Best of 2010 - Highlighters

Any reader of my blog knows I've been all about the glow this year.  I have been on the quest to find that perfect 'oh my skin always looks like this' glow from within.  Part of that has been about skincare...yada yada.  But the more exciting part has been about highlighters!  Here is what I've tried this year, and I think we can all agree that if I'm not glowing by now, I might have a problem. 

Best of 2010 - Highlighters

From top left: Tarte Glam natural cheek stain; Tarte Smooth Operator illuminating serum; N.Y.C Color Wheel in Pink Cheek Glow & Translucent; NARS Orgasm Illuminator; Benefit It Was the Perfect Alibi eye & cheek highligher; Lorac Perfectly Lit in Spotlight; ELF All Over Color Stick in Persimmon; Benefit Hollywood Glo; Benefit High Beam; ELF Shimmering Facial Whip in Citrus, Toasted & Spotlight, NYX Jumbo Pencil in Cottage Cheese; Benefit Eye Bright; Sheer Cover Lip to Lid Highlighter in Pink & Bronze, Tarina Tarantino Sparkle Powder; MAC Mineralized Skin Finish in By Candlelight

Favourite Highlighter 2010

It's a tie (I couldn't help it!)

Lorac Perfectly Lit in Spotlight

I love this product and am so happy to have found it.  I wrote a full blog post you can read here, that will give you a more detailed review.  Suffice it to say...this gives you a gorgeous glow & is not too sparkly or over the top for use during the day.  Love all around.  The only one downside is the price, this retails for about $32CAD..but a little truly does go a long way.  

Next favourite

Hard Candy Bronzer in Tiki

Again any regular reader will also know my love for this product.  This is not a bronzer but gives a beautiful gold highlight that I think would suit most any skin tone. I did a full review on this as well, which you can read here.  Hard Candy is available at Wal-Mart & this retails for less than $10CAD...pretty hard to beat, you have to try it!

Honourable Mention

NARS Illuminator in Orgasm & ELF Shimmering Facial 

Whip in Toasted

These are surprisingly similar, although I will admit that the NARS has a better golden/bronze colour & is easier to blend than the ELF.  Given the price difference however ($30 vs $1) you will have to judge what will do the job for you.  I daub a little on my cheekbones, etc. with my finger & then just lightly rub in circular motions to blend.  If I am using powder foundation I apply these first & the result is really pretty.  These are also great on hot summer days, when I don't wear as much make-up but still want a little glow.  

Least Favourite

Tarina Tarantino Sparklicity Pure Sparkle Powder

This came in my Glitz & Glam kit that I bought in Florida.  Can anyone guess why I don't prefer this product?  I am a little beyond the age where this would be cute, the picture pretty much says it all for me.  I am thinking my 13 year old niece might like to wear this for her dance/cheer competitions.  Otherwise, it's just not for me..way too much sparklicity for this girl. 

Any highlighters you swear by?  I would love to hear about them!  I thought this was going to be my last 'Best Of' post, but I have o.n.e. more coming...stay tuned.

My new favorite thing – Hard Candy bronzer in Tiki

Well I have to say, my latest favorite thing is also a fairly new thing for me.  I bought this about two months ago and since then have been LOVING it.  

This product is the perfect combination between a bronzer and highlighter.  Sometimes highlighters can make your face look quite shimmery, especially if you really go to town.  This doesn’t do that. 

My new favorite thing is Hard Candy’s bronzer in Tiki.  It’s a baked bronzer that is described as giving your face a beautiful dewy yet matte finish and that perfect sun kissed look. 

The description doesn’t lie, in my opinion it gives my skin a beautiful glowing finish without the shimmer.  The description of ‘bronzer’ isn’t really that accurate to me.  I find if you use only one application, it’s more of a highlight.  

Almost impossible to capture but I hope this gives you a bit of an idea, can you see the glow??

If you go over your skin a second time you will get more of a bronze color but it is still fairly light. 

I use this brush (Avon's blush brush) to apply it, pushing it down in to the product and swirling it around a little.  

I tap off the excess and then buff it into the apples of my cheeks and along my cheekbone.  The more you buff it the better it seems to get. 

I love it more than my MAC mineralized skin finish in By Candlelight, because I feel I can use it a bit more liberally without making a mistake.  MAC's mineralized skin finish is truly meant to be a highlighter and can be easily over done if you’re not careful.  I also feel that the MAC skin finishes are more of a nighttime product, meant for a nice finish for your night out look. 

The Hard Candy bronzer is a much more ‘day’ friendly product and just gives you more of an overall glow.  And I’m all about the glow.

Hard Candy used to be sold at Sephora but it’s now owned by a different company, who have a partnership with Wal-Mart, & that is where you can now find it.  Hard Candy re-designed their line in 2009 and they have introduced a number of new products, along with some of the original line.  

If you loved Hard Candy before or even if you didn’t, you should definitely check it out.  I pretty much want to own every one of their bronzers & I also have my eye on some of the baked blushes & the Sheer Envy primer. 

Have you tried any Hard Candy?  If so, let me know your favorites.