The Pale Girl’s Guide to Highlighting
Happy Makeup Wars Monday! Today I’m bringing you the Pale Girl’s Guide to Highlighting. From the moment I learned about highlighting, I loved it. Contouring, I can take it or leave it, but not highlighting. I want to glow!
The Pale Girl’s Guide to Highlighting
When you’re ultra pale, it can be hard to find the right highlighter. Most are too dark or don’t really bring out my features. And matte highlighters do me no favors. What I’ve found for me is that with pale skin, I need to seek out white based, ethereal, or iridescent highlighter shades. Highlighters with these properties really accentuate my features.
This post contains a mix of press samples and purchased by me.
Dose of Colors Highlighter in Pearl Dust
This is an ethereal white highlighter with a hint of iridescent pink. Above, I used Pearl Dust on the cheek and for an eye highlight at the inner corner. It’s absolutely stunning. See my review. Choose this if you want an iridescent shimmery pink highlight.
NARS Illuminator in Copacabana
This is described as a glistening pearl. It’s like a liquid version of Dose of Colors Pearl Dust. It’s very pretty and this bottle will last you forever because a little goes a very long way. This can also be mixed into liquid foundations or primer to add extra glow. See more highlighter swatches. Choose this if you want a cool pink luminescent glow.
NARS Dual-Intensity Blush in Craving
This is a white base with pink iridescence. The other side is a peachy bronze blush. Above, I’m wearing both the highlighter and blush. This is very subtle for my taste but I do think this is a pretty duo. I bought this duo when I was shopping with my friend Jen from My Beauty Bunny. Choose this if you want a subtle pink sheen.
Notoriously Morbid Highlighter in Osteomancy
This is a silvery white highlight with a hint of blue iridescence. I love this one so much. (vegan) Choose this if you want a cool silvery blue sheen.
Makeup Geek Duochrome Pigment in Sugar Rush
A translucent base with light teal blue iridescence. This is very smooth and gorgeous. See my review. Choose this if you want a shimmery cool teal highlight.
Sugarpill Chromalust in Lumi
White base with turquoise sheen and blue and green flashes. A little more sparkly than it looks here. (vegan) See more Sugarpill. Choose this if you want a super shimmery turquoise glow.
Too Faced Highlighter in Candlelight Glow Duo
This has a white with gold iridescence side and a golden pink side. I love this. See separate swatches here. Choose this if you want a gorgeous neutral glow.
Notoriously Morbid Highlighter in Power of the Fae
This is a creamy white with golden iridescence. This is gorgeous. (vegan) Choose this if you want a neutral / slightly warm ethereal glow.
Urban Decay Naked Illuminizer in Luminous
This is shimmery champagne iridescent shimmer. The shimmer in this makes it workable on my skintone. (vegan) See my review. Choose this if you want a very shimmery warm highlight.
NARS Illuminator in Hot Sand
This is a shimmering warm highlight. It’s really too dark for me these days but still very pretty. See my review. Choose this if you’re N10 or darker and you want a shimmery warm highlight.
Cover FX Illuminator in Moonlight
This is a peachy shimmer. This is pretty subtle and I think it’s too dark for me these days. (vegan) See my review. Choose this if you’re around N10 or darker, and want a subtle warm highlight.
BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector in Pearl
This is an iridescent white. I’ve tried the liquid formula, which was too subtle for me. As you may or may not be able to tell from the swatch on my hand Pearl (and it’s sister liquid highlighters Champagne Gold and Opal) is extremely subtle, especially when compared to other highlighters on the back of my hand. Choose this if you want a subtle highlight.
Real Techniques Sculpting Kit
I love my Real Techniques brushes for highlighting. I bought the Limited Edition Sculpting kit. I use the Setting brush to apply highlighter to my cheekbones, forehead and chin. I use the Fan brussh to blend my highlighter and blush.
bdellium 716 Smoky Eyeliner
I like to use this brush (or a brush shaped like this) to apply highlight to my cupid’s bow, under my eyebrows, or at the inner corner of my eye. Then I take my Goss 6 brush to blend the edges.
For all of the tutorial photos below I used Notoriously Morbid Osteomancy as my highlighter.
What I’m Wearing
- Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer in Fair Neutral
- Urban Decay Naked Skin Color Corrector in Mint
- Too Faced Born This Way Foundation in Snow
- Paula’s Choice Hyaluronic Acid Booster
- NARS Blush in Impassioned
- Notoriously Morbid Highlighter in Osteomancy
- NARS Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder
- Glossier Boy Brow in Black
- Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipsticks mixed together in I’m Royalty, Queen Supreme & Prom Night
When I’m highlighting, I always go for a C shape on the top of my cheekbones, around my outer upper brow. I also always highlight under the outer eyebrow and at the inner corner of the eye. If I want to go all out, I’ll also highlight the cupid’s bow above my mouth, down the center of my nose, the top of my chin, and the center of my forehead. You can also highlight on your collarbone for extra gorgeousness.
As you can tell from the photos, highlighting really makes a difference! If I’m in a hurry, I just do my eyes and cheekbones. Right now, my favorite highlighters are Pearl Dust, Copacabana, and Osteomancy. You can even layer Pearl Dust on top of Copacabana for extra gorgeousness.
Share your skintone & favorite highlighter below!
More to Read
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Just coming back to this post again! Love these tips and techniques and your beautiful luminescent look! I like a more luminous look, and don’t want to over do it so I get a little afraid of using them, but how and where to apply really helps-love the product suggestions too. I love the NARS Blush in Impassioned and and for the DI Blushes, I decided to get Craving instead of the set 🙂
This is so great! I needed a highlighting 101 :’) New to highlighting!
