Melt Cosmetics Afterglow SexFoil Liquid Highlighter Review & Swatches

Afterglow

Melt Cosmetics Afterglow SexFoil Liquid Highlighter Melt Cosmetics Afterglow SexFoil Liquid Highlighter ($39.00 for 1.01 oz.) is a light-medium, rosy copper with flecks of gold micro-sparkle over a more pearlized sheen. It had semi-sheer, buildable pigmentation, which was as marketed, that worked well as a standalone highlighter or mixed in with foundation.

For face application, the pump dispensed far too much product, so it was necessary to pump the smallest amount I was able to achieve to the back of my hand first, then gently swirl a brush in that and then apply to my face. This allowed the product to air-dry a bit, which allowed me to tap it on and diffuse the edges without having to spread it over too-large of an area. For body application, the pump mechanism was fine, as one pump (or several) was easily used for all-over glow.

It had a very fluid, more gel-like consistency that was easy to spread over a larger surface area, and then it dried down to a more powder-like finish. I did not find it transfer-resistant enough to avoid getting it onto clothes, though. It wore well for eight and a half hours before fading a bit.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

ColourPop Out of Quartz (LE, $8.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
Bobbi Brown Tawny Glow (P, $48.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
Pat McGrath Champagne Gold (LE, $65.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
OFRA Blissful (P, $29.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
Rare Beauty Transcend (P, $22.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
Make Up For Ever 15 Golden Pink (P, $21.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
Morphe Boom (P, $14.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
Estee Lauder Mirage (LE, $47.00) is more shimmery, darker (85% similar).
Becca Rose Gold (P, $19.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (85% similar).
Dose of Colors Bathe (LE, $28.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

$39.00/1.01 oz. - $38.61 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to be "an emulsion of liquid pearl pigments that illuminate, hydrate, and add radiant dimension." The formula is intended to be used as a standalone highlighter on the face and the body, but it can also be mixed in with foundation. They recommend using a shade deeper than one's natural skin tone for a liquid bronzing effect. It is supposed to have "light" coverage and give a "natural glow" when worn alone.

It's a very fluid formula, almost watery, but there was more of a gel-like feel when I played with it and spread it out over my arm. I've found that despite being rather runny, it has a faster dry-down than I would have expected and applied well on bare skin, over foundation, or mixed in with foundation.

A few shades had more noticeable sparkle, and unlike a lot of liquid highlighters on the market, these had more depth in the shade spectrum, so some shades may work better for multi-tasking (e.g. alone, mixed in, etc.) than others depending on one's skin tone. In general, the shades produced a smoother, pearlescent sheen that wasn't as intense as the product name might suggest but certainly could be built up and made foil-like.

They sheered out readily and were a lot less intense/opaque compared to the brand's swatches (which were particularly frustrating since they took a full pump of product and didn't even let it dry!). The applicator took some getting used to but almost always pumped out too much product for use on the face.

It had more semi-sheer, buildable coverage, though it certainly depended on how much product was applied. For higher-coverage on the face, it was best applied onto the back of your hand, and then swirled a few times on a synthetic brush, then applied. This gave the formula some time to "dry" while being picked up on the brush, which translated to higher coverage on my face that didn't spread out as much.

They wore well for eight to nine hours on my cheeks. It was supposed to be transfer-resistant, which it sort of was--it didn't immediately move or migrate, and most of it was left behind, but a light tap of of my fingertip against the product revealed pearl on my fingertip (no rubbing was done!). There wasn't a noticeable scent.

Browse all of our Melt Cosmetics SexFoil Liquid Highlighter swatches.

Ingredients

WATER (AQUA), DIMETHICONE, MICA, ISONONYL ISONONANOATE, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, VP/VA COPOLYMER, C12-15 ALKYL BENZOATE, CALCIUM ALUMINUM BOROSILICATE, MYRISTYL ALCOHOL, BEHENETH-30, GLYCERYL ISOSTEARATE, PHENOXYETHANOL, GLYCERYL STEARATE, SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE, SILICA, GLYCERIN, POTASSIUM CETYL PHOSPHATE, SODIUM ACRYLATE/SODIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYL TAURATE COPOLYMER, SODIUM DEHYDROACETATE, CARBOMER, ISOHEXADECANE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, CETEARYL GLUCOSIDE, POLYSORBATE 80, SORBITAN OLEATE, SODIUM STEARATE, TOCOPHEROL, ASCORBYL PALMITATE, TIN OXIDE, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491).

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.