All good thing’s come in three’s... my favourite trio of highlighters

Why?

• Contributes to a naturally healthy, bright and radiant complexion.
• Helps attract light to the skin (creating the illusion of brightness)
• Helps to lift, brighten and emphasise features, such as the eyes, lips or cheekbones.

Which shade?
Highlighters tend to come in 3 main tones - Pink, Peach/Gold and Bronze/Copper. You could find flattering shades in all three tones, depending on the lighting, season and desired makeup look), but usually the shade that best suits you, is the one that looks the most natural on you and is normally 2 shades lighter than your foundation or skin tone.

1. Pink - Best suited for light skin tones including the fairest of you
2. Peach, Gold - Best suited for medium skin tones and summer skin
3. Bronze, Copper - Best suited for dark skin tones.

Chantecaille Liquid Lumière Anti-Aging Illuminator in ‘Sheen’ is a light fluid, anti-ageing, multi-use highlighter that blends easily, helps blur away imperfections, redness and shadow, applies sheer with a smooth finish, stays on all day, doesn't slide off or crease, or separate anything, is silky to the touch and is buildable for intensity. The tube container makes this a very travel friendly highlighter.

Available in three shades: ‘Sheen’ - classic, natural, glow; ‘Brilliance’ - golden glow; and ‘Luster’ - sun kissed glow. Suitable for all skin types including oily skin and light to medium skin tones.

Shake the tube before applying Chantecaille's Anti-Age Liquid Lumiere using finger tips to smooth the product outwards over the face, extra layers can be applied to areas like the cheekbones.

Or mix a tiny amount in with a tinted moisturiser or foundation, apply with fingertips or a foundation brush and then finish it off with a beauty blender to create a light natural and beautiful result.

My most recent addition to my collection of highlighters and already a favourite of mine, the Limited Edition, Tom Ford Radiant Perfecting Illuminating Powder in ‘01 Gilt Glow’ highlighter.

This light-reflective highlighter is a silky, soft, super-fine pressed powder, that produces a natural and subtle luminosity and looks so stunning. The powder has great pigmentation, picks up well with a brush, goes on evenly, blends easily and has good staying power.

Gilt glow is a flattering shade of iridescent warm white gold without being too white or yellow and is suitable for bronzed summer skin and light to medium skin tones.

The compact is absolutely stunning (just like Tom Ford, himself), super stylish and gorgeous. It looks sleek, has a mirror (with Tom Ford embossed on it), a magnetic closure, and comes with a little white pouch, which does help protect it from getting scratched.

I fell in love with Bobbi Brown ‘Bronze Glow’ Highlighting Powder when I first laid my eyes on it back in Summer 2014, and it has been the highlighter I have reached out for the most ever since. It is therefore no surprise to me that it has since become a cult favourite!

‘Pink Glow’ looks amazing on light skin tones

The black mirrored compact, is simple and practical (no odd shape so great for stacking when storing or carrying).

How?
Dust over cheekbones (high points of cheeks), on the bridge of the nose to make it look slimmer, the cupid’s bow to make them look fuller, the chin, the inner corner of your eyes to look more awake, under the eyebrow arch, décolleté or anywhere you want an enhanced glow.

Alternatively, apply it before you apply setting/finishing/foundation powder for a pretty elegant glow.


What if?
Highlighters that are made from super-fine milled pressed powder tend to be fragile and are not very travel friendly. Therefore, care should be taken when handling and travelling with powder highlighters, or it could end up looking like this!

I managed to capture the beautiful golden hues that Tom Ford Gilt Glow has.


I drop my mobile way too often, I have even dropped my eye glasses a few times, therefore me dropping my makeup is inevitable. I have experienced this several times over decades, and doubt this will be the last! When this does happen, I go through the following process:

1. Each time I am devastated, I usually go through feelings of regret, anger and sadness. “Why did it happen to this one?” And each time, I remind myself that, “accidents happen”, “may be it wasn’t meant to be”, I put it into context, “it is only ‘makeup’”, and ending with “it’s not like it’s life changing”. None of this helps me at the time (probably makes me feel worse) but, it’s a motion I go through.
2. I get creative, I take a photo of my recent ‘casualty’. I can use it on my social media.
3. If enough has survived, I will attempt to fix it. The easiest method is to remove the makeup pan, by turning the palette upside down and looking for a tiny pin hole. If one is not apparent, try feeling for it under the label. Then I use either my iPhone reset pin or a medium sized paper clip to gently push and pry the pan off. Replace it with a new refill (if available), or a pan of similar shape and size. Here, it doesn’t have to be the same product, e.g. it could be a bronzer, blusher, or face powder. I check to see if I already have something suitable, before buying from stores or online.
   
4. The advanced method is using a palette knife or the back of a spoon, crush and press all the broken pieces into the original container (or a new or smaller pan). Add a few drops of high concentration of Isopropanol/Isopropyl/Rubbing Alcohol (91%+), cover with cling film (plastic wrap) and gently press and rub until even and smooth. Add more drops and repeat process if necessary. Carefully remove the cling film and leave to dry overnight.
   
5. Lastly, I will decide if I am able, or want to repurchase the original broken item. I tend to buy again, when, none of the above has been successful, or it is a limited edition, or the diva in me just won’t be content until I get it again, and I hope this one doesn’t have the same fate as it’s predecessor!