Makeup Confession Corner: I Don’t Like Highlighter

Welcome back to another installment of makeup confession corner! Coming at you live, it’s me, Natalie! In this segment, I share my unpopular makeup opinions with all of you lovely readers and cause some of you to question my makeup judgement. Last time, I talked about why I don’t love MAC lipsticks. This week, my confession covers another beloved product in the beauty world: highlighter.

We’ve all caught a glint of in the corner of our eye. It’s a product that makes your cheekbones shine like they were carved straight from marble. You can barely make it down one street block before you spot someone wearing it. The sheer variety of highlighters is just staggering. You’ve got everything from liquids to powders, gold to pink, metallic, glitter, the list goes on. Highlighter is a hot commodity in today’s world, and I’d even argue that it’s the most popular makeup product out there.

Highlighter is a product with an undeniable cult following. It’s interesting to think that around 6 years ago, it was hardly on anyone’s makeup radar. Now, it’s the object of obsession for makeup lovers. Shrines have been built to praise its so-called “magical” powers (Don’t quote me on that last part, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this actually happened.).

Youtube and Instagram are big reasons why the obsession with highlighter reached this crazy point. Bloggers showcase the majesty of this product every day, especially in Instagram photos. Product reviews from these influential people can also make interest skyrocket. And that makes sense: if a person you respect and admire tells you that a makeup product is great and worth a shot, it sparks your curiosity. I’ve definitely gone and bought a thing or two after a favorite blogger of mine mentioned it. No shame whatsoever.

Anyway, let’s get back to the original topic. Everyone seems to lose their minds when a new Becca or Anastasia highlighter comes out, but I don’t really share in that enthusiasm. The truth is, I’m not a massive fan of highlighter. Just to be clear, I’m not saying I hate it. I don’t dislike highlighter, but it’s not a vital part of my makeup routine.

“But how can that be, Natalie? How can you not love this super amazing, life changing product!?” I’m glad you asked. I’ve done some soul-searching, and I’ve discovered that I don’t like it for two reasons.

The first reason is because of my skin type. My oily skin tends to get shiny a lot throughout the day, and if I’ve learned anything in my 6+ years of wearing makeup, it’s that oil and highlighter do NOT mix well. Adding such a reflective product to skin that regularly gives off equally reflective oil makes me look like I’ve just been working out for an hour.

The second reason is because it always feels tedious to use. Granted, a powder highlight is easy to apply, but look at liquids and creams. Highlighters in liquid or cream format can be hit or miss. A large number of them don’t have the right formula that makes them sit well over other makeup. Liquid highlighters can be streaky and make the face look rough. Cream highlighters can be difficult to blend. Many a makeup look as been ruined by too-vigorous blending of a cream highlight.

Furthermore, even if you do use a powder, precision is required to apply it to the right areas to avoid looking like a disco ball. It’s a lot of work for something that, to me, doesn’t make a huge difference on my face.

So for me, highlighting is just not worth it. It doesn’t work well for my skin and it’s not simple enough to apply that I can do it quickly and easily. It’s a nice product, but it’s not a necessary part of my makeup routine. Here’s hoping someone else out there feels the same way.

Share your Thoughts:

What do you think? Do you live and breathe for highlighter, or can you live without it? Tell us down below!