What is a face highlighter and how to use it

There have been talks for a long time about the cut-off correction of the face with the help of a highlighter and the role of this tool in everyday, evening make-up. The famous American model and actress Kim Kardashian brought great popularity to this drug. After she posted a photo of her face before and after contouring on her Instagram page, hundreds of thousands of her followers learned how to emphasize and even correct cheekbones, nose, eyes and lips using a highlighter without resorting to the services of plastic surgeons. The journalists decided to figure out what a highlighter is, how to choose it and use it correctly. You will find the most complete information about this type of decorative cosmetics in this article.

Highlighter – what is this cosmetic product

A highlighter is a cosmetic product designed to lighten or illuminate certain areas of the face and body. Why do girls use this tool:

1. To give the face a radiance and freshness.

2. To achieve an even complexion.

3. To emphasize the advantageous, attractive features of the appearance, for example, to emphasize the eyes or the grace of the nose.

4. To lighten certain areas of the face, camouflage age spots, unwanted moles or freckles, bags and bruises under the eyes.

5. To hide small age wrinkles, areas of redness, vascular network.

6. To make the corners of the eyes and mouth less drooping, and the skin not so dull and flabby (for these purposes, the highlighter is used in adulthood).

7. To make the face look younger and more attractive.

8. To emphasize the beauty of the eyes, to make the eyes wide open and expressive, to hide fatigue after a sleepless night.

9. To make the image complete and harmonious.

For most of the listed tasks, accomplished with the help of a highlighter, you will need another decorative cosmetics tool – a bronzer. It will create darkening on the face, shadow where it is needed. Against the backdrop of darkened areas from which attention is diverted, illuminated areas are eye-catching. This technique of face make-up is called contouring (contouring, sculpting). Instead of a bronzer, you can use any cosmetic preparation of a dark beige, light chocolate, brick, terracotta shade. For example, eye shadow, foundation, blush, powder and contouring powder, even concealer.

How to use a highlighter

Consider how, according to makeup artists, you need to apply a highlighter to girls with a certain face shape in order to make the appearance most harmonious:

1. Diamond-shaped or triangular face – light pigment is applied to the forehead and chin, the area under the lower eyelids. The lateral surfaces of the cheeks and the lower jaw are treated with a bronzer.

2. Heart shaped oval – the highlighter is applied to the forehead and chin. Bronzer on the side of the forehead, on the sides of the cheeks.

3. An elongated, overly oblong face – a highlighter is used on the apples of the cheeks, a bronzer – on the chin.

4. Oval – the forehead, the area under the lower lip, areas under the lower eyelids are treated with a highlighter.

5. Rectangle and square – girls with this face shape are recommended to highlight the forehead and chin with a light pigment, and to treat the lateral zones of the forehead and lower jaw with dark ones.

6. Round face – the highlighter is applied in a standard way – on the forehead and under the lower lip. And with a bronzer, you need to go over the entire lateral surface of the face on both sides – from the forehead to the lower point of the lower jaw.

However, not all faces have a typical shape, not all girls want to apply highlighter in the same way as others. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to consider what the use of this cosmetic product gives on a specific area of ​​the face. Thus, you will know what effect you will get if you treat this or that area with a highlighter.

The area above the upper and lower lip

If you use a highlighter in this area, you can give your lips more volume. The same effect can be achieved by using a light pigment in the middle of the lips, where they meet.

Lip corners

If you apply a light pigment above and below the lips, and dark in the corners, you can correct a problem such as a 'big' mouth.

Inner corners of the eyes at the bridge of the nose

By highlighting this area, you will make your eyes expressive and get rid of fatigue in your eyes. This technique can also be used by girls with close eyes.

Mid century

After you've applied the eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara, try adding the final touch. Apply a small amount of highlighter onto the brush and lightly brush the middle of the upper eyelid. The pigment should lie in a translucent layer. Thanks to this, the shadows on the eyelids will be noticeable, and the eyes themselves will appear larger.

Area under the eyebrows

Use a highlighter brush over the area under your eyebrows to make your eyes appear bigger and more expressive. And the eyebrows themselves will look more graphic, their shape will become clearer.

Middle of nose

If you draw a thin line along the very middle of the nose, and treat the sides with dark pigment, you can make this part of the face more refined, graceful and elongated. And to visually shorten the nose, apply a bronzer to the tip.

