Welcome Makeup Queens! Highlighting is a makeup technique that has the power to transform your appearance by creating an illusion of brightness and height, thus giving you a youthful glow. It's an art to carefully illuminate certain features of your face, enhancing your natural beauty and making you stand out. This article will guide you through the wonders of highlighting and some of the best techniques to achieve that radiant look. Let's begin shining our best features!
Understanding The Power of Highlighting
Highlighting is not just another step in your makeup routine. It is a technique that enhances your features and gives a fresh, youthful glow. You've probably noticed celebrities looking exceptionally radiant on red carpets or models in magazines having an elusive glow; the trick lies in the art of highlighting.
The purpose of highlighting is to enhance your bone structure and make certain features pop by adding light-catching colors to the areas of your face that naturally catch light. Making your cheekbones more prominent or your lips appear fuller are just some of the wonders highlighting can do.
Indeed, the power of highlighting is so transformative that it can give you a well-rested look even on the tiredest of days. The power and potential of this technique should not be underestimated, it can not only illuminate your features, but also elevate your entire look.
Key Areas to Highlight
Knowing where exactly to highlight is essential. The main areas include the cheekbones, chin, forehead, nose bridge, the inner corners of your eyes, brow bone, and Cupid’s bow. Placing highlight on these areas will give your face dimension and a natural glow.
The cheekbones are probably the most common spot to highlight since they give the face a lifted look. Highlighting your chin and forehead gives your face more definition while the nose bridge when highlighted properly can give an illusion of a straighter nose.
Moving on to the eyes, inner corners of your eyes are often dark, so adding a touch of highlight there can instantly wake your peepers up giving them a brightened effect. Brow bones when highlighted can make your eyebrows look more structured. Lastly, placing highlighter on the Cupid’s bow can make your lips look plumper.
Picking the Right Highlighter
There are a plethora of highlighters on the market, and it can get overwhelming to choose the right one. However, the trick is to understand your skin tone and type. For example, if you have an oily skin type, a powder-based highlighter may be a better option.
When it comes to color, a good rule of thumb is: fair skin tones should go for pearl or champagne tones, medium skin tones are flattered by peach or gold, and dark skin tones look great in rich gold or bronze.
There are also options in the level of shimmer. Some might prefer a subtler, soft-focus illuminating highlighter while others might prefer a metallic finish for a high-impact glow. It all comes down to individual preference.
Techniques to Apply Highlighter
The application of the highlighter plays a massive role in the final look. Using a small, fluffy brush can help for a more concentrated application, while a larger brush can dust on the product for a more diffused effect.
For powder highlighters, sweep your brush across the pan and gently dust along the tops of your cheekbones and other areas you wish to accentuate. For a cream or liquid highlighter, it’s best used by dotting small amounts on your face, and blending it out with your fingers, a sponge, or a brush.
No matter which texture you prefer, the key to a perfect application is to blend well so it looks seamless and natural. Remember, the goal is to look like you are glowing from within!
Mistakes to Avoid While Highlighting
Overdoing with the highlighter, is a common mistake. Just because the product is beautiful does not mean you should put it all over your face. It's crucial to apply highlighter to only certain parts of your face where light would naturally hit.
Not taking into account your skin tone while choosing a highlighter can lead to a look that is off balance. For an effortless and natural look, choose a highlighter that compliments your skin tone.
Lastly, forgetting to blend is a common error. Even with the most perfect shade of highlighter, failing to blend the product into your skin might make it look like a stripe of glitter rather than a natural glow.
To conclude, highlighting is indeed a magical aspect of our makeup routine that has the power to transform our ordinary look into something extraordinary. It illuminates our best features, enhancing our natural beauty. Remember to choose a suitable product, highlighting the right areas, and blending well. So shine bright, Makeup Queens, and let your inner glow transcend.