Where to Put Highlighter on Your Face: Easy Steps + a Video Tutorial!

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How to apply highlighter to enhance your eyes, lips, cheeks, & more
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Applying highlighter can give your skin a beautiful color boost and enhance your bone structure as well. Highlighter only takes a few seconds to apply because you only apply it to a few small areas of your face. However, just a few dabs of highlighter can brighten up your entire face. Even if you are new to applying makeup, learning to apply highlighter is easy.

Highlighter How-To: Quick Tips

  1. Dab highlighter onto the inner corners of your eyes.
  2. Sweep highlighter across your brow bones.
  3. Add a small dot of highlighter onto the top arch of your upper lip.
  4. Brush a light dusting of highlighter over the center of your chin.
  5. Apply highlighter to the tops of your cheekbones.
  6. Place a small dab of highlighter on the tip of your nose.
  7. Put some highlighter on the center of your forehead.
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Enhancing Your Eyes, Lips, and Chin

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    Use a highlighting eyeshadow brush and get a little highlighter onto the tip. Then, take the brush and press it into the corners of your inner eyelids. [1]
    • You can apply a couple of layers if you want a more dramatic effect or just apply a light dusting for some subtle highlights.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Apply Highlighter
    The areas just below your eyebrows will catch a lot of light, so this is a nice area to highlight. Try sweeping highlighter over your brow bones, the areas just under your eyebrows. [2]
    • Try to keep most of the highlighter on the outer edges of your brow bone. You do no need to apply highlighter to your entire brow bone.
    • You can also extend the highlighter down towards the creases of your eyelids for an extra eye brightening effect. [3]
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Apply Highlighter
    The area in the center of your upper lip is called your cupid’s bow and highlighting this area will draw more attention to your lips. [4] Get a small amount of highlighter on your fingertip and press it onto this area. [5]
    • Don’t apply the highlighter to your actual lip, just to the area right above your lip.
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    Highlighting the center of your chin can also help to draw attention to your lips. Try sweeping some highlighter onto the center of your chin. [6]
    • Be careful not to apply too much highlighter to this area. You only need a light dusting.
    • If you highlighted your forehead, then try to keep the highlighter on your chin in line with the highlighter on your forehead.
    • You can also apply highlighter right above your chin. [7]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Enhancing Your Cheeks, Nose, and Forehead

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  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/00\/Apply-Highlighter-Step-1-Version-7.jpg\/v4-460px-Apply-Highlighter-Step-1-Version-7.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/00\/Apply-Highlighter-Step-1-Version-7.jpg\/v4-728px-Apply-Highlighter-Step-1-Version-7.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":259,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":410,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    This will create a more even canvas for your highlighter. [8]
    • Use a sponge or makeup brush to blend your foundation.
    • If you have any dark circles or minor imperfections, concealer will add extra coverage to those areas and draw more attention to the highlighted area.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Apply Highlighter
    Take a blush brush or a kabuki brush and use it to apply a bit of highlighter from your temples to the tops of your cheekbone in a C-shaped curve. You can apply one layer for a subtle effect or apply multiple layers for more intense highlights. [9]
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Apply Highlighter
    Get a bit of highlighter onto your fingertip and then dab it onto the tip of your nose. [11] Move your finger back and forth to blend the highlighter. Remember that you do not need much highlighter, just a small dab. [12]
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Apply Highlighter
    To accentuate the center of your forehead, you can sweep some highlighter down the center of your forehead towards the bridge of your nose. [13] Start at the center of your hairline on your forehead and sweep straight downwards.
    • If you want a more dramatic highlighting effect, then you can sweep the highlighter all the way down the bridge of your nose, but this is optional.
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How Do You Apply Contour And Highlight For Your Face Shape?


Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Where on your cheeks should you apply highlighter?
    Christin Birckhead
    Makeup Artist
    Christin Birckhead is a Makeup Artist and the Founder of Conceptual Beauty, a beauty service based in Washington, DC specializing in wedding services such as engagements and bridal parties along with fashion shows and executive headshots. She has over 20 years of makeup and beauty consulting experience. She is also the lead makeup artist for Ascender Communications and freelances with the local NBC news team in the DC metro area. Her clients include Nancy Pelosi, Nancy Cartwright, Armin Van Buuren, Hugh Jackman, Vashawn Mitchell, Richard Smallwood, Benjamin T. Jealous, Colin Powell, Wanda Durant, and Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
    Christin Birckhead
    Makeup Artist
    Expert Answer
    answer video
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    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 1
  • Question
    Can I just put highlighter on? I don't want to put concealer or foundation on or anything. Will it look weird
    Theallknower
    Community Answer
    You apply it on the bridge of your nose, the groove of your upper lip, your cheekbones, under your eyebrows, and even the corners of your eyes. You do not have to wear other makeup if you don't want to.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 4 Helpful 70
  • Question
    What areas should I focus on highlighting if I'm in a rush?
    Community Answer
    If you're in a hurry, you should try to highlight your nose, cheekbones, and a little on your chin and forehead. If you're really pressed for time, just do your cheekbones.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 4 Helpful 33
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      Video

      Tips

      • Make sure that you choose a highlighter that works with your skin tone. The right highlighter for your skin tone should create a nice even sheen. Your skin should not look like it is covered in glitter. Try out different highlighter shades to find one that looks good on you. [14]
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      • If you wear highlighter to school, use one with a subtle sheen rather than one that contains lots of glitter.
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      Warnings

      • Don't apply highlighter all over your face or it will make your skin look metallic. Only apply it on a few areas that catch the light.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q90XRQ_hVVk&t=403s
      2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TNY25txbHI
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TNY25txbHI
      4. ↑ Christin Birckhead. Makeup Artist. Expert Interview. 14 April 2020.
      5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTSjKPr2b2g
      6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pZqB4b5LAU
      7. ↑ Christin Birckhead. Makeup Artist. Expert Interview. 14 April 2020.
      8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0Avc9rbQoM
      9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUy7K0W-T3M
      1. ↑ Christin Birckhead. Makeup Artist. Expert Interview. 14 April 2020.
      2. ↑ Christin Birckhead. Makeup Artist. Expert Interview. 14 April 2020.
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh_rRGt8XXU
      4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCCmrRdf5vk
      5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pyRi_9gv-c
      6. Videos provided by [1]

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      Before applying highlighter, use foundation and concealer to give yourself an even base for the highlighter. After applying base makeup, swipe some highlighter over the tops of your cheekbones and down the center of your forehead with a blush brush. Use your fingertip to dab a little on the tip of your nose and then blend it upward along the ridge of your nose. You can also use an eyeshadow brush to apply highlighter to the inner corners of your eyes and just under your eyebrows for a more dramatic look. To learn more from our Beauty Professional co-author, like how to use highlighter on your lips and chin, keep reading the article!

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        Dec 9, 2017

        "The article was really helpful. Now I know how to highlight properly, thanks to wikiHow."
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