How to give your skin an instant glow, with products starting from £9.99

Using powder or cream to subtly illuminate the face isn’t new, but it is becoming more popular.
Using powder or cream to subtly illuminate the face isn’t new, but it is becoming more popular.

The London department store Liberty has announced a 239 per cent rise in the sale of highlighters compared to this time last year, and I’m not surprised. Its use has long been an insider trick of make-up artists who reach for it to gently add a believable youthful glow to the skin.

Done properly, it should catch the light in all the right places for a subtle sheen.  And subtlety really is the key when  it comes to highlighter. Overdone it immediately becomes ageing, because  it looks too obvious. I’ve often found that powder highlighters are tricky – a brush loaded with too much product or too many strokes can look more glittery than glowing. Cream and liquid highlighters are more forgiving. You can warm them up between your fingers and work them into your skin so the finish is more seamless. 

So what’s the magic face-enhancing formula for applying it? Aim for the higher planes of the face, where the light naturally illuminates your skin. If you can apply it next to a window with some natural daylight streaming in, you’ll get the idea. So that means the top of the cheekbones (but not too close to the lower eye contour), a little down the bridge of the nose, and you can even apply some to the temples. Use it after your base and before your blusher, and start with the softest touch and build up. Applied properly, highlighter should be in every woman’s bag of tricks for a youthful, glowing complexion.

The Telegraph top five highlighters 

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Beauty Light Wand, £29

CT
CT

With a sponge  tip for foolproof application, this  soft rosy highlighter blends gently into the skin.

RMS Beauty Living Luminizer, £36  

rms
rms

If it’s good enough for Gisele, it’s good enough for us – this creamy formula is  a joy to use. 

Revlon PhotoReady Insta-Fix Highlighting Stick, £9.99   

revlon
revlon

This easy-to-use stick leaves a soft sheen on the skin.

Hourglass Cosmetics Ambient Lighting Powder, £40 

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k

If you love using powders, opt  for this softly  blurring formula.

Benefit Watt’s  Up! £25.50  

benefit
benefit

A beautiful champagne-toned highlighter that looks lovely on warmer skin tones.