WHAT I USE… HIGHLIGHTERS

WHEN you GET PAID TO TEST BEAUTY PRODUCTS FOR A LIVING, WHAT do YOU ACTUALLY pay TO USE? ELLE’S BEAUTY DIRECTOR Katy Young COMES CLEAN

Beauty Director Katy Young on the glow-giving products that converted her from her go-to matte skin finish

“GOOD APPLICATION SHOULD NEVER be NOTICEABLE. IF YOU can SEE HIGHLIGHTER, START AGAIN”

As someone who has spent most of their life conscientiously blotting the grease and gloss out of their face, to say I have had a tumultuous relationship with highlighters would be an understatement. When others started to use Benefit’s iridescent High Beam when it launched in 2OO2, wistfully creating mermaid cheekbones with a shell-like finish, I was busy mattifying my forehead with something akin to McDougalls plain flour. An enlightened highlighter user I was not. What colour should I choose? Where would I put it? And, sorry, what is it for again?

Then, everything changed. A highlighting angel arrived (otherwise known as make-up artist Pat McGrath MBE) with her magic wand of a product, Skin Fetish (terrifying name, friendly product). And just like that… I was converted. First Pat sat me down and taught me to colour-match my highlighter to my skin and, second, to only use the tiniest touch atop my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose and Cupid’s bow. The result: delicate, lovely and barely noticeable, until I tilted my head to the side and my cheekbones shone like the tip of the Alps caught under a beam of sun.

The idea of highlighter is to let in the light that foundation and concealer tend to take out. The clincher is where you swipe that beam, ray or glow to shape-shift your face, beautifully accentuating your bone structure. But that’s also where problems can start. Buffed wrongly on the tip of the nose (a social media favourite) and you’re in danger of looking like you’re auditioning for Zippos Circus. Work it across the forehead and you’ll end up looking like the Tin Man. Good application should never be noticeable, just flattering. If you can see highlighter, start again. So, where should you start? ‘Look for a shade that’s lighter than your skin tone,’ says MAC Global Senior Artist Debbie Finnegan. ‘An icy champagne colour works well for pale skin, medium skin tones look great in golden shades, while dark skin tones look sensational in deep gold, peach and bronze.’ And choose texture wisely. Oily skin should always work with powders for longevity, while dry skin prefers a creamy formula.

Next, placement. ‘Work your highlighter into the highest points of the face, where light would bounce off skin,’ adds Finnegan. I use my fingers to apply creams, as I like to melt product with the heat of my hands, but feather-light fan brushes are great for applying a veil of sheen and blurring out any telltale lines – I like the MAC 137S Long Blending Brush (£28). Finally, remember Finnegan’s rule of thumb: ‘If there is something you don’t want to draw attention to, don’t highlight it.’ If you have fine lines, blemishes or open pores, steer clear of highlighters that magnify a less-than-smooth canvas. And that’s it: colour, finish, placement. While I still won’t go anywhere without Paul & Joe Blotting Papers (the prettiest way to mop up grease), I can’t be without a touch of gleam. Who wants a dull moment in their make-up, anyway?