The 10 Best Jelly Highlighters at Every Price Point
When it comes down to it there are very few makeup items as undeniably fun as jelly highlighters. The term "jelly" implies that the consistency of these luminizers is similar to that of the staple snack food most of us ate as kids. But it's not just the satisfying-to-touch texture that makes jelly highlighters so sought after. It's how featherlight they feel on the skin and the impressively realistic finish you get when wearing them.
Makeup artist Elisa Flowers advises applying lightly with fingers and building up if needed for best results. "The warmth from your fingers helps to meld the formula into your skin, whereas the product could stick awkwardly to brushes or beauty sponges."
Additionally, jelly highlighters are highly gratifying to just look at in all their jiggly, gooey glory and there's something to be said for that. Brands are well aware of this obsession too, which is likely why we've witnessed so many new jelly highlighters hitting the shelves recently. The trendy glow-givers are now more accessible than ever, with drugstore mainstays like E.L.F. and Maybelline, and prestige options such as Chanel and Farsali offering their own jelly-inspired iterations. Ahead, we're sharing our favorites.
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Courtesy of brand1/10Chanel Le Gel Pailleté Transparent Shimmering Gel
Chanel Le Gel Pailleté is a jelly highlighter in luxury form. (Does it not look like a pot of pure gold?) Infused with the finest veil of glitter you've ever seen, the formula goes on clear and gives the appearance of glass skin as soon as it settles. Tap it on with your finger or lightly brush it over cheekbones for a gilded glow.
$50 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand2/10Maybelline Master Chrome Jelly Highlighter
Available in two shades — metallic rose and bronze — Maybelline's Master Chrome Jelly Highlighter looks lovely on a variety of skin tones and offers a subtle pearly finish. Its liquid gel formula dries into a satin finish with the perfect amount of shine, giving the skin a lit-from-within glow that won't go unnoticed.
Courtesy of brand3/10Farsáli Jelly Beam Illuminator
Allure contributor Tynan Sinks touted Farsáli's Jelly Beam Illuminator as one of his favorite makeup launches of 2018 so you know it's the real deal. Whether you add just a tiny touch for a soft, glowy sheen or go all out for a full-on, in-your-face effect, there's no doubt you'll earn compliments while wearing this luminizer. The best part? While it maintains it's dewy, wet-like appearance all day, it actually dries down like a powder so it doesn't go anywhere.
$40 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand4/10Too Faced You're So Jelly Tutti Frutti Highlighter
Too Faced's You're So Jelly Tutti Frutti Highlighter feels bouncy to the touch — just like real jelly — and delivers a high-shine, glossy finish that looks utterly gorgeous on the skin. It also smells like a fruit basket and comes in the cutest packaging with gummy bears on it, so there's that.
$30 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand5/10Inc.redible You Glow Girl Iridescent Jelly
Inc.redible's You Glow Girl Iridescent Jelly comes in four mesmerizing hues — peach, pink, violet, and gold — and can be used anywhere and everywhere you want to glow. What's more, its formula features an ultra-fine-milled glitter, which adds the prettiest sheen (not overwhelming sparkle) to the skin.
$12 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand6/10Nyx A Bit Jelly Highlighter
Nyx's A Bit Jelly Highlighter comes in clear, gold, and bronze shades and makes the skin look as super-shiny and radiant as if you just walked out of a workout class into direct sunlight. And once it's dried down, the skin still glistens from afar.
$15 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand7/10E.L.F. Jelly Highlighter
E.L.F.'s Jelly Highlighter comes in three shades of gold — rose, bronze, and white — and all of them give the complexion a cosmic glow. A little goes a long way too. Just a few tiny dots and the skin shines on another level.
$6 (Shop Now)
Courtesy8/10Wet n Wild MegaJelly Highlighter
Wet n Wild's MegaJelly Highlighter goes the extra mile. Infused with chamomile and cucumber extracts, it works to soothe the skin while adding megawatt shine. It can be used on its own or mixed into moisturizer or foundation so you can control the level of glow.
$8(Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand9/10Nu'Est Magical Jelly Highlighter
Offered in five high-voltage hues, including hot pink and orange, Nu'Est's Magical Jelly Highlighters are truly, well, magical. There's a shade for just about every skin tone and the pigmentation is seriously impressive. Dust a dollop anywhere — lips, eyes, wherever — you want to achieve a little extra dew.
$15 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand10/10Almay Make Them Jelly Hi-Lite Blush Highlighter
Almay's Make Them Jelly Hi-Lite Blush Highlighter looks like your favorite candy cane-scented lip balm and goes on sheer and creamy like butter. And while the color might look aggressive in the package, the payoff is actually quite light and natural-looking. It's a must try if you have fun experimenting with color in your highlighter.
$9 (Shop Now)
Hair Texture: Fine-ish
Hair Color: Medium-to-dark brown
Biggest Hair Concern: Breakage, breakage, breakage
Skin Tone: Light/Medium with neutral undertones
Skin Type: Dry/Sensitive
Greatest Skin Concern: Redness ... Read more
