowing skin as it gives you a youthful glow and that dewy look or glass skin effect. From its name, you literally add light to your face. It is usually applied to the high points of your face, such as the tops of your cheekbones, brow bones, and cupid’s bow, to make them stand out.
Think of it as the opposite of contouring. Contouring works to sculpt your face by making your temples, nose, and cheeks appear slimmer. It accentuates the angles of your face. It is also especially helpful if you want to create the illusion of a slimmer face.
Here are some key points to consider:
Unlike foundation, you should not match your highlighter color with your exact skin tone. Ideally, you should choose 2 shades lighter than your own to really make the color pop while making it look natural at the same time.
If you have fair skin, then shades that are icier suit your skin tone. Think silver, pearl, and champagne shades. These shades are almost translucent, so it will blend well with your skin tone. It will give just the right amount of radiance and luminosity to your skin. If you want a bit more color, you could opt for light peach-pink shades.
Those whose skin tones fall in the middle could opt for highlighter shades with a tinge of gold and iridescent shades. This is to help your face avoid looking too frosty. You want your skin to look glowing and dewy. If you go for cooler-toned shades, it could end up looking metallic against your skin, which is not the effect you want to achieve.
Embrace bronzed and copper shades as well rose gold hues. It will perfectly offset your tan skin, making you look like an island goddess. Just avoid picking out anything too frosty looking. It might drown out your complexion and make you look sallow or even ashy instead of it coming across as natural.
The good thing about makeup is that it can double as skincare, depending on its formulation. And while it is not really a requirement, it serves as an added benefit if your highlighter could also provide skincare benefits.
After all, it is going to sit on your skin for long periods of time, so you might as well invest in the good stuff. Some highlighters can also double as a moisturizer or contain vitamins and antioxidants. You just have to take a look at its ingredients list.
Look for ingredients that contain plant oils such as jojoba and grapeseed oil. It is also an added bonus if it contains vitamin E to protect the skin from pollution and the sun.
Liquid highlighters can come in various packaging, and they can come in tubes and pump bottles. It is great as you don’t apply the product directly onto your face, so you can dispense the appropriate amount and avoid using too much.
Highlighters can also come with built-in applicators or droppers, making it convenient if you want to apply it directly onto your face. It also makes it easier if you want to mix it with foundation.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ICONIC London Illuminator | ![]() | A Cult Favorite for Adding a Golden Shine | |
2 | Wet n Wild MegaGlo Hello Halo Liquid Highlighter | ![]() | Pigmented Highlighter in a Buildable Formula | |
3 | Benefit High Beam Liquid Highlighter | ![]() | Versatile Color That Matches A Variety of Skin Tones | |
4 | Nars Euphoria Face Dew Highlighter | ![]() | A Multi-Purpose Illuminator for a High-Shine Effect or a Natural Dewy Look | |
5 | Guerlain Meteorites Liquid Pearls Liquid Highlighter | ![]() | Enriched With Pearl Extract and Pigments for a Natural Glow | |
6 | Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Aqua Liquid Foundation Illuminator | ![]() | A Formula That Won't Break Up Your Foundation | |
7 | Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Glow Highlighter | ![]() | A Lightweight Highlighter With High-Impact Pigmentation | |
8 | Happy Skin Color Play Multi-Use Mousse in Stardust | ![]() | Multipurpose Highlighter That Feels Like a Second Skin | |
9 | Colourette Cosmetics Shimmertint in Yellow Diamond | ![]() | Long-Lasting Highlighter Game at an Affordable Price | |
10 | Smashbox Crystalized Shimmer Drops | ![]() | Look Iridescent With the Power of Crystals |
Get your own bottle of the must-have highlighter that everyone in the beauty world is talking about. ICONIC London's illuminator tops the list with its versatility; you can use this product in so many different ways!
Aside from using it as a spot highlighter, you can also opt to mix this one with your foundation for a quick way to get a full-on glow all over your face. Another way to maximize it is to blend it with body oil or moisturizing cream for a sexy, subtle sheen all over your body, perfect for glam shots at the beach!
Whichever way you choose to use it, this highlighter won't fail you. Its buildability lets you go from a soft, diffused glow to a really blingy brightness, depending on your preference. If you're not convinced yet, keep in mind that this highlighter has earned its superstar seal of approval - it's what J. Lo and Beyoncé use for that fabulous, glowing look!
Sometimes a subtle glow isn’t what you need, and that’s okay! Wet n Wild puts the spotlight on you with their intense liquid highlighter. It comes in a buildable formula that you can layer to up the ante in your highlighter game. Its shimmering pearl pigments are sure to be a confidence boost.
Its applicator makes it easy to dot the product onto your face, so you can easily blend it after. It is also hydrating, as it is infused with Murumuru seed butter, grapeseed oil, and vitamin E to keep skin soft and moisturized. To top it off, it is paraben and fragrance-free.
The High Beam highlighter is a cult favorite right next to their lip tint and eyebrow pencils—and with good reason. It comes in a satiny pink hue that gives you a subtle sheen of color upon swiping it on. You can wear it as a spot highlighter or dab it over your cheekbones and nose for a soft rose-gold glow.
You could also use it under your foundation for a more subdued glow. The color is not too frosty or too orange, so it is suitable for a wide range of skin tones. It is also long-lasting, which means you won’t have to worry about it slipping off your face. The product comes with an applicator, too, making it easy to dot on your face.
Not all highlighters have to be frosty or too metallic-looking. Nars' liquid luminizer is a good example. It comes in only one shade that's versatile enough for use with different skin tones. Whether you're a mestiza or a morena, you'll find that this product works wonders for you!
