Embrace Your Inner Beauty Witch with Highlighters and Crystals
There's no better time than Spooky Season to learn how to cross the worlds of beauty and the metaphysical, and thus evolve into a veritable beauty witch. And beyond that, it's Libra-Scorpio cusp season, AKA the perfect time to put some mysterious tendencies to a practical, self-care use. Thus, presenting an aesthetically pleasing (and spellbinding) match made in heaven: crystals and highlighters.
This may seem like a total duh of a match, but I’m here to explain to you exactly why that is. Have you ever noticed how so many beauty brands name their highlighters after crystals and gemstones? That’s because Earth’s natural highlight is on fleek—and crystals serve as a source of pigment inspiration for cosmetic companies thanks to their natural sparkle and shine. But whether you’re at a Spencer Pratt level of crystal mastery or a Farrah Moan level of highlighter addiction, hopefully this will shed some light (no pun intended) on how you can actually combine both of their powers together to attain one big, gleaming ball of positive energy—inside and out. Let’s dive in!
Amethyst + ColourPop Crystal Liquid Highlighter in Amethyst:
Amethyst is one of the most widely recognized crystals in the world thanks to its signature purple hue, which is exactly what Cali-based beauty brand ColourPop tapped into when creating their line of crystal-inspired offerings for the stone. While they also carry an Amethyst Crystal Balm and an Amethyst Crystal Priming Spray, we’re here to talk about highlighters—and the Amethyst Liquid Highlighter they created is nothing short of stunning. Not only is it infused with real, crushed up Amethyst crystals, but the formula itself can be used as either a lightweight liquid highlighter or it can be mixed in with your moisturizer or foundation for a more subtle glow. The color of the highlighter itself is gorg—a soft lavender with a twist of pale pink, that leaves behind the most gorgeous opalescent glow on skin—so your cheekbones will legit look like a piece of Amethyst when they hit direct sunlight.
But more important than looking good is feeling good: Amethyst is the ultimate stone for protection, and has also been known to release anxiety, overcome addiction (smoking, drinking, drug use), and clear out negativity. Interestingly enough, the name Amethyst has sort of a messy backstory to it. Basically, according to legend: Dionysus (the Greek god of wine) was trying to holler at a nymph named Amethyst, who was not *clap* having *clap* it *clap* so she asked the Goddess Diana for help, who ended up turning her into a clear crystal to hide from him. When Dionysus found out what she had done, he threw wine on her clear crystal—hence Amethyst’s purple color, and also why it’s a stone known to protect against drunkenness and addictions. I mean, wouldn’t you be pissed if some dude threw a drink on you and vow to protect others from such behavior, too?! For those who enjoy meditating or getting witchy at home, place Amethyst near or on you for psychic protection and balance. And since ColourPop’s Amethyst Liquid Highlighter already has bits of the crystal in it, the high points of your face can feel protected all day after application. Personally, I like applying it along my cheekbones and over my cupid’s bow while blasting "Violet" by Hole in my bathroom—but hey, to each their own.
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Citrine + Farsali Jelly Beam Illuminator/Highlighter:
Yes, I finally got my hands on the highlighter that everyone on the Internet has been freaking out about—and yes, it really does live up to the hype. But before I blab about that, let’s talk about Citrine! Appropriately dubbed from the French word “citron” (which translates to lemon), Citrine beams abundantly rich hues spanning from pastel-yellows to deep-ambers, depending on the variety you may come across. My favorite spiritual properties about Citrine are its abilities to promote self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-expression, thanks to its power of illuminating and enhancing one’s natural-born creativity. Whenever I’m in a creative rut or feeling down on myself in general, I reach for Citrine—and the same theory applies to reaching for Farsali’s Jelly Beam Illuminator/Highlighter, too.
Honestly, in all my years of being a beauty editor and a beauty consumer, Jelly Beam is one of the most striking and innovative illuminators I’ve ever come across—which probably explains why it keeps selling out online. It works like this: The formula glides on as a jelly texture on skin, but sets similar to a powder, leaving behind a silky finish that doesn’t melt or goo. It’s insanely blendable, and even the smallest dab has major pigment payoff—I’ve even seen some people highlight their collarbones, shoulders, and neck with it! It’s definitely not for the makeup shy: If you want your highlighter to be seen, believe me, you’ll be glowing—and BTW, there’s nothing wrong with that! Makeup is also a powerful tool for self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-expression (sound familiar?)—and sometimes getting a little glam by applying some highlighter before going out can give an immediate boost of confidence. Since it carries the power of the Sun, Citrine is the ultimate regenerator of light—so whenever you’re in need of spiritual illumination, reach for one (or both) of these power sources to help guide out of any darkness.
