Is this the most expensive make-up ever? Beauty junkies bid more than $1,225 on eBay for sold-out 'rainbow highlighter' - 55 TIMES its $22 retail price

  • On April 11, the Etsy shop Bitter Lace Beauty debuted a homemade rainbow highlighter
  • Once a Reddit user caught sight of the make-up and identified the shop, the $22 palettes sold out in three days
  • People are now placing bids on eBay for them more than $1,000
  • Femail reveals when Bitter Lace Beauty will restock the highlighters

If the reaction to the new 'rainbow highlighter' is any indication, more people than you think want to look like unicorns - and they're willing to shell out big bucks to make it happen.

The frenzy over Etsy shop Bitter Lace Beauty's Rainbow Prism Highlighter began last week when a Reddit user asked where she could get her hands on one after spotting it in an Instagram meme.

Today, bids on eBay for an unused highlighter are up to $1,225 and counting - and the auction doesn't end for another four days.   

Scroll down to see the rainbow highlighter in action

Taste the rainbow: The Prism highlighter can go on as sheer or intense as you like, and no matter how many times you swirl the colors, a quick dusting off the top will return the powder to its original ROYGBIV state

Taste the rainbow: The Prism highlighter can go on as sheer or intense as you like, and no matter how many times you swirl the colors, a quick dusting off the top will return the powder to its original ROYGBIV state

Palette or pot of gold? The bidding on eBay for a new Prism highlighter is up to a whopping $1,225 

Palette or pot of gold? The bidding on eBay for a new Prism highlighter is up to a whopping $1,225 

Jenna, the owner of Bitter Lace Beauty on Etsy, models the Prism palette she created on her cheek

Jenna, the owner of Bitter Lace Beauty on Etsy, models the Prism palette she created on her cheek

Once the community ID'd the seller, the Internet lost its collective mind trying to get their hands on the colorful, handmade, $22 product. Bitter Lace Beauty sold out of them shortly thereafter, causing strobing junkies to hit up eBay in the hopes of scoring a pan of their own. 

Women are loving the way the highlighter paints a literal rainbow of light on their faces. The colors can be used alone as well, but most of the buzz around the product has been the delight of seeing ROYGBIV in the pan and on the cheeks. 

Bitter Lace Beauty has been using its Instagram page as means of communicating with fans about the palette from beginning, teasing two first-look images on April 7.

The woman behind the shop, Jenna, told followers the rainbow hue was initially going to be a limited-edition shade.

'Surprise!!!! This is one more color we are adding to our permanent line,' she wrote. 'This color was going to be limited edition for St. Patrick's Day but we decided it is far too amazing! You all thought unbirthday [another shade] was a rainbow in a pan, wait till you see this baby!'

How cryptic! On April 7, Bitter Lace Beauty teased the product launch on its Instagram page using mess a colorful crumbles and the caption 'Hmm what could this be?!'

How cryptic! On April 7, Bitter Lace Beauty teased the product launch on its Instagram page using mess a colorful crumbles and the caption 'Hmm what could this be?!'

Luck of the Irish indeed! Later in the day on April 7, the shop revealed what the final product looked like, adding that it was intended to be a limited edition for St. Patrick's Day but would instead be part of the permanent line

Luck of the Irish indeed! Later in the day on April 7, the shop revealed what the final product looked like, adding that it was intended to be a limited edition for St. Patrick's Day but would instead be part of the permanent line

You snooze, you lose: Prism sold out April 14 - just three days after it launched

You snooze, you lose: Prism sold out April 14 - just three days after it launched

The Prism pans made their debut on Bitter Lace Beauty April 11. 

'Aren't they glorious?' Jenna captioned one Instagram photo. 'Prism is seriously my pride and joy! Each pan takes special kind of love to make! Thank you so much for making it such a huge success, I know you all are going to flip when you see this color in person!'

And flip people did. Just three days later, Jenna posted this update: 'Hey you guys! Just thought I would update everyone because my Etsy inbox is full of concern! Prism has completely sold out at the moment, but is a permanent shade and will be making a come back, we are going to work on restocking as soon as we catch out on shipping orders.  

'Thank you so much for making prism such a success, i appreciate all the love and support! Thanks beauties!!!' 

While beauty junkies who hadn't scored a highlighter were desperately searching eBay - or watching tutorials on how to make their own rainbow powder, the lucky few who did receive their unicorn in a pan were busy showing it off.

Instagramer Norastarrr posted a photo of her iridescent cheek and said, 'I feel like I've been waiting for this product my whole life.'

YouTuber Grav3yardgirl posted this video review on April 22, and it has already been watched more than 2.5 million times!

Worth the wait! 'That rainbow highlight tho! I feel like I've been waiting for this product my whole life,' wrote Instagrammer Norastarrr

Worth the wait! 'That rainbow highlight tho! I feel like I've been waiting for this product my whole life,' wrote Instagrammer Norastarrr

Bitter Lace Beauty says it will be restocking Prism on Friday, April 29 at 12pm (ET). 'Remember if it sells out we will keep restocking, just keep in mind they are handmade,' wrote Jenna.

'I hope this satisfies your souls for now. Thank you for all the love and comments.'

If we've learned anything from living in the era of sold-out-within-minutes cosmetics (we're looking at you Kylie Lip Kits and Pat McGrath pigments), it's that dupes - beauty lover speak for similar products - are inevitable. 

Shop a few of our other favorite multicolor highlighters below. They might not get you all the way to Unicorn status, but you can buy the whole lot for less than a single Prism palette on eBay.

Givenchy Prisme Libre in Voile Rose ($54, sephora.com )
MAC Future MAC Mineralize' Skinfinish ($32, nordstrom.com )

Chanel Perles et Fantaisies Highlighter ($70, chanel.com )
Secret Beam Highlighter #1 ($12, us.memebox.com )

SHOP MULTICOLOR HIGHLIGHTERS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) 

Givenchy Prisme Libre in Voile Rose ($54, sephora.com)

MAC Future MAC Mineralize' Skinfinish ($32,nordstrom.com)

Chanel Perles et Fantaisies Highlighter ($70, chanel.com

Etude House Secret Beam Highlighter #1 ($12, us.memebox.com

Lancôme My Parisian Shimmer Cube ($59, nordstrom.com)

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