For months I had searched high and low for a highlight that would fit my skin perfectly. I wanted something that was natural looking, something that I could wear everyday and not look OTT, and something that reflected the light ( in a subtle manner) when the sun catches the skin. To be honest with you, I hadn’t tried many highlighters previously but I found some of the popular ones just not quite right for me.
There was Mac Mineralize SkinFinish in Soft and Gentle. Slightly too frosty for my skin-tone and a bit too glittery for a “natural” everyday wear. To be fair, it is described as a “high frost metallic finish”, making it more suited for more of a night out/party kind of look.
Then there was Bobby Brown’s Shimmer Brick in Bronze, the original compact. This was actually my first ever and I’ve had it for years now. This product is gorgeous for when I am tanned as it’s a predominantly bronzy palette (although also available in Pink Quartz, Rose Shimmer and Beige Shimmer). I tend to use the lightest tone just at the tops of my cheekbone and under the brow bone but sometimes i feel like its a tad too yellow and a touch too shimmery. However, this is perfect for when you are travelling away to some far flung, exotic destination or for a summer beach party as it reflects the light beautifully and the shades enhances your tan. In this instance, I would sweep my bronzing brush into the palette in a circular motion across all five colours and apply it as I would a bronzer. I’m not sure about using the five bars as individual eyeshadows though as the colour pay off isn’t so great. If you’re after just a golden- bronze-y sheen, then sure it works.
Now it was after I had seen beauty blogger and You Tube sensation Tanya Burr, and also Make Up guru Lisa Eldridge, use Benefit Watt’s Up that I had asked for it as a birthday gift. It was love at first sight (cliche but so true). Like a lot of their products, the packaging is a bit of a novelty. It’s small-ish and cylindrical with the highlight at one end and a sponge applicator at the other. I don’t really use the sponge applicator as I like to use my fingers to give me a bit more control when it comes to seamlessly blending in the product with the rest of my make up.
The product is described as a “soft focus highlighter” with a “delicate champagne glow”. I’d say the description was pretty bang on! It’s a cream- to-powder formulation which is soft and silky making it so easy to apply and a dream to blend. I tend to either just sweep it in a C-shape above my cheekbone up to the temples or just dab my middle finger into the product and pat it gently where I need it.
It works as a subtle sheen just below the brow bone and also works perfectly in the tear duct area (great for opening up the eye area and creating a bright, wide-awake look). The result is so subtle and natural looking making it perfect for everyday wear. The colour is so natural too (sorry if i keep using the word natural but i cant think of a better word to describe it) not too gold, not too pink, not too frosty and most importantly, not too glittery.It has lasting power as for me, its still visible when i get home from work (that’s around 8-9 hours). Its currently priced at £24.50 which is a tad steep, but not as expensive as some of the others I’ve come across in my quest to find the perfect highlight. However, a small amount does go along way so i guess it is worth every penny.
What’s your favourite highlight? If you’ve tried the Benefit Watt’s Up, let me know what your thoughts are.
Thanks for stopping by x