I Never Pay More Than $20 for Highlighter—8 Affordable Formulas That Give Me Halo Skin

Even though I'm a big fan of drugstore beauty products and don't think you have to pay an arm and a leg for top-quality formulas, I was still somehow shocked that this highlighter only cost me $13 when I saw the glow it gave my skin. Unlike other highlighter sticks that are glittery and honestly a little garish, this one is soft, radiant, and natural looking. It basically melts onto the skin, depositing super-fine shimmer particles that catch the light in the prettiest way. This is, hands down, my favorite drugstore highlighter, and I've been using it pretty much daily since I first tried it.

Size: 0.17 ounces | Type: Cream | Shades: 6

Pros: It's easy to apply and natural looking.

Cons: It could be too sheer if you prefer a bold glow.

Promising review: "You could literally include this in a body cream and it will have your skin glistening. As a highlighter this is gorgeous. It reflects beautifully without specks of glitter or looking ashy or feeling cakey. Definitely recommend."

This isn't a highlighter in the traditional sense because it can be worn in four different ways. Sure, you can apply it to the high points of your face as you normally would with any other highlighter, but you can also wear it alone as a blurring skin tint, use it as a primer under makeup, or mix it with your favorite foundation. Either way, it will give your skin an instant post-vacation glow that rivals similar, more expensive products on the market. The best part is that it's full of good-for-skin ingredients like squalane and hyaluronic acid. 

Size: 1.06 ounces | Type: Cream | Shades: 15

Pros: It has a multiuse formula that can be worn in different ways and has a natural-looking effect.

Cons: None

Promising review: "The ELF halo glow is so easy to use. I really only put a couple of drops for a more light coverage look but everyone always says that I am glowing! Def recommend!"

This iconic drugstore product is a classic for a reason. With a creamy, lotion-like texture, it leaves the skin feeling soft and hydrated and looking radiant. Just like the e.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Liquid Filter, this one can be used in multiple ways—with and without makeup—to perfect, blur, and illuminate the skin. It can even be used on the body for radiant limbs. 

Celebrity makeup artist Kelli Anne Sewell swears by this product. In fact, it's one of her top five favorite drugstore products. "I honestly think this is better than some high-end formulas. It is the perfect balance of a little glow, a little bronze, and a little coverage! It evens out your complexion perfectly and makes you feel vibrant, and your skin looks alive! It also blurs your pores at the same time [and] is so light on the skin and deeply hydrating. It's just incredible," she says. 

Size: 1.35 ounces | Type: Lotion | Shades: 5

Pros: It has a multiuse formula that can be worn in different ways and has a natural-looking effect.

Cons: It could feel a bit greasy because of its lotion-like texture.

Promising review: "I love this stuff, I'm on my second tube of it. I really love how versatile it is—it looks good on its own, under foundation, on just the high points of my face, or mixed into foundation or moisturizer." 

Any beauty editor will most likely back ColourPop's pressed powders, especially the Super Shock Highlighter. The weightless formula is bouncy and blendable, so you can wear it in a sheer, natural-looking way or build it up to go bold.

Size: 0.15 ounces | Type: Powder | Shades: 17

Pros: It's bouncy, blendable, and has a fairly large shade range.

Cons: None.

Promising review: "This was my first ever highlighter, and it's my go-to formula! The formula feels really smooth and is easy to apply, and it's a buildable formula which makes it really versatile. It's also very beginner-friendly." 

Infused with jojoba oil, this creamy highlighter stick allows for targeted application (e.g., in the inner corners of the eyes and down the bridge of the nose) and deposits the prettiest pearlescent finish. It's perfect for throwing in your bag or carry-on and blends easily without makeup sponges or brushes. 

Size: 0.09 ounces | Type: Cream | Shades: 6

Pros: It has a pointed tip for precise application and a pretty pearlescent finish.

Cons: Some say the product has a tendency to break away from the packaging.

Promising review: "[This] makes my makeup look amazing and spreads so nice and soft! GO BUY RN!"

Emma Walsh, beauty editor of branded content, loves this targeted highlighting wand. "This is a drugstore gem," she says. "I used both the rose-gold and champagne shades to create a cool multichrome look. I did the shimmery rose gold on my eyelids and on the center and high points of my face, and then I went in with the glimmering champagne on the bridge of my nose and cheeks. I love that this highlighter is so intensely pigmented and makes my features pop, and it's so affordable too!"

Size: 0.33 ounces | Type: Cream | Shades: 6

Pros: It has a luxe-feeling cushion-tip applicator and a blendable formula. 

Cons: It could be a little too bold if you like a shimmer-free highlighter.

Promising review: "This product deserved a review. It is the most blendable, pigmented, and has a beautiful finish. This liquid highlighter is half the price of the name-brand ones and works better! Save your money and get this staple in your routine."

If you love the Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Bronzer ($16), it's only natural to try the brand's matching highlighter, right? Similar to the bronzer, this pressed powder is incredibly smooth and silky, which means it applies like a dream. One swipe with a makeup brush is all it takes to deliver a high-impact highlight. 

Size: 0.17 ounces | Type: Powder | Shades: 2

Pros: It's silky smooth and blendable and offers great payoff. 

Cons: Some might prefer a more natural-looking glow, and there are only two shades.

Promising review: "They don't lie when they say it's a butter highlighter. This highlighter applies so smooth it glides right on. It's so pigmented. And the glow it gives it's amazing. It's so pretty I love it." 

This highlighter really does feel like butter. The silky texture allows it to glide across the skin with zero effort. It's transfer- and fade-resistant up to 12 hours and has a high-impact pearlescent finish. I recommend applying it with a fine brush for lit-from-within radiance.

Size: 0.17 ounces | Type: Powder | Shades: 9

Pros: It's silky smooth and blendable and offers great payoff. It's also transfer- and fade-resistant up to 12 hours.

Cons: None

Promising review: "This highlighter is amazing! It's super pigmented and provides a nice glow that stays all day."