Essence 3D Dewy Look Stick & Holo Wow! Sparkle Stick

Essence launched a few new highlighting products in the last update, mostly notably a mermaid highlighter and there's also a highlighting palette, so these two highlighting stick versions sort of flew under the radar, at least that's the impression I got. Only these two exist, so the holographic one and the dewy one.

ESSENCE 3D Dewy Look Stick

10 dewy is the new matte

You don't see many of such highlighters, at least none come mind when I think about it, but its goal is to create a natural dewy/healthy skin effect without obvious shimmer. It has the same effect like using vaseline or a heavy, balmy moisturiser, meaning you get the greasy/wet looking shine. It's subtle and only visible when light hits it. When I swatched it and checked under a strong light, I noticed some tiny white shimmer in it, but it's not that visible once it's on the face. My main problem with this highlighter is that despite its claims it's a greasy product that feels just like vaseline on the face, so heavy, greasy and you constantly feel it on like a heavy moisturiser. I still prefer cream-to-powder formulas and regular powders.

The packaging is nice and simple, but like at most cheap sticks with a winding up mechanism, the base already broke off and I need to manually push the product back down.

Honestly, vaseline or even a lip balm does the same job, so it's nothing special, but it comes in a stick format, which at least leaves you with clean fingers.

It cost 3.79 €.

ESSENCE Holo wow! Sparkle stick

10 sparkles in your life

Holo version is a much stronger highlighter than the dewy one, in fact it can be applied very intense quickly if you wish it. It's got a violet-pink glow, so it's not really a holographic highlighter, but more of a duo chrome and it's has that mermaid/unicorn/sci-fi look to it.

Unlike the dewy version, this has a cream-to-powder formula, so it's one of those high-content silicone type of products that is dry to the touch after you apply it.

Staying power is impressive for Essence as this lasts quite a while on the cheeks, which is not that surprising given that it is an intense highlighter and they tend to last long.

I like it much more than the dewy one and I'm especially impressed by the strong shine, but it's not an every day type of highlighter.