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Clear Quartz + Glossier Haloscope in Quartz:
Matching these two together is a total no-brainer: Glossier’s Haloscope in Quartz is not only soaked in genuine crystal extracts, but it’s also blended with coconut, sweet almond, and castor seed oil as well as vitamin E for mega-hydration and dew. But although it’s made up of real crystals, there’s no glitter here: Glossier prides itself on being a brand that blurs the line between makeup and skincare, and this product is no exception—it’s so lightweight and easy-to-wear that you can apply it on-the-go sans mirror just by tapping it onto the high points of your face—it really is magic. Just like Glossier, Clear Quartz is a simple, yet mystical, stone similar in vibe when it comes to its effort, ease, and versatility. One could even argue that Clear Quartz is the equivalent to the “model off duty” attitude—it doesn’t have to do much to look alluring except just be itself.
Since it’s an all-purpose healing stone that can be used in a myriad of ways (for a myriad of reasons), Clear Quartz is a stone that everyone should have on deck. It’s especially great for clearing and cleansing blockages since it contains both no color and every color of the rainbow at the same time, so it can remove and purify negative energy like no other. If you’re looking for something quick, clear, and effective, consider these two your new BFFs.
Malachite + Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter in Golden Mint:
This pairing may be for the more advanced crystal and highlighter enthusiasts out there, but I promise they’re worth everyone’s attention! If you’re unfamiliar with Malachite, let’s go into a mini-crystal history lesson on the stone: Malachite is a green carbonate mineral which gets its color thanks to its high copper content, and is known as a powerful stone that can repel negative energy, break outworn patterns, and aid in one’s soul transformation. It’s not for the crystal beginner, and I encourage anyone who’s interested in picking up a piece of Malachite to do their research first, as one should be mentally prepared for its incredibly healing energetic force.
Back in the day, the ancient Egyptians wore Malachite as jewelry and placed it in their adornments—they even smashed the stone to use the powder as eyeshadow! Painters used the same technique to make Malachite pigments for paint, but neither should be attempted nowadays due to the stone’s toxicity in powdered form. Lucky for us, makeup formulas have come a long way since then, which leads me to Becca’s Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter in Golden Mint. Like Malachite, unconventionally-hued makeup pigments are sometimes misunderstood—but there’s nothing scary about Becca’s Golden Mint highlighter: It’s a very light shade that’s both green-ish and gold-ish, transforming the wearer’s skin into a chameleon since it looks more green or more gold depending on how the light catches and reflects off of it. And although it’s mint green, it’s a surprisingly flattering hue for all skin tones—leaving whoever is rocking it to bask in an undeniably powerful and unique auric field, just like Malachite.
Moonstone + Rituel de Fille Rare Light Luminizer in Lunaris:
What does the word “Goddess” mean to you? Who do you see when you close your eyes and imagine that word? Yourself? Your mom? Your best friend? Britney Spears? I’m asking only as a brain exercise, because I think it’s interesting how everyone has their own specific definition of what or who a Goddess is to them—for me, I immediately think of the High Priestess card in Tarot. Moonstone, which is the gem of the High Priestess, isn’t a difficult stone to understand based on its name and how it looks—obviously it’s associated with our lovely Moon—the controller of emotions, feminine energy, water, and intuition (just like the High Priestess herself). Whether you’re looking for a gem to help you on a journey for deep emotional healing, or as a way to help guide your intuitive compass, look no further than Moonstone.
One of the coolest ways I recommend using Moonstone is during ritual on different Moon cycles, because not only does the stone become more powerful, but I become more powerful during it, too. This is because Moonstone controls all things feminine—but you don’t have to identify as female to tap into this stone’s spirit, since it balances and assists with the feminine side—an energy that everyone, no matter what gender you identify with, or if you’re gender nonconforming, can tap into. This leads me to Rituel de Fille’s Rare Light Luminizer in Lunaris, which is self-described as “moonlight at your fingertips.” If you’re looking for an ethereal highlighter, consider this opalescent, iridescent, and pearlescent creamy illuminator your ultimate weapon when evoking your inner-Goddess. And if you thought it was impossible to radiate at night, think again: I actually recommend only wearing Lunaris when the sun goes down, preferably on a full moon for optimum moonlight bathing, of course.
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Rose Quartz + Milk Makeup Liquid Strobe Highlighter in Aura:
Oh Rose Quartz, how I love you. I could sing Rose Quartz’s praises forever—but most of us are already familiar with this incredible crystal’s loving and magnetic powers, so I’ll keep it brief and as gush-free as possible. Rose Quartz really services love in all ways: If you’re looking for new love, it’ll attract it into your life; if you’re currently in a relationship, it’ll help sustain the love that’s already there; or if you’ve loved and lost, it’ll help heal, mend, and comfort grief, pain, and heartache. It’s the ultimate healer of love, in all definitions, and there are a million ways you can access its incredibly giving energy. Ancient Egyptians even used the powdered form in their skincare regimens to clear-up skin by making Rose Quartz face masks!
