What is highlighter and how to properly apply it to your face step by step

Cosmetic product with an exotic name "highlighter" Today, it is widely used in makeup not only by professional makeup artists, but also by many girls who want to give their face freshness and a special style to their makeup. With the help of a highlighter, you can change the very structure of the face, highlight certain parts of it, and give the skin a fresh, rested look. But even today, not everyone knows the main purpose of highlighter, they have no idea how to use it correctly and how to choose a product individually for themselves among all the variety. In this article we will cover all the most pressing issues regarding the use of a magical cosmetic product - highlighter .

What is a highlighter and what is it for?

Highlighter - This is a cosmetology invention, indispensable for sculpting facial contours and highlighting individual areas. The result of its use is an extraordinary glow and freshness of the skin, an advantageously emphasized facial contour, the elimination of fine wrinkles and skillfully placed accents in makeup. Highlighter is not a corrective product for masking skin imperfections, but is used “in a duet” with it.

The term “Highlight”, adapted from English, means “to illuminate, highlight, give meaning.” That is, this product is used in makeup to highlight, emphasize certain areas of the face, and gives the skin a more well-groomed, rested, radiant appearance. This effect is achieved due to the presence of reflective particles in the product, which, when placed on the skin, give it a natural shine and alluring shimmer.

Mattifying agents and foundation, which are the base of any makeup, can make the face a little unnatural and the skin lifeless, creating the effect of a mask, “plaster.” As a result, the face looks “flat”, and its natural curves become invisible, natural contours and reliefs dissolve.

This is where highlighter comes to our aid: it helps to define and focus attention on certain curves of the face, gives the skin radiance, visually makes it younger, fresher, more well-groomed. Highlighter is a tool for highlighting cheekbones, the bridge of the nose, subeyebrow areas, the central part of the forehead, the area above the lip, and chin.

Highlighter sometimes works even better than concealer, for example, when you need to hide dark areas under the eyes. The corrector can get stuck in small folds of the skin, while the highlighter, having a drier and more uniform texture, evens out the skin, removing redness, giving the skin a noble, alluring glow.

How to use highlighter for the face correctly: principles of application

A product such as highlighter cannot be applied randomly: only certain areas of the face are “friendly” with it, and by skillfully highlighting them, you can achieve your makeup goals.

• Application to the upper part of the cheekbones, directly under the eyes, will eliminate signs of fatigue, add freshness, and visually rejuvenate.
• Applying highlighter in the inner corners will help make your look more lively and visually expand the area between your eyes. You can “open” your eyes and open your gaze by applying the product to the eyebrow arches.

• With a thin line drawn with highlighter exactly under the eyebrow from its center, moving towards the temple, you can raise the outer edge of the eyebrow. For naturalness, this line needs to be shaded.
• By highlighting the contour of the lower lip and applying highlighter in the dimple above the upper lip, you can visually achieve a seductive volume of the lips, making their shape more prominent. It is important not to overdo it - apply the product in a thin layer and carefully shade it.

How to choose a highlighter?

Highlighter comes in different forms and has several consistencies. And in order to choose a product “on your own” you need to be aware of each of them.

As for texture, the highlighter can be:

• compact (in the form of powder);
• creamy;
• liquid;
• crumbly.

The color palette of highlighters is also varied: their shades can range from almost transparent, with a slight hint of mother-of-pearl, to gold, silver, and even pigments of more saturated colors for lovers of outrageous makeup.

How to choose a highlighter for yourself depends on your goals:

• to correct the oval of the face and highlight the cheekbones, give preference to a liquid highlighter or a product with a creamy texture;

• if you plan to use the illuminator to add shine to the entire face, for example, to go to a club, choose a loose or compact highlighter with a shimmer effect;

• if your task is to sculpt the face and visually correct some of its areas (eyebrow lines, eye widening, lip enlargement), purchase a highlighter in liquid form with a thin brush for easy “drawing” and highlighting certain areas.

The good thing about highlighter in the form of a cream is that it absorbs well and stays on the skin for a long time. Liquid highlighter is also quite easy to apply, and thanks to its unique consistency, it forms a transparent layer on the skin, making it slightly glossy.

A universal option - a compact illuminator lays on the face in the thinnest layer and gives the skin a natural, light illumination effect. It is convenient to apply it with a large fan brush, 1-1.5 cm wide, which will be indispensable for zonal application of the product and its thorough shading.

