Your definitive guide to applying liquid highlighter
The easiest way to give your skin an instant glow
If there’s one thing we know women of all ages want, it’s glowing skin. And while a good skin care routine with regular exfoliation and products packed with hydrating ingredients and brightening vitamin C will certainly get you there, it’s a good highlighter that’ll give you instant gratification.
And the highlighter formulation that’ll give you the most bang for your buck when it comes to glow factor? A metallic liquid highlighter. Trouble is, the pigmentation of the liquid itself seems intense, so those looking for a natural glow may shy away from one. But the good news is that no matter if you want a subtle finish or a sheen that can be seen all the way from New Zealand, a liquid highlighter will you have you sorted. You just need to know how to apply it.
Toolkit
You’ll of course need a liquid highlighter. Liquid Light is a budget-friendly one from MECCA MAX and it comes in four shades (Gold, Topaz, Opal and Quartz), so you can pick the highlighter colour that best suits your skin tone. If you’re shopping around for options, we also like Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops and the Australis Liquid Strobe Illuminating Drops.
We also recommend having a sponge, like the original beautyblender®, on hand.
1
Drop a pea-size amount on your ring finger
This part is key in ensuring a natural finish. One drop from the pipette – divided between your two ring fingers – is enough to give both cheekbones a sufficient glow.
Once you have the highlighter on your finger, press it onto the ring finger on your opposite hand to disperse the product.
2
Dab the highlighter on your cheekbones
Using both hands at the same time, gently dab the highlighter from your temples, down along your cheekbones, finishing just above the apples of your cheeks.
3
Blend with your makeup sponge
You can use your fingers to blend in the highlighter, but we find that using a sponge gives a more seamless finish (and reduces the chances of a rogue fingerprint on your face!).
Wet your beautyblender and squeeze out the excess moisture. Use quick but light dabbing motions to blend the highlighter along your temples and cheekbones (you want the ‘shape’ of your highlighted area to almost look like the letter ‘C’ around your eyes). Avoid ‘wiping’ the highlighter to blend it in, as this may shift your foundation and create streaks.
4
Repeat if needed
Once you’ve finished blending, feel free to repeat steps one to three to layer your highlighter for a more intense glow.
The final look
Once you’re happy with the level of intensity of your highlighter, if it’s not the last step of your makeup routine, finish off your look and you’re good to go – glowing skin and all.
Looking for more tips on nailing your highlighter? Here’s our guide on everything you need to know for perfectly illuminated skin.
Do you have a favourite way to highlight? Please share with us in the comments section below
Main and inset image credit: Sevak Babakhani
Carli was BEAUTYcrew’s Editor from launch in 2016 until May 2020. You can find her words right here on BEAUTYcrew, and previously on beautyheaven.
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