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Studies suggest that cutting down on alcohol can bring back some of your natural glow, while another study says having a proper diet will give you a glowing face, but despite that, nothing seems to work out. The long wait has probably left you wondering if you’ll get old by the time you manage to get your glow on point. What if we said you could cheat your way to glowing skin? Yes, you can finally look like a dewy dumpling and get that other-worldly glow with minimal effort. Enter a highlighter – a light-reflecting product that makes your skin look ridiculously radiant as if you are dead serious about the 8 glasses of water a day rule.
The subtle shimmer can instantly transform you into a diva and make you get away even with little or no makeup. However, the key is to achieve a lit-from-within-glow sans going overboard and ending up resembling an illuminated walking bulb. The right highlighter can help you get the sheen that looks shockingly natural. So, are you ready to get your shine on?
What To Look For In A Highlighter?
While choosing a good highlighter for Indian skin, remember to pick one that’s lighter than your skin tone. A lighter highlighter will give your face a natural lift. If you have darker or duskier skin with yellow undertones, then choose yellow-based shades such as gold, peach, and champagne. If you have fairer skin with pinkish undertones, opt for silver, peach, and pink highlighters.
If you have dry skin choose a cream or liquid highlighter and if you have oily skin opt for a powder-based highlighter. Cream or liquid highlighters are made with emulsified oils, which is not ideal for oily skin but adds moisture to dry skin. On the other hand, powder highlighters soak up the excess oil on the face and make your skin glow instead of looking greasy.
How To Apply Highlighter?
Before we help you choose the best highlighters for your face, let’s show you how to apply one. Because you wouldn’t want to look like you were rolled around on a plate of glitter, would you?
Step 1: Firstly, wash your face with a cleanser and then apply a layer of lightweight moisturiser.
Step 2: You can now dab a layer of primer and if you are looking for full coverage, follow it up with foundation and concealer.
Step 3: Now that your base is set, it’s time to go crazy with the highlighter. Dab a beauty sponge or brush on a highlighting formula and press it onto the high points of your face.
Step 4: The key areas to cover include your cheekbones, brow bones, cupid’s bow, and down the bridge of your nose.
Step 5: For the inner corners of your eyes and the tip of your nose, switch to a fine-tip brush to ensure precise application of the product.
Step 6: For a seamless finish, blend out the product with your fingertips.
Best Highlighter In India
We took it upon ourselves to round up the best highlighters that you should add to your beauty closet to get the dewiest skin of your life.
Highlighters For Different Skin Tones
1. Highlighter For Fair Skin
Nykaa Recommends: Kay Beauty Illuminating Highlighter - Frosted Ice
Here’s your one-way ticket to my skin-but-better kind of glow with the Kay Beauty Illuminating Highlighter. A few strobes of this lightweight formula with a shimmery finish will leave you with a luminous sheen that you’ve secretly gawked at in magazines. Besides, your skin will love the way Avocado and Mango Butter team up to smoothly glide and blend on your contours – you will know that with the way your cheekbones pop to unveil an even more gorgeous you.
2. Highlighter For Medium Skin
Nykaa Recommends: Makeup Revolution Highlight Reloaded - Raise the Bar
A good highlighting product should melt into your skin to seamlessly blend and lend you that youthful glow. Meet Makeup Revolution Highlight Reloaded - Raise the Bar that does just that and more. This ultra-pigmented formula is concentrated with shimmering pigments that instantly light up your complexion without leaving tell-tale highlighter stripes. For an intense, foil-like finish you can team it up with a setting spray.
3. Highlighter For Dusky Skin
Nykaa Recommends: Nykaa Strobe & Glow Liquid Highlighter - Gold Mine
Turn yourself into a glowing goddess with the Nykaa Strobe & Glow Liquid Highlighter. Its lightweight formula blends effortlessly, dries down to diffuse light, and leaves you with a natural-looking dewy finish. Besides, this vegan formula is enriched with glided pearls to deliver pure luminescence that’s neither too sparkly nor sticky. Oh, and it comes with a dropper applicator which is a blessing for anyone who could do with controlled usage.
Highlighters For Different Skin Types
1. Highlighter For Oily Skin
Nykaa Recommends: SUGAR Contour De Force Mini Highlighter
If you’re a glow-getter like us but are worried about your skin acting up, don’t worry your time to glow has arrived. The dermatologically tested, SUGAR Contour De Force Mini Highlighter with its buttery soft, lightweight formula gives you the elusive lit-from-within look that you’ve been craving without ruining your skin. Free from mineral oils and parabens, you can layer it on without risking breakouts.
2. Highlighter For Combination Skin
Nykaa Recommends: Miss Claire Liquid Highlighter - Luminous Gold
Can’t stop fantasising about a highlighter that can give you a dewy-finish glow? Same! This is why we have searched for the one that can make our dreams come true. The hydrating Miss Claire Liquid Highlighter is the best liquid highlighter that delivers a dewy multi-shimmer glow thanks to its shimmering pearl pigments. Plus, it’s a highly pigmented yet lightweight formula that blends effortlessly for a natural glow. We see you shining!
