Let me start by saying that I am very fair. As in, fair enough that my older brother calls me Casper (very lovingly, I’m sure). It’s very frustrating when makeup brands are geared toward darker skin, without many options for us pale girls.

I have found a few really good options that I love. My skin is also pink toned, which I think can also be hard to match. I have a hard time wearing gold tones (although if I’m wearing gold jewelry, I lean toward a gold highlighter). I know everyone loves Jaclyn Hill’s Champagne Pop, but it is not one I prefer.

Some highlighters can be a little chalky. One great tip I love is to dip your brush in the product, then wet your brush with a makeup setting spray. This helps the product apply as more of a wet texture (don’t worry, it dries quickly), keeping it from being so dusty, and helping it last longer throughout the day or night.

Here are my top 5 pale skin highlighter recommendations (swatches of each highlighter are at the bottom of the post):

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Powder
Shade: Pearl

This highlighter is WHITE. Finally, a stark white color that shows up on my skin. This one definitely shimmers. When it was first released, it was only available in Becca’s poured formula. I definitely prefer powder formulas to cream, because they’re easier to blend. I was really excited when they finally released the powder version.

Makeup Revolution Vivid Baked Highlighter
Shade: Radiant Lights

I recently discovered this brand at Ulta, and absolutely love it. This is a pinky, pearly highlighter that definitely adds glow to the face. It is very vivid, and a little bit goes a long way. I love that it’s got a pink tone to it (although it also comes in other colors that would very likely work for more yellow-toned girls).

L’oreal Lumi Powder Glow Illuminator
Color: N202 Rose

This highlighter can be found at pretty much any drugstore. I love the color. It’s light with pink tones (but like the Makeup Revolution, it comes in alternate shades), and gives off a great shine.

Tarte Skin Twinkle Lighting Palette

This palette is gorgeous, and has great payoff. Okay, okay, it’s technically not just one highlighter. But this palette is great and I wanted to include the whole thing. I wouldn’t recommend the color in the middle, because it is just eh, and doesn’t really show up. But the two colors on the outside are beautiful and very pigmented. These are more golden-toned, which I don’t usually opt for, but when I want something gold, this palette is my go-to.

Nars Illuminator
Shade: Copacabana

This is in a liquid form, which definitely isn’t my favorite. But I love the color when it blends. You can use this on its own, or under a powder highlight. It makes a great base for powder highlights that may not last as long on their own. It looks like a pink-purple mixture in the bottle, but it comes off as a pale, very pretty lavender.

Here are the swatches of each:

Becca and Jouer just released Rose Quartz shades of highlighters, and I can’t wait to get my hands on them! I absolutely love pink toned highlighters for my fair skin, and those two are stunning!

Let me know if you have any great highlighters you think I should try in the comments below! Be sure to subscribe to my blog so you don’t miss any beauty tips and recommendations!