The 11 Best Highlighters of 2024, Tested & Reviewed

When choosing a highlighter, the world is your oyster. Do you want a liquid formula with a molten metal-like gleam? There's a product for that. A clear balm that makes your complexion look effortlessly dewy? There's a product for that, too. You get the point—there are more highlighters on the market than ever before, and in every possible formula and finish you can think of.

Nevertheless, the overload of options can often feel intimidating and leave you wondering what is the right one for your skin—and when you do find it, how best to use it. So, our editors put a wealth of options to the test to help you narrow down your search. We evaluated each product based on its formula, application, shade range, and wear. After consulting a makeup artist, we landed on these top picks.

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish at Amazon
• Best Drugstore: e.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Liquid Filter at Amazon
• Best Luxury: Chanel Baume Essential Multi-Use Glow Stick at Chanel
• Best Cream: RMS Beauty Living Luminizer at Amazon
• Best Powder: Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter at Sephora
• Best Stick: Victoria Beckham Beauty Reflect Highlighter Stick at Bergdorf Goodman
• Best Liquid: Auric Cosmetics Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer at Auric Cosmetics
• Best Palette: Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette at Sephora
• Best Multi-Tasker: UOMA Beauty Double Take Contour Stick at Walmart
• Best Translucent: Ami Colé Light-Catching Highlighter Balm at Sephora
• Best Glitter-Free: Merit Day Glow Highlighting Balm at Sephora

Best Overall

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish

$43 at Amazon $42 at Ulta $38 at Walmart

What We Like: Smooth, lightweight formula; diverse shade range; shiny, but natural-looking finish on skin; great for all skin types.

What We Don't Like: Some shades have micro glitter in them.

Type: Powder | Shades: 5 | Size: 0.35 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

This highlighter was one of the original highlighting products around, and it stands the test of time. The baked powder formula is soft and lightweight, and it works to illuminate the complexion without looking overly metallic, greasy, or powdery. It comes in a range of shades with various depths and undertones that complement different complexions, and it's quick and easy to apply with a few strokes of a highlighting brush. Unlike cream formulas that can contribute to excess oil—especially for those with oily skin—this one is flattering on all skin types. With one gentle swipe, you're able to achieve a natural-looking glow, but it can also be built up for a more intense highlight, making it a versatile product that any makeup collection can benefit from.

Best Drugstore

e.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Liquid Filter

$14 at Amazon $14 at Ulta $14 at Target

What We Like: Smooth, creamy formula; comfortable feel on skin; subtle, glowing finish; large shade range; versatile formula.

What We Don't Like: Shades could go a bit lighter and a bit deeper.

Type: Liquid | Shades: 8 | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

E.l.f. nailed it with this drugstore highlighter that works beautifully as a luminous primer or a traditional formula for more targeted application. The texture is smooth and lightweight, and there are absolutely no large glitter particles, making it an excellent option for those on the hunt for a skin-like glow. The large doe foot applicator makes application quick and easy, and it can be blended out in seconds with your desired blending tool. Once applied, it creates an ethereal radiance that truly looks like it's coming from within. While we adore that it's offered in so many shades, we would love to see a lighter option for those with very fair skin, as well as a darker option for those with very deep skin.

"I raved about this product when it launched last spring and my feelings are just as strong," says Byrdie's social media editor Jasmine Phillips. "E.l.f.'s Halo Glow Liquid Filter offers lightweight coverage that is perfect for warmer temps. I typically wear this alone for a your-skin-but-better look but it can also be worn under foundation for an extra complexion boost." 

Best Luxury

Chanel Baume Essential Multi-Use Glow Stick

$48 at Violet Grey $47 at Chanel.com

What We Like: Goes on smoothly, easy to apply, dewy finish.

What We Don't Like: Remains tacky on the skin.

Type: Stick | Shades: 3 | Finish: Gloss | Size: 0.3 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

If you want to treat yourself to a little luxury item, this gorgeous highlighter is a great place to start. The silky-smooth, wet-looking formula looks gorgeous when swiped onto cheeks, lips, or lids. While one layer offers a more sheer, dewy finish, you can also build it up for more impact. Bonus points for the fact that it comes in an easy-to-use twist-up stick. We also love that it's almost totally translucent, meaning that it looks beautiful on all skin tones. While we adore the dewy glow it creates, beware that it does remain a bit tacky on the skin.

Best Cream

RMS Beauty Living Luminizer

$40 at Amazon $40 at Sephora $40 at Dermstore

What We Like: Gives a sheer, natural-looking glow; hydrating formula; skin looks lit from within.

What We Don't Like: Can look a little patchy when layered.

