Naya

Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter, Review

could even make that Tiffany jealous

Foreword

Space-illuminating highlighters are back in style and we have a lovely little gem on our hands today. If you have been curious about one of the latest Rare Beauty family members, you came to the right place. Is it Midas-worthy or not? Let's find out together.

Curious? Then please keep on scrolling

About the Product

Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter (25 USD; Made in Italy) - is described as an innovative powder highlighter that gives the skin a glassy glow that is natural and long-lasting.

Packaging: now, this compact is like Polly Pocket for adults. It is minimalistic in feel yet a bit nostalgic and cute. You are working with 2.8 g/ 0.098 oz. worth of product. In comparison, you get 7 g/ 0.24 oz. with Smashbox x Becca highlighters (for 40 USD).

Most dome-shaped baked highlighters crack easily, so handle this one with care (especially if you plan to travel with it). My only concern is the compact's closure. It feels a bit loose and doesn't have that satisfying clicking sound when you close it, almost as if I've had it for years.

Formula: at first glance, the Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter looks like a shimmering, light-reflective pearl. This is certainly a baked product; it feels soft to the touch and is quite pigmented. Dimethicone is high on the ingredient list, which might explain the silkiness. It is worth noting that this Rare Beauty gem is made of 50% pearl micro shimmers.

Vegan🌱 Cruelty-free🐇

Texture: silky-smooth perfection. Does not feel chalky or dry, although there might be a bit of a kick-up (depending on the brush you use). Some called this highlighter glittery, however, I disagree. The Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter has a pearlescent glow with extra fine sparkly particles glistening through it. Once sheered out, it has the same sheer sparkle as Colourpop Super Shock Highlighter or Natasha Denona's highlighter in the Glam Face And Eye Palette (reviewed here). Other popular products like Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette or Smashbox x Becca appear more metallic (less shimmery).

As always, all of my swatches are unedited (shot in daylight)

Shade Mesmerize on light/neutral skin tone

Application: a soft brush with long bristles is your best friend here. The Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter is pretty pigmented, so I would advise you to layer it gradually until you get the desired level of glow. It blends out easily and can be sheered out or amped up for more of a blinding look. It glides on like butter and does not accentuate pores or skin texture. I find that it plays well with other makeup products (whether they are powder, cream, or liquid).

Shades: at the moment there are only four shades available. I hope they add more down the line. Now, the one that I got is called Mesmerized. It is described as "rose bronze" yet it appears more like a neutral pink pearl in real life. I have a light-neutral complexion, so initially, I was worried that it would be dark for me. However, it looks pretty perfect paired with any blush. Thanks to its sheer base, you can blend out the edges of the Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter seamlessly until it melts into the skin (and won't resemble a stripe of color).

Finish: an almost wet-looking glistening glow that is hard to miss.

Wear: from my experience (including work + gym) this highlighter lasted well for up to 6-8 hours on me. It might have faded a bit, but the wow glow factor was still there.

Verdict

I feel like my beauty reviewer's journey started with a highlighter and I am happy to report that the Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter restored my love for that bold, unapologetic glow that we seemed to neglect in the past two-three years. If the brand's Positive Light Liquid Luminizer (reviewed here) was all about that no-makeup makeup, "clean girl" look, this girl is all about some champagne and celebration. I look forward to seeing more shades [and improved packaging] in the future. This is one of those makeup gems that I am excited to reach out for on a daily basis and I give it an A+ rating.