One of the things I look forward to most about holiday makeup collections is that there are almost always a few limited edition highlighters in the mix. This year, I’ve been a little disappointed on that front – there is a decided lack of highlighters in the 2013 holiday lineups. Where are all my pretty compacts with intricately etched designs and sparkling powders? In an effort to ease my dismay, I recently decided to treat myself to some Etude House Face Designing Brightener instead.

Etude House Face Designing Brightener ($16) is a powdered highlighter that comes in 5 different shades. I chose #01 Wannabe Face, which is a beige-toned shade, and #02 Dolly Face, which is pink-toned. The difference between the two colors is very obvious in the pan and in swatches, but I’ve found that once they’ve been applied to my face, it’s hard for me to tell one from the other.

The Etude House Face Designing Brighteners both have a good amount of sparkle but no large chunks of glitter, and both of them provide a nice, even, lifting effect when spread over the tops of my cheeks and outside of my eye area. They are a little on the dry side, but they both wear well and have great staying power. I get about 9 hours of wear from each of them before I begin to see signs of any fading. The Face Designing Brighteners aren’t quite as smooth in application as some of my favorite highlighters, such as theBalm Mary Lou Manizer or my Estée Lauder Illuminating Powder Gelée in Heat Wave.

The packaging is cute, but very basic by Etude House standards. I actually prefer this basic look – I’m a little old for much of the cutesier packaging. Anytime I break out the more princess-inspired Etude House packaging, I feel it looks as though I’ve stolen a little girl’s purse and left her crying in front of her heart-shaped vanity.

Overall, I think the Etude House Face Designing Brighteners are nice, but a little on the boring side as far as highlighters go. The price is certainly a bonus, and I think the slim case design makes them ideal for travel. I’m glad I picked them up, but I must admit – they didn’t do much to fill the void of limited edition, luxury highlighters I was hoping for this year. However if you’re looking for a straightforward highlighter that doesn’t break the bank, the Etude House Face Designing Brightener will get the job done.

Pros:

+ Slim compact design

+ Smooth application

+ Long wearing (9+ hours)

+ No glitter chunks

Cons:

– A little on the dry side

– Difficult to tell the difference between colors on the face

Skin & Tonics Rating:

Performance: 4/5 – Long-wearing, and sparkly without being glittery. I wish the hue was a bit more visible on the face, though.

Quality: 4/5 – Sturdy packaging, formula is a little on the dry side

Value: 5/5 – You get a lot of product for $16 – these little compacts will last for a couple of years!

Overall: 4.4/5

Where to Buy:

I bought mine from W2Beauty for $16 each. If you’d like to pick these up from W2Beauty, you can use my sponsor code 025605 at sign up to receive a free, $5 voucher towards your next purchase. You can also enter voucher code Skin&Tonics at checkout and receive a free sheet mask with your order!

Etude House Face Designing Brightener is also available from eBay seller beautynetkorea for $13 + $2.50 shipping.