I pitted Ariana Grande’s $28 R.E.M. Beauty Afterglow Highlighter against my $6 Essence baked powder. One cost me a dinner out. The other, a coffee.
The real test? Whether celebrity pricing buys you a glow that drugstore can’t fake. Spoiler: it’s not about the price tag — it’s about how it sits on your skin after hour six.
R.E.M. Beauty’s Afterglow Highlighter is a liquid luminizer in a doe-foot applicator — $28 for 0.5 oz. The claim is “second-skin” shine. Essence’s Pure Nude is a baked powder, $6, promises “natural glow.” I tested both on bare skin and over foundation.
Texture
Liquid dries down tacky in 15 seconds — powder disappears instantly. Your pick depends on patience.
Shimmer particle size
R.E.M. uses micro-fine pearl — no glitter chunks. Essence has visible shimmer but it’s forgiving.
Longevity
Eight hours in, R.E.M. still looked wet. Essence faded to a faint sheen by hour five.
Photo: pmv chamara / Unsplash
R.E.M. leans on synthetic fluorphlogopite (fancy mica) and vitamin E for slip. Essence uses silica and mineral oil. One feels hydrating, the other feels powdery — neither is skincare.
- Synthetic Fluorphlogopite: Gives that wet-look shimmer, not glitter
- Vitamin E: Slight slip, not enough to hydrate dry skin
- Silica (Essence): Blurs pores, but can look chalky on texture
- Mineral Oil (Essence): Cheap filler, no glow benefit
Photo: Tato Lopez / Unsplash
First swipe of R.E.M. felt like cold jelly — then it set to a tacky film. Essence brushed on like silk, no learning curve. R.E.M. looked dewy, almost sweaty on oily zones. Essence was more forgiving — but less impressive.
Week two hit: R.E.M. separated in the tube. Had to shake it like a Polaroid. Essence? Never betrayed me. The surprise? R.E.M. photographs better — camera loves the wet look. Real life? You look like you just ran up stairs.
Photo: Ashley Piszek / Unsplash
R.E.M. gave me a visible glow that lasted all day — but only if I prepped skin mattified. Essence looked natural instantly but disappeared by lunch. Neither broke me out. Both did the job. R.E.M. just did it louder.
Photo: marianela / Unsplash
R.E.M. Beauty’s highlighter is good — but not $22 better than drugstore. You’re paying for the name and the packaging, not a glow that changes your life.