Highlighting Tips

Highlighting is especially important when you're contouring because it brings the light back into your face.  It brings the areas forward and draws attention to that part of the face, giving the illusion of brightness and height to your face.  Highlighting will give you that beautiful sheen!  They come in many undertones such as gold, pink, peach and neutral.  Also, they come in powder, cream and gel but powder is the easiest to work with. Highlighting has so many benefits and can even give you a more youthful look.  It can give the appearance that you have higher cheekbones than you actually do, or make your eyes appear bigger and brighter or how about an instant brow lift!

Now what color highlighter is for you?

If you have fair to pale skin choose a highlighter choose a pearl color, it will give you just enough color without having look overdone.  Champagne tones will give you a healthy sheen.  Fair to medium tones, pink tones like Kitten by Stila is perfect.  Or choose a rose gold shimmer color.  Fair to medium can pretty much wear any color.  Medium to dark tones, your best best is a medium peach highlighter.  Instead of bringing out the yellow and pink undertones use a beige toned highlighter which is a neutral tone.  For dark to deep skin tones using gold shimmer is perfect. The richer the tone of the skin is, the richer of a gold you can use.  You will see my previous weeks posting on the variety of highlighters out there. 

Next, pick the right tools

The two tools that I have found that are the perfect for highlighting are the following:

1.)  Fan Brush

Elf fan brush is the best and cheapest brush out on the market that does not shed. The shape of the brush also lets you really control the placement of the highlighter.  It can be purchased at Target, CVS or Ulta.   

2.) Your Fingers

Using creams? Use your fingers. They warm the makeup so it melts and blends more seamlessly into your skin.  Also, your fingers are the best tools and can even be used with liquids and powders.  Whatever tool you choose that works for you is what is best!

Where to Highlight

There are a few key points to highlight on the face and generally these are the areas where the sun would naturally hit which are: The top of the cheekbones, bridge of the nose, under the brow bone and your cupids bow.  Some less common to highlight, underneath the outer corner of the eyes and lips, the inner corner of the eye and on either side of the nose just above the nostrils.

You will want to stay far away from highlighting problem areas like pimples, puffy skin or anywhere where you have a wrinkle or two as highlighting will bring unwanted attention to this area. Even highlighter can make our large pores more noticeable so be conscious of where you apply and how much.