A highlighter lecture

If you asked me few years ago, when I wasn't using makeup, what was a highlighter, I'd probably say a pen in vivid, translucent color. But luckily I've improved my makeup knowledge since and nowadays I'm a faithful user of highlighter. I'm actually in love with it.
It's the easiest way to illuminate your face and create a youthful, dewy complexion. 

I. Where to apply it?

I usually apply it to my cheek bones, my chin, to the bridge of my nose and and sometimes a little bit on forehead. I also put some in inner corners of my eyes and under my eyebrow arch. This is super for brightening your eyes. You can also put some above your upper lip on your cupid's bow.  If you apply it properly and not to much you'll just brighten your face and make it prettier. It can create dimension and adds natural glow to your makeup.
You can learn to make certain features of your face stand out. That way you sculpt your face and balance the proportions.

II. Choose the right color


I prefer shimmering, champagne highlighter, but there are lots of options. Either go with white, a matte highlighter or warm your complexion with golden shimmering highlighter all over your face. It's important to know your face, your skin tone and choose the correct color. If you have pale skin pink, light tones will be perfect. But with sallow skin, I wouldn't go with pinks.
Also have light hand when applying, because no one wants to look overdone and too shinny or even glittery.
The key is blending!


III. Types of highlighters

Today we know lots of types of highlighters. From shimmering, powdery ones to liquid, metallic products.
The concealer highlighters are super easy to apply and they blend well. So you get quite natural glow that is usually not overpowering. They also brighten your face and can be used to cover imperfections or dark undereye circles.  But most people prefer shimmering powdery highlighters. Mainly because they look gorgeous, the colors are very shinny and beautiful and you can also use it to set your makeup.
There are also liquid ones, and to be honest they are hardest to apply. You really have to blend quickly in order to achieve natural makeup.


IV. My highlighters

And now here are some of my highlighters. I've collected them through this year and slowly I'm getting to know different types of highlighters and different styles of application.
I have a small selection, from some liquid ones to more creamy textures. I also use concealer highlighters, but I forgot to put them in picture (Sorry). I definitely prefer powder ones. Maybe I'll change my mind with some time. 

My highlighters

Here are the swatches

So here is a list of them:

1. The Balm: "Mary-Lou Manizer" (17€/24$ for 3oz/ 8.5g)

Mary-Lou Manizer is a champagne highlighter that has some warm, honey undertones. It's very pigmented and the application is beautiful. It also has tones of subtle, golden shimmers that diffuses light. The result is softer and younger skin with pretty glow. I use it on my cheek bones and in other "high" places on my face. 
Currently it's my favourite highlighter.

2. Poudre Signee de Chanel, Illuminating Powder (55€/ $68.00 for 0.28oz./ 8g)

This highlighter is from the Chanel Spring 2013 ” Printemps Precieux de Chanel ” Collection. Simply, it's a beautiful illuminating powder that is quite sheer. But it still reflects light and creates most amazing glow on your face. It's perfect spring highlighter, because it's not to strong, but still great. It recreates first sunshines in spring, that are soft and delicate. Also the powder was embossed with Chanel's signature emblems, like camellia blossom, lipsticks, lipgloss and famous perfume bottles. It was so gorgeous that I didn't use it for one month, but then I did and I'm not sorry. The highlighter is great and I love it.

3.Benefit "Girl meets pearl" (32€ /30$ for 12.0 mL / 0.4 US fl oz.)

This is a liquid luminizer in soft, golden-pink pearly tones. It has light-reflecting pigments that create delicate dewy glow. It smells AMAZING like chamomile. It also has some soothing properties because it has chamomile, raspberry and almond extraits. 
It's quite subtle and it creates nice, soft glow.
I like it, but I'm still trying to figure it the best way to apply it (...currently it's with my fingers).
I also love pearly finish.

4. Benefit "High Beam" (28€ /26$ for 13ml/ 0.45 US fl oz)

This is a lovely pink liquid highlighter. It's very shimmering and gorgeous. If you use it properly and blend it well you get a dewy, radiant glow that is just perfect. The trick with liquid highlighters is that you can mix them with your foundation for more dewy look. Or in my case to lighten my foundation, because I'm super pale and I can't find the perfect shade.

5. YSL Dare to Glow (#3 Naughty Pink) ( 30€ /28$ for 15mL/ 0,5 fl.oz.) 

This is a shimmering pink liquid highlighter. Compared to the High Beam the texture of this one is more creamy and it dries super fast. The colors are quite similar, maybe YSL is more pigmented, but when blended this one goes quite sheer. When you squeeze some from tube it's incredibly pigmented, but when you apply it to the skin and blend it, it just transforms to something soft, very transparent.
It has many functions, you can use it as a highlighter, or as eyeshadow primer. The website says you can use it even on your lips.
But to be honest, this is my least favourite of the bunch. I've tried to apply it with my finger, with a brush, I even mixed it with my foundation and it always looks patch and uneven. I'll try to find a way because the color is amazing, but so far the texture is horrible. But I love the packaging, I mean this looks like a perfect product, hopefully the problem is in my application.

You can see comparison of High Beam and YSL. The YSL one is sooo beautiful and sparkling.

This was my selection for this post, but I forgot to include some other highlighters and concealers that are pretty great. I also use (daily) L'Oreal's Lumi Magique Makeup Base to lighten my foundation. Because normal foundations are to dark for me I have to use something to sheer them. And it's okay, it also adds some sheen to my face. As a under eye concealer I use L'Oreal's Magic Lumi concealer. In the beginning I hated it, but I've learned how to use it properly and since I've been loving it.


Conclusion: 
My favourite highlighter is from The Balm, and it's their Mary-Lou Manizer. I also like all the other highlighters I currently own (except the YSL one, but this one apparently need some extra care and special application I haven't found yet). You can achieve perfect glowy complexion with any of this, but make sure to know your face and skin tone in order to pick the best one for you.
And I'm also not done yet with the whole highlighter story. I will keep on researching and finding my next big love. So far it's the Mary-Lou Manizer and I can say it's definitely a HG material.