A bomb highlighter is the embodiment of black girl magic. The shades, accents and sizes are endless but sometimes finding the one for you can be a struggle. For us brown skin girls, the key is to choose illuminators that are on the warmer side and stay away from whites and pinks. We are so thankful for products that instantly brighten our faces and lights up our lives.
We want the sun and the stars to see our highlighter so we found eight fire products that will make certain the world sees your phosphorescence. Keep reading for more.
*This list is specially curated by the xoNecole team and some links are affiliate links. If you purchase an item from an affiliate link, xoNecole might earn a small commission.
TOM FORD Skin Illuminating Powder Duo
Saks Fifth Avenue
Alexa, play "Tom Ford" by Jay-Z. Not only is the song a bop, this highlighter will have you glowing like the top of the Chrysler building. The application is as smooth as cocoa butter. It captures the two most flattering parts of your face that catches natural light.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Sun Dipped Glow Kit®
Macy's
Anastasia Beverly Hills' Glow Kit should low-key be renamed "Ultralight Beam" because the glow is just different. If you're a beauty buff, you know these are in high demand and it's because it is unmatched.
The shades in this kit include:
- Bronzed (Amber with a penny metal finish)
- Tourmaline (Warm taupe with a rose gold finish)
- Moonstone (Radiant quartz with a pearl finish)
- Summer (Luminous sand with a white gold finish)
Black Radiance Artisan Color Baked Bronzer
Target
Black Radiance was designed for our skin so we absolutely love to see it! Their Artisan Color Baked Bronzer makes you radiate from the inside out. What more can you ask for at this price point?
BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid Highlighter, 1.7 fl oz
QVC.com
Liquid highlighter can be tricky but this Becca formula has luminous pearl pigments which makes for a beautiful blend. The product is great to use for a natural look and you can also build on it for a super beat.
MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Gold Deposit
MAC Cosmetics
The OG of makeup brands, MAC, has a slow-baked highlighter destined to give you that sun-kissed luminosity. The skin-finish is both natural and dimensional.
Milani Baked Highlighter
Milani Cosmetics
Between the pigmentation and the price, we can't help but be here for this highlighter. The warm undertones make it ideal for melanin. For the best look, grab your fan brush and sweep the product across your cheekbones, cupid's bow and bridge of the nose.
black Up Sublime Light Compact Powder
Macy's
You already know that when it's by us it's most definitely for us. black|Up is the first French beauty brand dedicated to women of color. If you're going for a natural shimmer, this compact powder will get you together.
e.l.f. Jelly Highlighter
e.l.f.
e.l.f.'s Jelly Highlighter is one of my favorites because it can be used in various ways. I use it mostly on days when I don't feel like doing makeup so it serves as a standalone glow-getter.
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In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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Feature image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
