Stick Highlighters Are the Lazy Girl Secret to Glowing Skin
For a fresh, dewy complexion.
If there’s one thing I know like the back of my hand, it’s a good highlighter. Not kidding, highlighter was one of the few makeup categories that was somewhat inclusive when I began getting into beauty circa 2010, so it was what I built my collection on. Over time, I’ve seen this subset of the beauty industry undergo a myriad of changes, and nothing brings me more joy than what has become my favorite form of the product: stick highlighters.
From a functional standpoint, there’s a marked difference between taking out a makeup brush and a palette to apply your powder highlighter every morning versus just tapping a bit of product from the stick directly onto your cheeks. If you’re always rushing like I am, those precious few minutes saved can make all the difference in your morning commute. (Stick highlighters are also fantastic to throw into your purse for touch-ups throughout the day.)
Of course, I’ve never been one to talk the talk without the experience to back it up, so if you haven't yet deduced, I’ve tried nearly every stick highlighter on the market. If you’re ready to build your own collection or are simply on the market for a new highlighter, keep reading to see the ones that have met my (extremely high) standards.
Pat McGrath Labs introduced me to stick highlighters, and to this day, I believe it still has one of the best formulas on the market. The Skin Fetish: Highlighter + Balm Duo features a clear balm on one end and a colored highlighter on the other. You can wear each side separately, or together, but whichever way you choose, you’ll capture that expensive, editorial glow with which Pat McGrath is synonymous.
A favorite ofMarie Claire’s Beauty Director, Hannah Baxter, and mine is Victoria Beckham Beauty’s Reflect Highlighter Stick. It's basically a shortcut to expensive-looking skin, which tracks, considering the luxury brand and high quality of all the products. There are only two options in the line, but both can work for any skin tone thanks to the transparent bases.
A launch that caught me by surprise is the Haus Labs Bio-Radiant Glassy Balms. Not only did I not expect to absolutely fall in love with these (the glide is next level, even over powders), but the line also has a generous range of shades to choose from.
Glossier’s Future Dew Serum was my first foray into skincare that could truly double as makeup, but I hated how it spread everywhere when I applied it to the back of my hand. So you can imagine my complete joy when the brand released a solid version of the same formula. It has all the glow, with none of the mess.
The Status Stick from Dibs Beauty feels like a shortcut to the glow you get after a good, sunny vacation. All the sticks lean either neutral or warm, making them easy to wear every day and translate across skin tones. It’s a bit more pigmented than the others, so I find that layering up during application works the best.
The Day Glow Highlighting Balm was my first introduction to Merit, and since then, it's become my go-to pick. (As someone who has an embarrassing amount of highlighters, that’s a big deal.) All four of the shades have a pearlescent finish in varying tones that add the most expensive touch of glow to your cheekbones.
Don’t let the color scare you, r.e.m Beauty’s Fembot is one of the most universally flattering, colored stick highlighters on the market. You’ll get more of that iridescent pink shimmer on a clear base rather than a full-on pink of your cheeks, which is what makes it perfectly suitable for all skin tones.
This Westman Atelier highlighter is one of the most elegant options on this list, both in packaging and formula, and I love every single shade in the line. But let's be honest, I expected nothing less from the mind of one of the most sought-after makeup artists of our time, Gucci Westman.
A completely underrated highlighter stick is Kylie Cosmetics’ Dewy Balm Stick. There’s a slight tackiness to this formula, so I like to apply it before any powders, but the colors are so well executed that I really don’t mind reorganizing my glow routine.
LYS Beauty’s Aim High Cream Highlighter Stick is less glassy than the others on this list, but it gives you a similar editorial shine that’s more wearable in daily life. It’s less “glossy” and more “shiny,” with a more pigmented base color, which makes it a bit easier to blend out (and thus more beginner-friendly if you’re new to stick highlighters). Plus, for people with tan to deep skin with neutral undertones like myself, the shade Genuine might be your perfect everyday highlighter.
It’s gone viral on TikTok countless times, but if you’ve yet to try it for yourself, the Chanel Baume Essentiel stick is another formula that just feels chic. It’s lightweight and not sticky on the cheek, and every once in a while, the brand comes out with limited edition versions timed to its seasonally curated launches.
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