Type: Cream | Shades: 4 | Size: 0.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This long-beloved pick (Byrdie’s editor in chief, Hallie Gould, is just one of a legion of devoted fans) is more about leaving skin with a natural-looking glow rather than coating it with glitter. It strikes that perfect balance, offering plenty of radiance without veering into disco-ball territory. The creamy finish is super easy to blend onto the high points of the face with your fingertips, making it a great product for an on-the-go makeup look.

The luminous finish offers a gorgeous wash of incandescent color—it comes in four shades—while the base is rich in skin-loving hydrators such as coconut oil and vitamin E. Plus, it works equally as well dabbed on your cheekbones as it does on spots like your collarbone, chest, or even shins.

Best Powder

Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter

$25 at Sephora View on Rarebeauty.com $25 at Kohls.com

What We Like: Weightless powder; smooth, high-shine finish; blends seamlessly.

What We Don't Like: Powder is very fragile.

Type: Powder | Shades: 4 | Size: 0.1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Rare Beauty has created yet another fantastic product with this silky powder highlight. The ultra-smooth formula is finely milled and completely weightless, allowing it to provide an airbrushed finish on the skin. In fact, it's so soft that the product is prone to cracking if you drop it, so be careful. We love that while it provides a super high-shine finish that can be built up to create a blinding highlight, it doesn't look overly metallic on the skin, nor does it look dry or powdery.

"Highlight is an essential in my makeup routine, but liquid formulas can make my skin feel like an oil-slick in the summer," says editorial director Holly Rhue. "Instead—as the weather warms—I use this powder formula from Rare Beauty. It's aptly named; this is an incredibly finely milled powder that has a gorgeous, silky slip to it for easy blending and a wet-skin look." If you're looking for a powder formula to give your complexion some serious illumination that somehow looks pretty skin-like, this is the one for you.

Best Stick

Victoria Beckham Beauty Reflect Highlighter Stick

$42 at Victoriabeckhambeauty.com $42 at Violet Grey View on Bergdorfgoodman.com

What We Like: Universally flattering; sheer, shiny finish; luxe packaging; glitter-free.

What We Don't Like: Remains slightly tacky on the skin.

Type: Stick | Shades: 1 | Size: 0.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

We often reject the idea that products are universally flattering, as everyone's skin tones are truly so different—but this highlighter really does look so beautiful on everyone. It has a clear base with an extremely fine pearl running through it, so the color is almost undetectable—it's just enough to provide the most natural-looking glimmer. The stick format makes it easy to swipe on, and the creamy formula can be effortlessly blended with your fingertips, a brush, or a sponge. It can be used on bare skin or layered on top of foundation for a sophisticated, glowing finish, and we love that the compact packaging is chic and easy to pop into any bag.

"If ever I'm looking for a dewy highlighter that will pair perfectly with any makeup look, this is one I choose," says commerce writer Alyssa Kaplan. "I love that there's no base color to it so it doesn't alter the tone of the blush I layer with it, and the luminous, juicy-looking finish it creates on the cheekbones is hard to beat."

Best Liquid

Auric Cosmetics Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer

$47 at Auriccosmetics.com

What We Like: Inclusive shade range; creamy formula; glitter-free; skin-like, glowing finish; luxe packaging.

What We Don't Like: Shades are pretty opaque, so they're not super flexible across skin tones.

Type: Liquid | Shades: 8 | Size: 0.5, 1.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you're looking for a liquid highlighter that appears incredibly natural and elevated on the skin, we highly recommend checking this one out. The creamy formula contains squalane and glycerin to keep the skin hydrated, yet it's not greasy or heavy once applied, making it an excellent liquid option for all skin types. It can be applied underneath foundation or layered on top for a subtle glow, and you can build it up slightly for added luminosity. It also works beautifully as a mix-in product to enhance the radiance of your foundation—it's truly quite versatile.

The brand nailed the shade range of this formula—there are eight different colors that range from fair to dark with varying undertones. While there's no need to get an exact shade match to your skin, it's worth noting that the formula is pretty opaque, so getting a color that's as close to your skin tone as possible is ideal.

Best Palette

Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette

$48 at Sephora $48 at Dior.com View on Doordash.com

What We Like: Smooth, lightweight formula; powder blends into the skin seamlessly; high-shine finish; excellent color story.

What We Don't Like: Some shades have fine glitter in them.

Type: Powder | Shades: 2 colorways | Size: 0.35 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

If you like to customize your highlight color, you'll love this palette from Dior. It comes with four different shades that range in depth and color, and the formula is buttery smooth and ultra-shiny. The baked powder doesn't produce any kickback, making it totally mess-free, and just one or two swipes with a brush is all you need to get an intense color payoff. Despite how shiny it is, it still manages to maintain a fairly authentic-looking appearance on the skin, and miraculously, it doesn't emphasize texture nearly as much as other powder highlighters do. While some shades to have a fine glitter to them, we find that tapping off your brush and being sure to really blend the product into the skin seems to mitigate a glittery finish.

