I’m playing catch-up with the Project Pan items so that’s why I’m doing two PP12 entries this week.
Today we’re looking at the not very well known Shiseido highlighter called High Beam White.
Shiseido does not call this a highlighter per se, it’s inconspicuously grouped in with their Luminizing Satin Face Color range, which are their blushes. Shisido also offers a golden highlighter shade in the same line, called Soft Beam Gold. At last check on both the US and Canadian website, I do not see High Beam White listed anymore so I’m fairly certain that this is discontinued! 🙄 Typical! I paid C$38 for this compact, which contains 6.5g of product.
I’ve shown this before in a highlighter post and it made me realize how great this product is – but I hardly ever reach for it, that’s why I made a point to select this as one of my Project Pan items.
It’s difficult to show this product in photos because of how nuanced it is, there’s no shimmer and just a slight sheen in a base of transparent white powder. The powder is very smooth and has a balanced texture – not too dry and also doesn’t kick up much dust. It blends easily and seamlessly onto the skin.
For everyday wear, the effect of this highlighter is just what I need – I never want to be at the office looking like I smeared lip gloss on my cheeks. 😛
The packaging is minimalist in keeping with the Shiseido aesthetics. It does include a full mirror and a good quality natural haired brush. My plan is to actually depot all of my Shiseido blushes one day – I’ve done one so far and it was so easy to pop it out (they only use a little dab of glue in these pans).
I’ve been using this as my cheek highlight as well as my brow bone highlight daily since I started Project Pan. This is a first for me since I rarely wore cheek highlight before this – I’m hoping that this develops into a habit – my coworker says that lately my skin has been looking more glowy! 😉 Even though the brush included is decent, it’s more for travel, so the 2 brushes I reach for most to use with this highlighter are the MAC Oval 3 (for brow highlight) and Trish McEvoy 48 Blending brush.
Interestingly, this product is made in the USA, rather than in Japan like the majority of Shiseido’s line.
Pros:
• Smooth blendable texture
• Long wearing
• Universal shade (neutral)
• Natural looking
Cons:
• May not be enough “oomph” for some
Stash worthiness: 10/10
Since rediscovering this, I’ve fallen madly in love with it! I’ve hardly made a dent in the pan but knowing that the counters no longer carry this, I’m very tempted to hunt down a back-up (I found one listed on Amazon for C$102 
*sigh*). I’ve not come across a highlight powder similar to this – if you can think of any that you think is similar, please do share!
I’ve been using this daily and the weight hasn’t changed at all from the starting point:
The rest of the items are still the same, except the Bourjois loose powder:
I still wear every single item daily during the work week, although I haven’t worn The Body Shop foundation as much lately since I got a tan from the cruise and it’s too fair on me. Last week I went back to using the Maybelline SuperStay Foundation because I now match that shade better. And this week I’m mixing TBS one with Maybelline, about 50/50.
Please check out my Project Pan Pals for their updates (I’m linking to their posts that I missed when I was away):
♦ Ingrid of Curly.Spring.Blossom
♦ Jodi of A Brash Attitude
♦ Chanelle of Chanelle Hayleyyy
What is your favourite highlighter for everyday use?
stash matters 
Ooh how interesting, it looks like a great natural highlight for when you want brightening but not KAPOW shimmer, and typical that it’s been discontinued!
Urgh, I find it so disheartening knowing you’ve been using a product daily but can see no progress in use! My estee lauder peach nuance has got to the point where I’m using it every damn day but that pan hole in the middle doesn’t seem to be growing!
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Yes, I find a lot of the popular highlighters to be TOO much for daily use. They’re lovely, but not what I want.
It really is disheartening when I’ve been plugging away at the same items every day but seemingly no progress. I think it’s incredible how much product is left around the edges of pans – it’s some sort of witchcraft, I feel.
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Try the Hourglass Ambient Strobe highlighters sometime. They give a more subtle lit from within look.
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I haven’t tried those yet. I’ll have a look – thanks for the rec!
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Love the look of this. I really like natural highlighters for everday use. Sometimes I go mad and use a glowy one x
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The majority of highlighters I have are of the “mad” variety. So it’s nice to have one that’s so subtle!
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Wow, it sounds like something I would love. I can’t do those very noticable shine and shimmer luminizers :)) Too bad it’s discontinued
Great review and yay for the commitment!
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Thanks! Yes, I don’t love the crazy highlighters. I bought the popular ones to see what all the fuss is about but I still mostly grab the ones that are really subtle.
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That is beautiful! I love how natural it looks. It reminds me of the Becca shimmer liquid highlighters. I wouldn’t worry too much about finding a backup, it doesn’t look like you’ll run out of product any time soon!
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You’re the voice of reason – it’s true, I have enough to last me ages! I still get panicky though!
I’ve not tried the Becca liquid highlighters, only the powder ones. I’ll have to check them out at the store.
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So pretty! How does it compare with the Wet n Wild one?
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That was the closest one I could think of from my stash but the Wet n Wild is warm toned and does look more shimmery on the skin. The Shiseido one is more subtle.
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I’m the type of freak who will wear blue or purple highlighter even at work. But for something not so out there, Becca Opal or Lorac Lightsource in Twilight are 2 of my faves.
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I have Becca Opal and it’s really shiny, I find!
