Benefit Watt's Up!

Ever since I became the proud owner of Dior Amber Diamond sometime last year, I stopped feeling the need to expand my highlighter collection purely because Amber Diamond was everything I was looking for in an everyday highlighter. However, there is now a new highlighter on the block that's definitely giving Amber Diamond a run for its money - Benefit Watt's Up!

Highlighter portion

Blending sponge

Watt's Up! is a peachy-gold cream highlighter with soft shimmer that comes in a twist-up stick on one end and a blending sponge on the other end. 

I like to think of Watt's Up as the cream version of Amber Diamond as the colors are very similar. On my skin tone (roughly NC23), I find the color of Watt's Up very flattering - it gives just the right amount of sheen while still looking natural and luminous. Compared to when I apply Amber Diamond with a MAC 188, I find that Watt's Up provides a bit more of a dramatic highlight and sheen than Amber Diamond, although it's not over the top or glittery in the least. It looks beautifully effortless when applied during the day but can also be easily built up for more drama at night.

I apply Watt's Up to my skin straight from the stick and then use my finger to blend it in. It doesn't take much effort at all as it blends in very easily. I prefer not to use the sponge simply due to my fear of contaminating it and then not being able to clean it thoroughly ;)

I've used Watt's Up on my bare skin and over my makeup (after foundation and powder), and it applies just as easily in both cases. Actually, what surprised me most about Watt's Up and ultimately made me fall in love with it is its ability to blend effortlessly over powder, especially considering it's a cream product. It does have a cream to powder formula, though, and compared to other cream to powder formula products I've tried, Watt's Up still has the sheen and luminosity of a cream product even after it's blended in and dried down to more of a powder finish. 

Swatched heavily (left) and blended in 

So, if I absolutely had to choose between Amber Diamond and Watt's Up, I think I would still choose Amber Diamond simply because I'm not sure how well the cream product (Watt's Up) is going to hold up on my oily skin in the warmer months and I'm not a massive fan of Watt's Up's packaging. However, I think it's safe to say that I'm pretty smitten with both highlighters as they're both amazing in their own ways :)

Moral of the story: I would definitely recommend Watt's Up since it's been quite a while since I've been this impressed with any other highlighter besides my trusty Amber Diamond!

Applied to the tops of cheekbones

Face:

Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation in #52

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage concealer in SC-3

Dior Sculpt Lifting Smoothing concealer in 002

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in Sand

Benefit Watt's Up

NARS blush in Mounia

Eyes:

UDPP in Greed

UD e/s in Half Baked

UD e/s in Smog

UD e/s in Darkhorse

UD e/s in Virgin

MAC eye kohl in Teddy

Milani Liquif'eye pencil in Black

Prestige My Blackest Lashes mascara

Lips:

MAC l/g in Boy Bait

Wishing you all a fun, warm, and safe holiday with your loved ones!