Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Highlighters

Posted on January 4, 2021 by ghekate

Becca Cosmetics was initially known for having a very inclusive shade range of complexion products and making shades for the deepest of skin tones that few companies at the time were willing to create. But the main hype around the brand, what it’s best known for, are their shimmering skin perfectors. They became even more popular within Beauty Youtube after collaborating with Jaclyn Hill to make Champagne Pop.

In 2014-2015, my makeup obsession wasn’t as strong as it would later become. After swatching the Becca Perfectors in-store, I firmly believed they were the best highlighters on the market, but I wasn’t about to drop $38 on just one. During the holidays in 2015, Becca released the Champagne Glow and Afterglow palettes, which allowed me to have multiple shades for the same price. So, I’ve been using Becca’s highlighters ever since! Although Becca has dropped in popularity, and their place among the top highlighter makers is wavering, their formula is still in my top 3.

I acknowledge half of my Becca collection should be retired to my products-too-old-to-use shelf, but they’re still just as good as when I bought them. I threw out all my liquid and cream Perfectors, but I plan to use the oldest powders for a little longer.

For consistency, I am wearing MAC’s Pinch Me blush, Nars Sheer Glow foundation, and Tarte Shape Tape concealer in every photo. I did not use contour powders or bronzers in any of the pictures.

Pearl

Other than for testing purposes, I never use this color on its own. I only wear it mixed with Topaz. It’s described as a “soft luminous white,” which I expected to be incredibly stark and unwearable on its own because it’s the whitest shade of highlighter in my collection. However, this has a semi-transparent base that doesn’t leave a powdery white cast that other highlighters in my collection, which are technically darker, can have. I still prefer a warmer highlight, but it’s nice to know I could wear this if I wanted without it looking too crazy. Pearl was originally said to be a limited edition shade that Becca later made permanent.

Golden Mint

This is a website exclusive “minty green that transforms into a wearable gold.” It was supposed to be limited edition, but three years later it’s still for sale. On social media, Becca asked followers which shade between Smokey Quartz and Golden Mint they wanted to be produced. They removed those posts from their Instagram after later criticism, but I have screenshots other accounts reposted.

Smokey Quartz supposedly had the most votes and was released within days. Then three months later, Becca released Golden Mint anyway. It was very clear for everyone to see that both colors had been in production long before they asked anyone for opinions. This deceptive marketing move left a sour taste in my mouth, but no one explains it better than the ladies at Beauty News, whose video I will link here.

I was annoyed with Becca but still bought it anyway during a promotional discount event. I do absolutely love this shade. The slightly green-tinged white powder transforms into a peachy gold shimmer. For anyone curious, I have reviewed this shade in the past. It’s more pigmented than Pearl and can actually look harsh if I apply too much, so I typically use my Wayne Goss 15 Fan brush with this product.

Moonstone

Like Pearl, I only wear this if mixed with Topaz. It’s described as a “pale candlelit gold,” and is an extremely common shade for a highlighter, but I don’t have that many shades which are this light in my collection. Moonstone was part of Becca’s original launch of Shimmering Skin Perfectors.

Champagne Pop

This “soft gold with peachy-pink pearl” shade is the one that catapulted Becca to mainstream fame thanks to the collaboration with Jaclyn Hill. The previous highlighters I’ve mentioned can be applied lightly to give a more subtle glow. Champagne Pop was intended to have a strong beam, as is Jaclyn’s highlighter preference.

Prosecco Pop

Prosecco Pop was Jaclyn Hills’s second collaborating shade. It’s described as an “ethereal gold with rich golden bronze pearl” and that bronze is what makes this shade a bit better for my complexion than Champagne Pop. Although I don’t think this is quite as finely milled in terms of glitter particle size, I still like it.

Royal Glow

This is a limited edition, “bronzed opal shade infused with shimmering gold pearl,” but is still available for sale. I bought it mainly for the pretty crown embossing, and therefore, I don’t use it as often in order to preserve the imprint. This highlighter has the most subtle shimmer and reflectivity of the Skin Perfectors in my collection.

