Stila’s Heaven Hue highlighter is not new: since first launching back in 2017 this unique putty-like product has steadily amassed a devout beauty following.
While this product has been on my radar, I never truly appreciated it’s dazzling highly pigmented formula until I started wearing it. And, it’s not that I have anything against shimmer – I barely go a day without reaching for something glowy or dewy. As a beauty editor, it’s my job to befriend every highlighter that crosses my desk (yes, I realise this is the dream). And yet despite my glow-knowledge, the best sign of a great product is the stranger test…
On day one, I wore it to work (applied over Nars Luminous All Day foundation) two colleagues asked me, “what are you doing to make your skin glow like that?” The next day, a stranger on the train out-of-nowhere said, “excuse me, what make-up do you use?”
Without sounding conceited, I often get complimented on my lengthy eyelashes or wavy tresses but it’s nothing compared to how I feel when someone compliments my skin. Unlike going to the gym, skincare is something I approach with the discipline of a drill Sargent so it’s nice when people notice that I’ve put in the hard yards.
![Stila](https://www.marieclaire.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/media/46558/i-026647-highlighter-kitten-1-378.jpg)
My go-to shade is Kitten, a soft pink with a cool-toned reflective quality however it also comes in Transcendence, opalescent pink; and Bronze, sun-kissed glow. Stila usually supplements the classic trio with a limited edition variation. Unique in its texture, this bouncy-to-the-touch powder texture is nothing like you’ve felt before. As weightless as can be, which means you can build it up without feeling like you’re wearing anything.
Truthfully, I’ve only ever used my fingertips to apply this product because the warmth of your hands is ideal for working the putty formula into your skin.
I haphazardly apply this to cheeks, the browbone, the bridge of my nose, basically, anywhere I want to brighten up and somehow it blends seamlessly every time.
At $46 a pop, it’s on the pricey end of the spectrum but you don’t need a lot to achieve major results which means this highlighter is worth the splurge.
This article originally appeared on InStyle.