These Are Some Of The Greatest Highlighters You Can Buy At The Drugstore

If your idea of a good time involves walking down the aisles of a high-end beauty supply retailer and swatching every luxurious makeup product on your hand, well, you aren't alone. After all, you'll find every makeup product you could ever want, from lipstick and gloss to bronzer and blush and everything in between. The downside? You'll have to shell out at least $20 on one item — and that's just the low end.

While it's true that you get what you pay for, there are budget-friendly options at your local drugstore that often provide the same results as those on offer in Sephora for a fraction of the price. Plus, the finished look has a lot to do with the person holding the makeup brush, and not necessarily the product itself. As Chicago-based makeup artist, Vanessa Valliant told Healthy Way, "Anyone can take drugstore or high-end makeup and blend them to perfection on the skin, achieving an overall, amazing makeup look."

And one product you definitely don't need to splurge on is a highlighter, as your local drugstore has plenty of incredible options to choose from that are just as good if not better than their high-end counterparts. When selecting your perfect highlighter, L'Oréal Paris recommends keeping your skin tone in mind and choosing a hue that's "about two shades lighter." If you're on the hunt for the greatest highlighters you can buy at the drugstore, look no further. 

If you're looking for a highlighter that nearly blinds the world with its luminosity, you'll want to check out Revlon Skinlights Prismatic Highlighter. According to Revlon, this highlighter is packed with "crystal-like pigments" and melts like a dream into the skin. What's more, it can easily double as an eye-popping product too. As celebrity makeup artist Megan Lanoux told Today, "I love this highlighter because the shine gives an intense glow." Lanoux added, "It's a really versatile product that you can use as an eye shadow in addition to a highlighter." 

The "glass skin" trend has many people reaching for their highlighters to achieve its dewy, healthy-looking glow. And if you're new to the popular Korean beauty trend, let us enlighten you. "Glass skin is a term for exceptionally smooth, even-toned, and lustrous skin that's so flawless it has the appearance of glass," skincare blogger and K-beauty expert Jude Chao explained to Derm Store. And NYX certainly delivers with its High Glass Highlighter. Infused with "luminous micro-pearls," per NYX Cosmetics, this highlighter is sure to be your secret weapon to achieving glass skin. 

Suppose you're looking for something natural and understated, with a "your skin but better" finish. Instead of reaching for a traditional powder highlighter, take a gander at Maybelline New York's Master Strobing Stick instead. According to the beauty blog Makeup and Beauty Forever, this product is perfect for those who have dry skin and live for a budget-friendly, travel-safe, and versatile product. However, when applying this creamy highlighter, be sure to place it underneath any powder or wear it by itself, as rubbing a cream product on top of any powder can create streaks and blotches. 

An affordable highlighter pallet with 12 different shimmery shades that can be applied to the face and eyes — need we say more? Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Nude Palette is a major fan favorite, with esteemed beauty influencer Tati Westbrook raving about this product in a YouTube video to her millions of subscribers. "You can use [it] as eyeshadow, you can use [it] on the body, you can use [it] on the face," she enthused. "I just love the versatility of it and, of course, the price. And the creaminess of it, and how it looks on the skin." 

Another fun alternative to the classic powder highlighter is L'Oreal Paris Makeup True Match Lumi Glow Amour Glow Boosting Drops. These liquid drops can be applied as a traditional highlighter or all over the face as a radiant base for your makeup to glide onto. As celebrity makeup artist Jeannia Robinette told Today, "I was doing a bride's makeup not too long ago, and I put these drops in her foundation, and when I showed her makeup at the end, she started to cry because she said she had never looked so good." If that doesn't make you want to run to your local drugstore for this, we don't know what will. 

Everybody loves an affordable dupe of an expensive makeup product, and we have one right here! According to Insider, the Wet 'n Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder can be favorably compared to Becca's cult classic highlighters. In fact, the outlet placed this affordable dupe at the top of their list of favorites. This highlighter has a "large pan size" and "buildable formula," and is jaw-droppingly affordable. Receiving 4.6 out of 5 stars on Makeup Alley, with 85% of consumers stating they would re-purchase, it's no wonder this one made the list. 

