A Guide To Highlighters and Illuminators:
This has been highly requested and I’d like to explain highlighting a little further so everyone can add some new or helpful tips to their routine or learn the benefits of highlighting.
Highlighting the wrong areas of your face can make the skin appear oily and applying a product with a high concentration of shimmer to areas that have large pores, fine lines and blemishes will make them appear more noticeable. Many pore perfecting primers can help reduce larger pores and fine lines, ensuring a smooth canvas for the highlighter to sit on and give off that “healthy glow” that so many people are looking to achieve.
The point of highlighter is to bring forward the high plains of the face, healthy skin has a radiance to it that sometimes gets hidden beneath foundation and concealer. The main areas you want to focus on are: the highest part of your cheek(just above your contour/blush), the tip of the nose, the inner corner of the eyes and the cupid’s bow. One thing you want to avoid is applying highlighter to the apples/under eye area of the cheeks, chin and forehead as this can make the skin appear oily rather than naturally supple and dewy. I’d suggest staying light handed with these areas(if you like to highlight those particular places) or avoiding them all together.
Highlighters and Illuminators come in three types: cream, liquid or powder. All have different finishes and feel different on the skin.
Liquids: You can apply them to certain areas with a foundation brush to accentuate certain features. They work really well under a base for those dull skin days, they can also be mixed with foundations and moisturizers to add extra dimension to the skin. Keep in mind, this method is not flash photography friendly, it looks wonderful in person but the shimmer is overpowering combined with a camera’s flash.
Powders: Powders are the easiest to control on the face which is important when exposed to the flash of a camera. I prefer to apply it with a fan brush, for an intense finish I like to spritz a bit of MAC Fix + (or any makeup setting spray I have on hand) on the brush to maximize the finish. This works really well with highlighters that aren’t very pigmented.
Creams: Creams are usually quite pigmented, they require a little more blending than powders so it’s best to work in layers. They’re long lasting but are quite concentrated and can be overdone if not used with a light hand. They make a great inner eye highlight because the product doesn’t migrate or fade over time.
Choosing the right color highlight for your skin tone is really important, choosing a shade that is too dark for you will create a shadow instead of a highlight and choosing a highlight that is too light for you can make the skin appear ashy. Cool skin tones look best with silver toned highlighters and warm tones work best with gold toned highlighters.
Fair skin: Champagne tones
Light to Medium skin: Pink or Champagne tones
Medium to Olive skin: Golden or Peach tones
Dark to Deep skin: Bronze or Rose Gold tones
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