Rose Gold

This shade is a “rosy pink with warm gold pearl.” I usually dislike pink highlighters, and the same can be said of this one. The pink tone doesn’t show on my skin. It just looks slightly ashy (less ashy thanks to the addition of gold pearl) and cool on my cheek. It looks better in photos than it does in person. I don’t wear this shade and haven’t tried to mix it with any of the others.

Gold Lava

This limited edition “24k gold with light pink pearl” highlighter is still available. It is the most glittery of the Skin Perfectors that I have. In terms of color, this shade is similar to Champagne Gold and would be more “wearable” if the formula was smoother with smaller glitter particles. Because this shade isn’t as old as Champagne Gold, I was hoping this could be a nice replacement for when that highlighter goes bad, but I rarely use Gold Lava and I don’t see that changing in the future.

Champagne Gold

This limited-edition “soft warm gold” shade was released around October 2014 and I wanted it so badly! However, my frugal side refused to purchase it for the full price. I was waiting for a sale from Sephora or Ulta, but it never came. For an entire year, I was kicking myself for not getting it while I could. But in November 2015, Hautelook put it on their site for $30 and I finally got my hands on it!
Champagne Gold was not a popular color. This was long before Fenty’s Trophy Wife, and there were a lot of complaints about how this particular shade of yellow wouldn’t work for a majority of skin tones. I don’t know how well it suits me, but I still used it a lot within the first year of having it (even though you can’t tell by looking at the pan). The base color is very pigmented, so I used it frequently but sparingly in the amount of product applied.

My theory is that Becca produced a small enough batch that rather than putting the rest of their stock on sale, which could lower the brand value for customers at their biggest retail partners, they unloaded their remaining inventory onto Hautelook, a much lesser-known website that still holds more prestige than TJMaxx because of its connection to Nordstrom. This shade might have even been sold at Nordstrom Rack, but I didn’t live near one to be able to confirm that.

The most telling indication that Champagne Gold didn’t do well is the fact that Becca never re-released it. Anything that sells well, Becca always brings back or adds it to the permanent collection. They were able to save face with Champagne Gold, but after that it was unavoidable. The Light Chaser Highlighters and Khloe Kardashian/Malika collection have been on sale for years now. The evidence of the brand’s dwindling popularity hasn’t been a secret for a long time.

Dreamsicle

Real Dreamsicles are a combination of orange and vanilla. I expected this shade to be more on the orange side, but this limited edition “soft tangerine shade infused with white gold pearls” appears more peach on me. As is the case with Champagne Gold, I don’t know if this shade is flattering or not, but I like it. I don’t use it often though because it has become more of a collector item in my eyes.

Topaz

I can’t remember if this, “warm bronze with gold pearl,” shade was part of the original highlighter launch with Moonstone and Opal. I do know that this was the first one created for those with darker skin tones. Many years ago, when I was several shades lighter, Topaz was just on the cusp of being too dark to highlight with. However, this color is perfect for me now. Either that or the top layer is lighter than it’s supposed to be due to the frequency in which I mixed Topaz with other shades.

There was a time when the only way I could get a highlighter as dark as this was to use a shimmery bronzer. When I see the highlighter offerings today, even from Becca who has made even darker shades like Chocolate Geode, it makes me happy.

Bronzed Amber

The only description I could find for this shade is “warm bronze.” It’s a little more on the pink side, which isn’t my preference, but it looks much better on me than Rose Gold. I bought this shade out of pure curiosity and although it doesn’t look bad, I wish I skipped out on getting this (along with Gold Lava).

Blushed Copper

This “warm copper” shade is categorized as a blush and has been discontinued. Even though it looks dark in the pan, it blends in very well on my cheekbone and paired with my very pink blush. For some reason though, I never wear this as blush or highlighter.

Own Your Light

I knew full well this highlighter wasn’t for me, but I wanted it anyway purely for packaging, so I bought it at a steep discount from a third party seller.