Yes! I’m always looking for recommendations for highlighters. Thank you!!!
Your make up looks gorgeous! Thanks for all the tips. So many areas I didn’t know to highlight.
Thank you for the great tips! I can’t wait to give them a try.
This is so helpful! I never thought to use contour or highlighting off my face. Love the swatches.
This is such a great list, it can definitely be tricky to find one that works for my fair skin
This is super helpful and I love the highlighters that you switched. Thanks for sharing!
I found this post so helpful! It’s so hard to find good makeup advice for pale skin.
Are there any drugstore highlighters that you recommend?
For drugstore pricing, I recommend indie brands. I feel that they’re higher quality than drugstore (in my experience). I am trying to find the new LE Wet n’ Wild highlighter (but chasing down drugstore products is always frustrating for me), because it looks like it will be great and inexpensive. Notoriously Morbid Osteomancy is $4 for a mini, $8.50 for a full size and $1.50 for a sample. I just got the new Aromaleigh Ostara and it’s stunning ($7 for the mini jar which is still HUGE).
Do you happen to like any that are available on Amazon? I have a gift card there that I’m trying to use. Thanks so much for the advice!
I’ve heard good things about theBalm Mary Lou-manizer http://rstyle.me/n/bnfn9zudsn
can I apply this being a few shades darker than you are?
I think so!
Amazing tips! I get so lazy with my brushes, but they make such a big difference when getting precise around the nose and eyes.
Definitely!
Wow, You Look Just Fabulous and That Skin Though, it’s Just Gorgeous! Thanks You for Posting This & for Walking Me Through the Steps b/c it is Kinda Frustrating When You Want a Healthy, Sun-kissed Glow but Your Skin is Ivory White! I Have Tried & Failed When I Attempted the Whole Highlighting & Contouring Process So Thanks to You I Think I Will Give it Another Shot! Also Thanks for Listing the Products You Used b/c I Can’t Tell You How Many Times I Put My Foundation or Powder on and They Will Look Fine When I Leave the House but Not One Hour Later I Have a Orange Tinted Face & a Sheet White Neck! Lol! Thank You for Helping a Girl Out! Hope You Enjoy the Rest of Your Day; I Don’t Know What Your Neck of the Woods is Like but it’s So Gloomy Here! Anyways, Take Care Courtney! – Love, Jana
Thank you! It’s sunny in FL
I love how much work you put into this post. That photo with the writing is genius. Also: the new blog look is fresh and beautiful. Kisses, Sissi
Thanks so much Sissi! I love the redesign too 🙂
oh gosh, Phyrra!!! This is a great how-to guide, but you also have several highlighters I’m really interested in like the makeup geek and dose of colors! I’m bookmarking this. I don’t know if Burberry is CF, but if it is, you’d love their new white highlighter
I don’t think Burberry is cruelty free, last I checked, but thanks for the heads up!
With my oily skin, I prefer subtle highlighting, but I do love the glow! I don’t know if I could pull off the ones with blue shimmer, but I do love the pink and gold tones.
You would probably look great in the golden ones.
Gorgeous! Love that you both mention cool, neutral and warmer highlights! I’m definitely trying Power of the Fae, it looks beautiful.
It’s definitely gorgeous and sophisticated!
So many gorgeous highlighters all in one post!
Glad you like them!
I’m loving how glowy you look when wearing highlighter. It’s gorgeous!!
Thanks Mai!
I can’t even BEGIN to thank you for this!
You’re welcome Sheila!
I need that Nars duo. Now. From pictures of the pans, it looked too deep and intense but after seeing your swatches, I do believe that I can pull it off.
It really does look super dark but it’s definitely wearable on my skintone
Okay this is super helpful… it’s so hard to know where to highlight when your skin is… well… basically one big highlight haha!! I really like the looks of the Dose of Color highlighter!
I think you will love it. They have a pretty good return policy too
you look gorgeous! I love this. I know I have now said it in like 4 places but I took your poll/survey and I just said you should do a pale girl highlight/contour tutorial…. I love this. I totally will have to check out these products! I am pale but I have yellow and red uNdertones (which SUCKS)… I would love to see you do a contouring guide/tutorial plus with the highlighting on top of the contour! that has been what I have been trying to master and failing miserably at. ty for this 🙂
I will be doing Pale Girl’s Guide to Contouring guide, in the same manner I did this one. I will also include one with the highlighter on top of the contour 🙂
Great list, I need the TF candlelight glow.
Yes you do! I swear it’s one of those underrated products that’s gorgeous.
Great tutorial. For lighter skin, I love using Albatross from NARS.
Albatross is another gorgeous one! I do have it in my stash and i should have included it. I do think it’s flattering too 🙂
Great guide and product recommendations!
Thank you so much Rachel!
Excellent post! Many of your reccos are the shades I go for too! I wore a liqui-gel highlighter on my nose the other day but didn’t rub it in enough, and when I looked at my photos I was so embarrassed that I had a stripe down my nose. Ugh, I’ll never make that mistake again.
Any time I use a liquid, I go back over it with my beauty blender to blend it in.
Thank you for the tip! Now why didn’t I do that. I definitely will next time!
You always have THE BEST and most comprehensive lists! You’re kick ass, girlfriend!
Thank you so much Brooke!
Gorgeous tutorial! I love the Dose of Colors Highlighter in Pearl Dust–that’s beautiful!
It’s even beautiful to look at 🙂
I can’t believe I forgot the Too Faced Candlelight powders. Love them! Great tips.
Yes, they’re so pretty!
Your post has blown me away. Not only did you pick gorgeous cosmetics but you help so much with your pictures of where everything should go. Fantastic.
Thank you so much Marcia!