Pure Nude Highlighter
BUY IT HERE
Essence Site →Amazon →Ulta →SUMMARY OF REVIEWS
Essence Pure Nude Highlighter is a baked powder that delivers a natural, candlelit glow without sparkle or shimmer, often compared to Hourglass Ambient Powders. Retired esthetician Beauty Over 70 With Lea calls it a dupe for Hourglass at a fraction of the price, and professional makeup artist Julia Adams MUA calls it a constant favorite. Several creators praise its undetectable, skin-like finish that doesn't emphasize fine lines, making it a reliable drugstore staple.
FULL REVIEWS
POSITIVE
- “This has been a constant favorite of mine for so long”10:41–10:49
- Source: What's in my makeup bag and my go-to everyday makeup look - Jan 10, 2026
- “If you want to highlight the skin and you want it to look glowy but not crinklify your skin, exaggerate fine lines, not look like a strobe beam during the day, do yourself a favor and get the Essence Pure Nude”10:36–10:41
- “You cannot screw this up”
- “It is literally going to do everything you need her to do and then some”10:52–10:58
- “It is just like the ambient powders”10:58–11:02
- “It gives you a true candle lit glow”
- “I have consistently reached for this product over and over throughout the years”11:00–11:08
- “If I didn't have this in the drawer, like I would go buy another one”
- “This is my favorite in the highlight category from the drugstore”11:39–11:44
- Source: Ultimate drugstore makeup guide: best in each category - Jul 21, 2025
Variant: Be My Highlight
- “I have hourglass. There's a color in my Hourglass palette in the three palette. You know how pricey Hourglass is? There's a color in there that's the same shade. Can't beat it for five bucks”12:53–12:59
- “Absolutely love it”
- Source: 2025 Holy Grail Drugstore Favorites - Jan 22, 2026
- “I've shared this as a dupe for some high-end quality highlighters”18:41–18:49
- “Because this is a baked formula, this gives you that natural dewy looking radiance that's so incredibly flattering”18:47–18:54
- “There is zero sparkle or glimmer”18:57–19:01
- “It's just very smooth and natural”19:00–19:05
- “It looks like a liquid highlighter, but it's in powder form”19:03–19:10
- “I love this”
- Source: Top drugstore makeup favorites in every category - Aug 31, 2025
- “This is my all-time favorite drugstore highlighter”11:52–11:58
- “This is my favorite highlighter”12:01–12:03
- “The formula of this is much different than the one that I just showed you”12:04–12:08
- “It's a little bit silkier, a little bit more natural, I guess, if you will”12:08–12:12
- “Like, it's going to give you a glow, but it's going to be much softer than the bouncy highlighter, which gives more of that wet glow”12:12–12:15
- “I just love this highlighter”
- “I wore this on my wedding day and just a classic favorite”12:21–12:28
- “Anytime I want a glow, but I don't want to do too much, this is the go-to”12:25–12:32
- Source: Full face of Essence makeup under $10 - Mar 28, 2026
- “If you were to ask me 5 years ago, do I have anything at the drugstore comparable to an Hourglass powder? This would be it”36:47–36:56
- “This is not a highlighter that is a bling in your face highlighter. It is a beautiful lit from within all over glow”37:03–37:13
- “It makes your face look like it doesn't have any powder on it, but it also doesn't make it look like you have a highlighter product on your face. It just looks like that's the kind of skin and makeup that you did. It's undetectable glow”37:16–37:25
- Source: Best makeup under $10 that perform like high-end - Feb 10, 2026
Variant: Be My Highlight
- “I just used a really light one today. I use my Essence Pure Nude”8:26–8:30
- Source: No touch-ups needed drugstore coverage routine - Mar 3, 2026
MIXED / NEGATIVE
No negative reviews yet — creators have only had good things to say.
WHAT CREATORS SAY
- Consensus
- 4.8 / 5 from 6 creator reviewsGrailPeople ratings based on creator reviews.
- Features
- Dewy finish (3) · Natural finish (3) · Easy to use (2) · Natural / everyday (2) · Everyday (2)
Product details
Details
- Type
- highlighter
- Finish
- satin
- Shade
- —
- Key ingredients
- Mica, Octyldodecanol, Boron Nitride, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Magnesium Stearate, Isopropyl Isostearate, Dimethicone, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Silica
Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission.
Links