The 7 Best Highlighters For a Subtle, So-Pretty Glow

Highlighting, contouring, strobing and baking—these makeup tricks are pretty much a part of life and this point, and none of it could be done without highlighter. But if you don’t have the right highlighter, well, thinks can get messy really fast. And by messy we mean it looks like we stepped out of a time machine that just got back from a turbulent ride to the year 2000. Yup, a bunk highlighter will leave you looking like a glittery, shimmery mess.

More: The Best and Easiest to Use Bronzers

So to keep you from that early naughts shame, we rounded up our favorite highlighters that will make your cheekbones quite literally glow, as if your face were cast in a permanent Instagram filter. We promise if you blend them (really, really well, and with a gentle touch), you’ll look less like you fell into a tub of sparkles and more like a camera-ready Kardashian.

Originally published March 2016. Updated September 2017.