Liquid Highlighter Comparisons: Life's Entropy, NARS, Benefit, BECCA

There were some questions that came up after I posted my review of Life's Entropy's Galaxy Glow Illuminators. One of them was: How did Life's Entropy's Illuminators compare to mainstream liquid highlighters? Since I have a Sephora near my workplace, I decided to go and do a rough comparison! Please note that all pictures were taken from my phone, so I apologize if the quality isn't as great as it can be.
 
The three mainstream liquid highlighters I picked to compare to LE's GG Illuminator are: NARS' Illuminator (Copacabana), Benefit's High Beam, & BECCA's Shimmering Skin Perfector (Moonstone). Please note that all swatches was on bare skin.

30 minutes after application - In the office (bright white lighting):

Left to right: LE's GG Illuminator (Solstice), NARS' Illuminator (Copacabana),
Benefit's High Beam, BECCA's Shimmering Skin Perfector (Moonstone)

Left to right: LE's GG Illuminator (Solstice), NARS' Illuminator (Copacabana),
Benefit's High Beam, BECCA's Shimmering Skin Perfector (Moonstone)

4 hours after application (daylight lighting):

Left to right: LE's GG Illuminator (Solstice), NARS' Illuminator (Copacabana),
Benefit's High Beam, BECCA's Shimmering Skin Perfector (Moonstone)

NARS: Illuminator (Copacabana) - $30

NARS is a thicker formula from LE's Illuminator, so it feels more like a cream than a liquid. Upon application, it went on smoothly until I tried to add on more product. That's when it gets a little streaky with uneven buildup. It was actually a bit annoying trying to even it out when this happened. Once the product dried, it stayed on for a pretty long time.

Benefit: High Beam - $26

Benefit's High Beam is more liquid than LE's Illuminator and goes on pretty sheer. It looks like it diffuses light a bit better than the other highlighters, which is a plus. However, doesn't last that long. After 4 hours after application, the heavy part of the swatch was only showing up a little compared to the others. I also hate the brush that comes with the packaging. It's like I'm using nail polish, but on my skin and that is just plain awkward.

BECCA: Shimmering Skin Perfector (Moonstone) - $41

With BECCA, I tried on Moonstone, which is described as a pale gold, like LE's Solstice Illuminator. The formula is similar and the product was very easy to apply and blend out. Unlike LE's Illuminator, BECCA had more of a sheen and was the least sparkly of the four. It also blended with my skin tone pretty well to the point where it was difficult to capture it on camera. I mean... seriously. Look at the swatches. In both bright white and daylight lighting, it's not that easy to pick it out. It's the least reflective of the highlighters. If you're going for something really subtle, this might be the highlighter for you.

Even after dry down, BECCA's highlighter helps moisturize the skin, so that's nice. However, I'm starting to view it more as a tinted moisturizer rather than a highlighter due to how sheer it is. I also tried the shade Pearl and it just got absorbed by my skin.

Overview

• Application: BECCA and LE's liquid highlighters both applied similarly and smoothly. NARS was the worst if you wanted to build up the product.
• Pigmentation: NARS was the most pigmented due to it being more like a cream. BECCA was the most sheer and blended right into my skin.
• Reflectivity:  NARS reflected the most light while BECCA reflected the least.
• Sparkly vs. Sheen: LE came out as the most sparkly of the four. BECCA's product has more of a sheen.
• Blendability: LE & Benefit were both very easy to blend. NARS was the worst due to the streaking.
• Longevity: LE & NARS both stayed well into the night. Benefit was the first to go.
• Price Range: For $12, LE is the most affordable of the four. BECCA's the most expensive selling at $41.

Thoughts
This really comes down to what you're looking for in a highlighter. Do you want something more reflective or more subtle? More opaque or more sheer? More sparkly or more of a sheen? Or do you want the added benefit of it being moisturizing?

Of the four, I feel that LE's GG Illuminators have a pretty good balance across the spectrum. And for $12, you can't really beat the price. However, if you don't want the sparkly aspect and want something more subtle, BECCA will probably be the one for you. You'll have to build it up due to how sheer it is, but it can work. You can also use BECCA as a moisturizer to give your entire face a very subtle glow.

Hope this helps a bit!