It’s hard to capture the shift on this “warm gold-infused [Perfector] with luminous peach and pink pigments.” The pink is less pronounced in these pictures, but in certain lighting, it is extremely strong. I can use this if I’m in the mood for an uncommon highlighter shade, but realistically I won’t touch it again. It’s purely a collector item for me because this is yet another limited edition item. I saw this for $22 at Ulta during the holidays, so if anyone is interested in this shade, you can probably get it on sale if you keep an eye out!

SWATCH COMPARISONS

As can be seen in the cheek swatches, although Becca makes a variety of distinctly different highlighter shades, they essentially look the same on the cheeks: whitish gold, yellow gold, or pink. Some of the colors are brighter and more intense than others, but there isn’t a need to have as many as I do. Out of the 14 Perfectors I own, the only shades I would miss are Golden Mint, Champagne Gold, and Topaz.

Although this is one of my favorite highlighter formulas, I’ve never thought these were worth $38 and I haven’t purchased a single one at full price. If you can get one in the $25-$30 range, or one of the mini sizes, then I could confidently recommend these Perfectors. However, Nabla’s Skin Glazing highlighter in Amnesia has become my most used highlighter for a year now and it’s $24. There are stunning highlighters at more affordable prices, which also adds to my hesitation recommending the Shimmering Skin Perfectors, despite how great they are.

Thank you for reading!

-Lili ❤

The Highlight of My Makeup

Posted on October 4, 2015 by ghekate

Applying highlighter to the face is like adding icing to a cake. It’s the eye-catching final touch that looks beautiful in person and stunning in photos.

Realistically, one highlighter and/or illuminating product is all that’s needed in the standard makeup collection. I gave some of my highlighters to a friend but somehow managed to purchase more than before! In fact, about half of the products in this post are new (added a week or two ago) to my makeup stash.

Becca Afterglow Palette/Shimmering Skin Perfectors

This 5 pan palette includes two mineral blushes (Wild Honey and Flowerchild). However, my focus is on the three shimmering skin perfectors on the left in Moonstone, Rose Gold, and Topaz.

*Swatches above have no primer underneath. The remaining photos in the blog were applied over Too Faced Primed and poreless primer.

Becca’s Skin Perfectors are some of the top highlighters in the industry. They’re also the most intense that I own. The pressed powders are finely milled and come in enough shades for everyone to find a suitable match. That being said, my tailored shade is achieved by combining Moonstone and Topaz.

Topaz is well reputed as being suitable for darker skintones but it blends too much with my skin. While the shimmer would still catch the light, the shade of the pigment is what helps bring the features forward. So giving Moonstone a little tap onto the brush before swirling into Topaz makes it light enough to work.

This palette, at $39.50, is nearly the same price and total gram size of a single full sized highlighter. For those of us wanting to customize shades in smaller amounts, this palette is a great option. I also get the benefit of being able to mix the two blushes together for an even better shade on me.

I also have mini sizes (ironically larger than the pans in this palette) of the pressed and poured perfectors in Opal.

As with other cream products, the Poured version is much more subtle. Of the three mediums, my preference is powder > liquid > cream

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Spotlights

This $25 trio was a holiday release last year and Champagne Gold is a limited edition color. Although it’s a touch too yellow for me, it works beautifully when blended well enough. If the pressed version was ever re-released, I would buy it on the spot.

Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc – Golden Mosaic

I purchased this a few weeks ago on the Birchbox site. It retails for $44 but I had $20 saved in points and a 25% off coupon. You can barely see the individual colors in blended swatches, but when all four are swirled and applied together it creates the most flattering shade on my skin. The mixture is even nicer than the Moonstone-Topaz combo, although less shimmery.

Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator – Gilded Honey

This illuminator can be applied quite intensely,

or impart a more natural glow.

*The Left swatch is Laura Geller Blush N Brighten.

