Did you ever hear that old saying; bones are beauty? Don’t worry, it’s not a reference to being overly skinny, rather it is an homage to the beautiful bone structure of the face. Being used to our own faces, it is easy to take for granted the careful craftsmanship that took evolution thousands of years to perfect. The human face is amazing. From the width of the brow and the shape of the eye, to the height of the cheekbone and the curve of the chin, we are, each and every one of us, beautiful marvels.

With so much going for us, we would be wise to show off everything we can. And, nothing can help you to do that better than a highlighter. With a few properly placed brush strokes, your skin will go from flat to fabulous. As we move forward, keep in mind I used the word few.

Like all other complexion products, highlighters work most effectively on your face (reflecting light, adding prominence to bone structure) when they are virtually undetectable. Because they are highly concentrated, ‘less is more’, are words to live by. Highlighters come in a variety of forms, but powders are the easiest to use and when applied with a light hand, tend to look the most natural.

To Apply

Cheeks

Using a fluffy brush lightly tap the highlighter onto the area just above the cheekbones. This will add tremendous height to the bones and provide a head turning radiant glow. When you apply it above your blush, the contrast of the two will make the highlight and the contour both more prominent.

Nose

Using the same brush apply a touch to the upper half of the nose. I avoid getting the entire nose because often it lends up looking greasy. As an added bonus, getting only the upper half will add straightness to the bridge of the nose.

Chin

A light tap to the most prominent part of the chin will add a stunning pop.

Forehead

Proceed with caution here. If you put the highlighter all over, the result will be the appearance of oily, sweaty skin.To avoid that, use a smaller brush and set the highlighter just above the eyebrows.

A Few Tips

To get the most out of your highlighter while still keeping it natural, tap a touch of foundation and a little translucent powder over it. In addition to reducing the shine and setting the product, this extra step will make it look like the radiance is coming up through your own skin…and isn’t that how we want it to look anyway.

Many people tend to steer away from highlighters because they are afraid of the little girl  look. Well, I can tell you two easy (and perhaps obvious) ways to avoid this. First, like I said above, use a light hand. And, secondly, avoid any that contain glitter (I told you it was obvious).

Highlighters I Love

A few of my favorite highlighters are Albatross by NARS ($25, www.sephora.com) and Mary-Lou Manizer by The Balm ($22, www.sephora.com).  

If you follow those simple steps and use a light hand, you will be showing off your amazing bone structure in no time at all. So, pop on a little glow and get out there and show everyone just how beautiful you really are.