We are in the height of the highlighting craze so I thought a Product Smackdown comparing my two favorite highlighters would be apt. I have come a long way from my powdery matte finish days. With the inundation of highlighting products, I have amended my routine to include subtle highlights. In my experience, cream highlighters are the best at achieving a natural, dewy glow. Benefit's Watts Up! Highlighter has been a long time favorite due to its subtle radiance. Recently, I found the NYX Bright Idea Illuminating Stick through a lazy browse on Ulta's website. Intrigued, I scanned the colors and saw that Chardonnay Shimmer suspiciously looked similar to Watt's Up and immediately put it in my basket. After a good trial, I'm ready to share my findings with y'all today!
{AT A GLANCE}
The Benefit Watt's Up!* is a cream to powder highlighter. The silvery golden champagne color gives a warm but brightening touch to skin. It comes in a twist-up tube packaging with the product on one end and a sponge on the other. Since mine is a deluxe sample, it does not contain a sponge. Each tube contains 0.33 oz/10ml for $30usd ($90.90usd per oz). It comes in one color.
NYX Bright Idea Illuminating Stick is a cream product. Available in 4 highlighter shades, 4 blush shades and 4 bronzer shades, these are much more versatile. The product is housed in a chubby stick form with a twist-up mechanism. I have mine in Chardonnay Shimmer, described as a "chardonnay pink with gold shimmer". Each tube costs $8sud for 0.21oz ($38.10usd per oz).
{THE BREAKDOWN}
As I've previously mentioned, Watt's Up has been a long time favorite. The creamy formula allows for easy, glide-on application. Sometimes I like to use it directly from the tube and it doesn't disturb my foundation. Other times, I'll use my fingers to pick up product and then pat onto my skin. Either method works but using directly from the tube leaves a more intense finish. Depending on how many layers I apply, I can get a softly lit from within look or a highlight that can be seen from outer space. As there's not a single speck of glitter, this is great for subtle everyday looks or for going out at night. It doesn't ball up or cause my skin to look uneven. This one can also be applied over powder, making it perfect for use with powder foundation. It's long lasting; even after 8 hours of wear, I can still see the soft glow on my cheekbone. Sometimes, I'll even use it as a base for powder highlight for an intensely glowing cheek.
A new contender, Chardonnay Shimmer is somewhere in between a cream and a cream-to-powder formula. I find that it doesn't dry down and set like the Watt's Up. I can touch my cheek and still feel a slight stickiness if I apply heavily. It's not uncomfortable by any means but it isn't as long lasting without a powder highlight over top. I much prefer to use it lightly and add extra highlight if I feel like an intense highlight (which is rare). This also doesn't have any specks of glitter so I like it for any occasion. It's also not as metallic as the Benefit. So if Watt's Up was too intense for you, this one is slightly less metallic. This one however, cannot be applied over powder. It starts to bunch up and lift my foundation, looking patchy. So, apply this before you set your foundation!
{THE SWATCH}
{THE LOOK}
The next few photos are them on the skin. Can you tell which is which? (I'll have the answers below).
Look # 1
Look #2
Look #3
Look #4
Were you able to guess? If you guessed Chardonnay Shimmer for #1 and 2, you're right! Watt's Up is #3 and 4. I had to carefully label the photos so I didn't mix them up. Highlight your cursor over the black boxes to reveal the answers!
{THE BOTTOM LINE}
If I had to pick one, I'd pick NYX! In addition to being the more affordable option by a threefold, it's also cruelty free! It's not perfect but it doesn't take a lot of finagling to make it work. Benefit is lovely and I'm definitely going to continue loving every last bit but I'm extremely glad to find a drugstore alternative. If you like champagne highlighters like I do, both of these options are beautiful!
What are your favorite highlighters?
Do you prefer cream or powder highlighters?
(*) denotes a brand that is not cruelty-free.
(**) denotes a brand whose cruelty-free status is unknown/unverified.
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