Why Do We Even Use Highlighter?

Highlighters contain light-reflecting pigments, which add dimension to your face and quite literally highlight your best features. These pigments also make you look radiant, instantly brightening dull skin or a tired complexion. Highlighter should look as natural as possible, as though you are simply glowing, not as though you accidentally spilled glitter all over yourself.

What Do All the Different Types of Highlighter Do?

• Liquid: These will give you a super natural look, and blend well with your liquid foundation. Some people like to mix equal parts foundation or moisturiser with their liquid highlighter to get a full face of radiance. If you try this remember that the formula should be more sheer than sparkly to avoid looking too over the top. If applying liquid highlighter alone use a sponge or a brush, and if you're mixing it with another product use your hands.


• Cream: These highlighters are best for on the go application as you can easily use your hands to dab them on. Your fingertips work best to blend a creamy formula onto your skin; it will look seamlessly luminescent. Remember that if you apply your cream stick directly to your skin it will smudge your foundation underneath, so if you're wearing foundation rather use your fingers.


• Powder: Powder highlighters are great because you can layer them up according to the intensity you desire. Use a brush to sweep a small amount of product on and slowly add more until your skin is glowing just the right amount.

 
Read More. How to Use Makeup to Make the Most of Your Face Shape
 

Where Do You Apply It?

Highlighter should always be the last product you apply, so pop on your foundation, bronzer and setting powder before you get highlighting.
 
The fool proof areas to apply highlighter are where the light naturally falls on your face - along the bridge of your nose, the top of your cheekbones, your Cupid's bow, the middle of your chin as well as just under the arch of your eyebrow and in the inner corner of your eyes (to make them pop!). It sounds more complicated than it is. Once you know all the key spots it will take you just a few seconds to lightly sweep highlighter on them and subtly transform your whole face.
 
Start with the cheekbones, bridge of your nose and brow bone. When highlighting your cheeks start at the outer edge of your cheekbone, in line with the outer corner of your eye and sweep downwards to above the apple of your cheek. Next dot a small amount of highlighter on the other key spots, remembering always that less is more.
 
While you can experiment with the areas you want to apply your highlighter the general rule is to avoid your full forehead (between the brows is okay) and the inner cheeks close to your nose (you want to highlight your pores?). Just trust us; they don't need it.
 
And try to avoid using finishing powder on top of the highlight as this will not only cover up all your good work but 'going with the glow' is also the latest trend in highlighting. Rather finish off with a spritz of setting spray.
 
If you don't like to wear a full face of makeup during the hot and sweaty summer months be sure to make a highlighter the one product you do use. A bare face comes to life with a little bit of highlighting, and it also works great as a stand-alone eye shadow.

View Video. STROBING/HIGHLIGHTING EXPLAINED! - Full Makeup Tutorial

What Colour Do I Choose?

The most commonly found highlighter is a pale champagne tone. While that will work for most if you want to get serious about getting shimmery you should choose the perfect tone to complement your unique skin tone.
 

• Fair skin: There's a fine line between looking glow-y and looking ghostly when it comes to super fair skinned people. Choose highlighters with a pearly or icy finish, or pale champagne tones. Anything with too much warmth in it won't blend in with your skin; remember you want your sheen to look as natural as possible. If you do want to warm things up a bit try pale rose-tinted highlighters.
  
  Our product picks: LA Girl Velvet Contour Stick Hilite in Radiance, Michelle Ori Contour & Highlighter Cream in Splendid Shimmer, Essence Glow Like A Mermaid Highlighter in Forever Mermaid and LA Girl Strobelight Strobing Powder 110 Watt.


• Medium and olive skin: Your naturally golden skin can pull off pretty much any shade of highlighter; lucky you! Golden hues and champagne tones will play up the natural warmth of your skin.
  
  Our product picks: LA Girl Velvet Contour Stick HiLite in Luminous, Maybelline Master Strobing Stick Illuminating Highlighter in Medium, Palladio I'm Glowing Creamy Stick Luminizer in VIP, Rimmel Kate Highlighting Palette and LA Girl Strobelight Strobing Powder 50 Watt.


• Dark skin: Avoid icy or pearly tones as this will make you look ashy and dull. Anything that has warm undertones will work well, including rose-gold, light gold and deep bronze.  
  
  Our product picks: LA Girl Strobelite Strobing Powder 20 Watt, Maybelline Master Bronze Color & Highlighting Kit, LA Girl Velvet Contour Stick HiLite in Cashmere and Physicians Formula Powder Palette Glow Pearls in Bronze.

Your undertones also play a role when choosing your highlighter. If you have cool undertones (this means you generally look better in silver jewellery and cool colours) then opt for highlighters with cool undertones themselves. And if you have warm undertones (you suit gold jewellery and warmer colours) then go for highlighters that have hints of gold or rose in them. This will help your highlighter to blend seamlessly into your skin and make you look like you just naturally woke up looking like a glowing goddess.
 
Read More. How to Use Bronzer (and Mistakes You May be Making)

Tools of The Trade

Make up artists' favourite tool for applying highlighter? Their fingers! If you're using cream or liquid highlighter your fingertips make great applicators. Dot your highlighter along where you want to apply it then blend using short strokes outwards from the centre of your face.
 

• When using powder highlighter, you need a good brush. Many makeup artists use a fan brush which gives you the perfect light touch of highlighter your face needs. Another ideal brush for highlighting is a medium tapered brush, but bear in mind that smaller areas will require a smaller brush. Use the bigger brush for areas like your cheekbones, bridge of your nose and chin, and a smaller brush for your Cupid's bow, brow bone and inner eyes. Remember to always tap your brush before sweeping onto your face to get rid of excess product.


• A small brush is also great for applying liquid or cream highlighter to smaller areas. Squeeze a pea-sized amount of the highlighter on the back of your hand and dip the brush lightly into it before applying.


• If you like the finish of a sponge then use it with a cream highlighter. It will give you seamless blending. Wet the sponge first then wring it out before using it to blend your highlighter on in the same motion that you would apply your foundation.

 
Whatever tools you use remember that it's easier to slowly build up layers than to remove layers, so use your highlighter sparingly to avoid having to start all over again.
 
Our product picks: Cala Fan Brush, Cala Deluxe Powder Brush, Cala Duo Eyeshadow Blending Brush and Cala Makeup Blending Sponge.
 
Read More. A How to Guide on The Brushes You Need for Super Easy Flawless Makeup

You Don’t Need to Stop at The Face

Yes, you can highlight pretty much any area on your body that you want to draw attention to. If you're wearing a strapless or thin strapped dress make your collarbones and shoulders match your subtly shimmery face. Use a cream highlighting stick along your collarbones and on the round of your shoulder and blend well. It sounds crazy but it looks amazing!

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