If you're a loyal member of #BeautyTok, you'll know the death grip the Charlotte Tilbury highlighters hold on the makeup community. If you're looking for an affordable alternative to give you a viral-worthy glow, TikTok creator @andreamatillano has you covered. "This Flower Beauty Spotlight Liquid Highlighter is the best," she claimed in a video listing her all-time favorite drugstore highlighters. "It's a dupe for the Charlotte Tilbury highlighters. It's super easy to work with. It melts into the skin, a definite must-have." 

You know those "less is more" makeup products that provide immediate payoff with the slightest tap of a makeup brush? The Milani Strobelight Instant Glow Powder is definitely one of those, with Who What Wear claiming that an ever-so-soft dip into the product gives "the perfect touch of dimension and radiance." If you tend to go through makeup too fast and are looking for a highlighter that lasts for months to come, this is an excellent option. Plus, according to Milani, it's incredibly user-friendly and easy to apply, even if you're totally new to the beauty world.  

If you have difficulty selecting the perfect highlighter shade, Pixi makes it super easy with their Glow-y Gossamer Duos. With its 2-in-1 compact palette, this highlighter comes in two shades, and both options pack a luminous punch worthy of its multiple five-star reviews on Pixi's website. "This is my all-time favorite highlighter, better than any other highlighter I've tried, including high-end," one reviewer wrote. "The texture of this is buttery smooth and goes on effortlessly. I have been using this highlighter for years now, and every other highlighter pales in comparison." 

The Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Highlighter might be toward the bottom of our list, but it's at the top of many celebrity makeup artists' according to Today. "This makes your skin really radiant, and it comes in beautiful shades for various skin tones," according to celebrity makeup artist Merav Adler, who added, "It just gives you a really nice effect." This highlighter is buildable and can be applied in different ways depending on the desired look, from naturally radiant to bold. A versatile product, you can reach for it while getting ready for date night or a daytime trip to the grocery store. 

Do you want a barely there, glow-from-within look? If so, you may want to sit this one out because Maybelline FaceStudio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter provides a molten metal look perfect for those who want to take their highlighter game to a blinding new level. Out of nearly 10,000 reviews on Influenster, 74% gave this product five stars. "If you like a blinding highlight, this is for you," wrote one reviewer. "It does have little, like, glitter specks, so beware if that's not your thing, but it's a great formula. Highly recommend." 

While most traditional highlighters come in a compact pressed powder, Wet n Wild MegaGlo Loose Highlighting Powder comes in loose powder form, which gives an intense overall finish. This highlighter is beauty influencer Roxette Arisa's all-time favorite. As Arisa explained in a YouTube video: "It's so freakin' delectable. It is so beautiful, you guys, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that. I was so impressed the first time I tried it," adding, "This highlighter is so metallic and wet. It just, like, glides on the face." 

Right when we thought we'd seen it all from cosmetic companies, Pacifica surprises us with a jelly formula highlighter. The Glow Jelly Dewy Radiance can be applied all over the face to provide an all-over glow under your makeup base, which is excellent for those dry-skinned beauties looking to add a bit more oomph and glow to their routine. Plus, according to Makeup.com, this particular highlighter is packed with healthy and hydrating ingredients your skin will love. A win-win. 

Speaking of unique highlighter formulas, Lottie London came to slay with their gel-powder Diamond Bounce Highlighter. This product can be seen in action in a TikTok video shared by @kellystrackofficial, where she applies the highlighter to the high point of her cheekbone. "How stinkin' beautiful is that? Oh my goodness gracious," she says in the video, followed by an awe-struck gasp. "Perfect for the holidays, you guys can find it in-store at Walmart. Love." So, instead of hopelessly wandering the aisles of your local Sephora, don't be afraid to head to the drugstore and get your hands on some of these gorgeous, better-than-luxury highlighters.