If you know your makeup history, you’ll remember the time when Yves Saint Laurent Beaute’s Touche Eclat was religiously dotted onto high planes of the face to achieve that “I had 10 hours of sleep” effect. Since then, makeup—and highlighters in particular—have come a very long way. Now, highlighters are as indispensable in every woman’s makeup arsenal as a good ol’ mascara.
Whether you prefer highlighters in a powder, cream, or fluid texture, the options are virtually endless. Plus, modern highlighters no longer contain chunky glitter pigments that are better suited for on-stage performances than real life. Instead, they contain finely milled pigments that meld into skin seamlessly so you can easily control the desired intensity. Here, the best highlighters you can dab on the tops of your cheekbones, the inner corners of your eyes, your brow bones, or even your cupid’s bow to get your ultimate glow on.