Highlighters have always been on my 'to avoid' list. Sure, the idea of glowing, luminous skin is appealing but these products - both liquid and powder - are usually riddled with ingredients that are terrible for acne-/blemish-prone skin. Until perhaps now. Since this whole strobing thing has become a trend, I thought I would start looking into highlighters again.

For a beginner, I think powder is the way to go when it comes to highlighting/'strobing'. I know that I don't really understand how liquid highlighters work in terms of whether to apply them before or after you set your face. If you set your face first and then apply liquid over the top, your makeup would separate, wouldn't it? But if you powder after, aren't you going to mattify and lose that luminosity you've just applied? #confused


Retailing at $60, I purchased Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal from Adore Beauty for a bit over $46. It is definitely on the pricey side, so not for those on a smaller budget. Because my skin is on the lighter side, I was hoping to get Moonstone but unfortunately I wasn't quick enough as it was sold out by the time I was ready to make a purchase. Because Becca claims that these highlighters adjust to different skin tones, I thought I might just get away with Opal.

On first impression, this pressed highlighter looked a little more pink than what I thought it would. It has been described as a cool gold but I would say it's more a of a dusty rose gold. As a result, I've noticed that if I pile this on, it does look slightly brown on my skin in certain lighting - basically when light is not reflecting off my skin. This is a little disappointing because it means I can't go for that super highlighted look which is 'in' at the moment but does confirm that Moonstone would be a better match for me. It also suggests that the skin-adjusting claim Becca makes isn't entirely true. This is my only negative for this product so let's move on to the good stuff!

When I first applied this to my skin, I fell in love. I finally had that glow that I was lusting after for years but thought I would never be able to achieve. A little went a really long way, so you can easily go for a subtle daytime glow or build up to a more saturated luminosity. It may seem a little glittery to some but I quite like the effect it gives to the skin and it's definitely not chunky but more akin to a baked eye shadow or blush. I would say the texture is creamy but still obviously a powder and it feels comfortable on the face. I have found that it is best applied with a brush, particularly for my dryer skin. Whenever I applied the highlighter to my skin with my finger, I noticed that it clung to my dry patches and emphasised the brown look I mentioned above. I feel that using a brush also allows for a more even application and makes for easier blending if you have accidentally gone overboard with it. Also, with how little you do need to achieve that 'strobed' look, I can see this lasting me a couple of years at least. Lastly, as far as breakouts go, this product for the most part has been kind to my skin, which I'm incredibly happy about.