Chin and cheekbones

A highlighter applied to these areas allows you to visually stretch and at the same time slightly rejuvenate the face.

Middle of forehead

If you lighten this area, then the forehead will appear more voluminous, convex. And by darkening a strip of skin near the hairline, you can make your forehead not so high. If, on the contrary, you need to 'raise' the low forehead, and at the same time raise the eyebrows, apply a light line directly above the eyebrows.

How to use a strobe highlighter

If you want to use a highlighter, but the contouring technique is too complicated for you or you don't want to spend a lot of time on make-up, you can use the strobing method. It is much easier to perform than face sculpting. And does not require the use of dark pigments, just one highlighter with a slight pearlescent shine will be enough.

Light pigment is applied to areas that need volume and natural radiance:

1. On the chin.

2. Cheekbones.

3. Under the eyebrow.

4. To the middle of the forehead.

5. On the back of the nose.

6. Above the upper lip.

7. In the inner corners of the eyes and on the bulge of the upper eyelid.

Since strobing does not use a dark contrasting pigment (bronzer), this makeup looks more natural and natural than what is done with the contouring technique. The main thing is to apply the highlighter over the foundation and blend the shimmery pigment well.

At the end of the make-up and in order to emphasize the naturalness of the image, use not bright, but shiny lipstick with pearlescent particles. Or sheer, nude lip gloss.

How to use the face highlighter on other areas of the body

Highlighter is a universal tool that can be used not only for face make-up, but also with the aim of emphasizing other areas of the body. The highlighter will help to make the neck more refined, the bust is visually more voluminous, the collarbone and the jugular cavity are more expressive, alluring. Experts recommend trying this product in this way:

1. To accentuate the grace of the neck, or rather the throat area, apply light pigment in the middle of the throat with a vertical stripe, which is approximately 2-3 centimeters wide. Blend the pigments with vertical and horizontal, diagonal brush strokes. Apply bronzer to the side areas, which also needs to be shaded.

2. To add grace to the collarbones, apply highlighter to the exposed areas and dark pigment to the sides.

3. To visually increase the size of the breast, make it more rounded and attractive, a combination of light and dark is also used. A bronzer or dark beige eyeshadow is applied between the natural curves and along their contours. You need to shade the pigments well, creating the effect of a natural shadow. And a pearlescent highlighter is applied to the convex area of ​​the chest, which is visible in the neckline of the clothes.

Experts warn – before applying cosmetics to the body, you need to get dressed. That is, put on underwear and outerwear (T-shirt, sweater, blouse) with a cutout. If you dress after contouring your throat, décolleté, collarbones, your makeup is likely to smudge and stain the fabric.

Highlighter pros and cons

Highlighter benefits listed by professional makeup artists and make-up artists:

1. Multifunctionality. The product helps to solve a wide range of tasks – from masking defects to sculpting the face and body.

2. A variety of textures and forms of release – you can easily find the right product for your taste.

3. A variety of shades, which allows you to apply the highlighter on light and dark skin.

4. Efficiency – a highlighter of any consistency and form of release is consumed rather slowly.

5. Wide range of prices. You can buy a product from the inexpensive segment, belonging to the mass market class, or opt for luxury cosmetics. For the most demanding consumers, professional highlighters are available, used by makeup artists in their professional activities.

Among the disadvantages of modern highlighters, the following can be noted:

1. In most cases, the highlighter is difficult to apply on problem skin. Since it is an illuminator, it instantly draws attention to aesthetic defects such as acne, pimples, and scars. Therefore, the highlighter can only be applied to those areas of the face where the skin looks relatively good.

2. Frequent use of a highlighter can negatively affect the condition of the skin. The components of the cosmetic preparation clog the pores, the skin does not receive enough oxygen, and is forced to endure the increased stress associated with the daily use of decorative cosmetics.

3. Liquid highlighters are generally not very durable, so make-up needs to be tweaked regularly.

4. It is easy to overdo it when using a dry powder highlighter. Especially if the girl does not have the necessary experience and skill. The result is the need to completely rinse off the makeup and reapply it.

5. High-quality face highlighters are expensive, but since they are not used very often, it can go bad before the tube is empty.

The highlighter's beauty benefits outweigh the disadvantages. That is why it is very popular with both professional makeup artists and women who use this product in their daily life.

