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Byrdie / Reese Herrington
True story: You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get an amazing highlighter. Sure, there are plenty of pricey, prestige options out there (many of which are amazing), but whether you’re working with a tighter makeup budget, don’t necessarily use a highlighter regularly, or want to try out a new one for the first time, there are plenty of amazing options to be found at the drugstore.
“Drugstore highlighters have become more and more comparable to prestige formulas because the category, in general, has become a bigger focal point for brands,” explains New York City makeup artist and beauty expert Neil Scibelli. “Keep in mind too that mass brands have the budget for development and testing, meaning they're able to nail down the formulas and create amazing products, all while keeping the price super accessible,” he adds.
We conducted extensive market research on the best choices out there, and asked experts to weigh in too, ultimately winding up with this list of some standout drugstore highlighters.
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Creamy texture
Goes on very smooth
Contains skin-loving ingredients
Reviewers say it’s a bit too sheer
As the name suggests, this option does indeed have a buttery, creamy texture; credit a base made with four plant-derived butters. "Even though it goes on as a powder, it leaves a beautiful 'buttery' soft-focus finish on the skin," says Scibelli. "It’s also ultra-finely milled and super pigmented, so it goes on silky smooth with great color payoff. It’s one of my all-time favorite drugstore highlighters."
Size: 0.17 ounces | Shades: 4 | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Buildable formula
Goes on very smooth
Packaging can be a bit cheap
Another ideal pick, this pressed powder melts beautifully into the skin, imparting an impressive glow thanks to pearl pigments. It comes in four shades that, despite the name, still deliver a natural-looking radiance (rather than looking artificially metallic). Dust it on with a brush for a more subdued effect, or use your fingertips to up the level of glow.
Size: 1 ounces | Shades: 4 | Cruelty-Free: No
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Ideal for darker skin
Finely milled texture
A little goes a long way
Need a brush to apply it
Even though this loose powder only comes in two shades, they both are great choices for deeper complexions, imparting enough color and shimmer to really pop. FYI, the shimmer level is more intense on these, particularly in natural daylight, although reviewers do say a little goes a long way. And keep in mind that you will need a brush to apply it, and it may sit more on top of the skin then blend into it.
Size: 0.28 ounces | Shades: 2 | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Multi-dimensional shades
Ideal for medium and olive skin
Goes on very smooth
Reviewers say it’s a bit too sheer
This powder formula comes in three colors, though each of them is dimensional and multi-tonal, and looks great on a wide array of skin tones, particularly more medium and olive tones. Fun fact: All three hues look beautiful blended, too. At this price, you can easily afford to nab all three and mix and match. We also love that the brand is totally cruelty-free.
Size: 0.12 ounces | Shades: 3 | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Long-lasting
Ideal for fairer skin
Packaging can be a bit cheap
Finding the right shade of highlighter if you have fair skin can sometimes prove to be a bit tricky; many of the deeper or warmer shades can quickly look unnatural. This powder formula comes in four shades, all of which look great on paler skin tones, although Blossom Glow is an especially great choice. The cooler, pale pink adds just the right amount of pigment and shimmer and feels beautifully silky on the skin, too. Top tip: If you want to tone down the level of shimmer, consider applying this underneath your foundation.
Size: 0.19 ounces | Shades: 4 | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Creamy texture
Contains skin-loving ingredients
Built-in applicator
Pricier than some other options
Scibelli says this is a fantastic drugstore option. Even though it’s technically a liquid, he says the texture is more akin to a cream, creating a dewy, skin-like finish and blending in beautifully. (To that point, the formula also contains moisturizing ingredients, such as goji berries and cranberry seeds.) He also lauds it for the built-in sponge-tip applicator—which makes both dabbing it on and blending it in a breeze— and three universal shades.
Size: 0.47 ounces | Shades: 3 | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Easy to apply
Contains skin-loving ingredients
Travel-friendly
Reviewers say it’s a bit too sheer
“I recommend these sticks for anyone who loves the look of dewy skin,” says Scibelli of another one of his faves. “They’re made with coconut and jojoba oils to create a hydrated, dewy look, and the formula is clean and natural,” he adds. His preferred way of using them? Swiping them on just above the cheekbones and around the temples for a super natural effect. Plus, since they come in a stick, there are no tools (or even a mirror) required for application. Just dab on and rub it with your fingertips. To that point, they’re perfect for keeping on hand for quick and effortless touch-ups.
