Your complete guide to getting a healthier, smoother and subtly luminous glow
Nothing will take your skin from lacklustre to luminous faster than highlighter. Yet knowing whether to choose stick, powder or liquid – and how to apply it – can feel like a mystery. Use this edit of the very best highlighter formulas, packed with nourishing ingredients to make your skin sing, to create everything from a subtle glow to a high-impact gleam.
Best for dry skin: Sculpted By Aimee Cream Luxe Highlighter
If you’re after a dewy, glass-skin look that’s entirely glitter-free, look no further. Enriched with hyaluronic acid, vitamin E and castor seed oil, Sculpted By Aimee’s soft-focus cream glides on effortlessly to enhance high points without looking heavy, leaving skin glowing in all the right places.
Best for on the go: Dior Backstage Glassy Glow Stick
A powerful complexion pick-me-up that’s designed to go everywhere with you, Dior’s first balmy stick highlighter enhances the complexion with a healthy-looking glow. Available in six shades for different skin tones, the cherry-oil-enhanced balm comes in an ultra-pearlescent or a glitter-free, glossy finish for an instant glass-skin effect.
Best for mature skin: Bobbi Brown Skin Enhancer Multi-Stick
This Bobbi Brown multitasker brings together skincare and make-up. Prioritising hydration with hyaluronic acid and a nourishing blend of natural oils – that help bypass dry texture, fine lines, and pores – it glides on to deliver a sheer, buildable wash of colour lending mature complexions a soft, plump, dewy finish.
Best powder: Fenty Beauty Diamond Bomb All Over Diamond Veil
Suitable for all skin tones, Fenty’s unique jelly-like highlighter powder is bouncy, cool to the touch and instantly melts into skin to give your complexion a 3D diamond-dusted glow. If you have oily or combination skin, and avoid highlighter because liquid formulas can often look like excess sebum, this is the one for you.
Best liquid: Chantecaille Liquid Lumière Highlighter
Velvety smooth with no greasy residue, Chantecaille’s liquid highlighter allows you to blend directly into your base or layer on top for a seamless, naturally sculpted look. Micro-sized, light-reflecting pigments blur imperfections to boost luminosity, while skin-loving ingredients make your complexion look and feel freshly moisturised.
Best long-lasting: Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Skin Transforming Highlighter
Enriched with vitamins C and E, moringa oil, and pomegranate peel extract, this innovative serum-infused formula – encased in a deluxe Lancôme compact – fuses with your skin for long-lasting wear. Micro-light-catching pearls create a smooth, glowing radiance with a breathable texture that feels natural on the skin.
Highlighter FAQs
Which shade of highlighter looks best?
This depends on your skin tone. Match your highlighter to your undertone (whether cool, warm, or neutral) to ensure a seamless glow rather than any stark stripes. Cool undertones thrive on silver and icy pinks, while deeper skin tones need rich warmth and should avoid anything too pale or silver, which can look chalky and flat.
Where should you apply the highlighter on your face?
Apply it to the high points of your face; the tops of cheekbones, the bridge of your nose and your Cupid’s bow. Place highlighter under your eyes and sweep it upward toward your temples to lift the face.
How do I prevent the highlighter from emphasising skin texture, spots or pores?
Choose liquids, creams or finely milled satin formulas instead of anything with sparkle particles that catch the light harshly and sit inside pores or over bumps – this has the effect of making uneven skin look rougher. Apply your product to smoother high points, such as the very top of the cheekbone, where skin is naturally tighter and smoother, and avoid any areas with breakouts.
When should I apply highlighter – before or after setting powder or spray?
Most people apply highlighter near the end of their makeup routine, after foundation, concealer, bronzer and blush, but before setting powder or spray. You can apply after setting though; dust it over matte powder if using a powder formula, or press cream on top for extra shine.
How do I create the underpainting technique?
The viral underpainting technique involves applying highlighter first and gently blending your foundation (or other base product) around it so a soft, lit-from-within glow peeks through.
