The Best Highlighter for Gleaming Skin That Catches the Light Just Right

The best highlighter is a shining star of any makeup bag (literally). Adept at making the skin shimmer, gleam, or take on a smooth-as-glass sheen, a good highlighter can revive a dull complexion or pep up a tired makeup look with single-swipe efficacy. Not to mention, it can help the skin catch the light in such a way that it appears celestially lit from within—or at least freshly sprung from the spa. To find out which highlighters celebrity makeup artists swear by, and exactly how they use them, we tapped the pros. Ahead, find Vogue’s edit of the best makeup artist and beauty editor-approved highlighters for creating a best-in-class glow.

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: Chanel Baume Essentiel Multi-Glow Stick, $48
• Best Second-Skin Finish: Merit Day Glow Highlighting Balm, $32
• Best for Sensitive Skin: Westman Atelier Lit Up Highlight Stick, $48
• Best Long-Lasting: Yves Saint Laurent Nu Halo Tint Highlighter, $29
• Best Translucent: Ami Colé Light-Catching Highlighter, $22
• Best Backstage Secret: Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette, $48
• Best for Body: Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish Highlighter & Balm Duo, $50
• Best Classic: MAC Cosmetics Strobe Cream, $36
• Best Powder: Tom Ford Shade & Illuminate Highlighting Duo, $90
• Best for Aging Skin: RMS Beauty Luminizer Highlighter, $40

In This Story

Chanel Baume Essentiel Multi-Glow Stick

• Why we love it: Tasha Reiko Brown, a Chanel makeup artist whose made clients such as Gabrielle Union glow, calls the Baume Essentiel Multi-Glow Stick her “go-to.” The moisturizing balm isn’t just her go-to highlighter, mind you—it’s the product she reaches for more than any other. “[I] apply [it] on every face, for every occasion,” she says. “It brings so much light onto the complexion.” Celebrity makeup artist Fiona Stiles is also a fan, and previously told Vogue: “This product gives skin a soft, stunning glow with zero sparkle, just the smallest hint of sheen, which lets the skin look healthy and radiant without looking like makeup.”
• Shades: 6
• Type: Balm

Merit Day Glow Highlighting Balm

• Why we love it: Merit’s made-for-daytime balm—which has a dewy, sparkle-free finish—has a stamp of approval from celebrity makeup artist Jenna Menard, whose clients include Taylor Swift and Kate Winslet. Infused with hydrating squalane and moisturizing vitamins, the skin-loving formulation “is one of the most versatile highlighters,” says Menard. “It is the perfect multi-use product. I always seek out products that are foolproof and can be used for different purposes on the face without having to overthink it.” She uses Merit’s balm on the eyes, lips, high points of the face, or all over the face when a “warm glow” is in order. “It slides right on and blends easily, leaving no trace of start and finish,” says Menard. “It’s just a ‘real but better’ skin-perfecting glow.” Its four shades range from the barely-there, champagne-hued Cava to the bronzey Solstice, which can serve as a subtle contour. What’s more, the vitamin-rich, vegan formulation was intentionally designed to be safe for all skin types—including acne-prone.
• Shades: 4
• Type: Balm

Westman Atelier Lit Up Highlight Stick

• Why we love it: Rachel Brosnahan’s makeup artist Lisa Aharon appreciates Westman Atelier’s Lit Up Highlight Stick for its versatility. “If I want a truly dewy finish on the skin, I’ll mix a little of this into a foundation for the most incredible glow without too much of a pearlescent finish,” she says. “It blends seamlessly as a highlight or adds a stunning sheen when mixed with your favorite moisturizer.” She adds that the line has four shades, which makes it easy to find a match for a range of skin tones. Plus, “As a sensitive-skin girl with rosacea and many sensitive-skin clients, I appreciate that the fragrance-free formula is non-irritating,” she says.
• Shades: 4
• Type: Gel

Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter

• Why we love it: The silky, pressed-powder formulation was designed to give the high points of the face a glass-like luminescence, and it doubles as an eyeshadow. (Those with sensitive eyes will be glad to know that it’s been ophthalmologist-tested.) Long-wearing with a featherlight, shimmery finish, the vegan powder comes in six shades ranging from champagne to deep bronze. Fun fact: Rare founder Selena Gomez previously told Vogue that the gossamer-light highlighter was her favorite item to develop—and that, in general, she places a premium on products that are so easy to apply, “you can put in on and be done with it.”
• Shades: 6
• Type: Pressed powder