Types of highlighters

Highlighters, as decorative cosmetics, can be roughly divided into two types, depending on the consistency and texture – liquid and dry. Any fluid, that is, liquid, creamy highlighter is compatible with foundation. And dry (pressed, crumbly) preparations are combined with powder.

Consider the main subtypes and forms of highlighter production:

1. Highlighter with a liquid or creamy consistency. The product can be produced in jars, bottles (including a dispenser), in the form of pencils with a built-in brush or applicator. It is applied to the face with an egg-shaped or triangle-shaped sponge, a thin flat brush or an applicator. A liquid highlighter, as a rule, has a pearlescent or satin finish, that is, it delicately gives the skin a soft shine and glow. Its texture is very light and pleasant, weightless. The product is practically not felt on the skin. It is comfortable to use and easy to dose, it blends well and covers the skin with an even thinnest layer. The liquid highlighter, after being applied to the skin, is not powdered, since the delicate shine disappears under even a very thin layer of powder.

2. Liquid highlighter serum. Such a drug has additional healing properties, moisturizes dry skin well. The product is found mainly in the series and lines of oxygen cosmetics.

3. Dry pressed highlighter. Looks like eyeshadow, blush or powder and comes in matching flat, small packages. The texture of such a preparation is also very pleasant, it is practically not felt on the skin. Pressed highlighter is more durable than liquid, applied to the face with a fluffy (voluminous) or fan-shaped brush.

4. Dry highlighter in the shape of a pencil. This type of cosmetics is suitable for local lightening of the skin in small areas. For example, under the eyebrows, in the corners of the eyes, on the lower eyelids. It is convenient to use, as it allows you to make precise strokes that can be easily shaded as carefully as required by the make-up technique. The disadvantage of this tool is that it can injure (scratch) dry, sensitive skin prone to irritation.

5. A dry powdery highlighter. It is recommended to fully use this drug after thorough training and gaining the skill of applying it to certain areas of the face. The powder can crumble, scatters from the slightest breath. But it has a very pleasant texture, it is perfectly distributed over the skin in a thin layer, it allows you to achieve the desired saturation of the shade using the gradual layering technique.

6. Semi-dry highlighter in the form of a thick pencil or stick. The tool is convenient to use, excellent for contouring the face, as it allows you to create clear lines of the desired width, which are well shaded. After processing with a highlighter in the form of a stick, the face looks sculpted, the oval acquires the desired shape and relief.

Which highlighter to choose depends only on you. Experts say that all of the listed products are approximately the same in terms of ease of use and final effect.

How to choose a good face highlighter

When choosing a highlighter for the face, be guided by the recommendations of specialists. First, pay attention to the skin tone. To make cosmetics on the face or other area of ​​the body look natural and natural, select it in this way:

1. If you have very light skin, a pearl white, silver or light beige preparation, an ivory or champagne highlighter will suit you. Its delicate pearlescent shine will give the skin a natural glow. To create contrast, highlight certain areas of the face, you can use a light pink highlighter.

2. If you have fair skin with a bluish undertone, opt for blue cosmetics.

3. If you have fair skin with a pinkish undertone, use a pink highlighter.

4. If you have tanned or naturally dark skin, a highlighter in golden, peach, apricot, bronze, light copper shades will suit you.

5. If you have yellowish or olive skin, peach or cream highlighters will work for you.

6. Also, when choosing decorative cosmetics, you need to build on other parameters. For example, from the consistency and form of release. Visit a stationary store and test different probes. Thus, you will understand which product is more convenient for you to use – liquid or dry; how long a product stays on the skin; whether during 'wearing' there is discomfort, a feeling of tightness and dryness of the skin. By using wrist probes, you can also ensure that you are not allergic to a particular cosmetic product.

7. Also pay attention to the composition of the product – it must contain natural ingredients, for example, minerals, vitamins, oils, extracts from useful plants. But there should be a minimum amount of synthetic components, such as artificial flavorings and preservatives.

8. The brand and the price for many women are also not the least important. As already mentioned in our article, in the modern market for cosmetic products, you can find products for every taste and wallet. However, experts do not recommend buying highlighters from unknown manufacturers, as they may be of poor quality, contain components unknown to you that can harm the skin of the face and body.

