Glow On

Melt Cosmetics Digital Dust Highlights: A First Look [EXCLUSIVE]

For the past couple of years, cult-favorite brand Melt Cosmetics has been known for its ultra matte lipsticks and pigmented shadows. Now, Melt Cosmetics Digital Dust Highlights will also be joining their family of bold cosmetics, taking the brand into a new, uncharted category.

While I was scrolling through the IG explorer page for my daily dose of time-lapse makeup tutorials, I came across an absolutely stunning image of a model with a jaw-dropping glow glimmering along her cheek bones. As an assistant beauty editor who's all about that glow I, of course, had to learn more. I found myself on Lora Arellano's profile page (one of the founder's of Melt Cosmetics). Beneath the image, Arellano sneakily announced that Melt Cosmetics is launching its first highlighter ever. "That @meltcosmetics highlight doeeee!! In shade Stargazer," she wrote. Like myself, many fans freaked out at the news. "Did you say @meltcosmetics highlighter??!!!! My prayers have been answered," wrote one user. Many also questioned the exact timing of this glorious highlighter. Arellano responded to fans verifying that the highlighter will be coming out next month. Squeals. But wait, it gets even more exciting. Melt Cosmetics gave us the full lowdown on their glow babies.

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Before we jump into it, here is a bit of background on Melt Cosmetics for those who aren't familiar. The company was founded by Arellano and Dana Bomar in 2013. Both founders began their careers as makeup artists. They met while working behind the counter in the beauty department at Nordstrom where a friendship and a partnership bloomed. Mexican-American Arellano has gained a robust social media following for her impressive makeup skills and has even scored gigs working with with huge celebrities like, oh, Rihanna. Both ladies used their own brands on social media to promote Melt Cosmetics, which now has more than 2.3 million followers. The brand started out with a line of supermatte and bold lipsticks (which Allure editors love), and has extended its range with highly pigmented eyeshadows — and now highlighters as well.


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Melt Cosmetics plans to launch not one but three Digital Dust Highlights in universally flattering shades: Star Gazer (a soft champagne), Gold Ore (a warm gold), and Nova (a warm bronze). While most highlighters only come in one form, this unique formula combines the qualities of a baked powder, cream, and fluid texture. According to the brand, the highlighters are equipped to last for up to 12 hours and judging by the images below, the formula provides a second-skin finish leaving behind a dewy and healthy (not metallic) finish. Meaning if you're not a glitter fan, these new shades may be right up your alley. Like the rest of the Melt Cosmetics products, the highlighters are 100 percent cruelty-free and vegan. The Melt Cosmetics Digital Dust Highlights will be available in April for $39 each, at meltcosmetics.com. For now, here's a first look at the brand's campaign, showing how the highlighters look on different skin tones.

Julia Kuzmenko McKim/Melt Cosmetics
Julia Kuzmenko McKim/Melt Cosmetics
Julia Kuzmenko McKim/Melt Cosmetics

Now, learn how this mother-daughter duo bond over beauty: