Published on April 7th, 2023

Last updated on August 9th, 2023

How To Apply Highlighter On Face? Top 5 Highlighters To Use  

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes
highlighter on face

Do you put on makeup but lack freshness and expressiveness? An excellent solution for this is a highlighter. With its help, you will make your face fresh and rejuvenated. So the best ways to apply the highlighter include:

  • Select the application tool from the highlighter texture
  • Take it in small amounts
  • Apply it along the contour lines
  • Do it with light movements

You can notice a big difference if you compare the face before and after applying this product. Thanks to its correct selection, you can do makeup at a professional level. After all, this cosmetic has several functions. It can be not only for the glow of the skin. It is excellent for creating the effect of healthy skin and correcting the face shape. 

Besides, the highlighter revitalizes the face and gives it a fresh look. And the main thing is that such a result is easy to do. For this, you only need to know how to apply highlighter makeup correctly. 

How Does Highlighter Work?

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Highlighter is a cosmetic product. It is designed to “attract” and “reflect” light rays on the skin. The texture of the product contains microparticles that reflect light rays. Thanks to this, a beautiful shine forms on the face’s surface. 

But how does it contour and tone the face? The fact is that before you apply the highlighter, you have already leveled the surface of your face with various cosmetic products. Only natural curves lose volume. It includes the cheeks, browbones, chin, and nose. 

And with the help of a highlighter, you can lighten the face. Thanks to its pleasant texture and radiance, it gives the face an even skin tone and smoothness. Thus, it creates the magic of illuminated skin from deep down. It looks very impressive in the light. 

Yet the functions of the highlighter do not end there. It is also widely used as a contouring tool. So you can apply it successfully on different areas of the face. If you know how to apply a highlighter on your face, it helps to visualize facial features in a favorable light.

Types Of Highlighters

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There are liquid, creamy, and powder highlighters. Have you gone to the store for a highlighter, and it turns out they are different? Yes, they actually have several types. Which exactly? 

Keep a detailed list of them to know what schemes to use for applying highlighter further:

  1. Creamy

This multifunctional cosmetic with a creamy consistency can replace highlighter, blush, and even shadows. It is indispensable for processing the forehead, cheeks, and neckline. It absorbs well and stays on the skin for a long time. Specialists often produce such cream products as palettes of highlighters with different shades.

  1. Liquid highlighter

It leaves a light shimmering veil on the skin with the effect of a moisturized gloss. Specialists produce this product in large containers, which lasts a long time. It is the first plus. And the second – such a highlighter is perfect for processing large areas of the face skin. 

  1. Powder highlighter

This highlighter is well-suited for oily skin. It neutralizes greasy shine. It emphasizes the cheekbones, eyes, lips, and nose well. So, you need to apply this highlighter on top of the foundation or mineral powder. Specialists produce them in the form of compact solid powder and balls. Thus, it is convenient to use it in daily and evening makeup.

How to Use a Highlighter?

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Highlighter application is performed depending on the type of its consistency:

How to use a powder highlighter?

For distribution on the face, you need to use special brushes. The following are best suited:

  • voluminous fluffy
  • for blush

Apply the highlighter to the places where you want to give a glow. It is crucial to shade everything well and not leave clear transitions and lines.

How to use a creamy highlighter?

To create complete makeup, you will need:

  • a sponge
  • an eye makeup brush

Apply the highlighter with a soft eyeshadow brush. Go along the bridge of the nose, the top of the cheekbones, the inner corners of the eyes, the areas under the eyebrow, and above the upper lip. If the highlighter does not blend with the concealer, do it again with the pads of your fingers.

How to use a liquid highlighter?

You should apply such a highlighter last in the makeup process. That is, after the finished tone, contouring, powder, and blush. So first, make a few small dots with the product, then blend with soft movements.

How To Apply Highlighter on Face

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Apply such cosmetics very carefully. You should make everything as aesthetic as possible for a natural look. To achieve such a result, applying a highlighter to individual face areas is better. So you can gradually highlight your face with glitter. 

The main thing is not to overdo it with the amount, so it does not spoil your appearance. It is better to apply an insufficient amount and then correct it. Because if you use too much highlighter, the face loses its natural look. Thus, you need to balance the amount you use. For this, keep the guide on how to apply highlighter makeup:

  1. Use it on the forehead
  • To expand the forehead area, apply it vertically from the temples to the hair growth in a straight line. 
  • If the forehead is not too large, use a highlighter in a horizontal line above the eyebrows. And shade it in the direction of hair growth.
  1. Apply the product on the upper line of the cheekbones
  • If there are dark circles under the eyes, then apply the product on the upper line of the cheekbones. It is almost under the eyes. 
  • When applying highlighter to the cheeks, it gently absorbs into the skin. The absence of dark circles will make a face fresh and saturated with moisture. 
  1. Draw a line under each eyebrow

If you need eyebrow line lightening and don’t know how to apply highlighter makeup, follow these steps: 

  • Draw a line under each eyebrow. Do it with a movement from the bridge of the nose to the temples.
  • Carefully blend the product to avoid the effect of unnaturalness.

For those who have drooping eyebrow tails, it is better to highlight the area above the eyebrow corners.