Size: 0.3 ounces | Shades: 2 | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Buildable formula
Silky texture
Reviewers say glitter particles are too noticeable
“This is a highly pigmented powder highlighter that reflects light and creates a beautiful glow to the skin, comparable to that of a prestige powder highlighter,” explains Scibelli. He adds that it’s also a great choice for anyone with combination or oily skin or who doesn’t love the look or feel of cream or liquid formulas. Still, even though it’s a powder, it is silky and soft and never comes across as cakey or chalky. It’s also super buildable, making it easy to achieve your desired level of shimmer. Plus, how pretty does it look in the packaging?
Size: 0.31 ounces | Shades: 3 | Cruelty-Free: No
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Cream-powder hybrid formula
Long-lasting
Goes on very smooth
Has some fallout
As a general rule of thumb, highlighters tend to come in two, three, or maybe four shades. That’s why we’re so impressed that this option comes in a whopping array of six colors, ranging from a super pale pink to golden champagne (and everything in between). They also are nicely blendable and can be mixed and matched, if none of the six are exactly to your liking. No matter which hue you choose, the formula goes on like a cream but sets like a powder and has impressive staying power.
Size: 0.15 ounces | Shades: 6 | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Multi-tasking product
Great for contouring-beginners
Good value
Has some fallout
Contouring and highlighting are kind of like the peanut butter and jelly of the makeup world—you can have one without the other, but they’re just better together. And this convenient compact makes it easy to do exactly that. Use the deeper hue for contouring purposes and the lighter one to highlight—it’s just that easy. Bonus points for the fact that the two colors are perfectly coordinated, so you don’t have to worry about finding complementary hues.
Size: 0.44 ounces | Shades: 1 | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Multiple shades can be mixed and matched
Vegan
Goes on very smooth
Has some fallout
Use any of the three highlighter shades individually or mix and match them for even more ways to add luminosity and radiance to your complexion. (And giving you extra bang for your buck.) The vegan powders are all micro-milled for extra smooth application and blendability, and the palette comes in two trios of shades, too, one with cooler undertones and one with warmer.
Size: 0.42 ounces | Shades: 2 | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Can be used on face and body
Very pigmented
Reviewers say glitter particles are too noticeable
Highlighting isn’t just for your face: You can also apply a highlighter to accent certain areas of your body, like your collarbone, decolletage, and even shins. If you’re in search of a formula that works equally well everywhere, check out this pick. Scibelli says the super-pigmented option works beautifully on both face and body. And, if you want to sheer it out a bit, try mixing a drop of it with your foundation to create a more subdued, all-over glow, he advises. (You can also mix it with lotion, a great choice for arms and legs.)
Size: 0.6 ounces | Shades: 4 | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Where We Stand
Don’t sleep on the many amazing highlighters found at the drugstore. The Physicians Formula Butter Highlighter and Maybelline New York Facestudio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter are two of our overall top picks, both pressed powder formulas that blend seamlessly into skin. If you prefer the more pigmented effect of a liquid, try the Flower Beauty Spotlight Liquid Highlighter, a moisturizing formula that leaves skin beautifully dewy. The Burt’s Bees All Aglow Bronzer Stick is another choice pick, a super easy-to-use stick that also has the distinction of being 100 percent natural.
How We Researched
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
What to Look For in a Drugstore Highlighter
- Format: Highlighters are available in a wide variety of formats, including loose powders, pressed powders, liquids, sticks, and cream pots. Which is right for you? That would be the one that you can work with the most easily. Or you can layer a powder highlighter over a liquid or cream formula for a kilowatt glow. If you love creams, try the winning Physicians Formula Butter Highlighter. Prefer powders? The Revlon SkinLights Prismatic Highlighter was our fave.
- Tone and Color:It's fairly easy to discern your skin tone, but it can be more of a challenge to figure out your undertone. You'll want a highlighter in a color just a hint lighter than your skin tone—one to two shades lighter is a common suggestion—and with an undertone that coordinates with your own. Check out the ColourPop Super Shock Highlighter, which comes in a wide array of six shades.
- Illumination: From full shimmer to a barely there glow, highlighters offer a range of illumination. Some are holographic and multidimensional, whereas others provide light without any sparkle whatsoever. Pick the amount of illumination you want based on the look you enjoy most; there's no right or wrong answer when it comes to illumination.
Why Trust Byrdie
Byrdie contributor Melanie Rud has over a decade of experience in the beauty industry, writing for some of the biggest magazines and websites out there. She loves and will try any type of highlighter and can attest that, yes, sometimes the inexpensive drugstore options are just as good as their more expensive counterparts.
- Neil Scibelli is a New York City-based celebrity makeup artist and beauty expert
- Tobi Henney is an Australian makeup artist
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