What Is Highlighter and How Do You Use It?
Short answer: Highlighter, also called an illuminator, is a makeup product whose name literally means “something that emphasizes.” It brings the light-catching points of your face forward by adding glow to them: your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, under your brows, above your upper lip and the inner corners of your eyes. It is applied in small amounts as the final step of your makeup, after foundation and blush. You can find products in different formulas on our highlighter page.
What Is Highlighter? What Does It Do?
Used so often today and found in almost every makeup bag, highlighters have taken makeup to a whole new level! Thanks to highlighter, even the makeup you do at home can look professional.
The word highlighter literally means “something that emphasizes.” You use highlighter on the areas of your face or body that you want to emphasize. Highlighter adds glow and radiance to specific areas, helping you achieve a natural luminous finish. The illuminating effect makes your skin look healthier and more vibrant.
Where and How Do You Apply Highlighter?
Those who have made highlighter part of their makeup routine have cracked some of makeup's hidden secrets. If you also want to master some of the tricks of doing makeup, at least the ones related to highlighter, we'll share some makeup tips with you in this article. We said you “should apply highlighter where you want to emphasize your face,” but which areas are these, and how should you apply it?
- Cheekbones: First, you need to find where your cheekbones are. When you smile slightly and see the highest point of your cheeks, you'll know that point is the highest point of your cheekbones. Now that you have located your cheekbones, it's time to apply… After picking up the highlighter with a makeup brush or your fingers, tap it gently onto your cheekbones and blend it upward. It's very important to avoid harsh lines, because you don't want the glow to show up as a sharp stripe on your face.
- Bridge of the Nose: By applying highlighter in a thin line along the bridge of your nose, you can make your nose look slimmer and longer. After applying the highlighter, gently blend it with your fingers, your makeup brush or your makeup sponge.
- Above the Upper Lip: A very light touch of highlighter in the center of your upper lip makes your lips look fuller. Especially if lip makeup is important to you, applying highlighter above the lip will make your lips more defined.
- Under the Brows: A light touch of highlighter under your brow bone can make your eyes look bigger and more open.
- Inner Corners of the Eyes: A light application of highlighter on the inner corners of your eyes will make your eyes look bigger.
What Are the Types of Highlighter?
Highlighters come in more than one type. They come in different formulas because needs vary by skin type, skin tone and personal preference.
Liquid Highlighter
It comes in liquid form and is applied with a dropper, brush or pump. Liquid highlighters create a thin layer on the skin and don't feel heavy. They give the skin a natural glow. You can also mix them with foundation and moisturizer to give your skin a radiant look.
Cream Highlighter
In terms of the glow it gives the skin, it is more intense than powder and liquid formulas. It wraps your skin in a dewier, wet-look glow. You should blend it with light tapping motions using a makeup sponge or makeup brush. Some eyeshadow palettes also include cream highlighter shades.
Powder Highlighter
Applying powder highlighters with a makeup brush is ideal for better grip on the skin. They have a matte formula and give your skin a subtle glow.
Stick Highlighter
Because it comes in a stick form, a stick highlighter is easier to use than other highlighters. You can apply it directly to the skin and blend it with your makeup sponge or makeup brush.
How Do You Choose the Right Highlighter?
The main reason to use highlighter is to create a natural radiance on your skin and look vibrant. To make that happen, you need to choose the right highlighter for you. So let's look at what to consider when choosing the right highlighter.
- Shade: When choosing a highlighter, it's very important that the shade suits your skin tone… If you have fair or light skin, choose pink-undertone shades; if you have olive or medium skin, choose shades close to gold or peach; if you have deep skin, choose gold or bronze shades. A nude-toned lip gloss and a bronze highlighter make an especially good pair.
- Formula: Choose the texture of your highlighter according to your skin type. If you have dry skin, powder highlighter may not be right for you; but if you have oily skin, you should use powder highlighter. That way, you reduce the shine caused by the oil on your skin.
- Skin Sensitivity: Your skin may be very sensitive and have a stronger allergic reaction than usual. In that case, make sure the highlighter you choose doesn't contain harsh chemicals or fragrance. A specialist dermatologist can always tell you what is best for your skin. When choosing makeup, you should opt for products with natural, high-quality ingredients.
- Glow Intensity: Some highlighters have an intense glow, while others give the skin a lighter, more natural radiance. If you want a more noticeable glow on your skin, you can use highly luminous highlighters.
What to Keep in Mind When Applying Highlighter
1. Apply it to the right areas of your face. The right areas are the most prominent parts of your face, the areas that should be emphasized, as we mentioned at the beginning of this article.
2. To blend your highlighter, choose a makeup brush with bristles that won't irritate your skin.
3. Instead of applying too much highlighter, apply a small amount with light touches. This way, you can achieve a more natural look.
4. You can choose between an intense and a subtle glow depending on whether it's day or night. During the day, you can choose highlighters with a softer glow; for night makeup, you can use a highlighter with a more intense shine.
5. Once you know your skin type, choose the highlighter formula that suits it. If you have oily skin, you can use powder; if you have dry skin, you can use liquid or cream.
6. It's better to use highlighter at the end of your makeup rather than the beginning, because then it won't lose its effect under the other makeup products you apply to your face. After applying and blending your highlighter, you can mist on your makeup setting spray.
How Should You Remove Highlighter?
You can use an oil-based cleanser. Put a few drops of oil-based cleanser on a cotton pad you use to remove makeup, and gently remove your makeup without harming your skin. Then, to get rid of the oily feeling on your face, you can apply a makeup-removing gel or foam cleanser to your skin. After rinsing your face thoroughly with clean water, you should moisturize your skin. Removing your makeup is just as important for how you look as learning to do makeup and its techniques… Going to sleep with clean skin both lets your skin breathe and keeps it healthy.
Exactly Which Areas of the Face Should You Apply Highlighter To?
Highlighter is applied to the high points of your face that naturally reflect light, such as the cheekbones, the bridge of the nose, under the brows, above the upper lip and the inner corners of the eyes.
How Do I Choose the Right Highlighter for My Skin Type?
Powder formulas that control shine are ideal for oily skin, liquid or cream formulas with a dewy finish for dry skin, and Alix Avien stick products for combination skin.
How Should I Blend Highlighter So It Looks More Natural?
Instead of dragging the product across the skin, press it in with tapping motions; use a fan brush for powder products and your fingertips for liquids.
Which Highlighter Shade Suits My Skin Tone Best?
Fair skin should choose silver/pink, olive skin peach/champagne, and deep skin Alix Avien shades with gold and bronze reflections.
At Which Stage of Makeup Should Highlighter Be Used?
So that the product doesn't lose its effect, it should be applied after foundation and blush, meaning as the very last step of your makeup.