The year was 2016, and I, like many of us, was glued to YouTube makeup tutorials. My mom was never a huge makeup wearer or someone who spent a ton of time on her face, and because my sister is nine years older than me, she had moved out by the time I was old enough to care what her makeup routine might look like. I’d been buffing the same drugstore mineral foundation into my skin for years and never really loving how it looked, but had been too intimidated to try anything more difficult. But soon I was deep into the beauty guru tutorials and found myself trying a ton of new makeup, falling in love with the whole process of getting ready one stellar product at a time. And of all the highlighters I tried, it just so happens the cheapest was also the best — it was only $2.99 back then, I believe.
Yes, I was a collector of the iconic Becca Shimmering Skin Perfectors and coveted the Hourglass palettes, of course. But no matter what else I tried, nothing ever seemed to beat my little $4.99 workhorse that can do it all: the Essence Pure Nude Highlighter.
Stats:
- Price: $4.99
- Shades: There are two, the Pure Nude Highlighter and Pure Nude Sunlighter.
- Pro tip: This doubles as a really great all-over eyeshadow if you just want a little somethin’, and I use a big brush and apply it all over my chest and shoulders when I wear a dress or tank top.
The Packaging
Nothing fancy to see here, just your run of the mill plastic compact packaging, no brushes nor mirror included. I think that’s to be expected for $4.99. To Essence’s credit, I’ve taken this compact on a million different trips and it has never broken. It does what it came here to do, ya know?
The baked formulation of the product and the amount in the compact means this product will last you, well, I don’t even know how long. I bought one probably in 2016 when I was really getting into makeup, and replaced it a couple years ago because I figured it was too old to justify putting on my skin anymore. Suffice it to say, this is not something you’ll have to repurchase often, no matter how much you use it — and like I said, I use this all over my body all summer long.
The Results
When I reach for a highlighter, I want something that is going to make my makeup look life-like. I don’t want a super metallic highlight you can see your own reflection in, but rather a soft-focus glow that makes foundation read more like skin and helps the high points of my face catch the light. A liquid highlighter is great on no foundation days, but for me, if I want my makeup to last, I have to use powders.
And that’s where my sweet baby Essence comes in. Here’s a little video showing what it looks like and how I apply it (forgive my hair, I always do that after makeup). I start the video with a small amount on already and then build it up as you see me go:
See what I mean? You don’t see a stripe of powder on my skin when you’re looking at me head on, but it still manages to catch the light so beautifully as you’re moving around (but with no glitter or metallic sheen). The Pure Nude Highlighter is also the only powder highlight I’ve found that is undetectable on my skin even when I’m not wearing any other makeup.
Similar Products
Here are some other highlighters I really love, if you’re looking for a similar sheen that’s slightly different.
- The Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector is peak 2016 highlight vibes. If you want a beaming highlight, this is the product for you. I still revisit her from time to time when I have a special event to get ready for.
- The Saie illuminator wears like a liquid version of the Essence to me. It has zero glitter or metallic elements at all, but instead just makes your skin look radiant and healthy.
- The Peach & Lily stick is for those of us who want to look like our skin is capital-H hydrated. It’s almost like a clear gloss for the skin as opposed to a true highlighter. It’s not for everyone, but I use it to add some life to my face on a no-makeup day and love the finish.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- It’s vegan, cruelty-free, and paraben-free. Ulta’s website also points out that it’s free of fragrance and also microplastic particles, which is obviously nice.
- This product lasts forever.
- It’s inexpensive and outperforms every other highlight I’ve ever tried, so yay savings.
- The baked formula is great to travel with — it won’t spill like a loose powder or liquid, or crack and break like a pressed powder.
Cons:
- The fact that there are only two shades is disheartening. To be fair, many brands’ illuminators and highlighters only have a few shades because they are so sheer that they work for a wide range of skin tones, but I do wish there were more to choose from.
- If you’re a packaging girly, you’ll find no frills here.
Final Verdict
If you’re like me and you want a no fuss highlighter that works on your face, eyes, and body with literally no blending required, you will love this product. The fact that it’s only $4.99 is truly insane to me when there are highlighters on the market that perform much worse for 20 times the cost or more.
The TL;DR
Nothing that costs $4.99 is worth a damn anymore, except for this highlighter, which has been outperforming high-end products since it first hit the shelves.
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