Improve your highlight game

Highlighting is a beauty technique that has blown up over the past few years with online influencers and Hollywood’s hottest showcasing their glamorously, glowing complexions.

If you’re in need of a helpful how-to on all things highlight-related, look no further.

What is highlighting?

Highlighting directs attention to the points of the face and body where the sun naturally hits.

Highlighter comes in liquid, cream and powder form in a range of different pastel colour tints and pretty finishes.

What will highlighting do for me?

A dusting of highlighter can completely freshen you up as it brings brightness to your skin.

It’s a great finishing touch and is excellent for faking that healthy, glowing complexion that only a good night’s sleep and a carefully thought-out skincare routine can achieve.

It also adds dimension and draws attention to your best elements, making your features appear more toned and defined. 

Which highlighter should I use?

That depends on the look you’re going for and the level of intensity you desire.

Do you want a natural glow or a dazzling gleam? Do you want a simple sheen or specs of glitter?

Cream, liquid and powder highlighters can all be built upon with liquids and powders typically offering the highest amount of intensity. Using a cream or liquid highlighter as a base under powder highlighter will create a bold shine.

Matte highlighter is great for a fresh, day-to-day look.

Glittery highlighters will bring more attention to the cheeks without being too overpowering.

Shimmery, metallic highlighters are perfect for full-glam party looks.

How do I apply it?

Highlighter can be applied with a brush, blending sponge or clean fingers.

Fan brushes are perfect for distributing an even amount of highlighter across your features due to its large size and unique design. For precise application on smaller areas, you can use a fluffy blending brush.

Clean fingers are definitely the easiest option when it comes to liquid and cream highlighters. You can also use a blending sponge, but you probably won’t achieve the same level of intensity.

Where do I apply it? 

Highlighter can be applied on the face and body.

Take a look in the mirror and identify where light naturally hits your skin. Those are the areas you want to highlight.

The most popular areas for highlighting on the face are the cheekbones (above your contour), the inner corners of the eyes, along the brow bones and the cupids bow (centre of the upper lip) to make your lips look plumper.

You may also highlight the centre of the forehead, the chin and the nose tip and bridge to give it a sharper appearance if you desire.

For a sharper contour, apply a matte highlight just below it and carefully blend out. Keep in mind, this will lead to a more dramatic contour.

As for the body, you can apply highlighter to the décolletage, collarbones and shoulder caps for the look of a slightly more toned physique.

Check out our range of highlighters here!