  1. Apply a highlighter to the inner corners of the eyes

To know how to apply highlighter makeup, you need to know your eye shape:

  • For close-set eyes, apply a highlighter to the inner corners of the eyes.
  • In the case of widely spaced eyes, cover the bridge of the nose with the product.
  • Focus on certain points to enlarge the eyes and give them more expressiveness. Use the area under the eyebrows and the inner corners of the eyes to highlight.
  • If you have deep-set, narrow, or small eyes, blend the highlighter in the middle of the movable eyelid.
  1. Apply it on the lips
  • To get plump lips, highlight the middle of the skin area under the lower lip. 
  • And also, apply a highlighter on the bow of the upper lip. 

The product should be half a tone lighter than your natural skin tone. So you can create the necessary volume and relief. 

  1. Underline the nose area with a highlighter
  • If you need to make your nose shorter, underline the nose area with a highlighter. Start from the bridge of the nose without reaching its tip. 
  • When this is a naturally snub nose, apply a highlighter with a thin layer on the sides of the nose. Start the movement from the eyebrow and end with the nose wings. 
  • You can also reduce a wide nose with a line from the bridge of the nose to its tip. The thinner the line, the more elegant the nose will look.

5 Best Highlighters To Apply on Face

Smooth, healthy skin without visible flaws is an inevitable trend in makeup. After all, every woman wants their makeup to attract others. But to achieve such an effect, it is not enough to apply highlighter correctly. 

For this, you also need to be able to choose it right. Some dense highlighters mask, so they can make the makeup look flat and dull. It is because their content can contain toxins and so on. But so that their choice satisfies you and gives the desired effect, we have prepared a list of them for you. Here are five of the best highlighters to apply on the face with great results:

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1. Perricone MD No Makeup Highlighter

If you want your product to be invisible and create a natural glow, this option is waiting for you. Thanks to its liquid and transparent texture, it lies evenly on the face. The product illuminates particular areas, visually concealing imperfections and giving face sculpting.

Besides, the highlighter is rich in vitamin C. It fights the signs of premature aging and strengthens the immunity of skin cells. So, applying a highlighter to your cheeks or other face parts is beautiful and useful.

Suitable for skin type: dry, combination.

Buy here
7 L Oreal Paris Makeup True Match Lumi Glow Nude Highlighter Makeup Palette min - How To Apply Highlighter On Face? Top 5  Highlighters To Use  

2. L’Oreal Paris Makeup True Match Lumi Glow Nude Highlighter Makeup Palette

Use it on your face, and its brightness will impress everyone. A set of four highlighter shades in the powder will help instantly make a face more expressive. Its pleasant texture combines perfectly with all cosmetic products.

And the color of this product is suitable for any skin tone. So, thanks to its light powder form, you can even use it for contouring.

Suitable for skin types: combination.

Buy here
8 FOCALLURE 2 Pcs Mineral Cream Contour Stick min - How To Apply Highlighter On Face? Top 5  Highlighters To Use  

3. FOCALLURE 2 Pcs Mineral Cream Contour Stick,Moisturize Highlighter and Bronzer Pen

Have you tried many highlighter options but still haven’t found the right one? This option can become your favorite. Its range of colors is extensive. So, you will definitely find the one you need.

Thanks to its creamy form, it is easily blended and has a matte finish. The non-greasy, water-resistant formula is crease-free and pore-clogging. So, applying this highlighter will give you all the advantages to make your face look its best.

Suitable for skin types: all types.

Buy here
9 IT Cosmetics Hello Light Creme Luminizer min - How To Apply Highlighter On Face? Top 5  Highlighters To Use  

4. IT Cosmetics Hello Light Creme Luminizer

Get a multi-dimensional glare and a natural shine with this innovative creme luminizer. It has a creamy consistency that gently absorbs into the skin and makes it textured. Accordingly, in the light, your face looks like a magazine cover.

This product is very beneficial for the skin when filled with antioxidants and collagen. It slows down the aging process and makes wrinkles invisible.

Suitable for skin types: all types.

Buy here
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5. Wet n wild MegaGlo Blush & Highlighter Duo

By knowing how to apply this highlighter, you can become a real makeup creator. This product’s combination of highlighter and blush gives the face intense colors. Besides, it emphasizes its features.

It contains ultra-reflective, micro-fine pearlescent pigments that provide an instant glow. Thanks to its powder form, the cosmetic stays well on the skin and does not cause discomfort.

Suitable for skin types: all types.

Buy here

Bottom Line 

Many girls try to hide their flaws and emphasize their strengths. You can easily do it with the help of modern cosmetics. You can create unreal makeup by choosing a highlighter with the right texture. And by selecting the right product tone, your face will have a natural look. 

FAQ 

How to use highlighter powder?

Use a fan brush for this. Thanks to its villi, you can apply the powder highlighter evenly and make the skin luminous.

When to apply highlighter?

Highlighter is the final stage. You should apply it very last in the makeup process. So, use it after blush and foundation.

How to put a highlighter on your eyes?

Apply the highlighter on the inner corners of the eye. And with point movements, blend it all over the eyelid. The main thing is not to apply a large amount of the product.

What is the purpose of highlighter makeup?

The purpose of the highlighter is to give the face a fresh and shining look. It can make facial features more expressive and give youth. If the highlighter is natural, it will additionally improve the skin condition.