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10 Best Highlighter Drops That Pull Double Duty In Your Makeup Routine

By Brittany Leitner

Published on Oct 15, 2024

An overhead image showcasing various highlighter drops from brands like ELF, Beau Babe Beauty, About Face, Item Beauty, The Beauty Crop, Typology, and Diamond Drip, all set against a peach-colored background Mobile

Nowadays, beauty products rarely serve just one function. Even though there might seem like a lot of different types of makeup on the market, you can usually pare down your beauty arsenal by letting one product serve the function of two. And when it comes to highlighter drops, you can use them to add a bit of light reflection on the highest points of your face (think nose, cheekbones, and chin), but you can also mix them into your foundation or favorite moisturizer for an all-over glow.

Using drops instead of a stick form of highlighter lets you add shine wherever you need it while controlling the outcome of your look along the way. Here are some of our favorite tried-and-true highlighter drops that never look too glittery and will ensure you are always catching the perfect light.

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1. Best Highlighter Drops for Eyes:

GIVE THEM LALA BEAUTY Diamond Drip Liquid Highlight

Yet another way to use highlighter drops on the face? Dab some into the corners of your eyes to truly light up your look. We love these drops by GIVE THEM LALA because of their slim dropper application so you can pinpoint exactly where you want your highlight, or drop a bunch over larger areas like your decollate for an eye-catching glow.

2. Best Highlighter Drops With Skincare:

THE BEAUTY CROP Glow Milk

Thanks to ingredients like coconut and argan oil, you’ll actually be helping your skin look and feel healthier over time as you wear these drops. Coconut oil helps to hydrate the skin while argan oil hydrates and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Go ahead and add this to your foundation for an extra boost of skin-loving ingredients.

3. Best Highlighter Drops for Your Body:

BEAU BABE BEAUTY Liquid Highlighter

These highlighter drops aim to give a golden-hour glow of perfection, which means you can add some all over for the perfect shimmer. Plus, it’s cruelty-free and vegan so you can wear them totally guilt-free.

4. Best Concealing Highlighter Drops:

ABOUT-FACE Light Lock Highlight Fluid

Halsey’s beauty brand ABOUT-FACE is a favorite amongst Ipsters for a good reason. Not only does it encourage creativity and let you think outside the proverbial makeup lines, but the products have massive staying power you just can’t help but rave about. One Ipster wrote, “This covers like a concealer and somehow does not exaggerate fine lines or pores.” We love a makeup product that doesn’t settle into and highlight wrinkles!

5. Best Sheer Highlighter:

ITEM BEAUTY Hey Hi Halo Liquid Highlighter

Sometimes you just want a hint of shine, and that’s where these drops from ITEM BEAUTY come in. Thanks to ingredients like magnolia berry, this highlighter will also help control shine, making it perfect for the cheek and forehead area.

6. Best For a No Makeup Look:

VERSED Illuminating Glow Drops

These drops by VERSED truly do it all. First, they’re packed with the peptide polyglutamic acid, which can hold 4,000 times its weight in moisture—meaning you’ll look perfectly dewy all day long. It’s also packed with antioxidants to help strengthen the skin’s barrier and naturally protect against environmental stressors. Just two to three drops are enough to cover the entire face.

7. Best Highlighter Drops With Vitamin C:

TYPOLOGY T31 - Glow Drops with 5% Vitamin C + Aloe Vera

Vitamin C is a must-have in your skincare arsenal, thanks to the fact that it both brightens and protects the skin’s surface at the same time. These drops are packed with an impressive 5% concentration of vitamin C that actually works to improve your skin’s appearance over time.

8. Best Highlighter Drops For Sensitive Skin:

DRUNK ELEPHANT B-Goldi™ Bright Drops

Alix Earle made these DRUNK ELEPHANT drops famous and for good reason. First, they’re so easy to drop directly onto the face along with your favorite moisturizer to blend together for the perfect glow. But the real reason they’re a TikTok mainstay? The drops are 100% free of essential oils, silicones, fragrance, and solvent alcohols, making them great for your skin and also less irritating for those with sensitive skin.

9. Best Drugstore Highlighter Drops:

E.L.F. Bronzing Drops

Trick everyone you know into thinking you just got back from a sun-kissed vacation with these mega-affordable glow drops that come in three different shades. These drops are great for any skin type and are totally buildable. Since they contain vitamin E and sunflower seed oil, you’ll nourish your skin each time you wear these.

10. Best Highlighter Drops for Oversized Pores:

FENTY BEAUTY Eaze Drop'lit All-Over Glow Enhancer

These FENTY drops contain milk thistle, which helps to shrink the appearance of pores as soon as you put it on. These glow drops are so multi-functional, you can even use them all over the skin as a base for your foundation to lock it in place.

Want in on all the IPSY fun? Take our Beauty Quiz now to get started with your own IPSY beauty subscription. Already an IPSY member? Refer your friends to earn points, which you can use toward products. Either way, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and TikTok @IPSY.

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