I like the IDEA of a blue or purple highlighter but not sure if I could rock it daily. I do have a blush that is pink with a blue sheen and whenever I wear it, people comment on it (“ooh turn you head this way to catch the light”). 😛
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Try the liquid version of Opal. Not as in your face.
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Good to know. Thank you!
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WTF! How has the weight not changed even though you’re using it every day? Methinks you should start wearing this all over the face like a face powder…then you’ll look extra extra glowy! 😉
I can see why you like this so much – the whiteness of the shade in the pan looks scary as a highlight, but I imagine that it gives you a super natural glow that doesn’t look crazy for work. Natural looking highlighters are hard to come by, and I don’t think I’ve seen anything similar either!
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It really is frustrating to not see the weight go down. But, I think most of the weight of these items are the packaging. If I was able to pry out the pan, I bet it wouldn’t even be significant. Actually, I’m going to weigh one of the Shiseido blushes that I depotted so see.
I’ve been saving the Hourglass powder in Dim, that you gave me. I think the Dim is more subtle – more of an all over rather than a highlight. I’ll have to do a comparison once I bust it open! 😛
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Your comment about the packaging makes sense. Most of it is definitely packaging.
Yup, Dim Light is a more skin-toned powder that’s better for an all-over powder. I don’t use it for highlighting as it’s TOO subtle!
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This is my type of highlighter as it is subtle. I think sparkly highlighters look pretty but to wear them…well, that’s a different story. I actually really like the highlight that is included in the Charlotte Tilbury Film Star Bronze and Glow. It’s subtle and just so gorgeous. 🙂
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I tested the CT Bronze and Glow – it’s so gorgeous, right down to the packaging. I didn’t remember how the highlighter looked though, I will have to go back to look!
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Yes, CT has some of the best packaging ever. So chic and sophisticated. I think you’ll like the highlighter. It’s $$$ but worth it. 🙂
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This highlighter looks so pretty and I can see why you give it 10/10! It looks white but I’m guessing it doesn’t translate that way on the skin?
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No it doesn’t look white on the skin, it’s like a veil effect. Whatever you layer it over, it takes on that colour, kind of like velum paper. That’s why it’s so versatile. I might look into Japanese brands to see if they offer something similar.
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That sounds lovely! I’ve never worked with velum paper, I didn’t know it did that 😛
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I love the look of High Beam White. I like a highlighter that’s natural looking. When I saw this in your photo in the pan, I thought it might be blindingly white but the swatches look great! I love Shiseido. I need more of their stuff!
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Yes, in the pan it looks so stark. I love the effect. And yes, Shiseido is one of my favourite makeup brands. I just love their aesthetics!
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Hee hee! I love that you’re weighing these. Imagining you with a lab coat and goggles.
How are you liking the Body Shop foundation? I’ve been tempted but I have a lot of foundation to go through…
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lol yeah I wish I had a makeup lab!
I like the Body Shop foundation quite a bit. But it’s more of a winter formula to me. It’s not good with oil control but it has such a nice natural finish. I think it’d be great for your skin type.
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I can see this highlighter as light-weighted and not being heavy on the face and so, it is ideal to use on minimal makeup days
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Definitely! I much prefer minimal makeup look. 🙂
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Great!
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You’re like the Shiseido Queen – I almost never shop at department store beauty counters, I find them so intimidating. I need to get over that, I’m missing out on some good brands! Although I have a few Shiseido products and they aren’t my favourite.
I’m not big on having a unicorn glow either, unless I’m going out. So I like that this is subtle and natural looking…
I wonder if this Makeup Revolution option could be a dupe? https://www.tambeauty.com/en/Makeup-Revolution-Strobe-Highlighter—Ever-Glow-Lights/m-1775.aspx
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Thanks for the rec – I’ll have to check it out. I hear Makeup Revolution is at London Drugs now so I’m crossing my fingers that they’ll come out this way! I’ve never heard of that site you linked “Tam Beauty”… they seem to ship to Canada?!! 😮 DANGEROUS.
Too bad the Shiseido items you tried haven’t been your favourites – I guess it’s all so personal and that’s why there are so many makeup brands out there! I’ll confess that I’m not big on Urban Decay – I just don’t find their products to be that great so I tend to not bother checking out their display at Sephora.
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O man, why do beauty houses keep discontinuing good items. I still haven’t bought any MAC oval brushes. I can’t decide whether they’re stash worthy or actual usage brush. The tooth brush looking concept is not new but I still can’t get my head around it.
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I did a review on the larger size of the MAC Oval brush:
And compared it to a cheapo one I got off AliExpres:
To me, the cheapo ones do the trick but I do really like how soft & silky the MAC ones are!
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Yes, I know. I read your review before. I just don’t know if I’ll use it. It looks funny in the stash as well? I use a make up belt / bag to protect my brushes. The ‘toothbrush’ just won’t fit?
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I keep my brushes upright in contains so the toothbrush style fits fine. I wouldn’t be able to travel with those brushes, that’s for sure!
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I keep my brushes in brush belts. Admittedly, I hoard + buy, but I don’t really wear makeup *LOL* I’m so inspired by your ‘project pan’. But I’ve only managed to wear full house make up for 3 days before I fell back to my bare face routine.
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This totally sounds like a gateway highlighter. Soon you’ll be all about that Moon Child multichrome highlight 😉
Seriously though, this looks really lovely! I don’t think I have anything remotely similar to this.
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