Yves Saint Laurent Nu Halo Tint Highlighter

• Why we love it: Yves Saint Laurent’s liquid highlighter swipes on with a breezy, second-skin feel—but it lasts (and lasts). The formulation is infused with light-catching micro-pearls, which deliver a dewy glow for up to 24 hours. What’s more, jasmine-flower extract sourced from Saint Laurent’s Moroccan gardens lends hydration, while vitamin E provides antioxidant protection. Plus, it has glowing celebrity ambassadors: The ethereal tint is integral to Lila Moss’ summer glow.
• Shades: 3
• Type: Liquid

Saie Glowy Super Gel

• Why we love it: Saie’s Glowy Super Gel is 75% water, making it a refreshing choice for a dose of gleam. “It feels like a boost of hydration to the skin—it’s so cooling and refreshing. An instant pick me up!” says makeup artist Stevie Adams, the director of education at Saie. “It contains papaya, which is a natural source of vitamin C, perfect for brightening, and rosehip, a great source of vitamin A, which is good for preserving the skin.” She adds that, because the formulation is so lightweight, it’s the ideal multitasker. “It can be used as a prep step for that glass skin, then layered on top of makeup to complete the look,” she says. “I love using it for a midday makeup refresh, applied to the cheekbones for a quick reset.”
• Shades: 2
• Type: Gel

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette

• Why we love it: Hourglass’s glow-inducing finishing powders are powered by Photoluminescent Technology. Translation? The pearly powders filter surrounding light to give the skin a blurred, soft-focus appearance, and they look great on camera. A beauty secret for Kate Moss, the cult-favorite palette is the supermodel’s pick for a sunkissed glow.
• Shades: 3
• Type: Powder

Ami Colė Light-Catching Highlighter

• Why we love it: “The Ami Colé Light-Catching Highlighter is packed with golden, light-reflective minerals and provides a dewy, natural glow almost instantly,” says Jaleesa Jaikaran, pro artist and beauty educator in New York City. She’s also a fan of the skin-loving ingredients. “The baobab seed oil not only hydrates but also nourishes your skin, making it an excellent choice for a fresh, radiant look,” Jaikaran says. Available in one universally flattering, clear hue, the balm “is also perfect to sheer out blushes,” Jaikaran says. “It creates a softer and more sheer color that makes it easier to blend out.”
• Shades: 1
• Type: Balm

Refy Gloss Highlighter

• Why we love it: One of Shay Mitchell’s favorite products for enhancing her natural beauty, Refy’s Gloss Highlighter has a nonstick formula that glides easily over cheekbones, eyelids, and collarbones. The gleaming multitasker works as a makeup primer or on top of makeup, and the liquid formulation has a high-shine finish. Its topaz hue has subtle golden undertones, which makes it particularly flattering on deeper skin tones.
• Shades: 1
• Type: Cream

Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette

• Why we love it: When Dior launched its Backstage Glow Face Palette in 2018, makeup artist Peter Philips was a fast adapter. “As soon as it left the labs, it went straight into my kit and hasn’t left since,” he told Vogue at the time. He added that he liked to blend the iridescent, mother-of-pearl powders into the cheekbones with a dusty pink pigment to revive a dull complexion. The ultrafine powders are used backstage at Dior shows, and have amassed a celebrity following that includes Sabrina Carpenter.
• Shades: 2
• Type: Powder

Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish Highlighter & Balm Duo

• Why we love it: Aloe, argan oils, and hyaluronic acid whirl together to create a highlighter and balm duo that’s smoothing, softening, and just the thing for a lit-from-within sheen. The highlighter gives the skin a light-catching glow, while the balm lends a dewy radiance; the two products can be used separately or together. Designed by cult makeup artist Pat McGrath, the blendable products can be applied everywhere from the cheekbones to shoulders and décolletage. The product’s celebrity fans include Nicki Minaj, Naomie Harris, and Lana Del Ray.
• Shades: 2
• Type: Balm

MAC Cosmetics Strobe Cream

• Why we love it: MAC’s classic cream lends a pioneering glow. “Strobe Cream was introduced in the year 2000, and it was the first of its kind,” says MAC senior makeup artist Keri Blair. “Originally created to mimic backstage lighting techniques, it gives the skin the most beautiful, radiant, strobe-like effect. It’s an extremely versatile product because the texture is like a moisturizer so it just melts into the skin, making it a perfect product for those that don’t love a powder highlight. As a makeup artist, it is a makeup kit must-have.”
• Shades: 3
• Type: Cream

Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Highlighting Duo

• Why we love it: Blush trendsetter Hailey Bieber layers Tom Ford’s Shade & Illuminate palette under baby-pink blush when she wants the perfect rosy glow. The powder formation is infused with iridescent pearls that give the skin a soft-focus gleam. Designed to lift and sculpt the face, the palette has a finish that mimics that of a liquid highlighter, while still being buildable.
• Shades: 4
• Type: Powder

Ilia Liquid Light Serum Highlighter

• Why we love it: Part serum, part highlighter, Ilia’s Liquid Light offers a host of benefits to perfect the complexion. Its formulation contains marine actives, which firm the skin while protecting it from UV light and free radicals; mastic, which smooths the skin and refines the appearance of pores; and hydrolyzed algae, which keeps excess oil at bay. With a soft, metallic finish, the product can be used on its own or mixed into foundation or a daily moisturizer.
• Shades: 3
• Type: Gel

RMS Beauty Luminizer Highlighter

• Why we love it: According to RMS Beauty founder Rose-Marie Swift, her light-reflecting Luminizer Highlighter is ideal for bringing a flattering gleam to more mature skin. “Youthful-looking skin is ‘all about the light,’” Swift previously told Vogue. “You want to add a subtle luminosity to elevated areas of the face. That includes brow bones, cheekbones, bow of lips, and the corner of the eyes near the tear ducts. Nothing beats this product for dewy, sensual skin.”
• Shades: 3
• Type: Cream

Ortega Ethereal Glow Balm

• Why we love it: Lana Del Ray’s makeup artist Etienne Ortega was inspired by the swirling hues of summer skies and sunsets when developing his new Glow Balm. Available in four ethereal hues ranging from Ice Queen to Rose Quartz, the balm is a true multitasker that’s designed for foolproof application—anywhere you swipe it. “I created the Ortega Glow Balms with a uniquely balmy formula for optimal and easy application with your fingertips,” Ortega says, adding that the balm can bring radiance to the cheekbones, eyes, lips, and body. “As a celebrity makeup artist, I wanted to create a product that is versatile in both formula and pigment, that will effortlessly complement subtle, light makeup looks [or] glamorous full-face creations.”
• Shades: 4
• Type: Balm

How to Apply Highlighter

When it comes to highlighter application, consider formulation first. “For powder highlighters, I like a small domed-tip brush with soft bristles that distribute the product well without accentuating texture or overdoing it,” says Tisha Thompson, makeup artist and founder of LYS Beauty, which just launched the new creamy highlighter stick LYS Beauty Aim High. For liquid and cream highlighter, Thompson continues, “I love a small complexion sponge that will keep the product in a concentrated area, while diffusing the finish a bit for a more natural look.” She typically recommends swiping highlighter directly to the high points of the face with an emphasis on the cheekbones, the center of the nose, and the cupid’s bow. “In other words, the areas where the sun naturally hits,” Thompson says. To get a more diffused finish, “Dab your brush on the highlighter stick, then apply using a patting motion.”

Creamy or balmy formulations can also be applied finger-to-face. “One of my favorite ways to wear all of the Merit Day Glow shades is by applying it straight on my first two fingers then rubbing it through on all of my fingertips and pressing it into the face—cheeks, forehead, and chin,” Menard says. “This is the perfect amount of highlight to give your skin that super fresh hydrated glow.”

And remember, highlighter isn’t just for the face. For example, “You can tap the MAC Cosmetics Strobe Cream onto the cheekbones, brow bone, décolletage, shoulders, and even the legs for skin that looks fresh from the spa,” Blair says.

What to Look for in a Highlighter

The first thing to consider when selecting a highlighter that will give you a perfect gleam? Your undertones. “Always look at undertones—golden and red undertones are best for darker skin tones, while rosy and coral undertones complement lighter skin well,” makeup artist Mata Marielle previously told Vogue. “If you are unsure, pearlescent and iridescent highlighters are your best bet, they complement every skin tone under the sun, giving skin a gorgeous glow with minimal effort.”