I think I have finally found a face highlighter/illuminator than I can wear without getting clogged pores. I wrote about how sad I was that I had to get rid of my Benefit High Beam because it has pore-clogging ingredients, and every other similar product I have seen recently contains problematic ingredients for acne-prone skin.
Origins Halo Effect
Origins makes a product called Halo Effect, which comes in two colors - Pink Potion and Golden Potion. I bought the pink version, and so far I really like it. It’s similar to Benefit High Beam, but it is not as creamy, and it dries with almost a powdery finish. Origins says “this lightweight pearly potion casts an ethereal aura over skin to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative. Use it to give cheeks a glistening gleam. Make browbones subtly beam. Glistening mica shines a luminous light on facial features while taking focus away from fine lines and flaws.” I don’t know if it does all that, but it gives a nice subtle pink/silver shimmery sheen to my browbones and cheeks. I haven’t used it anywhere else. You can also mix it with your foundation.
While the product doesn’t appear to have pore-clogging ingredients, it has a lot of essential oils, which could be problematic for someone with really sensitive skin. Since I’m not putting it all over my face, I don’t think it will be a problem.
In the end, I might prefer a product that is a bit creamier since I have dry skin, but it’s more important for me that my makeup doesn’t cause breakouts. Have you tried Halo Effect?
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March 11th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Hello,
I was interested in this product; however, I always look to Paula Begoun for advice on which products to use, and she claims, this is unusable, because of the essential oils. But maybe I will try it anyways…
March 11th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Yeah I always check out Paula’s book to see what she says about any product I buy. Personally, I am primarily concerned with products that don’t clog my pores, or visibly irritate my skin. I haven’t had any adverse reaction to the Halo Effect, and in a perfect world, I would find something without the essential oils in it, but I’ve yet to find a similar product without pore-cloggers. And my skin isn’t that sensitive, so that could be why I don’t have an issue with a lot of the aggravating ingredients Paula warns against.
If you don’t have acne-prone skin, there are a ton of good face highlighers to choose from!
March 12th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Hello Again,
I found a highlighter that Paula finally approves of - Stila All Over Shimmer Liquid Luminizer
March 12th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
I’m pretty sure the Stila has pore-clogging ingredients. I went to Sephora and looked at every single brand of highlighters, and couldn’t find one that didn’t clog pores! Actually I think the Sephora brand was okay, but it didn’t look good. But if you don’t get acne, it doesn’t matter and the Stila should be great.
March 21st, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Yay, you found a good replacement :D
While I was browsing around at CVS today, I noticed that Sally Hansen had it’s own little display of it’s new organic makeup line. One of the products that caught my eye was it’s Luminizing Face Primer. The word ‘luminizing’ should have been my first hint that it had little flecks of glitter and what not in it, but it seems like a cheaper alternative that I thought I should mention :]
Looking at the list of ingredients, though, I think of few of them may be pore cloggers D:
June 4th, 2008 at 5:10 am
hi i love your blog! i’m always on the lookout for informative, helpful beauty blogs and i think yours is great.
my pores clogged pretty badly from benefit high beam…and nars the multiple. such a pity because they looked so great! so i’ve been searching for a perfect luminizer and i think halo effect is pretty great. i’ve also been using lorac oil free luminizer. i didn’t realize it has any potential for acne because it seems to be oil free…
have you tried boots no 7 illuminating lotion? it’s more subtle but very pretty pearly pink and hypoallergenic.