When I look back at photos of myself pre-contouring, I realise that my face actually looked like the moon emoji. Seriously, it’s a wonder that wolves didn’t turn up just to howl at me. It’s little surprise then that contouring is now a big deal in my life and, as such, highlighters are an essential part of my makeup bag. If you’re the same, and find that nothing brings you joy quite like an excellently highlighted cheekbone, then you might be interested in my pick of the best affordable highlighters on the market. All three of these products can be picked up in Boots or Superdrug for just a few English pounds, leaving you with money to spend on the other loves of your life (in my case, faux fur coats and vodka).
All of these cheap and cheerful highlighters do an amazing job but the formula and effect of them all is quite different, so hopefully there’ll be something for everyone.
The Liquid Highlighter – MUA Undress Your Skin
I’ve been a fan of liquid highlighters since trying Seventeen’s Wow! Skin Highlighter (which you can read my review of here), but since picking up this MUA version I haven’t felt the need to repurchase my previous favourite. The Undress Your Skin Illuminating Liquid Glow is a gorgeous, lightweight product that adds a beautiful glimmer to the skin. I mainly use this by dabbing it along my cheekbones with either my stippling brush or my fingers, but it can also be mixed into foundation and buffed into the skin to create a lighter, dewy base. Undress Your Skin comes in three shades – Pink Shimmer, Oyster and Champagne – and at only £4, it’s such a bargain.
The Cream Highlighter: Collection Speedy Highlighter*
Those who prefer a creamy, stick highlighter will definitely love the latest to my collection: the Speedy Highlighter by Collection. This is certainly less intense than the liquid highlighter, and instead distributes a nice pearlescent sheen as you sweep it across your cheekbones and down your nose. The chunky pencil design makes it trickier to apply to areas such as the brow bone without a brush, but also makes it really convenient and an ideal product for the handbag. This retails at only £3.99 too – you can’t complain, can you?
The Powder Highlighter: Makeup Revolution Golden Lights
I’ve reviewed quite a few Makeup Revolution products on Stylingo and have found the brand to be quite hit and miss – but the Golden Lights highlighter is definitely one of the hits. This powder highlighter is SERIOUSLY pigmented, and a little goes a long way. A long, l o o o o o o n g way. It’s probably a bit too intense for a daytime look, but I love it for evening makeup. At £3, it’s the cheapest highlighter of my picks and definitely worth picking up if you spot this in your local Superdrug.
And here is what they all look like swatched (seriously, is there a prettier sight in the world than the way Undress Your Skin catches that light?! Excuse me while I drool for a bit.) All three of them blend out very well despite being super pigmented, and also hold up for a good few hours once some fixing spray has been applied. The fact that my moon face can be fixed for under a fiver is a miracle alone, and so for that I really think I owe these babies.
Have you tried any of these affordable highlighters? Which others do you recommend? Please let me know in the comments!
The collection one looks stunning!
https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/oh-january-12802049
It really is! xx
I have one I bought on amazon by brand Technics for 2 pounds and it works so so well! I have the collection one too and I love it 🙂
Pam xo/ Pam Scalfi♥
Oh wow, I’ll have to check that one out – thanks for the tip 🙂 xx
I loved the Collection Speedy Highlighter, really reminds me of Benefit’s Watt’s Up!
Lauren xo | laurenselwood.co.uk
Ooh I had no idea it was a bit of a dupe! Even better 🙂 xx
Oh wow the MUA highlighter is incredibly pigmented. It looks gorgeous! Can’t believe how cheap it is too!
Katya | The Beauty Harbour
It’s SO lovely, definitely worth picking up 🙂 xx
The collection one is my fav but they all look great <3
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They’re all lovely, it would be hard for me to pick a fave 🙂 Thanks for reading! xx
I never try it but seems to be a nice product xx
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They’re all lovely 🙂 xx
This was such a great post! I don’t own any drugstore highlighters and to be honest, I couldn’t even tell you why! I think I’m going to have to have a look and see if there’s one that I like! I do quite like the Collection Speedy Highlighter that you have talked about here – it looks like it would give a really nice subtle glow 🙂 xo
Char | http://www.charslittleblog.blogspot.co.uk
Yessss it’s definitely quite subtle so great for an every day look 🙂 xx
I own one of the makeup revolution highlighters and I love it! The collection one is next on my list:)
Eilidh from Velvet Winter
I think I need to get a couple more MR ones too 🙂 xx
Ooh I will have to check out the MUA one, I hadn’t come across it before! Cream and liquid formulas are so pretty and dewy on the skin 🙂 xx
Jasmine Talks Beauty
Yes, I love the dewiness 🙂 xx