One type of compact highlighter is multi-colored balls that can be used on large areas - the neck or décolleté. Such a highlighter will not only improve the color of the skin and visually even it out, but in some cases it can replace loose powder.

How to use highlighter for each face type?

As we have already found out, such a makeup touch as using a highlighter can help not only draw attention to certain areas on the face, but also visually correct its features. Let's learn how to use this wonderful remedy for any face.

Correcting the forehead

Using highlighter in the central part of the brow bone will make the forehead look higher, and you can widen it by applying highlighter on both sides of the forehead above the eyebrows. If you are the owner of a low forehead, use the highlighter directly under the hairline, carefully shading it.

Changing the shape of the nose

A nose that is too small can be enlarged or lengthened, balancing it with other parts of the face, placing subtle highlights on the sides of the nose; a long or wide nose can be visually shortened or narrowed by highlighting the area from the bridge of the nose to the tip of the nose with a thin line.

Eye highlighter tricks

Making a neat line under the eyebrows and carefully shading it will visually enlarge the eyes. But this trick is not suitable for drooping eyelids - in this case, the highlighter should be applied in the area above the eyebrows (follow the curve of the eyebrow with a neat line and blend).

The following technique will help solve the problem of deep-set or narrow eyes: use a highlighter to mark the center of the moving eyelid, then carefully shade it. In this case, it is advisable to use a compact porthole. Applying it in the corners of the eyes will widen them and give a mysterious shine.

Cheekbone trick

Highlighting the highest points on the cheekbones will help make this seductive part of a woman's face even more expressive. This technique allows you to divert attention from facial wrinkles or signs of fatigue under the eyes. Proper highlighting of cheekbones with a highlighter is a magic trick that every woman should know about. With its help, the protrusions of the cheekbones become more prominent, more feminine, and the face itself, thanks to the shimmering natural shine, looks fresher and younger.

Shaping the lips

To make your lips fuller and sexier, highlighting the outlines of the upper lip with a highlighter and applying a spot highlighter under the lower lip with careful shading will help. This trick is suitable for those who do not use lipstick or prefer natural tones.

Instructions for applying highlighter with photo

To make it clearer on which areas of the face the highlighter is applied, we will present our tips in the form of visual photo instructions.

Before using highlighter, properly moisturize and even out your skin and apply basic makeup. The illuminator is applied as the final touch, because it is after the completion of the main makeup that the areas that need highlighting or blurring will be identified. Apply highlighter in a minimal layer.

If there are wrinkles in the corners of your lips, hide them with a highlighter, placing dots where the folds form. Highlight a seductive swoosh above your upper lip with a shimmering dot and lightly rub it in.

Applying the product in the area of ​​the nasolabial folds in thin lines and carefully shading it will blur their boundaries, you will be surprised at how soft the curves of your face will become.

Their color palette plays a huge role in makeup with highlighters. One or more shades of sparkle can look harmonious on any skin. Highlighters are produced in the following color options:

• white;
• natural beige;
• golden or silver;
• peach;
• champagne shade;
• pink;
• beige-lilac.

The last three are extremely popular this season. In addition, with the help of one or another highlighter pigment, in addition to the glow and shimmer effect, you can achieve certain key makeup goals:

• peach tone will refresh yellowish, tired skin;
• golden tone - ideal for use on tanned and dark skin, it gives it amazing freshness and sleekness;
• pink tones go well with skin prone to redness, they make the face softer and younger;
• white and natural beige tones are suitable for owners of fair skin for natural daytime makeup.

Highlighter for the face: what not to do in makeup?

What not to do with highlighter is one of the key questions when handling this miracle product, because its inept use can ruin even the most sophisticated makeup. So:

• do not apply highlighter too liberally, otherwise you risk looking doll-like and unnatural;
• do not use highlighter instead of powder or concealer, with rare exceptions, taking into account the texture and tone of the chosen product;
• do not use the entire highlighter palette you have at the same time, remember that for daytime makeup a neutral, light tone will be useful, and for evening makeup you can choose a sparkle that is a little more contrasting;
• Do not apply highlighter in areas that are prone to inflammation, acne, or oily sheen - the product will only highlight these skin imperfections.