Resting bitch face and Burberry highlighters: A review

tl;dr - I loved all three of the #complimentary Burberry products from Influenster! The light-reflecting primer evened out my skin tone, and the two highlighters gave my cheeks a confident glow. I'm new to highlighting, though - not sure if my positive reaction is because of novelty. Minus a point because in photos, the highlighter enhances my pores and my natural oiliness. 4/5

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I'm a highlighter n00b - but all this highlighting/strobing/contouring etc. business has got me curious. So I was thrilled to try out these products from Burberry! I tried them on-the-go to stress test them (because let's be real here - I'm often putting my makeup on in the car, on the airplane, etc...)

Product 1: Fresh Glow - Luminous Fluid Base in Golden Radiance No. 2

Claim on Sephora's website: "A Burberry runway beauty icon, this multi-use primer illuminates the complexion to create the signature, Burberry dewy glow."

I found this primer to have a smooth, velvety texture. When I swatched it on my hand, it looked super shimmery (see above), but it looked natural and even when applied to my face. I do wish it had a built-in mineral-based SPF like Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer or an immediate, noticeable smoothing effect like Smashbox Photo Finish Primer.

Above, the photo on the left is how I look with a light layer of powdery foundation (Neutrogena Mineral Sheers in Natural Beige 60), and the photo on the left is with a layer of the primer on top. It's hard to tell in the photos, but I did feel like applying the primer blurred some of my imperfections and gave me a more consistent skin tone overall.

Product 2: Fresh Glow - Highlighting Luminous Pen in Nude Radiance No. 1

Claim on Sephora's website: "The Fresh Glow Highlighting Luminous Pen glides effortlessly across the skin with precision to highlight targeted areas of the face."

I’ve found myself reaching for this highlighting stick more and more on busy mornings. It’s so easy to apply, and I love catching glimpses of the highlight throughout the day - it definitely makes me feel more confident. It blends well and gives my cheekbones a subtle glow.

Here's how I look with the highlighting pen on top of the Luminous Fluid Base primer:

Product 3: Fresh Glow Highlighter - Illuminating Powder in Rose Gold No. 4

Claim on Sephora's website: "A lightweight and illuminating face powder with an intricate lace-pattern design."

Finally, the highlighter compact was the main event of this set: gorgeously packaged (just look at how intricately the surface is sculpted!) and leaves a pretty rose gold glow on your cheek bones. It affords a softer, more “airbrushed” look than the stick does. It came with a mini slanted brush that I wish were stored inside the compact for convenience - I'm always losing the brush! I end up applying the highlighter with my fingers, which doesn't allow me to blend as well.

Here's how I look with the highlighting powder layered over the Luminous Fluid Base and the Highlighting Luminous Pen:

The verdict?

All in all, I enjoyed the experience of trying these highlighting products, but I wonder if I only liked them because I am new to the world of highlighting.

Another thing to note: by the end of the day, it was difficult to tell where I’d applied highlighter because my face is naturally oily, and it eventually gets shiny all over. It’s kind of like seeing someone with resting bitch face: do they look like that because they’re angry/mean at the moment, or does their face just look like that all the time, naturally? For me, the question is whether my cheekbones are shiny because I used highlighter, or because my face is just naturally oily.

Above are some selfies I took while wearing various combinations of these products (shout out to my friend Lauren @fitavocado who's in one of the selfies with me) - they've got me wondering if the selfies would have looked any different were I not wearing these highlighting products?

In any case, I’m going to continue using these products (worth the confidence boost!) and try new highlighters, too. Any recommendations? I’d love to try your favorites and review them on this blog!