How to Apply Highlighter Like a Makeup Artist So You Don't Look Like a Disco Ball (2024)

Highlighter is one of those makeup products where the line between subtle, elevated glam, and overdone is very, very fine. In its best applications, it can make the high points of your face glisten and catch the light just right. But with too heavy of a hand—or the wrong product—you can quickly find yourself in “walking disco ball” territory. That's why we asked makeup experts to explain how and where to put highlighter—plus, they share more tips on achieving your desired look.

What Is Highlighter?

Highlighter is a makeup product that comes in all kinds of formulas and shades. You can find it in a powder, cream, liquid, or balm stick form, for example. Some highlighters even have SPF in them to help your skin glisten in the sun—while also protecting it from the sun.

"Highlighters are a versatile tool in makeup that can elevate your look by enhancing the high points of your face and creating dimension,” explains professional makeup artist Tonya Riner. “They add luminosity to areas where natural light hits, accentuating your bone structure and imparting a lifted effect.”

Where to Apply Highlighter for the Best Results

When it comes to applying highlighter, focus only on the highest points of your face, which is where light naturally reflects. These areas include your cheekbones, nose bridge, brow bone, and chin. However, the upper lip and inner corners of the eyes are also popular places to put highlighter.

Cheekbones

Apply highlighter along the highest point of your cheekbones to add dimension and definition to your face. It should go just above where you'd put your contour or bronzer. You can use a makeup brush or your fingertips to sweep the highlighter in an upward motion toward your temples.

Nose Bridge

You can also apply a line of highlighter along the bridge of your nose with your finger or a small brush. Move it down the center of your nose to give the illusion of a straighter or more defined nose. You can also dab a bit of the highlighter on the very tip of your nose.

Brow Bone

Applying highlighter just beneath the arch of your eyebrows is also common. Again, you can use your fingers or a small brush to gently tap the highlighter along your brow bone. This look can help lift and open your eyes.

Chin

For your chin, lightly tap highlighter onto the tip using your finger or a brush. This subtle chin glow can make your face appear more lifted and dimensional.

Cupid's Bow

Another popular place to use a highlighter is the center of your upper lip (or your "cupid's bow"). Apply the highlighter just above the lip with the tip of your finger or a small brush to help your lips appear fuller and more defined.

Eye Corners

Applying highlighter to the inner corners of your eyes can also brighten them and make them look more awake. Use a small brush or your pinky or ring finger (one with a more delicate touch) to dab the highlighter into the eye corners.

How to Make Sure Highlighter Application Is Subtle

The thing about makeup is that it’s deeply personal and offers a way for us to express ourselves. That said, there are some days—or even life eras—when glittering like a disco ball is exactly the end goal. Other times, though, a subtler approach is more your speed.

“As an artist who loves to play with makeup both on set and at home, I am here for the range and creativity,” says Dominique Lerma, executive makeup artist for MŌDA Brush. “However, if you are aiming to subtly highlight the face and for the finished makeup look to appear radiant, naturally flushed, and angelic, then I would aim for the less is more approach.”

For a subtle highlighter effect, follow these steps.

Step 1: Choose the Right Highlighter

Choose a finely milled highlighter (instead of a product with visible specks of glitter or shimmer). Lerma says that cream and liquid highlighters provide the “most natural, radiant, and fresh skin-like finish.”

Step 2: Apply With a Light Hand

With your application tool—like a makeup sponge or brush (or fingers)—line or dot your face.

• If you're applying highlighter to your cheekbones, nose bridge, or brow bone, draw a line with the highlighter.

If you're applying it to your chin, cupid's bow, or the corners of your eyes, dabbing dots of highlighter will work better.

Use a very light hand so you don't do too much at once.

Step 3: Build and Blend the Highlighter

Slowly build the highlighter to the desired intensity. “When applying highlighter, use a light touch and build up gradually to ensure a seamless blend,” Riner advises.

Make sure to blend the highlighter as you go, as well. “Remember that the level of luminosity on your face should match that on the rest of your body," she says.

Step 4: Fix Any Mistakes

If you accidentally apply too much highlighter, celebrity makeup artist Bryan Cantor says to use a makeup brush or the blender sponge you used to apply your foundation to go over the over-highlighted areas. You don’t need to add more foundation; you want just enough to remove a bit of product and tone down the highlighted effect.

“You can also try buffing over the area with a clean brush to remove excess product,” he adds. “However, the best way to handle applying too much highlighter is to apply it sparingly and then build up the desired effect. It is much easier to add more highlighter than [it is] to remove it once you have applied it.”

Step 5: Set the Product with Finishing Spray

Set the product with a finishing spray or powder, ideally one with a luminous or dewy finish versus a matte one. The setting spray will help keep the highlighter on your face for longer, and it can also help reduce the appearance of oiliness.

Common Highlighter Mistakes to Avoid

Along with following the above advice on how and where to apply highlighter, try to steer clear of these common mistakes:

• Avoid applying highlighter under your eyes, “as this can enhance texture in that area and just looks generally unflattering,” Cantor says.
• Be mindful of applying highlighter over large pores, fine lines, wrinkles, or active breakouts, Riner notes. Highlighter can make either appear more prominent.
• Don’t apply highlighter to the center of your forehead or the sides of your nose. Cantor says this tends to make you look oily versus glowy.
• Lerma says you shouldn’t use a foundation with shimmer if you’re using a highlighter, as well. This can result in that disco ball, over-highlighted effect.
• Avoid metallic sheens, “as these look very artificial and dated,” says Cantor.

How to Find the Right Shade and Formula

There’s really no “right” or “wrong” highlighter formula, Cantor says. Each has its own unique effect, so it’s a matter of figuring out what look you’re going for and using a product that aligns with your complexion. You can also toy with different formula types to see which you like best. Consider your desired look, skin type, and skin tone when choosing a product.

Skin Type

A powder highlighter may be ideal for those who have oily or combination skin since it can give a subtle and buildable glow while helping to control shine. A soft, fluffy brush is best to apply powder highlighter.

Cream and liquid highlighters, on the other hand, may be ideal for those with normal to dry skin since they can offer a dewier finish. You can use a makeup sponge or your fingers to apply a cream or liquid highlighter. Stick highlighters can be more convenient for on-the-go highlighting. They're easy to blend as they tend to have a cream- or balm-like texture, making them suitable for most skin types, too.

Skin Tone

When it comes to color, here are a few considerations to keep in mind:

• Fair skin tones: If you have a light skin tone, you may want to consider a highlighter with a pearly pink or champagne undertone that can give you a glow without looking too harsh.
• Medium skin tones: If you have a more olive skin tone, you may want to choose a highlighter with a golden or peach undertone. Warmer shades can complement the natural warmth of your skin.
• Dark skin tones: If you have a darker skin tone, you may want to go with a highlighter that has a bronze, copper, or deep gold undertone, which tend to work best for a natural-looking glow.

Desired Look

If you want a subtle highlighted effect, then any product with visible specks of glitter probably won’t deliver the results you’re going for. In this case, you’d want a more finely milled highlighting product, or you may want to stick with a highlighter that provides sheen via a gloss effect.