Makeup By Chele Tutorial
How to Apply Highlighter – Easy Beginner Makeup Guide
How to apply highlighter is a helpful makeup skill because highlighter adds glow, lift, and brightness to the high points of the face. When it is placed correctly, highlighter can make the skin look fresh and radiant without looking glittery or harsh.
If you are learning how to apply highlighter as a beginner, the most important thing to remember is that placement and amount matter. A little glow in the right place usually looks prettier than too much shine all over the face.
This guide will show you how to apply highlighter on the cheekbones, nose, brow bone, and inner corners in a soft, beginner-friendly way. It is part of the full Makeup Tutorials series.
How to Apply Highlighter for Beginners
Learning how to apply highlighter starts with understanding what highlighter is supposed to do. Foundation, concealer, blush, and bronzer create the base, color, and warmth. Highlighter adds light back to the areas you want to bring forward.
The biggest beginner mistake is putting highlighter everywhere. Too much highlighter can emphasize texture, pores, or fine lines. The goal is not to make the whole face shiny. The goal is to add a soft glow to the high points of the face.
Once you understand how to apply highlighter in thin, controlled layers, it becomes much easier to get a fresh glow without making the makeup look heavy or metallic.
How to Apply Highlighter Step by Step
The easiest way to learn how to apply highlighter is to use a small amount first, blend the edges, and only add more if you want extra glow. Highlighter should catch the light softly instead of sitting on the skin like a stripe.
1. Finish Your Base First
Highlighter usually goes after foundation, concealer, blush, and bronzer. Once the face has color and shape, you can see where a little glow will look best.
2. Choose the Right Formula
Powder highlighter is easy to control and works well over powder makeup. Cream or liquid highlighter can look softer and more skin-like when layered before heavy powder.
3. Use a Small Brush or Fingertip
A small brush gives more control than a large fluffy brush. For cream highlighter, a fingertip or sponge can help press the glow into the skin.
4. Apply to the Cheekbones
Place highlighter on the tops of the cheekbones, above blush and bronzer. Keep it slightly higher so the glow lifts the face instead of pulling it down.
5. Add a Little to the Nose
If you like nose highlight, use a very small amount on the bridge or tip of the nose. Too much highlighter here can look oily instead of glowy.
6. Brighten the Brow Bone
A tiny amount under the brow arch can make the brow area look lifted. Keep it soft so it does not look frosty or harsh.
7. Try the Inner Corners
A small touch of highlighter near the inner corners of the eyes can make the eyes look brighter. Use a tiny brush and blend carefully.
8. Blend the Edges
After applying highlighter, soften the edges with a clean brush, sponge, or fingertip. The glow should fade into the makeup, not look like a hard line.
Chele’s pro tip: if highlighter looks too strong, lightly tap over it with your foundation sponge or a clean brush. This softens the shine while keeping a pretty glow.
Powder Highlighter vs Cream Highlighter
When learning how to apply highlighter, it helps to know the difference between powder, cream, and liquid formulas. The formula you choose can change how natural or bold the glow looks.
Powder Highlighter
Powder highlighter is easy to control and works well after powder blush or bronzer. It can give a more noticeable glow, but it should be applied lightly to avoid looking too metallic.
Cream or Liquid Highlighter
Cream and liquid highlighters can look softer and more skin-like. They usually work best before heavy powder or pressed gently on top with a sponge or fingertip.
You can choose the formula based on your skin and the look you want. Dry or mature skin may prefer a softer cream glow, while oily skin may prefer a controlled powder highlight.
How to Apply Highlighter Without Emphasizing Texture
A big part of learning how to apply highlighter is learning where not to place it. Highlighter catches light, which means it can make texture, pores, or bumps more noticeable if it is placed directly over those areas.
For a smoother look, keep highlighter on the highest, smoothest parts of the cheekbone instead of bringing it too far toward the center of the face. Avoid applying a strong shimmer over large pores or textured areas if you do not want attention there.
- Use a small amount and build slowly.
- Keep highlighter on the high points of the face.
- Avoid heavy shimmer over texture or large pores.
- Blend the edges so there is no harsh stripe.
- Choose softer formulas if metallic highlighter looks too strong.
If your highlighter always looks too shiny, try a softer satin formula instead of a glittery one. A gentle glow is usually more flattering than heavy sparkle.
Highlighter Mistakes to Avoid
A big part of learning how to apply highlighter is knowing what can make highlighter look too obvious. Most highlighter mistakes come from using too much product, placing it too low, or choosing a formula that is too glittery for the look you want.
Using Too Much Product
Highlighter builds quickly. Start with a small amount and add more only if you want extra glow. Too much shine can overwhelm the rest of the makeup.
Placing It Too Low
Highlighter placed too low on the cheek can make the face look shiny instead of lifted. Keep it on the top of the cheekbone for a cleaner glow.
Using Glitter Instead of Glow
Some highlighters are very glittery. If you want a softer makeup look, choose a smoother shimmer or satin glow instead of chunky sparkle.
Forgetting to Blend
Highlighter should fade into blush, bronzer, and foundation. Blend the edges so the glow looks seamless instead of striped.
What Comes After Highlighter?
After you learn how to apply highlighter, the next step in this beginner tutorial series is usually eyeshadow. Once the face is even, warm, and glowing, you can move into the eyes and start defining the eye shape.
Next, go to how to apply eyeshadow. After that, you can move into how to fill in brows and how to apply lip liner.
If you need to go back, visit how to apply foundation, how to apply concealer, how to apply blush, or how to apply bronzer. If you want the full routine, go to the full beat makeup tutorial or return to the main makeup tutorials hub.
For general cosmetic safety and hygiene, you can also review the FDA cosmetics safety page. Clean brushes and safe products matter, especially near the eyes and cheek area.
Related Makeup Tutorials
Use these pages next to keep building your makeup routine in the right order.
How to Apply Highlighter FAQ
Where should highlighter be placed?
Highlighter usually goes on the tops of the cheekbones, brow bone, inner corners of the eyes, and sometimes a small amount on the nose or cupid’s bow.
Should highlighter go before or after blush?
Highlighter usually goes after blush and bronzer so you can place glow on top of the finished cheek shape. Cream highlighter may be used earlier if needed.
How do I fix too much highlighter?
Tap over it with a clean brush, foundation sponge, or a little powder. This can soften the shine without removing the rest of your makeup.
Once you know how to apply highlighter in soft, blended layers, your makeup can look glowy, lifted, and fresh without looking overly shiny.
Want to keep learning? Go back to the main tutorial library and choose the next makeup step. This how to apply highlighter guide is one step in the full beginner makeup tutorial series.
Back to Makeup Tutorials