How To Use Highlighter To Perfect the Makeup Look

You may have heard about the importance of adding highlighting in your makeup routine over the past few years as it’s gained popularity. But maybe you’re not entirely sure what it is or how to use it, or maybe you’re a pro looking for a fun refresher course. 

Since adding more and more products to our makeup routine has become the norm now, it’s important to know what makeup products are the best for our skin and what products will help us create our most confident looks. 

Interested in learning more about highlighters? You’re in the right place.

Our team at Alleyoop has put together the complete guide on using a highlighter to perfect your makeup look. Highlighting is an extremely popular tool for enhancing a healthy, dewy complexion. This article will give you everything you need to know to experiment, have fun, and be artistic with this makeup essential. 

As with most makeup products, less is more when it comes to choosing, applying, and using a highlighter in your daily makeup routine. However, a touch of highlighter can help brighten your face and draw attention to your favorite facial features. 

So, grab your yellow book highlighters and keep reading for your ultimate guide on how to use highlighters (to perfect your next makeup look)! 

What Is Highlighting? 

Highlighting is just what the word implies: it highlights. It is a light-reflecting product that brightens and lightens certain features on your face to feature your favorite aspects of your face. Instead of creating darker hues and shadows, such as when you use contouring products, highlighting is lighter to brighten and highlight your favorite features. 

Foundation is an excellent way to canvas and even out your all-over skin tone; however, it also tends to wash out your favorite features. So, highlighting adds dimensions in places your foundation may have covered that you wanted to accentuate.

In other words, a highlighter that will lighten your face in all the areas you wish to lighten and highlight. It is a great, versatile product that adds dimension to your look and helps give your complexion a more natural, healthful glow. 

Where Do You Apply Highlighter? 

 Now that we know what a highlighter does for your face and complexion, we apply it to our face to get the most benefit. But, as always, you want your makeup to complement your features and give you a natural-looking glow. Therefore, when using a highlighter in your makeup routine, it is best to stick to the spots that the light would naturally hit, thus highlighting those areas. 

When you’re just starting out using your highlighter, it is best to focus on the areas that it is obvious the light naturally hits, such as the top of your brow bones and the tops of your cheekbones. Then, if you want to get a little more creative, you can dab a little on the tip of your nose and the center of your upper lip. Then, as you get more comfortable using a highlighter, you can get as creative as you’d like! 

One of the best parts about using a highlighter is that you can use it anywhere on your body you want to lighten or accentuate. For example, your shoulders if you are wearing a strapless dress. Or dab some down your legs to accentuate your legs if you are wearing a shorter skirt. You can even apply a highlighter to the top of your chest if you are wearing a low-cut top.

But, for a natural everyday look, the best place to use your highlighter is on your face where the light hits. In short, dab a little highlighter on all the high points of your face that you can see the light reflecting.  

Who Should Use Highlighters in Their Makeup Routine?

 Everyone! No, seriously. Regardless of how much or how little makeup you use on a day-to-day basis, everyone would benefit from adding a little bit of highlighter to their makeup look. Who doesn’t want to accentuate and highlight their best facial features?

So, even if you don’t want to spend extra time on your makeup routine or think you don’t need to get too glammed up for your day, highlighting can help pull together your perfect makeup look, and it only takes a couple of seconds.

The Types of Highlighters Available

Okay, so now we know what using a highlighter will do for our makeup routine, and we know that is the perfect product for anyone using makeup. Now, which type of highlighter should you buy?

Highlighters typically come in three types, including liquid, cream, and powder. The best way to determine which type of highlighter would be best to add to your makeup routine depends on your skin type. 

For example, if your skin is prone to dryness, you may not want to use traditional powder highlighters. Perhaps you may want to try liquid or cream highlighters if you are prone to drier skin. On the other hand, if you are prone to more oily skin, then a more traditional powder highlighter would be perfect for you, so it can help dry up your oil accumulation over the day.

It is always best to also get advice from the individual company you are buying the highlighter from to advise you on how to use their product best for your skin type. Every highlighter and makeup company has different recommendations and suggestions, so it’s a good idea to check with them first before deciding which type of highlighter to buy for your skin type.

