Never used it before or not sure what is the correct way to apply highlighter? No worries, we’ll show you the steps to apply it like a pro!
Highlighting is essentially a hack for getting a flawless-looking face. It makes your skin look better, younger, plumper, smoother, so it is fundamental to appear natural. Like as you wake up every day with dewy, luminous skin. 🙂
To achieve the perfect glow, it’s important to prep the skin and blend properly.
Choose the right shade and texture
Just like foundation, not every highlighter is made for every skin tone. For the most natural look, apply a shade that looks closest to your own skin tone. This will guarantee that your glow will give off a natural radiance.
You can also use a highlighter to amp up your evening makeup: For a more done-up look, use a shade that creates contrast. Fair complexions should blend out a bronzy, deeper shade, and deep complexions should wear a lighter shade that pops.
The general rule of thumb for choosing the texture is if your skin is dry, use a liquid highlighter, if it is oily, use powder formulas. The creamy ones in a stick are great for applying on the run. Anyway, it’s not until you find your best match that you will see the magic of highlighting. Check out these 7 drugstore highlighters to start up your illuminating journey.
Steps to applying highlighter the right way:
1. Prep your face
Having well-moisturized skin is key for this look.
Begin with cleaning your face and applying a toner on your face and neck. Follow by a moisturizing cream (also applied to your face and neck). PRESS your face cream onto your face and neck, DO NOT rub and lather it. Pressing will ensure that you will never break out from the pile-up of too much cream and the pressing motion will bring back blood flow to the surface of the face giving you a natural, healthy glow!
Extra tip: Spray the entire face and neck with Rose Water. The water spray aids in melding the moisturizer into your skin rather than it just lying topically on the surface of your skin. After you spray the water mist liberally over face and neck, let the skin dry naturally for a few minutes.
2. Prime your face
This not only helps makeup go on smoothly and last longer, but it also helps keep the oil in your skin from mixing with your makeup. Makeup primer also helps fill in any lines in your skin so that makeup doesn’t crease in them.
There are many, many types of makeup primer available on the market, so choose one that will suit your needs.
3. Makeup
Once the skin is properly prepped, apply your makeup, as usual, being mindful to go lighter on the foundation and powder. With a good skin prep, you won’t need to pile on the foundation, rather, it’s more about spot checking the areas on your face that need help. You should use a highlighter at the end of your makeup routine. It’s the final touch.
Apply highlighter either by fingers or with fan brush if it is powder. Liquid ones can also mix with the foundation for an overall glow. But most commonly, it is used to accentuate specific parts of your face.
Related: The Best Drugstore Highlighters
The Best Places to Apply Highlighter
- Cheekbone – First, find your cheekbones by drawing an invisible line from the middle of your ear towards your lips. Voilà, there it is! Your highlight will go just above this line, from the top of your ear to the outer corner of your eye. Take a fan brush and sweep a highlighting powder on, or use your finger to dot on a liquid light reflector before blending out.
- The inner corner of your eyes – Use a light, sparkly eye shadow and a small shadow brush to illuminate the inner corners of your eyes. Highlighting these spots can help make your eyes look bigger and brighter. Perfect for faking a night of flawless sleep!
- Brow bone – Achieving defined, bold brows don’t end with a brow pencil. Just a touch of highlighter can help raise your brow’s arch and complete your sculpting. Blend a light eye shadow or illuminator along your brow bone, just under your eyebrows.
- The bridge of your nose – If you wish your nose looked slightly slimmer, then grab a highlighter. If you add a subtle highlight down the bridge of your nose, your eyes are drawn to the “light” and are tricked into thinking your nose is narrower than it really is. Focus product on the end of your nose to give the tip an instant lift.
- Cupid’s bow – Plump up the look of your pout by highlighting the dip above your top lip, a.k.a. the cupid’s bow. Using your fingertip, apply just a touch of your favorite glow-getter to help make your upper lip look fuller. Remember, this is a case where less is more! Too much highlighter and the only illusion you’ll have created is that of upper lip sweat.
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