A must-have in every make-up bag, highlighter illuminates our complexion. How do you apply it without making a mistake? Here's the lowdown. 

What exactly is a highlighter used for? 

It's a fair question to ask before you go out and buy one. Brought up to date by celebrity makeup artists, highlighter is a makeup product designed to add luminosity and radiance to certain areas of the face. It is generally used to highlight cheekbones, the brow bone, the cupid's bow (the upper part of the lip), the inner corner of the eyes and the top of the forehead bone.

Highlighters are available in powder, cream, liquid or gel form. It often comes in gold, silver, pink or pearly (to suit all skin tones). We like to use it to give the skin a brighter, fresher look.

When applied correctly, liquid highlighter can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by reflecting light and creating the illusion of smoother, younger-looking skin. It can also help sculpt the face by creating zones of light and shadow, and give a more defined look to facial features... It's a versatile tool that's a must-have in your make-up bag!

How to apply your highlighter step by step

As explained above, highlighter must be applied correctly to be truly effective. For a fresh , luminous complexion , there are specific gestures and steps to follow. 

How to apply highlighter? 

Highlighters come in a variety of forms, including powder, cream, fluid and stick. You'll need to choose an applicator brush according to the type of highlighter you prefer. To apply a powder highlighter, use a fan brush; to apply a creamy highlighter, use a flat brush; to apply a stick highlighter, use a special complexion brush. 

Preparing your skin

This is the base of all bases. Clean, well-prepared skin is better able to withstand and embellish the make-up applied. That's why we follow a meticulous, assiduous skincare routine according to our skin type.

Moisturize your skin's barrier by applying your serum, eye contour serum and cream in that order. We continue by preparing the skin with a luminous base (for even more glow) and we finish with a sun protection, special for the face, mandatory both summer and winter to protect the skin from UVA/UVB rays of the sun, which dangerously accelerate skin aging and accentuate various skin problems.

Apply your make-up base 

Once your skin is ready to receive make-up touches, you apply your foundation (preferably a light-textured liquid to keep a fresh, sparkling look), stretching it out as much as possible with your special complexion brush or make-up sponge (beauty blender). To avoid demarcation, make sure you choose the right shade and work down to the neck. You can skip the foundation step. For a lighter, more natural look, apply concealer only to dark circles and small imperfections.

Illuminate! 

It's time to add that long-awaited touch of light. After choosing the highlighter of your choice (powder, liquid, cream or stick) and according to your skin tone (silver and pink for cooler complexions, gold for warmer complexions). Highlighters are applied with a brush to the areas you wish to highlight. The most common areas are the cheekbones, brow bone, Cupid's bow (upper lip) and the top of the forehead bone. However, you can also play around with some on the collarbones, tip of the nose, inner corner of the eyes or temples. Take care to blend the material well for a natural effect. 

A little advice on choosing your highlighter format: combination to oily skin will prefer a powder format, while dry to normal skin will prefer a creamier, stick or fluid format. 

We fix it

To maintain this luminous complexion all day long, we make sure to fix our make-up with a fixing mist, easily found in specialized stores. 

It's important to note that it's easy to overdo it with highlighter... it's best to start with a small amount and adjust as needed.