If you have pale skin like me, then you probably can assimilate with my struggle to find a highlighter that is not too dark on the skin. You know when you apply a dark highlighter and it looks like a muddy stripe on your face? Yes, that feeling. Most highlighting palettes only yield one or two shades that I can actually wear. Often, I wear highlighters that I know are too dark for me because they are super pretty and I want them to work. But, there are many great drugstore and high-end options that will work on fair skin. This is prompting me to dig in my highlighter drawer and pull out all of the best highlighters for fair skin. I will share some remarks on these highlighters as necessary, and discuss what colors to avoid. Your days of disappointing highlighter will soon be over.
Best Highlighters for Fair Skin
elf Metallic Flare Highlighters
I am starting off my selections on the best highlighters for fair skin with some picks from elf’s Metallic Flare line. First of all, the design pressed into the powder is gorgeous! This formula is the kind that is actually metallic in the pan and really throws off the light. I enjoy a blinding highlight, and you can definitely achieve that with this line, as well as with many of the other highlighters I will talk about later. Here are my fair skin picks:
Assorted
Second, I am going to talk about a variety of highlighters.
- The Balm Mary Lou-manizer: This is a classic choice for an everyday glow, featuring a light champagne gold hue.
- Benefit Dandelion Twinkle Powder Highlighter: This highlighter is extremely subtle. If you like just a hint of glow and a natural look, this is an excellent choice for you. The shade is a soft pink gold.
- Milani Strobelight Instant Glow Powder in Afterglow: If you want a stunning champagne pearl shade from the drugstore, Afterglow has got your back.
- Tarte Amazonian Clay Highlighter in Stunner: I wear this white gold highlighter a lot for blog photography because it always looks nice. You can easily build this formula up to be as soft or as bright as you want it.
- Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle: This is another OG selection. I like to use Soft and Gentle as a highlighter that falls somewhere between subtle and blinding, or even all over the face as a finishing powder to give a soft glow. The shade is a gilded peach bronze, yet is super wearable on fair skin.
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Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter
Third, I have some high-end picks from Becca that cannot be omitted from best highlighters for fair skin. I enjoy wearing these on special occasions when I am doing a mostly high-end look because these give me that blinding glow I am looking for. The shade Opal is a white gold, while Champagne Pop is a gold that is safe on pale skin.
Physicians Formula Butter Highlighter
I love everything in Physicians Formula’s Butter line, and the highlighters are no exception. They are pretty and smell amazing, with a formula that you would swear is a cream, but is really a powder. Peal is an all-time favorite for me because it is a white highlighter, which always works on fair skin. Rose Gold is a lovely choice for a smoldering glow. I can probably include the other shades here, in all honesty.
elf Shimmer Highlighting Powder
elf has some more stunners that belong under the best highlighters for fair skin. I know that some people knock the Shimmer Highlighting Powder line, but I see no problems with it. A few of the shades are way too dark for pale skin, and I regret buying them. However, the below choices are all safe, and the shade names easily define the actual color. These feature a buildable formula so that you can control the intensity. The below shades are:
Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter
I really love the entire Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter line from Maybelline, so it is hard for me to cut my recommendations down to only two. I do recommend checking out the other shades with the exception of the dark bronze one. This formula is blinding, and I find myself reaching for it in place of high-end highlighters, even when I am doing a special occasion look. The below shades are:
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wet n wild megaglo Highlighting Powders
You would be completely shocked if I omitted wet n wild’s megaglo Highlighting Powders from the best highlighters for fair skin, so I am going to end with them. wet n wild gives us a lot of pale skin friendly options. Their formula rivals high-end and is absolutely one of the best at the drugstore, hands down. You will be glowing with these. My picks are:
What to Avoid
When you are shopping highlighter shades, there are some colors you should avoid if you have fair skin. Any color descriptions that mention words like bronze or copper are usually a bad choice. I often struggle with unnatural colors likes purples, pinks, greens, etc. You know when a highlighter is too dark because it physically looks like a dark line or shadow on the face, that often looks worse as you turn your head in the light. Look for color descriptions that mention white gold, pearl, champagne, and opal. Fair skin can usually pull off most rose golds and peachy shades, as well as regular golds, as long as the gold is on the lighter side.
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Conclusion
To conclude the best highlighters for fair skin, there are many options both from the drugstore and from high-end brands that will not disappoint pale skinned beauties. While I opt for an eye-catching glow, my selections include buildable, blinding, and subtle formulas to suit all tastes. Having a dark stripe on the face is not a cute look, and the struggle is real. With my recommendations, that will never be an issue again. However, do keep in mind that my selections work on me, but everyone’s skin is different. I cannot guarantee all of these shades will be 100% perfect if you fall in the pale category, but it will not hurt to give them a try. Until next time, continue to let your true beauty shine.
What is your favorite highlighter shade to wear?
2 Responses
I love Blossom Glow, I need the Physician’s formula one, I love the bronzer so I’m sure the highlighter is amazing too. I really struggle to find a good affordable highlighter. I love the Fenty ones and the Shiseido aura dew
I do recommend these affordable options and I’m confident they won’t disappoint. I know you tend to wear the Aura Dew in your blog posts and it’s so flattering on you!