We Tried Glossier’s Soon-To-Be Cult Highlighter On 3 Skin Tones

Finally, a highlighter that’s dewy, not shimmery. (Photo: Glossier)

Glossier’s makeup has reached cult status in a matter of months, and they’ve earned it. The list of products may be short, but their always cool, never overwhelming, minimally packaged, and totally affordable makeup is all crowd-sourced to perfection and has the waitlists to show for it. Nearly every makeup item on Glossier’s site is sold out, and Haloscope, their highlighter that launched today, is sure to go just as quickly.

Glossier’s Haloscope highlighter is perfectly minimal. (Photo: Glossier)

Haloscope is formulated with real crystal extracts and nourishing oils like coconut, castor seed, and sweet almond for a healthy, dewy sheen that’s easy to apply and requires minimal blending. Plus, the oil/crystal combo is glowy, not glittery, and never dry. The two shades, Quartz and Topaz, are meant to suit all skin tones, so we put them to the test. We layered both Haloscene shades on three faces to see if they really work for everybody. Here’s what we found.

Jihan wears Quartz on her upper cheekbone and brow bone, with Topaz blended below it on the lower cheekbone for a dimensional highlight. (Photo: Yahoo Beauty)

“I thought the product and application was very Glossier,” says Jihan. She found it easy to apply, and thought it looked effortless, dewy, and natural. “I thought the darker hue worked better with my skin tone, but the lighter one didn’t look as ashy as I thought it would on me once it was blended out.” She preferred Topaz and thought Quartz was better for photos but might be too bright for everyday use. “I would probably buy the darker color, especially now that it is summer and I’m planning on tanning,” she says. “It’s good for an everyday natural glow that will go well with my bronzed skin tone.”

Derek wears Quartz on his upper cheekbone and brow bone, with Topaz below it, unblended for contrast. (Photo: Yahoo Beauty)

“I would buy Haloscope as it’s easy to apply and blend,” says Derek. “It’s also able to achieve a natural to an ethereal dewy look depending on how much you apply. So it’s perfect for various occasions!” Derek likes both colors on his skin tone, and thinks both could work for him depending on the intensity of the look he’s going for, since Topaz is closer to his skin tone.

Devon wears Quartz on her upper cheekbone and brow bone, with Topaz under the cheekbone for contour. (Photo: Yahoo Beauty)

Highlighter has been part of my minimal makeup routine for quite awhile now, and of all the different products I’ve tried as a beauty editor, this is my favorite highlighter formula. I have dry skin, so I love that Haloscope doesn’t dry out or soak in throughout the day. I find that dryer formulas can look crusty on me by the end of the day. Quartz is definitely better suited to my skin tone, but I was surprised that Topaz looked so subtle on my super fair skin when it was blended out. I don’t normally like to use anything remotely shimmery under my cheekbones, but I would definitely try out the darker color for nights out. I’ve already incorporated the lighter one into my daily routine.

Haloscope can be applied to the cheekbones, inner eyes, and cupid’s bow. (Photo: Glossier)