So it was finally time to throw out this palette from my collection because I hit pan and used up all the three shades of highlighter that I did use. At first, I liked this palette, but now, 2 years later, I couldn’t wait to get rid of it and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.

First of all, this palette was released when the highlighter craze was booming, but there weren’t many drugstore options. We all saw makeup gurus use their Anastasia glow kits, but not everyone has the money to buy a high-end highlighter palette. So when I saw this from e.lf. I bought it. The kit contains a golden highlighter, a rose highlighter like a pale blush, a nude highlighter which could also work as a contour shade and a bronze highlighter. All have shimmers in them, which I don’t mind because I like my shimmers, but…

At first, I was like oh, I like the natural effect these powders have. But then…girl, you really need to pack those on to see anything on your skin and if you have a darker skin tone, or if you’re a little tan in the summer, you can forget about it. Then, the powders are chalky and messy AF. You can see how dirty the palette looks and I’m the type of neat freak who uses makeup with care. I di my brush slowly, I always make sure to tap the excess somewhere else, not on the palette, but the mirror and the palette overall still is still covered in powder.

The only good thing I can say about the palette is that I like the sleek black packaging, it has a mirror and the plastic case is sturdy. Too bad the product doesn’t perform well at all. Oh, and that bronze shade I didn’t use because it’s orange and I have no use for it on my fair skin. Now when everybody and their mother has released highlighters, be it in compacts, kits, liquids and other types of textures, even at the drugstore, I really don’t think anyone would need this.

Especially since e.l.f. is not as cheap in Romania because there’s no official shop, just a firm that I think buys stuff in bulk and resells them, the prices are similar to other better brands such as Maybelline or L’Oreal. Oh, and we don’t have many of the newer products and we never get the limited edition ones. For example, this palette costs more than 10 euros at full price, and even when you buy it on sale it’s like7-8 euros and frankly, it’s simply not worth it.

So, I’m sorry e.l.f., I don’t have anything against the brand and I don’t want to bash it, but this illuminating palette gets only 1/5 ♥