5 high-shine balms our editors truly love

‘Glass highlighters’ are spring’s glossiest beauty trend: 5 high-shine balms our editors truly love

The most famous ‘glass highlighter’ is undoubtedly the Chanel Baume Essentiel, which has found its way into many a make-up artist, beauty editor and celebrity beauty bag.

“My favourite shade of the Chanel Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick is Sculpting,” says Chanel make-up artist Anna Payne. “It creates the most effortless, natural definition while still looking beautifully skin-like. I love sweeping it lightly along the cheekbones and blending it in with my fingertips so it catches the light in the most subtle way. I’ll often tap a little across the bridge of my nose or onto my eyelids for that fresh, glossy finish. It’s one of those rare, do-it-all products, which is why it’s firmly earned its place as one of my desert island essentials.”

Read on for the five best glossy highlighter balms to achieve a glass-skin glow in an instant, tried and tested by beauty editors.

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Best overall

Chanel Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick

Make-up artists love this universal balm texture for its ability to illuminate any area of the skin. Tap into the high points of the face for a subtle, natural luminosity or layer across the cheekbones, bridge of the nose and Cupid’s bow for a healthy and hydrated all-over glow.

Best shade range

Merit Beauty Day Glow Highlighting Balm

This solid highlighter stick melts into a thin, oil-like consistency that glides onto the skin, creating a lightweight yet highly reflective shine. Like golden hour in a beauty balm, its gilded colour range makes it perfect for creating a pretty, sun-kissed glow across any skin tone.

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Best for oily skin

Victoria Beckham Beauty Reflect Highlighter Stick

This unique texture uses silica microspheres to blur imperfections across the skin while creating a dewy, plump glow. This makes it perfect for oily, acne-prone, and mature skin types alike, as it avoids drawing attention to texture. Instead, it helps to moisturise the complexion at the surface using strawberry seed oil and shea butter.

Best for dry skin

Westman Atelier Lit Up Highlight Stick

You may be familiar with make-up artist Gucci Westman’s famous contour and blush sticks, but were you aware that her glowy highlighter balms are equally worth the hype? The translucent gel highlighter is particularly good for creating a sheer glaze of shine that doesn’t pull grey or milky on deeper complexions.

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Best for targeted glow

Haus Labs Bio Radiant Highlighter Balm

To create a spotlight of strategic shine across the cheeks and nose, opt for this thin pencil, which delivers a fine layer of gloss to the skin without disturbing or pilling the layers of coverage beneath. The rosier shades are perfect for a romantic spring flush, while Citrine brings a golden, post-holiday glow.

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