Makeup » Types of Highlighters, from Powder to Liquid to Balm

Types of Highlighters, from Powder to Liquid to Balm

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Looking for that lit-from-within makeup look that’s so trendy nowadays? Consider trying strobing and getting to know the types of highlighters you can choose from. From the point of view of their consistency, makeup highlighters come in different forms, each targeting a certain skin type and unique preference.

Powder Highlighters

The most common, and also easiest-to-use of the highlighters are powder highlighters. These powders are most frequently pressed, but sometimes they come in a loose form.

A traditional highlighter is very shimmery, thanks to a high cotent of mica or other reflective minerals. A highlight does not have to be shiney, of course, and some matte powders exist that provide a highlight simply by being lighter than one’s skin tone.

Liquid Highlighters

Liquid highlighters, occasionally advertized as illuminating drops or stains, are thin liquid products embedded with light reflective minerals. These creams can be applied to bare skin, under or over the foundation, depending on whether the one wearing them wants a more subdued, lit-from-within glow, or a stronger highlight.

When worn under the foundation, they often have the added bonus of increasing its longevity. They can even be mixed with foundation and applied all over the face for an all-over glow.

Best Highlighters for Skin Types
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Highlighting Balms

These balms or creams have a thicker texture than a strobing cream, and usually come pressed into a compact or jar, a little like cream blushes, or in a roll-up stick (picture a large, shimmery lipstick!). They have more pigmentation than a strobing cream, but less pigmentation than powder highlighters, and they can also be applied either below or above the foundation.

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