Are you making this highlighting mistake?

Creating the effect of glowing skin has become a regular part of almost every woman’s makeup routine. But with its rise in popularity comes a wealth of different techniques and products that can leave you clueless – or worse, with a less-than-desirable greasy look, rather than that gorgeous radiance you’re after. We spoke to Benjamin Ruiz, Director of Global Creative Artistry at Laura Mercier, to get his top tips on what we’re most commonly doing wrong when trying to achieve a natural glow, plus his quick ways to fix your mistake.

“I think the biggest mistake is not knowing when to stop with highlighting and glow products. [Many people] are using a glow foundation, a glow concealer, a glow eyeshadow, a shimmer eyeshadow, a shimmery blush, a gloss. You need to have a strategy and know your priorities when doing your makeup,” he says.  

Ruiz explains that in order to break it down, you have to ask yourself ‘what do I really want to bring forward and what do I want to push back?’ “Remember, what you make glow is going to say, look at me, look at me,” he adds.

When it comes to choosing the right products, Ruiz explains that it depends on your skin. “If your skin is oily – especially in the T-zone – and you don’t want to add a lot of cream products to your face, then highlight with a powder because the texture is more suitable.” But for the most part, Ruiz swears by creams. “I do tend to use creams more often simply because I like melting them into the skin,” he shares.

When using a cream or liquid, Ruiz recommends ensuring the formula isn't too wet on your fingertips, and then "just tap [the highlighter] right on the high points to get a little bit of dewiness." Avoiding rubbing in the cream or liquid highlighter, as this can disturb the coverage of your foundation.

While Ruiz's go-to highlighting product is a cream, such as Laura Mercier Sunrise Highlighting Crayon, a liquid highlighting formula will have a similar effect. Nude by Nature's Soft Focus Illuminator is a good alternative for a slightly more subtle glow, while a powder such as Urban Decay Afterglow Highlighter will likely have the most intense colour payoff. 

For more tips on nailing that lit-from-within glow, here are three more ways to ensure your highlighter always looks natural.

What are your go-to highlighting tips? Share with us in the comments below.

Image credit: @sukiwaterhouse