Drugstore Highlighters for Dark Skin Tones Finally Exist
By Devon Abelman. Photos by Hannah Choi/Allure.
If you walk down the makeup aisle at your local drugstore, you'll notice that pretty much all of the highlighters on the market are in pearly one-size-fits-all hues, and there definitely aren't specific highlighters for dark skin tones. But that supposed "universal shade" isn't as flattering on dark skin tones as it is on my pale skin. Instead, the pearly highlighters tend to look less lit-from-within, and more ashy and chalky. Boo. NYX, however, has the solution to the drugstore highlighters for dark skin tones dilemma. The NYX Bright Idea Illuminating Sticks come in 12 shades, including two that work well for dark skin tones. Finally, my friends with dark skin tones who want poppin' cheekbones don't have to turn to Sephora and Glossier for more topaz-hued choices.
I got a tip about the highlighters after trolling around on Reddit. (I swear, this is purely for research purposes.) User lion_queen posted on Makeup Addiction, saying "Haven't seen this talked about: NYX has some highlighters for dark skin that are some of the first I've seen in the drugstore range!" She attached a screenshot of NYX's recent Instagram post. The picture was a repost from @cocoaswatches, an Instagram account that posts swatches of makeup for underrepresented complexions. I wanted to see what these $8 highlighters were all about, so I tried out two of the shades on some Allure editors. Spoiler alert: They loved them.
I went around the office to swatch Sandy Glow (a bronze) and Maui Suntan (a caramel) on our editors with darker skin tones. Both shades blended seamlessly into their skin, giving them a superpretty, natural-looking illumination. Sandy Glow looked great on my testers with golden undertones, and Maui Suntan flattered reddish undertones. Here is Amber Venerable, one of our senior photo editors, faithfully modeling them:
Sandy Glow is on the left, Maui Suntain is on the right.
After this picture was taken, she asked if she could keep them. Of course I couldn't say no.
The NYX Bright Idea Illuminating Sticks are available now at your local drugstore and nyxcosmetics.com. Again, they are just $8.
RELATED - Rituel de Fille Rare Light Luminizer: Celebrity Makeup Artists' New Favorite Highlighter - The Becca Rose Quartz Highlighter Flatters All Skin Tones - Anastasia Beverly Hills Ultimate Glow Kit: Everything You Should Know
This story originally appeared on Allure.
More from Allure:
The 10 Best Mascaras Under $20
The 9 Prettiest Date-Night Makeup Looks
Find the Best Haircut for Your Face Shape
20 Celebrities Who Look Surprisingly Different Without Their Signature Looks
