How To Use Highlighter For A Fresh, Natural Glow

A good highlighter can elevate any look – irrespective of your skin tone or type, whether you use it on bare skin or with a full face of make-up. The trick to making the most of it comes down to product choice and how you place it on the face. 

Below, we break down how to apply highlighter to get the most stunning, fresh-faced glow.

Choosing the right highlighter

Cream highlighters look the most natural and are great for people with dry or mature skin. Powders offer longevity, so they’re ideal if you have an oily skin type. Many liquid highlighters in the market are great for mixing in with your foundation or face cream. 

In terms of shade, choose one that matches your skin’s undertones for the most natural effect. For example, highlighters with a golden tint look beautiful on warmer skin tones, while more silvery ones suit cooler skin tones.  

Read: How to determine your skin tone 

But if you’re choosing a sheer formula, you can get away with almost any highlighter shade. 

Try: The Ever Bronze and Blush palette features a peachy highlighting shade perfect for the warm summer months. You could even mix it with a bit of the bronze powder in the palette to deepen the tone.

How to apply highlighter

How you apply your highlighter depends on the formula you choose and the effect you want to achieve. For example, powders are best used with a medium-sized fluffy brush or a fan brush for a more precise application. 

You can apply cream- and gel-based highlighters using just your fingers or a dense face brush. A damp sponge would also do the job. Use a smaller eyeshadow brush when applying the inner corners of the eyes or cupid’s bow.  

You want to place it on areas that naturally catch light – on all the high points of the face, which will slightly differ for every face shape.  

For a subtle effect, lightly dab on the tops of the cheekbones, just under the arches of the brows, the inner corners of the eyes and on the cupid’s bow.  

If you want a bit more, blend your cheek highlighter up towards your temples, sweep a little along the bridge of the nose and just above the jawline too. Want to amplify the shine? Layer your highlighters. Apply a cream formula first and then set it with a powder highlighter in a similar shade.

You can also highlight your body. A little shine on the collarbones, tops of the shoulders and the décolletage looks beautiful. 

Other ways to amplify your glow

Let your skincare do half the job

Your skincare routine already shoulders many responsibilities – it protects, treats and prevents against damage. But there’s one more thing it’s perfect at – offering a layer of all-over glow.  

For instance, Double Serum’s plant extract-rich formula works hard to fight signs of premature ageing. But when you apply it, you will also notice how it instantly makes the skin look radiant and juicy.  

Similarly, SPF lotions and creams also have a glow-inducing effect. Please don’t waste it. Get as much luminosity as possible from your skincare before moving to make-up.

Apply a radiant-finish foundation

Another trick to add glow before you even reach for your highlighter? Choose a foundation with a luminous finish like the Skin Illusion Foundation. You could also mix a few drops of an illuminating liquid as the Shimmer Drops into your foundation to give it an almost pearlescent finish. 

Use a cream blush

Cream formulas naturally reflect light without having to rely on shimmer particles. So, if you want to load up on radiance on your cheeks, switch your powder blusher for a creamy one instead. 

Layer up

Can’t seem to get enough glow? Feel free to layer your highlighters. For example, use a cream first on the high points of the face and then sweep a powder highlighter over it. This will make it last longer and create a more dramatic effect. 

Try a wet brush

If you like powder highlighters, boost their shine by wetting your brush with a setting spray before loading it with the highlighter. This technique isn’t for the weak-hearted – it will create an intense, metallic shine that will surely catch the light, especially if you’re being photographed. 

Powder strategically

When you’re setting your make-up, avoid applying powder all over. Instead, preserve the glow from your skincare and foundation, and place the powder only along the T-zone or greasy areas. 

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