Product Rave: Estee Lauder ‘Heat Wave’ Highlighter

When this product landed on my doorstep this week, I let out an audible gasp. It is without a doubt, the most stunning looking makeup product I’ve seen. Ever. And being a beauty blogger… I’ve seen a lot.


It’s the ‘Heat Wave’ highlighter from the Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess collection for Summer 2013. If I’m honest, the rest of the collection was passable for me, but this is just stunning. It looks like solid gold in person. If I had to buy just one product from a collection this year so far, this would be it.

I know, I know… I’m a total sucker for the aesthetic element. So how does the product actually perform?

Well, it’s one of Estee Lauder’s Powder Gelee products so it has a slightly spring-y texture to it. It’s fairly glittery when you test it out on your hand, but applied to the face and blended over the cheekbones and brow bones it is really beautiful. It’s also build-able so you can use it for a subtle sheen, or a full-on pearlescent glow.

It doesn’t necessarily ‘outperform’ my other favourite highlighters (namely MAC’s By Candlelight MSF and Dior’s Amber Diamonds) but I would say it’s as good, and let’s face it, it makes a stunning addition to the makeup bag!

It’s also lovely to use as an eyeshadow on lazy days and what is really nice about it is that it doesn’t look like a mess after just a couple of uses. Because the product is moulded into the sun-beam pattern, it stays like that. (Unlike regular golden spray-over products, which are always a disappointment!)

You can pick this up from Estee Lauder counters now, along with the rest of the Bronze Goddess 2013 Collection, It will set you back £30.

P.S: I’m not exactly sure what the little sponge/brush thing that comes with it is meant to do, but I found it to be pretty useless for applying the product! It would definitely have been better without it, and in smaller packaging (or in the same size packaging… with more product!)