The Highlighter Trend

Everybody recognises the "uber" trendy word “Highlighter". Many of us carry one or more in our makeup bag. Sufficient to say that this product has swept the entire globe over the past few years.

However, this season, metallic shine and glossy cheekbones are slowly but surely fading away. Naturally glowing skin is taking its place. This season's trend is to make the skin appear naturally hydrated, giving away an "I woke up this fresh” feeling. Radiant skin is taking over the runway! We see well-groomed faces all throughout SS18 catwalks such as Marni, Vicky Zhang, Rodarte, Joseph to mention a few.

That means that muted glow, naturally plump skin - these are the key trends this season. This trend is gaining momentum and will smoothly transition into the fall. We’ve seen many glowing complexions during AW18 shows such as Roksanda, Lanvin, Michael Kors and many others.

Radiant skin may seem easy to achieve. You are probably thinking “Don't most models have great skin anyway?’. You are correct, most catwalk models do have great skin, but without the right preparation, such a look cannot be so easily achieved. Preparation is the key when it comes to radiant, healthy-looking skin. Part of such preparation includes facials, facial masks, essential oils, moisturisers, primers and of course - highlighters.

Let’s not forget that healthy skin goes hand in hand with healthy lifestyle choices which include a good night’s sleep, drinking plenty of water, eating a healthy balanced diet and regular exercise.

Returning to “Highlighters”, let's think and discuss what is out there and which are my particular personal favourites.

For those of you who are wondering where the highlighter should be applied, here is a little tip: think of your face in a 3D form. All of the protruding parts attract the light - generally, this would be the highest point of the cheekbone, bridge of the nose, cupid’s bow and the brow bone. Personally, I am not a fan of highlighting the bridge of the nose or the tip of the nose, however, many of you are, so it’s really down to your own preference. Remember - highlighting will attract attention to where it is applied. Avoid highlighting areas that you do not wish to draw attention to.

Today I would like to talk about a variety of highlighters and which ones are best suited for each individual skin type.

Powder Highlighters

Probably the most common in the market and the easiest in regard to application are powder highlighters. They are presented as a compressed powder and are easily applied with a tapered powder brush. They are compatible with most skin types and can be used directly to the skin or over foundation.

My favourites are:

- Illamasqua ‘OMG’ highlighter - for a soft golden glow

- Charlotte Tilbury ‘Filmstar Duo’ - for neutral warm highlights

- Two Faced Highlighter - for a cooler finish

- Milani ‘“Rosa Romantica’ - has a pinky glow to it.

Liquid Highlighters

These are great for normal to dry skin. They can be applied directly unto the skin, mixed in or applied on top of the foundation. Current favourites for me are ‘Liquid Chrome Highlighter Drops’ from Barry M and Iconic Illuminator in ‘Original”.

Creme Highlighters

Great product but slightly tricky to apply. If you are adding it over foundation, it will need to be warmed up with your fingertips first. I would not recommend using this product on oily skin or over an oilfree foundation. Oils that consist of creme highlighters have a tendency to break down some of the oil-free foundations. If used directly unto the skin it can be applied using fingers, foundation brush or a buffing brush.

My personal favourites are Benefit’s ‘Watt’s Up’’ Soft Focus Highlighter and Illamasqua’s Gleam Cream in ‘Aurora’ or ‘Supernatural’.

Gel Highlighters

These are a recent novelty that has just arrived on the market and are more frequently used by professionals. They can be used on any skin type.

One of my favourites is ‘You Glow Girl’ by INC.redible cosmetics. These gel highlighters come in four colours: ’Flocking Fabulous', ‘Peach Out’, ‘Cosmic Blur’, ‘Show Glow’ and can be applied anywhere on the face. They are also quite durable.

Spray-on Highlighters

Another new product on the market which is rapidly gaining popularity - liquid highlighters that come as an illuminating setting spray. This is one of the most used products in my personal makeup bag. I love applying it to my bare face as it visually smoothes my skin and adds a subtle glow. Equally, it can be applied over a finished makeup look to set it.

My top product in this range is ‘Prep - Set - Glow’ from Iconic London in ‘Original” colour. It is 100% Vegan, which is one of the reasons why I like it so much.

As you can see the highlighter is currently an extremely popular makeup product. I just can't bear the thought of dull skin. Highlighters have arrived and they have a foreseeable future in the world of makeup.