What's special about this product is that it works two ways-you can use it on top of makeup for a high-shine finish or on bare skin to achieve a naturally flushed effect. Moreover, compared to other highlighters, this one doesn't leave you with a sparkle. Instead, you get a lovely dewy look that will make you look simply youthful!
Brightening and freshening up dull skin is absolutely easy peasy with Guerlain's one-of-a-kind illuminator pen. This formulation uses Japanese pearl extract and pearlescent pigments to highlight the contours of your face with a luminous veil. The gel texture melts into the skin quickly, and the pen packaging makes it easy to slip into your purse for quick touch-ups during the day.
Another plus is that it's infused with glycerin to help hydrate your skin and leave you with a smooth, plumped complexion. And it's versatile, too-whether you have a pale or dark skin tone, this product is suitable for you. It may be one of the more expensive products on this list, but it's certainly worth the splurge!
Liquid highlighters are versatile, as you can mix them in with your foundation if you want a more subtle look. Koh Gen Do's shades are the perfect match if you want that dewy skin effect. It instantly melts into your skin, so you don't have to spend time warming it up; just blend it right in. This gives you a subtle glow that's not too greasy, in case you're worried about that.
Its beige shade complements most skin tones, while the white variant is great for spot highlighting and brightening dull areas of your face. It is also formulated with Koh Gen Do's glowing film powder, which makes it long-wearing. Now you can make your highlight last as long as your foundation!
Almost every beauty junkie has an Anastasia BH product in their kikay kit, and it's because the brand is known for professional-quality products that are extremely wearable. This highlighter is just one example; you get a full-pigment highlighter that feels weightless on the skin. The gel-like formula gives you an illuminating effect that dries down to a natural finish.
This is easy to blend, and you can use it in two ways: alone or layered on top of your makeup for a touch of luminosity. The three shades are also suitable for Pinay skin; no matter which one you pick, it will look great on you! Take note, though, that the glow it leaves is intense, so take care to use it sparingly!
Feel absolutely magical with Happy Skin’s Mousse in Stardust. This is a product you can use in different ways. You can play with its application on your eyelids, cheeks, and lips. Swap it for your regular eye shadow or apply it to the corners of your eyes to look more awake. Swipe it on your cheeks for instant dewy skin. This little tube has so many possibilities!
It dries into a second skin natural finish, and it is non-sticky - no more feeling malagkit. The formula is also infused with hyaluronic acid to keep your skin supple and moisturized, great for battling the hot weather. It also contains grapefruit extract, which has antibacterial properties to help fight acne.
This local favorite has been raved about for its long-staying power that can withstand our humid climate. Users have noted that the formula stays put on their skin all day without slipping. To make it even better, Colourette has reformulated its liquid highlighter by upping its pigmentation while retaining its weightless consistency.
It can be easily blended with your fingers or a brush. It can also be used on your lips and eyelids for added pizzazz. This variant, Yellow Diamond, is a soft golden pearl shade that looks heavenly on warm-toned skin. But if you prefer a different shade, you can check out their other offerings, such as Crystal Prism, Tiger's Eye, and Rose Quartz.
Each shade is buildable and melts into skin for an instant radiant glow. It is also very inclusive, as it flatters Filipina skin tones without looking too metallic or ashy. Another thing to note is that this brand only makes cruelty-free, paraben-free, and silicone-free products.
Looking for a way to switch up your highlighter? This one lets you in on a great secret for achieving luminosity - crystals! It's an iridescent liquid highlighter you can apply on your face or on your lips. The formula is inspired by the beauty of crystals, specifically moonstone, which explains why the look you'll get with this one is otherworldly indeed.
Aside from that, one of the biggest selling points of this product is its ease of application, as well as its weightless and non-greasy formula. Loyal users love how its consistency is like water and how the dropper helps with accurate dispensing of the product. Just a little of this goes a long way, so this tiny bottle is sure to last you a long time!
Below are some of the most asked questions on the web answered by the mybest team.
The best way to set a liquid highlighter is with a setting spray. After applying the highlighter, finish off with setting spray all over your face.
Take note that setting powder is not recommended simply because a good rule of thumb when it comes to setting is to use the same type of setting product and makeup. For instance, setting powder works best when applied over powder makeup. Similarly, sprays are best used with liquid and cream makeup.
To apply and blend liquid highlighter, you can use your fingers, a foundation brush, or a makeup sponge.
Not if you do it right! There are several steps you need to take to ensure your skin doesn't look oily, even with a highlighter on. The first is to make sure your face is fresh and clean. Then, use an oil-free primer and makeup with a matte finish. It's also a good idea to avoid highlighting your T-zone if you tend to get oily there.
If you're concerned that this isn't enough, opt for a powder highlighter. That way, you won't have to worry about your highlighter adding on to the greasy look when your natural oils begin to come through as the day goes on.
Glass skin makes you look effortlessly radiant and luminous even without doing much to your face. For more products to help you look naturally glowing for that woke-up-like-this selfie, check out the links below!
Author: J. Cuizon
Our buying guide was carefully researched and crafted by the mybest team of writers and editors, in collaboration with the expert featured in this article. We used the buying guide as a basis for choosing and ranking the product recommendations, and we looked at reviews and ratings from different E-commerce sites like Lazada, Shopee, and more.
No. 1: ICONIC London|Illuminator
No. 2: Wet n Wild|MegaGlo Hello Halo Liquid Highlighter
No. 3: Benefit|High Beam Liquid Highlighter
No. 4: Nars|Euphoria Face Dew Highlighter
No. 5: Guerlain|Meteorites Liquid Pearls Liquid Highlighter
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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