I have searched high and low for the best vegan and cruelty free highlighters, from those that are highly raved about to those which I'd never heard of before, and I am now pleased to present the first installment of my Ultimate Guide to Animal-Friendly Highlighters. Of course, the products mentioned don't even cover everything that is out there. Brands are constantly coming out with new highlighters in a magical rainbow of shades. Within the realm of vegan and cruelty free highlighters, there is a vast array of products available from drug store to indie to luxury. As someone who loves to set the world ablaze with an endlessly radiating glow, it's a great time to be alive.
To begin the adventure, here are 24 of the best liquid and creme highlighters, which obviously include an extensive variety of textures, colors and price points. There is truly something for everyone, and I would absolutely LOVE to know your favorites in the comments below!!!
To begin the adventure, here are 24 of the best liquid and creme highlighters, which obviously include an extensive variety of textures, colors and price points. There is truly something for everyone, and I would absolutely LOVE to know your favorites in the comments below!!!
- Glossy 3-in-1 Makeup Top Coat, e.l.f., $5. For that runway ready modern glossy look, this completely colorless highlight works for cheeks, eyes and lips. The texture is glossy yet not sticky, which I love. It can also be mixed in with any of the loose powder highlighters (which will be shared in a separate post) for a custom glow.
- Sheer Glow Highlighter, Arbonne, $43. This gives a lovely subtle sheer dewy glow, and can be used under or mixed into your makeup base as well as concentrated on the high points of the face. It can be found online as well as through an Arbonne rep like my friend Ben.
- "Pleasure Model" Crème Colour Concentrate, OCC, $23. Not strictly a highlighter, this versatile product serves a stunningly sheer luminescent pinky glow with a buildable texture. It is great layered under powdered highlighters to intensify them. As with all of OCC's Crème Colour Concentrates, it is safe for use on the eyes and lips as well.
- "Feeling Younger" Skin Tint, LUSH, $19. I love mixing this one in with my tinted moisturizer for a "lit from within" pearlescent glow. It has a very lightweight whipped cream texture and is made with natural ingredients like oatmeal and cocoa butter.
- "Polish" Glow Highlighter, Topshop, $16. This is similar to the LUSH Skin Tint, but more intensely reflective and with a thicker buttery consistency. I find it to be ideal for tapping on the high points of the face to add dewy freshness to a look. It also comes in a golden shade, "Gleam", which would be lovely on darker skin tones.
- "Delicate Pearl" Halo Illuminiser, H&M, $13. Pinker than the LUSH & Topshop ones, it truly has a "glorious shimmer" as it claims. The texture is thick and sticky, which helps it to stay in place wherever applied. It also comes in 3 other shades which would work beautifully on a variety of skin tones.
- "Sunbeam" Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator, NYX, $7. A similar shade to "Delicate Pearl" from H&M, this is said to be a dupe for NARS Copacabana. The texture is very liquidy and dries quickly on the skin, so it needs to be blended like lightning. In certain light it can look a tad glittery. It comes in 3 darker shades, including "Gleam".
- "Celestial" Custom Enhancer Drops, Cover FX, $42. The most luminous highlighter in all the land, this looks like liquid metal on the skin. It can be sheered out, blended in with your makeup base or applied directly for a blinding glow. Word is that Cover FX is just coming out with highlighting powders in the same shades as their amazing Custom Enhancer Drops, which will probably be amazing layered overtop!
- "Moonlight" Custom Enhancer Drops, Cover FX, $42. Another shade from Cover FX, "Moonlight" is more golden and equally reflective. In addition, there are two more illuminating shades as well as two bronzing shades, ideal for customizing any makeup base.
- Argan Enlightenment Illuminator, Josie Maran, $26. Similarly golden, it is even more luminous and reflective. The only con for me is that the pump dispenses more product than needed for one use.
- Perfecting Translucent Illuminator, Sonia Kashuk, $15. This is a shimmery golden nude which nicely mixes into makeup for a luminous finish. Sonia Kashuk is available at Target and online, and I have found a lot of great affordable products from the brand!
- "Gleam" Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator, NYX, $7. As with "Sunbeam", it has a liquidy texture and sets very quickly. The color is too dark for me to wear as a highlighter but is gorgeous for a bronze glow.
- "Lilac Petal" Shimmering Facial Whip, e.l.f. , $1. The color of this one is so striking, and it is only $1! It can have a tendency to separate, so be sure to shake it well before applying. It is available in two other colors as well.
- "Supernova" Holographic Stick, Milk Makeup, $28. The Holographic Stick is such a unique highlighter, and is even more awesome layered under the coveted Moonchild Glow Kit or other lavender and cool toned highlighters. It gives off such an otherworldly luminosity, similar to that familiar late night computer glow.
- "Spotlight" Glow Stick, Marc Jacobs Beauty, $42. The glow this gives is so pretty and luminous, and even though it looks quite light at first, it blends in well to adjust to many skin tones. The packaging feels expensive and luxurious, although it does remind me of a deodorant stick.
- "Luminous" Velvet Hi-Lite Contour Stick, L.A. Girl, $6. This one gives off a beautiful subtle pearly color, and blends very easily into the skin. There are two other highlighter shades as well as other blushes and bronzers.
- "Sparkling Sands" Chic Luminosity Highlighter Stick, Sonia Kashuk, $11. Another excellent product from Sonia Kashuk, this is a really nice luminous champagne highlight which works amazingly with my skin tone. It comes in a darker bronze shade as well.
- "Radiance" Velvet Hi-Lite Contour Stick, L.A. Girl, $6. More of a champagne color as compared to "Luminous", this shade is very subtle yet provides a nice glow. Great for a "no makeup" makeup look.
- "Spotlight" All Over Color Stick, e.l.f., $1. This looks more like a brightening concealer at first, but upon second glance it is a lovely subtle champagne highlight which catches the light beautifully. I am surprised I haven't heard more great things about this one, as it is such an amazing product for the price!
- "Lit" Highlighter, Milk Makeup, $24. A darker champagne pearl color, this one is so pretty when layered underneath a powder highlighter. I love the minimalist packaging as with the Holographic Stick as well.
- "That Glo Tho" Face Highlighter, Trust Fund Beauty, $20. This is a stunning peachy pink shade which would be absolutely perfect on tan and darker skin tones, or even as a creme blush on fairer skin. And of course, I love the name, as with all of Trust Fund Beauty's cleverly-titled nail polish shades.
- "Flexitarian" Highlighter, Colourpop, $8. An intense white champagne in a pearlized finish, this gives a super bright and metallized effect. All Colourpop highlighters have a unique cream-to-powder formula.
- "Stole the Show" Highlighter, Colourpop, $8. This light cool-toned shade with luminous flashes of pink, silver and gold is similar in color to the Marc Jacobs "Spotlight" Glow Stick. It is absolutely stunning!
- "Lunch Money" Highlighter, Colourpop, $8. Described as a soft light gold with a reflective golden duo chrome finish, this is a really nice natural champagne color with more glow and less glitter, perfect for a more subtle effect. In addition to these 3, Colourpop has 10 other vegan highlighters covering quite a selection of shades. The non-vegan shades are listed in the FAQ on their website.