How to: Apply Highlighter

Anja Rubik as Hermes by Karl Lagerfeld for Pirelli- beautiful highlighting!

So mildly tricky, highlighter when done right can be fantastic. I prefer to highlight over contouring because it is a lot less tricky. Contouring should only be performed by professionals ie. Makeup artists- in my humble opinion. Or be forever asked (mostly by men) why you have brown stripes on your face. Highlighting allows you to subtly bring out your bone structure without looking strange.

   Highlighter should be placed along the brow bone, on the upper part of the cheek bone, on the jawline, and maybe down the centre of the nose and the cupid`s bow of the lips if you are not too oily. Highlighter should enhance your bone structure so putting it on the higher points of the face is a good rule of thumb. It should not be placed where you have any large pores (generally the T-zone) because it will only make the pore look bigger and your face greasier.

 Liquid highlighters

Like the ones from Benefit, should be applied after liquid foundation but before any powders. They can also be mixed with foundation for a less shiny glow, but I still would only apply the mixture to the aforementioned areas because if you apply it everywhere it just flattens the features. Liquids can just be dabbed along the bones and blended, or a fluffy brush can be dipped in a bit and blended on; your preference. LIQUIDS DO NOT PLAY WELL WITH POWDER FOUNDATION. It just creates mud, and if you are using a liquid your skin should be on the drier side anyway.

Benefit High Beam

Powder highlighters

Can be applied on top of powders (shocker I know). Best used with combo/oily skin, they don’t enhance the grease. They are best applied with a smaller, fluffy blush brush or a fan brush so it doesn't travel all over. They are my preference as they play well with my powder blush and setting powder. I use this one from NARS:

NARS Albatross Highlighting Blush

  

 Generally people with cooler skin tones should use a pink based highlighter (like the Benefit High Beam) and those with a warm skin tone should use a yellow based highlighter (like my NARS Albatross). There are golden highlighters but to me they are best used in conjunction with bronzer or on a more golden, olive-like skin tone. There are also white highlighters which provide that sort of ethereal look. They also can create the look of whiter skin (if that’s what you’re after) without wearing too light of a foundation. They create that super porcelain look. This one is my favourite white, from Shiseido:

Shiseido Makeup Luminizing Satin Face Color in WT 905

So, do you use highlighter?

 Or do you contour?

What is your favourite highlighter?

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