It is no secret that I am (here comes the word) obsessed with Becca Cosmetics Shimmering Skin Perfectors. Even when I stray and try other brands, I always (always) go back to my Becca highlighters and in today's post I am going to chat about an absolute must-have: Vanilla Quartz.
About the Product
Vanilla Quartz is the newest limited-edition shade, that was launched earlier in December. Although it was part of the brand's holiday collection, I believe it is one of Becca's best highlighters ever created (both colour- and formula-wise). I practically own all of their highlighters, so trust me when I say that I know what I am talking about. Luckily, it is still available online, so I hope you see this post before the stock gets depleted*.
*Speaking of "sold-out". I hope you don't mind a few pictures of the brand's Rose Quartz highlighter in this article; I initially planned to review two colours together, but little did I know it was completely sold out (yet again). I bought mine when it was relaunched in November; as you might recall, Rose Quartz first appeared back in 2016. I was very gutted when I missed it first time around, so the minute I saw it in 2017 - I didn't even sleep on it. It is indeed, one of the most beautiful pink-toned highlighters ever created. So, if it ever comes back again - here are some unedited swatches for you guys.
Becca Cosmetics Rose Quartz Shimmering Skin Perfector
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Back to Vanilla Quartz...
Packaging: just like most limited edition Becca highlighters, Vanilla Quartz comes in a lux silver/rose-gold [half matte, half high-shine] compact. It contains 7g/ 0.25 oz of product and has a nice gemstone-inspired pattern all over it.
Colour: when you look at it in the pan, it seems like Vanilla Quartz is just a pale yellow gold. But upon closer investigation, you can actually see that it has a lovely mix of warm gold and pink pearls running through it; almost as if it was a subdued version of a duochrome, except it is not. It just has this soft colour-shift to it, that catches the light so beautifully. I have a decent highlighter collection, but nothing even remotely similar. The closest (colour) dupe I can think of is MAC's Vanilla Pigment; but again - it doesn't have that je ne sais quoi pinky oomph to it. I would say Becca's version is way more flattering and almost "on steroids" compared to the loose pigment.
Image source: beccacosmetics.com
Texture: here comes the best part. This is, hands down, one of the softest/butter-iest pressed highlighting powders I have ever tried. The brand is known for their unique proprietary blend (i.e. layering powder-over-liquid-over-powder), which gives these little guys their amazing creamy texture. It is not chalky, dry, crumbly or anything like that. It blends out smoothly, having no fallout.
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Application: I love using my tulip-shaped Hakuhodo B5521 brush with all of my Becca highlighters (read more about it here). Even if you have never used a highlighter before, you will feel like a pro with Vanilla Quartz. It glides on like a dream; is easy to blend and you can layer it all you want. Once it is on, it almost "hugs" your skin, never emphasizing any texture underneath it. The fact that it has both gold and pink hue to it - means that it will complement/look great on beauties of all skin tones. You can wear it as a subtle highlight or - if you feel adventurous and want to blind people - use a bit of MAC's Prep + Prime Fix + as a finishing touch to really amp up the glow.
Wear: another thing I love about Becca's highlighters - they wear all day long and fade gracefully. Vanilla Quartz lasts up to 10 hours on me. It looks great with literally any make-up look.
Verdict
If you are hungry for a new highlighter in your life, check out Vanilla Quartz. I didn't expect to fall in love with it just as much as I did and even with a hundred of other products in my stash, I reach out for it on a daily basis. Quality is impeccable. This shade will look dreamy on fair, light, medium, olive, tan and even deep complexion, which is an incredible thing in my book. Want to hear something shocking? [Whisper: I think I like it more than Champagne Pop]. It is a pure joy to use it. My highlighting game in 2018 is off to a good start and I really hope that Vanilla Quartz becomes a permanent shade one glorious day (together with Rose Quartz), pretty please Becca Cosmetics!
Available on: beccacosmetics.com and sephora.com (38 USD).
PR gift; this review is not sponsored (read full disclaimer here).