Milk Makeup’s Liquid Strobe Highlighter in Aura gives us a modern way to mimic the effects of wearing Rose Quartz—no crushing of crystals necessary (which, by the way, you should not do unless you are qualified to do so). Aura is a baby pink liquid illuminator that you can roll along your cheekbones, eyes, cupid’s bow, collarbone, or whenever you want to add a little love to. Thanks to the crushed pearl elixir-infused formula, it’s super long-wearing and has a shimmer you’ll have to swatch to believe—consider it love at first swipe.
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Selenite + Marc Jacobs Glow Stick Glistening Illuminator in Spotlight:
I first fell in love with the Marc Jacobs Glow Stick Glistening Illuminator when a friend of mine whipped it out of her bag and started smearing it on her face at lunch. “What is that?!” my beauty editor brain demanded to know. “Wait, you’ve never tried this before? It’s the best highlighter ever,” she said as she slid it over to me. “Try it on.” I know, I know, sharing makeup is gross—but when you’re as product-obsessed as I am, certain exceptions must be made. Since that interaction, Glow Stick has been my go-to, everyday highlighter—so much so, that I’ve already gone through two sticks of it and am currently chipping away at my third one.
Similar to a Selenite wand, it seems like I just magically wave it over my skin and viola, all is perfect. This is because it’s universally-flattering, thanks to its formula which has specs of both silver and gold found inside it, so it works on warm- and cool-toned skin, which also allows you to wear it year round (like I do). The best part is actually the shape of the oval stick applicator itself, which was designed to perfectly sweep over cheekbones to deliver just the right amount of dewiness. Selenite is similar in theory, since it’s effective without having to try so hard, either. Named after the Greek Moon goddess, Selene, and translates to “moonlike glow,” Selenite is all about clarity of the mind and spreading light. If you’re calling on your Higher Self, your spirit guides, your angels, or any otherworldly energy you believe in, consider Selenite one of the best crystals to help guide you on your path to enlightenment—even if said enlightenment is as simple as applying highlighter everyday.
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Smoky Quartz + Urban Decay Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter in Sin:
If you’re in need of a purge—whether that means mental, emotional, or spiritual—Smoky Quartz is the crystal to combat any and all negative stressors in your life. I purposely paired it with Urban Decay’s Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter in Sin not only because of its champagne-hued shade that reminded me of the muted tans found in bits of Smoky Quartz, but also because of its name, Sin, and how that relates back to Smoky Quartz’s powerful antidotes. Don’t get me wrong, I know it’s fun being a little sinful every now and then, but there’s nothing cool about being trapped repeating the same harmful cycle in your life over and over again. Smoky Quartz is the ultimate crystal when it comes to allowing one to shed what no longer serves them in their life—that includes the ego. Allow this powerful stone to help ground you and protect you from gloomy energy and stress—and dust this highlighter on for double (trouble) protection, as well.
Tiger’s Eye + Fenty Beauty By Rihanna Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in Trophy Wife:
Aligning Tiger’s Eye with Fenty Beauty’s Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in Trophy Wife seemed like a match made in heaven to me for a few reasons: First, Rihanna is the queen of balance, perseverance, and creativity (all things Tiger’s Eye promotes)—and second, Rihanna’s eyes look exactly like Tiger’s Eye (right?!), since they both have bits of yellow and gold sparkling in them. As much as I’d love to use this opportunity to write a love letter to Fenty Beauty and thank Rihanna for creating such an important, diverse, and inclusive beauty line—I’m instead going to rave about one of her products I don’t feel like I hear about enough: The Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in Trophy Wife, a cream-to-powder 3D metallic gold that’s unbelievably pigmented and perfect for unleashing your inner bad gal. I know it’s annoying to say “it’s lit”—but trust me, it’s really lit.
Apparently Roman soldiers wore Tiger’s Eye in battle to protect them, and part of me thinks makeup lovers use the same battle tactic with highlighters by using it as their own shield of protection. If that doesn’t resonate with you, then consider some other healing properties Tiger’s Eye has, since it helps deal with issues of self-worth and self-criticism by providing strength and vitality.
I guess what I’m getting to is this: Don’t let anyone judge you based on how little or how much makeup you wear, if any at all. At the end of the day, it’s nobody’s business if you’re wearing no-makeup makeup or every color of the rainbow on your face—you do you. And if you need some added protection when being your most authentic self, consider picking up one of these crystal companions to help guide and inspire you on your way.
