Highlighter for the face: types, application rules

Facial highlighter is a tool that can attract light rays to the skin and reflect them, giving the face the illusion of inner radiance. It is applied at the last stage of makeup.

Don’t confuse highlighter with concealer. The task of the latter is to hide imperfections on the face (pigmented spots, redness, circles, and so on), and the task of the former is to brighten the desired areas and give them a natural shine.

Consider in the article what types of highlighters are, how to choose them correctly for your skin color and how to avoid mistakes when applying makeup.

Kinds

There are 4 most common types of highlighter and each has pros and cons.

Types of highlighters:

1. Liquid. Used in combination with foundation. When using only powder, a liquid type highlighter will look like a stain on the skin of the face and will be difficult to blend. It is recommended to apply the product with BeautyBlender.
2. Crumbly. Loose shadows and pigments of nude color or a tone lighter than the skin of a woman are used. The white shade of the pigment looks unnatural, so it is not recommended to use it in makeup. To avoid excessive radiance of the skin, a loose highlighter is applied to the face with a fan brush.
3. Creamy. Apply over foundation. This type of product is convenient in that it can be applied with fingers and a brush.
4. Compact. This type of highlighter is considered universal. It can be applied over both powder and foundation. The result will be different. For example, if you apply a compact look of highlighter over powder, then the makeup will look neat with skin glow. Applying over foundation will be a great helper to make your face look perfect for a photo shoot.

Let’s talk in more detail about why this cosmetic miracle remedy is needed and how to choose the right one.

Purpose

Why do you need a highlighter? This cosmetic product gives the illusion of healthy and luminous facial skin, which loses its natural luster with age. A cosmetic means embossed contours that are erased if you simply powder them or apply a tonal foundation.

It should be noted that the highlighter is not sparkles, it just has the effect of a slight glow that appears in the sun. The composition of the cosmetic product includes fine particles with radiance.

Makeup highlighter should be chosen based on the skin type of a woman’s face. If she has a dry type, then a creamy type of cosmetic product is perfect for her. Peach pigments are used for olive and yellowish complexions.

To give the skin the effect of youth and tenderness, a crumbly type highlighter with lilac and pink shades is used. This type is suitable for owners of reddish skin.

Match the highlighter colors correctly so that the skin does not look old and untidy. The purpose of cosmetics is to improve the appearance of the face.

Application methods

Before applying the highlighter to the skin of the face, it must be prepared. Skin is hydrated and tone is evened out. The cosmetic product is used at the last stage of makeup.

Basic rules and methods for applying highlighter:

1. Frontal part of the face. If a woman needs to expand a narrow forehead, then the product is applied to its lateral sections and shaded. To give the opposite effect, the highlighter is applied to the border of the hair and forehead.
2. Nose. To give elegance to a large nose, the tool is carried out in a thin strip from the bridge of the nose to the tip. If you need to lengthen a short or snub-nosed type of nose, then light highlights are applied in its lateral part.
3. Brows. To raise the eyebrow line, the area above them is lightened – the highlighter is applied in a thin strip towards the forehead and shaded. If it is necessary to raise the corners, then the product is applied in the area where they are lowered.
4. Lips. To emphasize the contour of the lips, a small dot is placed in the center of the lower lip and shaded. In combination with gloss, this way of applying a highlighter gives the lips a sexy effect and visually increases their volume. If a woman wants to hide her big mouth, then it will be enough to apply cosmetic on the corners of her lips. With this method, the borders of the lips are blurred and this makes it possible to hide unwanted wrinkles in this area.
5. Cheekbones. To give expressiveness to the cheekbones, their highest points are marked with a highlighter. This technique can rejuvenate a woman’s face and hide wrinkles and circles around the eyes.

The main mistakes in makeup with a highlighter

To give the face a radiant effect, you should correctly apply the highlighter to the skin during makeup. Main mistakesthat are allowed when applying:

• Too much highlighter on the skin looks like after visiting the gym.
• Combination of red and peach.
• Applying highlighter to the eyelid. In modern makeup, the product is applied to the fixed eyelid to brighten it. Applying shadows on the entire eyelid is used extremely rarely for professional photo shoots.
• Use of the product in shady places of the face (in the temporal and under the zygomatic zone, on the wings and the tip of the nose).
• The pigment highlights problem areas on the skin of the face. For example, applying a highlighter along the jaw gives the face a double chin effect and makes the face appear fuller.

Make-up should look natural and the skin color of the face should not differ much from the shade of the neck and the whole body.

How to choose the right highlighter?

Choosing a highlighter is not an easy task, but with the right selection, you can give your face a naturally radiant effect. The cosmetic product is sold separately or is included in the composition of cosmetics.

Highlighter is applied only to those areas of the skin that need to be emphasized and brightened.

Highlighter cosmetics:

• Shadows. With their help, you can additionally give a look of shine. The pigment is shaded along the lash line or along the eyelid;
• Corrector. Used one tone lighter than the skin;
• Blush. Delicate tones give the skin a delicate shade and hide fatigue;
• Bronzer. Gives the skin a tan effect and helps to correct problem areas of the skin of the face;
• Powder. Apply in several layers or one thin layer over the entire face. Gives the skin an imperceptible radiance;
• Glitter lipstick. Gently pink or peach shades give the lips an enlargement effect;
• Strobing with a highlighter.

The best highlighters according to makeup artists

For applying beautiful makeup, it is recommended to use high-quality highlighters. Makeup artists give their preference to the following brands:

1. Catrice High Glow Mineral Highlighting Powder. The cosmetic product is great for dry and oily skin types….