review: hard candy just glow! highlighting palette (struck by light)

My eyes instantly lit up. There were new Hard Candy products lining the shelves at my local drugstore. It had been a while since there any major changes happened in the section....so I was quite eager to take a look at the new line. Out of everything, the most eye-catching had to be the Just Glow! Highlighting Palettes. There were three in total. The first was a basic and bronzey highlighting set, the next had cooler blue tones, and the last was had a mixture of pinks, purples, and bronze colours. As you can see from the photo above, I decided to try the last of the three. (Though I must admit, that blue one was very tempting! It sold out quickly though, so I may have missed the boat.) Struck By Light includes three powder highlights and three cream highlights. Is it good? Bad? In between? Here is everything you need to know before you pick up the palette.

Just Glow! Highlighting Palette in Struck By Light 

The palette itself comes in simple plastic packaging but manages to sneak in some really fun details. Not only is there a holographic border along the outside and inside but there is also a Hard Candy push button on the front of the palette to open the product. It just goes to show...even an affordable drugstore palette can have packaging that is fun and exciting. Another great detail is the fact that there are actual names for the highlighting shades inside. I know! This is a rarity at the drugstore. The  product names include:

• Thunderburst (shimmery purple powder highlight)
• Light Up (soft pink powder highlight)
• Striking (warm bronze powder highlight)
• Flash (holographic pink cream highlight)
• Cloud Burst (holographic purple cream highlight)
• Bolt (holographic golden-pink cream highlight)

How do these perform? Let's start by looking at the powder highlights. They are beautiful, shimmery, and have a nice amount of pigmentation. Especially Thunderburst, that purple shade. These are kind of like a blush and highlight in one. I love to wear these on their own or layer them for a more intense and dramatic finish. My favourite look is the purple shade worn as a blush with Light Up, that soft pink layered over top. It is the perfect way to achieve a bolder blush look with plenty of shimmer and shine. I just love the way it looks!

Now for the bottom row, the cream highlights from Hard Candy. These all have a holographic finish and blend really nicely onto the skin. I love the variety of shades here, with a pink, purple, and golden tone to choose from. They can be worn alone or layered underneath one of the powder highlights for a more intense look. My only issue with these cream products? They really need to be applied using the fingers. It simply doesn't work well using a brush. That means the longevity of the creams will be limited for hygienic purposes. 

Want to see the palette in action? Here is a look that I created using that soft pink shade on the cheek and a bit underneath the brow bone as well. 

Overall, I am happy with this highlighting palette. There is lots of shimmer, I love that there are both cream and powder products, and that Hard Candy got really creative when it came to colour. They didn't play it safe! The holographic shades....the bold purples....amazing! Fingers crossed that I will be able to try out the blue inspired version as well. Until then, I will be enjoying the beautiful looks the Struck by Light highlighting palette can create.

Have you tried this palette? What did you think of it?