Let’s go talk about the various forms of highlighters:

Liquid Highlighter 

Liquid highlighters are sheerer and are perfect for drier skin types. However, liquid highlighters tend to be more noticeable due to their unique consistency. They look like cream highlighters that blend well into the skin and the foundation you have already applied. 

Liquid highlighters are best dabbed on the fingertip and lightly applied at the high points of your face. Remember, a little highlighter goes a long way. So, it’s best to use less the first few times you try it instead of using too much. Then, of course, you can always add, but it’s a lot more challenging to take away as you’re rushing to finish your makeup and get out the door in the morning. 

Cream Highlighter

Cream highlighters are like liquid highlighters in that they can be challenging to blend into your skin and with the other makeup you already have on. But over time, it can get easier as you perfect how you apply your cream highlighter and learn what works best for your skin. Cream highlighters are perfect for dry skin and liquid highlighters because it adds that much-needed moisture to your already dry skin.  

Powder Highlighter

Powder highlighters are the best all-around highlighter for most skin types because, with the right brush, it is easy to apply with the other makeup you have on and blends nicely with your foundation. 

What Highlighter Should You Use To Perfect the Makeup Look? 

One of the best overall highlighters you should use to perfect the makeup look is a creamy, blendable formula that goes well with all skin types, including sensitive skin. Our Stack the Odds: Bronzer, Blush, and highlighter compact is a creamy formula designed for all skin types with moisturizing ingredients for a natural glow.

[product handle="stack-the-odds"]

In addition, our Pen Pal 4-in-1 Makeup Pen includes our eyeliner, lip liner, brow pencil, and highlighter in one easy-to-use click pen for your highlighting touch-ups throughout the day and is perfect for when you fly!  

[product handle="pen-pal"]

Tips for Decluttering Your Makeup Routine 

 One of the best ways to add a highlighter into your perfect makeup look is with our beauty starter kit for a full face in half the time. Our beauty starter kit comes with a blush, bronzer, highlighter, cream eyeshadow, and all the makeup tools in need in one convenient clear bag.

[product handle="beauty-trio"]

In addition, all of the products and the bag are compact and TSA-friendly, so there’s no mess transferring products when you need to leave for your next adventure quickly. You can customize the colors that come with your set with whatever shade you want.

Are you looking for more ways to declutter your self-care routine and get back to doing what you love to do? Do you need help finding multi-functional beauty products to make your days (and travels!) efficient and effortless?

First, take our Quiz to determine how much time you are actually spending on your routine. Then look for a personalized bundle of compact, TSA-approved, time-saving products to help you cut the clutter... once and for all! 

We’re always here to help make sure your beauty routine helps simplify and maximize its uses in your life.

A Bright Idea 

 To effectively use a highlighter to perfect the makeup look, it is essential to determine your skin type and what form of highlighter would work best with your other makeup. If you’re still unsure of your skin type and what highlighter to use, always contact the makeup company and ask their suggestions.

It’s essential only to use a small amount of highlighter when you are just learning how to use a highlighter. Only dab the highlighter on areas of your face where the light hits it to accentuate what you’d like to emphasize.

Remember, a little highlighter goes a long way! As you get more comfortable using a highlighter, you can get creative and unleash your inner artist.

Highlighters are perfect for every skin type and for anyone who uses a lot of makeup or just wants to use a minimum amount to accentuate their favorite features. A highlighter truly is the perfect addition to anyone’s makeup routine.

Has Alleyoop already helped you use a highlighter to perfect your everyday makeup looks or helped you find ways to simplify your self-care routine? 

We’d love to hear about it! 

Join #alleyooptroop to share your story! 

 

Sources:  

How To Apply Highlighter Makeup in 2021 - Best Highlighter Tricks | Cosmopolitan

5 highlighting rules you’re probably ignoring, but shouldn’t | Vogue

5 Places You Aren't Wearing Highlighter, But Totally Should Be | Bustle