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The ultimate purpose of a highlighter is to add a sexy sheen to top off any look. Highlight gives emphasis to the parts of your face and body you want most accentuated.
Becca Cosmetics is one of those high end makeup brands that are amazing in both quality and consistency of product, but never seem to get the attention they deserve. Another example of this would be Hourglass, which has a beautiful array of bronzers and highlighters, or "Ambient Lighting Powders" for every skin type.
As a religious follower of Jaclyn Hill, I was excited to try the highlighter she created in collaboration with Becca, which is called Champagne Pop.
My one worry in purchasing this $38.00 product is that is looked very similar to another of Becca's shimmering skin perfectors, Moonstone, which is a pale gold. By comparison, Champagne Pop is a soft white gold with peachy pink undertones. Both are creamy with a pearlized finish and similar undertones. Becca also has a shimmering skin perfector called Opal, which is a slight amount darker than Champagne Pop, but less white than Moonstone.
Champagne Pop has an excellent formulation and is glittery without being too overpowering. "Pop" is an excellent word to describe exactly what the color does to your skin, providing just enough luminosity to emphasize your features without taking away from the rest of your makeup.
It gives you a soft shimmer that, in my experience, has not worn off on my skin throughout the day. It picks up the light and makes your skin appear flawlessly luminous.
This may very well become the Holy Grail of all my highlighters. I would rate is a 5/5, especially for its versatility in being a highlighter that would work for both a minimal day look as well as a dramatic night out look. Champagne Pop is the definition of Jaclyn Hill's style, and that girl knows what the hell she is doing when it comes to makeup.
However, if you are completely anti-glitter, then this product is not for you. It will provide you with glowing skin, but will not necessarily appear dewy, which is a look many people are after.
Quality, consistency, and getting the best product for my money is my ultimate goal when purchasing any beauty product. Not every high end product will amaze, and not every low end product will disappoint.
Some drug store brands, such as ELF, Wet 'n Wild, and Milani have not only affordable highlighters, but ones that are basically duplicates of their high end counterparts. Likewise, not all high end highlighters will be worth your money. NARS Albatross, a highly celebrated sheer light gold sheen, does not give you a great shimmer payoff for the $30.00 purchase price.
A great in-between highlight would be Mary-lou Manizer by The Balm Cosmetics, which runs for $20.00 and gives you a gorgeous honey-hued subtle glow. Imagine JLo when she gets back from a vacation in the Bahamas and that is the glow you will achieve with this highlighter.
The purpose of a highlighter is to catch the light on the specific place on your face or body where you place the product. This includes the cheekbones, bridge of the nose, above the brow bone, top of the collarbones, and rounded edge of the shoulders.
You can even add a conservative dab of highlighter to the center of your bottom lip on top of lip gloss or lipstick. This will make your bottom lip appear larger in size when the light hits it. Also, it can be used in place of eye shadow to add a sparkly luxe look to your lids.
Adding highlighter can also diminish the appearance of lines on your face by decreasing the appearance of natural occurring shadows. You can highlight between your brows where there may be a furrow, under the brow bone to lift and brighten your eyes, and creases around your mouth, also known as laugh lines, and the nasal fold area.
However, not every highlighter is perfect for every skin type. Those with oily skin that prefer a matte finish to their makeup tend to skip out on anything that adds extra shine to their face. Those with pale skin should pick pearly, oyster shades, while those with darker skin should chose more golden, bronzed shades.
Where and how to highlight can also depend upon face shape and which parts of the face and body you would like to have stand out.
When in doubt always try the lighter shades first. No one wants to end up looking like Lindsay Lohan circa her over-bronzed court appearance. If you're new and want to add a highlight to your makeup routine, but aren't sure where to start, you can always visit an Ulta or Sephora store and ask an associate to pick out a highlight that best suits your skin tone.
Last but not least, make sure you are using a good brush when applying highlighter. This can make a huge difference in the amount of product you use and allow you to achieve the color payoff you are looking for. Of course, you can splurge on high end makeup brushes that cost anywhere from $30.00 and up, but that isn't entirely necessary.
I recommend a fan brush to apply your highlighter. My favorite is the G23 Fan Brush from Morphe Brushes. This brush is a part of their gunmetal collection, excellent at picking up product, and only $8.00. It is an excellent duplicate for the high end professional brushes and allows for balanced color dispersion.
Such a great review. I'm a big fan of Becca cosmetics, especially their concealer.
ReplyDeleteMe too, Becca has amazing products <3
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