This is a product I tested so many times at Ulta, thinking it was just too shimmery for my taste. However, blending with an actual brush produced the results I was looking for. This shade is a bit more textured than Becca and almost the same amount of shimmer. I would have purchased this at Ulta but I spent much less than the $26 retail by purchasing through Birchbox.

I should also note that this is an actual illuminator, which means it is recommended as an all-over-the-face product. I think it’s too intense for that, although strobing is in!

Laura Geller Blush N Brighten – Sunswept

This is all that remains in the pan after dropping the compact. I was able to transfer the broken powder into 4 standard circular pans in my Z palette. I have been using this blush/blushtopper/highlighter exclusively for five months. I had a sample of the pink grapefruit shade initially, but purchased Sunswept for $27.50 from Ulta once I realized there were more brown tones and less pink in this one.

Subscription Box Goodies

Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer: This is not intended as a highlighter, however, this gives a natural glow to my complexion without adding much additional shimmer. Using bronzer as a highlight is a trick that many of us with dark skintones have been doing for ages. I still prefer more sparkle, which is why I rarely keep the bronzers I receive in subscription boxes. It’s $30 for the full size.

Kryolan – Cashmere: This cream highlighter was packaged exclusively for Glossybox and even has the Glossybox symbol on the lid. I wanted to love this when I received it but the color is too light for me to wear alone. I only use this to mix with other creams that are too dark or too yellow. The packaging is no longer available but it might be the same product as the Kryolan Illusion Highlighter in cashmere which is available for $19 on the official site.

TEMPTU S/B Highlighter – Champagne Shimmer: The SB stands for silicone based. I’ve seen every shade offered as samples in subscription boxes except Gold Shimmer, which is the color I wished the most to try. It takes a lot of product to get the intensity I want but at least it is buildable. I got my sample at Birchbox but more colors are available from Temptu for $27.50.

Tools

Finding the right tool for the job is just as important as the product itself. It comes down to the fiber type, density, and bristle shape to achieve the look you’d want.

The pointed tip brush with the black ferrule is the Velvet Luxe Precision Complexion Brush #310 by It Cosmetics (IT brushes for Ulta). It has synthetic bristles which makes it great for creams and liquids, but still works well with powder. In fact, it is the brush I use for my most intense highlight application because it is so dense.

On the contrary, the brush with the silver ferrule is the Hakuhodo Pointed Highlight Brush B/G 5521; a brush which produces the most sheer results. This is my favorite brush to use with the Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc. It’s among the top three softest brushes I own, as the hairs are comprised of blue squirrel and goat. Although my IT velvet brush is soft as well, the cut of that brush does make it drag ever so slightly. This one which glides across the skin like a feather (but gentler)! It truly is an impressive brush.

Fan brushes are wonderful for blending out overly applied highlight. In the past I actually used them as highlighter brushes by collecting product on the tips, stippling onto the skin, then sweeping away the excess. A great synthetic bristle, budget-friendly option is the e.l.f. Studio Fan Brush. It performs better than so many other expensive brushes I have tried.

My absolute favorite fan brush is the Wayne Goss Brush 15. It’s a thick goat hair fan brush which I use for setting my undereye concealer and blending/applying highlighter. It’s very soft but not so soft that you’d have trouble packing on product, as some delicate animal hair brushes can do. I’m always on the lookout for tools but I have zero interest in buying more fan brushes while I still have this one.

For larger areas of the face, a stippling brush is a good option. I don’t necessarily recommend the brush above (soft, dense, sturdy bristles but a poorly constructed nameless brand off Amazon), but it’s the only stippling brush I’ve used so far for highlighting. Just remember to only use natural hair/duo fiber brushes with powders. Natural bristles are porous which means liquids and creams will be wasted soaking into your brush rather than just the face.

All of these highlighters are non-chalky and fantastic quality, although I like the Temptu highlighter the least. Finding the right highlighter just depends on getting the correct shade for one’s skintone, undertone, intensity and texture preferences.

❤ Lili

Lili's Beauty Blog