The Best Highlighters for Pale Skin

Over the past year highlighting has become a solid part of my routine. My makeup just doesn’t feel complete without it. I wanted to share my top picks when it comes to highlighting a paler complexion. Finding a highlighter that compliments pale skin can be super tricky, but it’s all about getting the tone right, and I’ve found all of these to compliment my skin at it’s most tanned, and palest.

Powder & liquid highlighters for fair skin

I’m editing this post two years since first publishing it and wanted to include my new favourite highlight for pale skin… The Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter! It’s absolutely stunning. It gives you naturally glowing skin that looks truly lit from within. I have this in the shade 02, but there’s an even lighter shade that’s perfect for fair skin. It applies so nicely and manages to lift a flat matte base into a healthy looking glow.

All of the highlighters below are perfect if you’re a true highlighter. I still (two years later) have all of these in my complexion and absolutely love them.

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer

This was the highlighter that really started the addiction off. This is so worth the hype, and if you have pale skin you need it! It’s definitely for those of you that like the opposite of subtle, it’s the one I reach for when it’s a full coverage makeup day. It’s a beautiful, intense shimmering powder that isn’t too pink or golden but the perfect inbetween shade. Used with a light hand this offers that lit from within look, but you can also achieve a really intense highlight from this that looks equally as beautiful. The formulation is also perfect, no chunky bits of glitter insight. I can apply this at 6.30am and i’ll still be glowing 12 hours later. ps. this is currently on offer for £13.50 on Feelunique!

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle

Like the Mary-lou Manizer this is another staple for me. This was one of the first premium highlighters I bought. It’s definitely not cheap at £27, but it really works on pale skin. I seem to gravitate towards this for nights out/ evening makeup as the shimmering champagne finish is a little more intense. This also has a touch of pink/ peach which compliments pretty much any makeup look. I especially love using this alongside a matte blusher to lift it and pull everything together. The formulation and lasting power is also impressive, although I would expect that considering the price tag! If you’ve had this on your wishlist for a while, it’s definitely worth the investment.

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BECCA Opal Highlighter £20

For me, this is the powder  highlight that ticks all of the boxes. I thought no other highlighter would compare to the Mary-lou manizer, but this blows my whole collection out of the water when it comes to the perfect everyday highlight. The Opal powder has such a buttery formulation it almost melts into the skin, offering a stunning natural looking glow. It can be applied lightly for a more natural glow, or built up and layered in the evening.

Becca Glow On The Go Kit

If you have pale skin and are completely new to highlight I definitely recommend the BECCA Glow On The Go kit. You get a mini version of the Becca Opal Highlight, and a liquid highlighter in the same shade. The liquid highlight doesn’t interfere with my foundation/ base makeup and sits well over the top. Forget highlighting the high points, I wanna cover my whole face in this!

swatches from left to right: Soft and Gentle, Mary-lou Manizer, Crescent Moon, Opal powder, Temple Spa, Opal liquid

What’s your favourite highlighter?

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