The best highlighter brands and their products

The experts shared their opinion with the journalists of our publication regarding which companies and their products they themselves prefer to use in their professional activities. We present you the products of the professional and luxury categories:

1. Bright Idea Illuminating Stick by NYX Professional Makeup.

2. Prep + Prime Highlighter Enlumineur by M.A.C.

3. Shimmering Skin Perfector Poured Highlighter from Becca.

4. Mary-Lou Manizer by theBalm.

5. Givenchy Mister Light Instant Light Corrective Pen.

This is not a complete list of popular expensive highlighters, but we can say that these products occupy the top positions in the rating of products in this category.

If you prefer to use low-cost products, pay attention to the following mass market products:

1. Sleek Precious Metals Highlighting palette.

2. Alliance Perfect by L'Oréal Paris.

3. Master Strobing by Maybelline.

4. High Glow Mineral by Catrice.

5. Face Studio Master Strobing Liquid by Maybelline.

These highlighters are distinguished by a good component composition, delicate texture, increased durability and a variety of shades.

What can replace the face highlighter

If you like using a highlighter, but at the most unexpected moment it is over, you can use other means and get a similar effect. For example, makeup artists recommend trying a cream fluid to moisturize the skin of the face as a substitute for a highlighter. Its light texture and pearlescent shimmer will give the skin a natural glow and freshness. The following replacement options are also suitable:

1. Primer with reflective particles. Treat it with the same areas that you treat with a highlighter. Just apply a primer before foundation, because this tool is the base. A second light layer can be applied over the foundation.

2. Concealer in nude shade with pearlescent particles.

3. Persistent dry or creamy pearl shade. For a long-lasting make-up, use shadows that do not tend to crumble and roll into balls.

4. A small amount of nude lip gloss or light shimmery lipstick.

5. A blush with a shimmer effect in a delicate pastel shade.

6. A pearlescent pencil that can be shaded well. Suitable for both lip contouring and eyelid makeup pencil.

As you can see, the highlighter can be replaced for a short time with one of the preparations that you will definitely find in your home cosmetic bag. However, makeup artists shared with the readers of our magazine a recipe, using which you can make a highlighter yourself, at home.

How to make a highlighter for face and body with your own hands

To make a highlighter, you need a body oil or lotion made from natural ingredients. And also a small amount of powder – loose (preferably) or pressed. The powder should be light or colorless. The main component that will give the product a soft shimmery shine is pearlescent shadows of a light color, close to the natural skin tone.

The process of preparing a cosmetic product is simple. First, you need to mix powder and eyeshadow. If the powder is pressed, it must first be ground into powder. After that, add as much oil or lotion to the mixture to obtain the desired creamy consistency. The highlighter is placed in a small container with a tightly screwed lid, stored on the lower shelf of the refrigerator for no longer than 1-1.5 months.

The main mistakes made by those who use the highlighter

If you want to properly and effectively use a highlighter for the face, you need to know what mistakes you should avoid when performing make-up:

1. Do not cover your face completely with the highlighter, even if it has a matte finish, and even more so if the product has a slight shimmering effect. That is, you do not need to use a highlighter as a foundation.

2. Do not mark the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) with a highlighter if you have combination or oily dermis with problems such as acne, enlarged pores, comedones, blackheads.

3. Do not apply the highlighter to areas that should be darkened a priori. For example, you do not need to use this product on the skin under the chin, on the lateral areas of the forehead, on the wings of the nose and on the sub-cheek area.

4. Do not use multi-textured cosmetics. It means that if you have applied a foundation on your face, then only a highlighter with a fluid consistency should be applied over it. And if you used powder on top of your foundation, you can apply a dry highlighter on top of it. If you use multi-textured preparations, they can delaminate, which will look untidy.

5. Always carefully blend your makeup on your face so that light tones blend seamlessly into dark tones. There should be no clear boundaries. At the same time, you should not overdo it, otherwise, if mixed, the pigments will create the effect of a dirty spot.

6. Do not apply cosmetics in a thick layer, otherwise you will get the effect of a mask or oily sheen instead of a healthy glow. A little 'overdoing' with makeup is only acceptable if you are creating a stage image or a bow for studio photography.

7. Do not use makeup under artificial light. Highlighter looks different in different light. If it's dark outside, apply makeup using a fluorescent lamp.

If you do not make such mistakes, the use of a highlighter will not cause difficulties and will allow you to perform a harmonious, fashionable make-up for a day or evening out.

---