"This is one of those staple palettes in my routine that I always go back to," says Rhue. "Not only does the 4-in-1 make it perfect for travel, but each shade within the palette is incredibly versatile (I use it on my complexion, but also as an eyeshadow and collarbone highlighter). The result is always flushed, lit-from-within skin that gets me tons of compliments."

Best Multitasker

UOMA Beauty Double Take Contour Stick

View on Ulta $27 at Walmart

What We Like: Great for contouring and highlighting, buildable, silicone-free formula.

What We Don't Like: Highlighter shades all lean pretty warm in tone.

Type: Stick | Shades: 5 | Size: 0.4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

As any professional makeup artist will tell you, the key to creating natural-looking contour is to pair a creamy contour stick with a strategically placed highlighter. Enter this dual-ended stick, which makes it easier than ever to do just that. The contour end is made with 30% pure pigments, so just a little bit delivers the right amount of color to help accentuate your features. Then flip it over and use the shimmery side, which imparts buildable glow that can easily be more subtle or full-on strobe-like. It's a great option to use when you're on-the-go, and we love that it comes in a variety of shades.

Best Translucent

Ami Colé Light-Catching Highlighter Balm

$22 at Sephora $22 at Amicole.com $22 at Violet Grey

What We Like: Universal for all skin tones; glowy, natural finish; looks beautiful on bare skin or over foundation; feels lightweight on the skin.

What We Don't Like: Not the most long-wearing.

Type: Stick | Shades: 1 | Size: 0.14 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Translucent, balm-like highlighters are excellent for anyone who appreciates a no-makeup, makeup look. We adore this one because it's completely transparent, meaning it works for every skin tone and won't leave a cast on the skin. While you will notice super fine shimmer particles scattered throughout the stick, they're almost undetectable once you apply the formula. The balmy texture blends into bare skin to create an effortless glow, and it also layers nicely on top of foundation. It's not the most long-wearing highlighter formula, but the stick format and easy application make re-applying totally doable throughout the day.

"I love this highlighter so much because it has a translucent, naturally luminous finish, without being glittery or chalky on the skin," says commerce writer Shannon Stubbs. "It's the perfect finishing touch to my makeup for a noticeably dewy glow."

Best Glitter-Free

Merit Day Glow Highlighting Balm

$32 at Sephora $32 at Meritbeauty.com $32 at Kohls.com

What We Like: Natural-looking sheen, adds warmth to skin, hydrating formula.

What We Don't Like: Not the most long-wearing.

Type: Stick | Shades: 3 | Size: 0.7 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

When you want to add a touch of gloss to your cheekbones or cupid's bow but you don't want shimmer or chunky glitter, reach for this silky highlighting balm. The oil-based formula glides onto the skin and imparts a luminous glow with a touch of warmth. It applies beautifully on a bare face and also looks great when layered on top of foundation. The three shades give a soft candlelit effect to the skin without being overly pigmented or stark. We love that it feels moisturizing without being sticky, but note that it doesn't set down all the way.

What to Look for in a Highlighter

• Formula: Choosing the right formula is the first step in finding the perfect highlighter for you. Whether a balm, stick, powder, or liquid, there's something for everyone (and every look). If you want something with an intense shine, powders are a great option. Stick formulas are ideal for when you're in a hurry or want to use on the go. Liquids and creams can be worn under or over foundation, depending on the intensity of luminosity you'd like, and powder can be ideal for staying put on oily skin.
• Finish: Your preferred finish will largely depend on the look you're after. Dewy, satin and glossy finishes are often the top choices for fans of "no-makeup makeup." Those going for high glam often opt for pigmented, slightly glittery highlighters that impart a megawatt glow.
• Color: Consider whether you want a colorless highlight or a tinted option. The options on this list range from warm, rosy, and gold-toned shades to more neutral or cool shades. Consider your skin's undertone and the overall look you're going for to determine if a warm or cool-toned highlight is ideal.

Why Trust Byrdie

Byrdie contributor Melanie Rud has over a decade of experience in beauty editorial, writing for dozens of magazines and websites during her career. She's always testing new products to recommend the best of the best to readers.

Alyssa Kaplan is a commerce writer at Byrdie, where she's been on staff since 2022. She is an experienced beauty writer, and has a bachelor's degree in marketing and product development in cosmetics from the Fashion Institute of Technology. She updated this story with new testing insights.

They consulted the following expert for this story:

• Emily Amick, a New York City based makeup artist with more than a decade of experience. Her work has been featured in magazines and on red carpets for icons like Jenifer Lewis and Venus Williams.