Highlighter Hacks: Where to Apply for a Dewy, Fresh-Faced Finish

A shimmery and perfect makeup look is all you need to dazzle out in the crowd. Using a face highlighter along with your regular makeup is a simple addition that can transform your entire look in a snap. While we see a lot of celebrities dawning bright and trending looks, it is easy to achieve the look yourself if you use the right products and techniques. The highlighter palette add glitter and glamour to your face when combined with a dash of blush. Whether it is a regular day at work or a night full of drama, knowing where to apply highlighter and how to apply it can make a complete difference. Here is your guide on where and how to apply highlighter for the face, with some tips and tricks to ensure a flawless look.

Understanding the perfect points and areas of a face that must be highlighted can transform your look entirely. A dash of sparkle and your face uplifts and shines bright. Here is where to apply highlighter on your face for the perfect look:

Cheekbones

Cheeks cover most of your face, and cheekbones are the high points. Applying a highlighter for the cheeks helps uplift the face and provides a structured look to the face. A simple stroke of highlighter using the fan brush is all you need for the perfect highlighted cheekbones.

Jawline

You must have often heard people contouring the jawline for a chiseled look. While highlighting might sound off, combining a highlighter and blush palette with a contour stick helps you play with shadows and light. This helps you get a thinner look instantly.

Cupid’s Bow

Cupid's bow, the center of your upper lip, has been a feature of attraction for ages and can easily gauge the eyes of everyone around. A simple dash of glow highlighter makeup on the cupid’s bow helps make your lips fuller and gives them a defined shape.

Brow Bone

Your face has some high points that reflect light and make the skin shine bright and look luminous. While cheekbones are the major high point, the brow bone effectively helps structure your face. Highlight the under arch of the eyebrows to complete your look.

Eyes 

Your eyes can help create mesmerizing looks. While basic makeup using eyeshadow gives a pop of colour, using a face highlighter helps create shining and sparkling eyes. Apply highlighter on the inner corners and under the eyes to help create a beautiful look. Use different shades from the highlighter palette for the center of your eyelids and apply them on the center of your eyelids.

Chin

Highlighting the chin can be tricky if you do not have knowledge of how makeup affects facial anatomy. Using face highlighters for those with longer or oval chins can help them get a round appearance. Blending is key to getting a smooth and natural look.

Nose

Along with contouring, using a highlighter helps give your nose the desired shape. While it is already a high point, applying a highlighter for the face on the bridge of the nose helps scatter light to the entire face and gives a sharper featured look.

How to Apply Highlighter for Face?

Start with base makeup:

Primer

Moisturize your face and apply a thin layer of face primer to create a smooth canvas for doing the base makeup. The primer will help blur out the pores and seal in the hydration to create natural and healthy-looking skin.

Foundation and Concealer

Once the face primer dries, apply foundation. The face foundation helps give skin tone and smoothen out any pores if left after primer. Layer the foundation with a concealer to hide blemishes, marks, and uneven skin tone. Blend both foundation and concealer to get a natural base. Ensure to choose the shade that matches your skin tone and undertone to avoid a cakey and patchy makeup look.

Contour and Blush

Once the base is done, contour your face to get a chiseled look. Use the highlighter and blush palette to add a pink flush to your cheeks before applying highlighter.

Highlighter for Face

Use the best highlighter for the face and apply it on the high points to create a light and shadow effect. Use the finger or makeup brush to apply and blend the highlighter with your makeup. Dab a small amount on the brush and dust, then apply it to the areas you want to highlight. Start blending slowly in a dabbing pattern to create a harmonious and glowing makeup. Choose the shade based on the occasion, outfit, and time of the day.

Set Your Makeup

Once you have applied your highlighter and are done with the entire makeup, it is important that you set the makeup. While loose powder helps bake the makeup at different stages, the need for setting spray can’t be ignored. A few spritz of setting spray can help your makeup and face highlighter stay all day long without melting. Hold the spray at an elbow distance and spray in an ‘X’ or ‘T’ pattern for long-lasting makeup.

Tips and Tricks to Apply Face Highlighter

Choose the Best Highlighter for Face 

When it comes to makeup, numerous products are available in the market. Choosing the best products for your skin helps ensure that your skin is protected and that you get the best results after applying makeup. Especially when choosing a face highlighter, understanding the quality and what outcome you want helps you choose the highlighter. Consider your skin type and tone before you buy highlighter online. Different textures serve different skin types.  

Pick the Right Shade

Face highlighter is a luminous and glittery formula that brightens up your face, giving you a sparkling look. Understanding the different shades that will go for different times of the day and according to the outfit can make a big difference. The highlighter palette is the perfect solution when confused about which shade to buy. The palette contains different shades to choose from for a perfect look every time.

Blend the Highlighter 

A common mistake everyone makes is dusting the highlighter on the face. This leads to too much highlighter, making your face look metallic and gloomy. The key to a perfectly highlighted face is blending. Blending helps avoid blobs of product and covers makeup lines. Besides blending face highlighter, blend all the makeup layers for a flawless finish.

Use the Right Tools

Tools make a huge difference in how your makeup turns out to be. Whether using a makeup sponge, brush, spatula, or fingers, ensuring that using the makeup tools correctly is vital. Each tool helps in getting a different texture and comfort. If using a brush, choose different brushes for different face areas. Use a fan brush with highlighter for cheeks and small brushes for eyes, brows, and smaller areas of the face. If using a sponge, dampen the makeup sponge for a cleaner and even finish.

Setting Powder to Correct Excess Highlight

While you must be excited to use a face highlighter for a shiny makeup look, using too much is never a good option. Making mistakes and learning from them is a part of growing, but certain makeup products can help you fix your mistakes and create beautiful looks. When you apply excess highlighter, use setting powder to correct the excess shine. Using a powder brush, apply setting powder on the part with excess highlighter and let it set. Brush off excess powder to get a perfectly highlighted face.

How Else Can You Use Face Highlighters?

Body Highlighting

When thinking about where to apply highlighter, understanding its multi-purpose use can help you save money. Using a face highlighter to highlight different parts of the body can give your entire body a shining and luminous look. Using a large brush or fan brush, highlight the high points on the entire body that are visible after wearing the outfit. Highlight your collarbone, decolletage, high points on legs and arms, etc. Body highlighting helps with short dresses and makes your body look glamorous.

Create Shimmer Lip Balm

To be in trend, it is always good to try experimenting. Highlighted and shimmery lips are one makeup look that you can try to uplift your makeup look and add a new feel to your look. Simply mix powder from a highlighter and blush palette with a regular lip balm. Apply the mix using a lip brush. The shiny particle of the highlighter helps create a reflective look, making your lips appear pouty and plump.

Tinted Moisturizer

A tinted body gives an illuminating look, especially when wearing short and mid-length dresses. Using a highlighter for the face mixed with a body lotion or cream that suits you can help evenly cover your hands and legs with a highlighter. Mixing it in lotion lets you control the amount of shine you want to achieve for your body.

When it comes to where to apply highlighter, understanding how to apply is equally important. A face highlighter can easily uplift your makeup look and turn it from simple to glam in seconds. The quality of a highlighter can make a difference in how the outcome appears. While many types of face highlighters are available in the market, understanding various factors according to your skin and needs helps you choose the best one. Character Cosmetics brings you handpicked face highlighter products in multiple shades for you to create mesmerizing looks. Other than a highlighter, you can avail of a range of makeup products that are vegan, cruelty-free, and dermatologically tested, allowing you to make a sustainable choice toward a glam look.