Benefit Cosmetics | Cookie Highlighter & Tickle Highlighter: Review and Swatches

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I cannot believe that it's been almost two years since I've written about Benefit Cosmetics on the blog! One of the first department store brands I splurged on when I was younger, Benefit holds a special place in my heart so it's always a treat to test out their products. Today I want to share a couple of powder highlighters released last Summer. I'm not sure why but I feel like they kind of fell under the radar when first released because I did not see them at all in my social media feeds. However, given how gorgeous they are, this needs to be rectified! I've got all the details and swatches of the Cookie Highlighter (C$40 for 8 g) and Tickle Highlighter (C$40 for 8 g) to share. To read on, click......

Benefit Cosmetics | Cookie Highlighter & Tickle Highlighter

Packaging:

Housed in the classic Benefit cardboard box-o-powder packaging, the Cookie Highlighter and Tickle Highlighter each offers a generous 8 g of product and a mini powder brush. I've always been a bit on the fence about the box-o-powder packaging. On one hand, they look super cute but on the other, they don't do well with wear and tear and easily dents over time.

Benefit Cosmetics | Cookie Highlighter & Tickle Highlighter

With these two boxes, unfortunately, the packaging looks a bit cheap (which is not usually the case with the Benefit boxed powders). The construction is rather shoddy, with slanted sides and peeling edges found on both boxes. Additionally, the glittery hair of the girl on the box is a printed glitter pattern instead of actual glitter embossing. None of these are dealbreakers for me but given how exquisite the Benefit box-o-powders tend to be (ex. the GALifornia Blush, reviewed here), it's a little disappointing to see the difference in quality/design.

Benefit Cosmetics | Cookie Highlighter

Formulation:

With a silky, super finely-milled formulation that almost feels like a cream, the Cookie Highlighter is a beautiful gold champagne pearl. The powder is packed to the brim with iridescent mica so the highlighting effect it provides is quite intense. If you are into a strobing effect, you can easily achieve this by applying the product directly with your fingertips. Although not glittery, Cookie does come off quite sparkly. So if you prefer your highlighter to be no more than a sheen, then one this may be too intense. One other thing that I want to point out is that Cookie can look a little odd at certain angles. As I have pretty fair skin, I find that when not directly facing the light, the highlighter looks a little "muddy", without giving off the same warm champagne glow it would when the light hits directly. This effect is not apparent if the highlighter is applied very sparsely. Nevertheless, I personally wouldn't recommend the Cookie Highlighter to those with paler skin tones. On a warm olive skin tone, however, Cookie would be a dream!

Benefit Cosmetics | Tickle Highlighter

Next up is a golden pink highlighter called Tickle. Although still smooth and silky, the texture is looser and more powdery as compared to that of the Cookie Highlighter. The powder looks quite pink in the box but once applied, it provides only a sheer hint of pink with a very strong and very warm golden sheen. Therefore, if you have a fair to light skin tone with cool undertones, Tickle might not be the best fit. However, if you have a fair to light skin tone with a neutral to warm skin tone, Tickle provides a very youthful and healthy glow to the cheeks.

Benefit Cosmetics | Cookie Highlighter & Tickle Highlighter

Availability:

Benefit is available online and in stores at Sephora, Shoppers Drug Mart, and www.benefitcosmetics.com.