Becca Backlight Priming Filter

Becca Backlight Priming Filter, $40

Megawatt highlighting isn’t for me. I do like, however, boasting a little glow without going full disco ball chic. Usually, I strategically cocktail luminizing and highlighting products with my BB Cream. Lately, though, my current go-to method with Becca Backlight Priming Filter is, I’ve come to believe, better.

The product normally retails for around $40 for an ounce. I found it at Costco for around $18 at one point – so I bought it to try. An ounce doesn’t sound like much, but a little goes a very long way and lasts forever-and-a-day.

Application

You can apply Becca Backlight Priming Filter any number of ways – to your entire face or targeted areas with a brush, sponge, or fingers. My method? I dispense a tiiiny dot on the back of my hand and pick it up with a small stippling brush. Then, I apply to my cheekbones and bridge of my nose. Leftover product, if there’s any get put anywhere else the light would naturally hit. Done properly, those areas are bright but there’s no obvious line.

Then, I go over with BB cream before the product fully sets so it can be blended and diffused. It doesn’t spread to my entire face, but the desired areas have a natural-looking glow – without being over the top.

I’ve used it on my whole face and I didn’t love that outcome – it performs just fine, I just prefer strategic placement.

Wear

This wears beautifully and gets at least through a workday looking pretty. I wouldn’t expect it to be in the same condition 12 hours post-application. It wears away gracefully, but just doesn’t have quite the same luminosity after prolonged wear.

Although this is a primer-type product, I don’t find that it particularly improves the wear of my BB cream or products that sit atop it. That’s fine by me because that’s not what I use it for, but I felt it was worth calling out in case there’s an expectation of those features.

The Bottom Line

I really enjoy Becca Backlight Priming Filter and would repurchase, but I don’t think it is worth $40 for an ounce. Faced with a running-out crisis, I’d probably grind my teeth and buy it at 20% off, but would rather just keep an eye on Costco’s beauty section to catch it for more than 50% off.