Highlighters

Kevyn Aucoin Candlelight and Starlight – The Celestial Skin Liquid, Celestial Powder and Lip Gloss

March 28, 2016

A couple weekends ago I stopped by the Kevyn Aucoin booth at The Makeup Show LA and picked up the new Lip Glosses ($30 each for 5.04 ml) in Candlelight and Starlight along with the Celestial Skin Liquid Lighting ($52 for 30 ml) in Starlight. I already own the Celestial Liquid in Candlelight which I really like and was curious about the pink version. I did a review on the Celestial Powders a little over a year ago in this post here but I thought I’d feature all the Candlelight and Starlight products for the Celestial Skin Liquid, Celestial Powder and Lip Gloss in a single post to swatch them side by side in case you were wondering how the colors looked in different formulas.

Candlelight is the champagne-gold option while Starlight is the pink-tinged color. In my initial review about the powders, I mentioned that color of the Candlelight Celestial Powder was a slight miss for my skintone. I still stand by that opinion because the color is a bit too pale and too cool toned for what I like on the face. It’s still a very well made product and high quality (I like it as eyeshadow, just not on my cheeks). I personally prefer the color of the Celestial Skin Liquid which is deeper and more golden. It gives the skin a very soft luminous glow – those who are afraid of too much shimmer on the face should check out the Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Liquid because it gives the skin a very natural glow without the frost or shine. You can use it mixed in with foundation to add a nice luminosity or on top of cheekbones as a natural highlight. The Candlelight Lip Gloss is a gorgeous sparkling gold in the tube but it’s pretty much clear on the lips. It’s pretty when layered on top of lipsticks but I would have loved to see more pigment in the base.
For Starlight, I loved the Starlight Celestial Powder and still do. It’s a beautiful seashell pink shimmer that I find difficult to find in highlighters from other brands. It works well on cheeks as a highlight or the eyes as an all over wash. The pigment is very good and shimmer visible but not frosty. The Starlight Celestial Liquid is almost identical in color but has a more subtle finish compared to the powder. If I had to pick one, I would pick the powder mainly because it shows up more on my skin, but both are very good. The Starlight Lip Gloss is stunning. I’ve swatched both on the lips (scroll down) and it was hard to capture the depth of the shimmer but if you are in search of a soft seashell pink shimmer gloss that shows up the Starlight Lip Gloss is perfect. 

I won’t repost the images of the Celestial Powders since I already reviewed them here and swatched them above, but here are close ups and swatches of the Celestial Liquids and Lip Gloss in Starlight and Candlelight.

The glosses look identical in the lip swatch photos – the shimmer was difficult to capture, but Starlight shows up more on the lips closer to the arm swatch above. Both have a semi-thick texture but it’s not tacky. They are scented with a fruity scent but it’s pleasant and fades after a few minutes. Lasting power is like the average gloss – they will stay on the lips a while without fading or budging as long as you don’t touch the lips. They will transfer if you drink anything like cups of tea or coffee (or any other kind of drinks).

 

In terms of cream or liquid highlighters, the Edward Bess All Over Seduction highlighters are still hands down my favorites for adding a nice visible but natural glow to the face. I think the Celestial Skin Liquids from Kevyn Aucoin perform well – they are great for mixing in with foundation or adding a luminous glow to the cheeks in a very natural way. Lasting power is pretty good for a liquid (I find they last longer than Armani Fluid sheers). I know they have reached cult status for many, I think they are very good but for me I can’t personally say I find them must-haves. I will use mine up to the end but I don’t know that I will repurchase due to the high price tag combined with the fact that I prefer powder highlighters. Starlight Celestial Powder is still one of my favorites for pink highlighters. For the lip glosses, I would say that the Starlight gets a thumbs up from me. Candlelight is nice to have but not a must because of the sheerness – although there are times when I want a sheer sparkly gloss to add shine instead of color so in those cases this one fits the bill.


You can find Kevyn Aucoin products at a number of different retailers including Nordstrom, Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus, Space NK and Beautylish.

Do you have any Kevyn Aucoin favorites?

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