TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 9.0*
Why it's great: This highlighter is perfect for getting a "bronze-y glow." Readers have fallen head-ove-heels for this product, which "gives the perfect shimmer when you feel like [achieving] a glowing, yet natural, look." To boot, "it gives a really nice glow to tan skin." Another reviewer agrees, saying, "I really love this stuff, and for dark skin; I think gold is perfect as highlighter!"
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 9.2*
Why it's great: "This is a gorgeous luminizer that doesn't appear too sparkly," says one reviewer. Another chimes in, saying the product is "perfection" because the "color is golden and subtle ... it is not sparkly and obvious." Readers also love that this product is multipurpose. "I mix it in with my foundation, my tinted moisturizer or just highlight with it," explains one reviewer. "This gives the perfect glow."
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 9.3*
Why it's great: If you're looking for a "healthy, sexy glow," this highlighter may be the one for you. Readers love this "multipurpose" powder, which they use as bronzer, blush and eye shadow. According to readers, application is "soft and smooth," with a "silky" texture. It "looks really natural" with "blendable" and "buildable" coverage. Overall, reviewers agree this product is "a great investment in anyone's cosmetics collection."
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 9.4*
Why it's great: To put it simply, readers say this highlighter "is amazing." The stellar product landed a spot in our best highlighters roundup due to its "perfect amount of shimmer," ability to "last all day without creasing or fading of pigment," and its ability to make your best features (ahem, cheekbones) "pop."
"They have the best color payoff out of any loose powder product I've used," gushes one user. "One little pot lasts a long time, and they come in a variety of colors. Totally worth the money."
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 9.5*
Why it's great: This mineral highlighter comes with four shades in each compact. It will give you a "sun-kissed look" that one reader says makes her feel like a "starlet." It is an essential product to readers and has become a staple in many of their makeup bags. "If I had only this, concealer and mascara in my makeup bag, I'd be set for any occasion," says one reader.
Not to be a Debbie downer, but it's a fact of life that with each passing year, time takes its toll on our complexions. Our cheekbones become more sunken in, our under-eye bags get darker and lower, and our skin turns sallower.
With that said, is it a lost cause to yearn for that perfectly chiseled face and youthful glow from our teenage years? Nope. Here at Total Beauty, our motto is if you don't have it, you can fake it — with some help from the best highlighter, of course.
A great highlighter can perk up your complexion, accentuate the features you love, and even camouflage aging skin. Celebrity makeup artist Joanna Schlip calls highlighters "the secret weapon for a youthful, healthy glow — especially for women ages 40 and over." Highlighter can help minimize dark circles, decrease the look of wrinkles, and mimic a facelift with appropriate placement. The key is knowing how to use it.
"Apply the highlighter under the eyes, above the brows and on the browbone to add life and brightness, which ultimately helps you to look healthier and younger," says celebrity makeup artist Geoffrey Rodriguez.
Schlip also recommends applying highlighter on the apple of your cheeks over your blush where the color is most vibrant. And makeup artist Karen Scott recommends using a highlighter to "give the illusion of a fuller pout by applying a small dab just above the cupid's bow on your lip."
Now that you know all about this anti-aging essential, it's time to find your best highlighter. But don't worry: We've narrowed down your search by compiling our readers' top picks. From creams to powders, high-end makeup counters to the drugstore, these are the 12 best highlighters that are guaranteed to brighten your face.