3. Highlighter For Sensitive Skin
Nykaa Recommends: Faces Canada Strobe Cream, Rose Gold - Primer + Highlighter + Moisturizer With Hyaluronic Acid
Who says you are too sensitive for a little shimmer? You could do with a little glow too although what you need is a highlighter that is free from synthetic preservatives but full of skincare goodies like hyaluronic acid. Enter Faces Canada Strobe Cream. It has a cream-like weightless texture and is a hydrating liquid highlighter that blends effortlessly to lend a luminous glow. It’s the kind that can be easily tossed into your bag when you need the just-awake skin anytime during the day.
4. Highlighter For Dry Skin
Nykaa Recommends: Inglot Glow On Highlighter
A dollop of the right highlighter can make dry and dull skin look more awake and glowing. The Inglot Glow On Highlighter with its creamy base ensures effortless application to lend you that subtle glow. It’s totally mess-free and will help you create the much-needed soft-focus look to give you more satisfying selfies. Besides, this one can also double up as a face primer. Talk about multi-tasking!
5. Highlighter For Normal Skin
Nykaa Recommends: Swiss Beauty Drop and Glow Liquid Highlighter
If you are settling for highlighters that ghost on you even before the end of the day inches closer, it’s time you ask for more. The Swiss Beauty Drop and Glow Liquid Highlighter with its long-lasting formula settles in your skin to provide a smooth, radiant finish. Oh and when we say radiant, we mean without the traces of obvious sparkle flakes. Plus, it promises to be waterproof so you can splash all you want, this one has chosen to stay committed.
Highlighters With Different Formulations
1. Powder Highlighter
Nykaa Recommends: Maybelline New York Face Studio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter - Molten Gold
Formulated with wet technology, this Maybelline New York Face Studio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter has metallic pearls that offer a reflective sheen. It is perfect for oily skin as the powder doesn’t add more greasiness and at the same time highlights the top points of your face. All my oily skin girlies, say no to unwanted shinies and welcome a lifting glow!
2. Cream Highlighters
Nykaa Recommends: PAC Strobing Cream Mini - Gold
Made with ultra-fine light-catching pearls, this PAC Strobing Cream Mini is the best illuminator for Indian skin. Formulated with moisturising illuminators for a subtle and lightweight sheen, this product offers a targeted glow without the heaviness of makeup products. Perfect for a normal skin type, this highlighter offers a glow without drying your skin out.
3. Liquid Highlighters
Nykaa Recommends: Lakme Absolute Liquid Highlighter
Liquid highlighters are a boon for dry skin and this one from Lakme Absolute is the best when it comes to retaining moisture. It offers a radiant finish with a dewy look formulated with a lightweight and buildable formula. Blend it seamlessly to add a glowing lift that focuses the high points on your face naturally.
FAQs On Best Highlighters For Face
- Recommend the best liquid highlighters.
- Swiss Beauty Drop and Glow Liquid Highlighter
- Kay Beauty Hyper Gloss Liquid Luminizing Highlighter
- e.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Liquid Filter
- Makeup Revolution Superdewy Liquid Highlighter
- Recommend the best highlighters for dry skin.
- Maybelline New York Face Studio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter
- Faces Canada Ultime Pro Face Palette 3 In 1
- SUGAR Glow And Behold Jelly Highlighter
- 3. Suggest tips for using highlighters.
- When choosing a highlighter, go for a shade that’s at least 2-3 shades lighter than your natural skin colour.
- Avoid picking highlighting formulas with a matte finish as they can make your face appear cakey which can be quite unappealing. The key is achieving a glow that looks less obvious and seems more natural.
- When dabbing the highlighting product on your face, focus on the high points of your cheekbones, brow bones, the inner corners of your eyes, the bridge of your nose, the centre of your forehead, the centre of your chin and right above the lips at the cupid’s bow. It’s ideally the protruding areas of your face that require the highlighting effect as they will reflect light and make your face glow.
- If you have dry skin, opt for jelly-based or cream-based highlighters and if you have oily skin, you should ideally opt for powder-based formulas that are oil-free.
- It’s recommended to use a smaller brush when applying highlighter as a bigger brush can spread too much of the product on your face and make it look overdone. A smaller brush on the other hand will help achieve precise and controlled application also reaching out to tiny areas such as the inner corners of your eyes. As an alternative, you can use a makeup sponge to apply highlighters.
- If you want to skip the makeup and simply keep it minimal with just the highlighter, you can absolutely do it. Simply start with a clean face and a dab of moisturizer before you apply the highlighter on the areas where the light would naturally hit. This will give you a naturally illuminating look with a dewy finish.
Highlighting is a lot easier than it seems. To get the technique right, here are a few tips:
