As a beauty obsessive, there are some products that I cannot be without. Highlighters and oils are two of them! For many years, I never used either of them – now I can’t imagine my beauty routine without them! But, there are so many to choose from now, how do you know which to buy? How do you know which will suit your skin type and tone?

For me, I find reading other peoples’ reviews the most helpful way of picking out the rights items, followed closely by testing them out in store! I personally have a whole plethora of highlighters and oils and they all get used throughout the year. They range from high street brands to the more expensive. This post is about a few particularly beautiful items from higher end brands that I love to use and enjoy!

The Brands

The items I’m reviewing are created by:

• Laura Mercier
• Farsali
• Tarte
• Becca

Laura Mercier

Laura Mercier is a world-renowned makeup artist and creator of Laura Mercier Cosmetics, Skincare, Body & Bath and Fragrance. She was raised in Provence and studied in Paris. She then in 1985 moved to New York where she worked with many beauty and fashion magazines and became a celebrity makeup artist. 1996 saw the launch of her cosmetics line and since then she has won many awards and accolades. Her ranges are designed to cater for women of all ages and skin types, and she personally creates the colours and products to suit the women of today. She also supports charities and ensures her line is cruelty free. Check out her full collection here.

Farsali

If you have not already heard about the brand Farsali, I am shocked! Farsali was, in their own words, designed to bridge the gap between makeup and skincare. All the products are cruelty free, excellent quality and suitable for all skin types. The collection at present comprises 3 oils, a cleanser and a lash elixir. You can view everything here.

Tarte

Tarte was founded by Maureen Kelly from her bedroom in 1999. She created the brand out of a frustration with the beauty industry and the number of brands that still used chemicals, parabens and other unhealthy ingredients. Tarte is now a leader in healthy, eco-friendly beauty, offering cruelty-free cosmetics containing super fruit and plant extracts, vitamins, minerals, essential oils and other naturally-derived ingredients. All the products are formulated without parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate, triclosan, synthetic fragrances and gluten. The brand also supports cooperatives in the Rainforest and develops sustainable components that can often be re-used to help reduce environmental waste. Equally important is that the brand is cruelty free and offers Vegan products. Enjoy the range of products here.

Becca

I only discovered this brand in the last 12 months but I am so glad I did! Becca is synonymous with luxury and quality. The brand was created by Australian Rebecca Morrice Williams. She set up BECCA in 2001 after a fruitless search for the perfect foundation. She wanted a foundation which would look natural, conceal blemishes, feel weightless on the skin and stay fresh all day. When she couldn’t find what she wanted, she spent 6 years researching and developing her brand to launch the range of amazing cosmetics we see today. Her products are now available all over the world and the ethos of the brand is achievable and believable beauty. All her products are cruelty free and largely paraben free. View her ranges here.

The Products

I am lucky enough to have gotten my hands on 4 iconic items, 1 from each brand. They are:

• Laura Mercier Lightstruck Prismatic Glow Palette
• Farsali Rose Gold Elixir
• Tarte Maracuja Oil
• Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector® Pressed Highlighter Prismatic Amethyst

The Lightstruck Palette

This palette consists of 5 different lightweight sheer cream highlighters. They are designed to capture and refract light to give a prismatic style glow. They can be used together or separately and under powder highlighters for even more pop! The texture is very smooth and creamy and the pigmentation is very good – they are suitable for any skin tone! They can be applied with fingers or a synthetic brush and can be built up from very subtle to a full strobe effect. They can be used in multiple ways, from contouring, giving an overall glow to spotlighting! I have yet to see any highlighter palette like this one and it is constantly sold out so I think that says it all!

The Rose Gold Elixir

This oil is simply amazing! It has so many uses and benefits! It has a lovely citrus scent and contains 24k gold flakes which absorb into the skin to provide a gorgeous glow! The oil can be used as a lightweight anti-ageing moisturiser day and night, to hydrate lips and the under-eye area and it can also be mixed into creams and foundations. Despite it being an oil, there is no greasy or oily residue after use – it absorbs well and skin feels soft and hydrated all day! I have used the oil in every way suggested and can only praise it – it’s a definite staple in my beauty collection!

The Maracuja Oil

This oil is a vegan face oil made from the maracuja fruit. It can be mixed with moisturisers and foundations or used alone to hydrate and replenish the skin. It is particularly great to use at night and it has a beautiful fragrance which is very relaxing when trying to sleep! It can also be used on other parts of the body such as the cuticles, dry knees and elbows and even cracked heels! I tend to use it more at night and on dry skin as it is quite a dense oil albeit non-greasy. In the coming winter months, it will be a great product to have to hand!

The Prismatic Amethyst Highlighter

This highlighting powder is beautiful. I never thought a purple coloured highlighter would suit me but this one is so pretty and actually lifts my skin tone. It is infused with duo-chrome pigments so it captures the light really well and can be applied in a number of ways. Typically, highlighters are used to enhance the high points of the face, where the light would normally catch the skin. This product however can be used over lipstick to provide a prismatic glow, over eyeshadow to give a multi-dimensional effect and even as an eyeliner if applied with a damp liner brush! I have not tried the latter yet but when used in the other ways it lives up to the hype! If you’re looking for a different kind of powder highlight I definitely recommend this one!

For final completeness, these are the swatches for highlighters:

So, have I persuaded you to try these products? I hope I have inspired you, as they are all genuinely amazing and worth every penny. What I especially love about all of them is that they have more than one use, which means you are getting more for your money! If you have never tried these brands, you really should as they all stand for good ethics and add to the beauty industry in very positive ways.

Contributor:

Dippalli Naik
instagram.com/Dippalli/