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I remember the first time I heard the word 'strobing' and I remember what I did when I heard it, I rolled my eyes and carried on eating my lunch. Why? Because as a beauty writer your life is very much inundated with cosmetic innovations and techniques that are as ludicrous as they sound. Then I watched the, nothing short of hypnotic, YouTube tutorials and I started to get rather caught up in the frenzy.
For those who aren't familiar with the term, it's basically short hand for complicated highlighter. I came to highlighter young in life (Benefit's Moonbeam anyone?) and then, like most of my teenage beauty habits grew out of it. It's only now, years down the line that I've fully got back into the glow. This is partly down to celebrity experts ringing out their bells over the benefits of some well-placed highlighters, but also largely down to highlighter being one of the least time consuming, most effective and easy ways to make your skin look a million bucks.
If you start your morning routine with face oil followed by moisturiser you'll find that the oil slowly finds it way to the surface throughout the day (temper with some aptly placed loose powder). Then pick out points like your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, under your brows and your cupid's bow and apply highlighter. You will look fresh from ten hours sleep, guaranteed. It's A-list skin in one hack.
Here's the insta-girls who are shedding some light on the highlighter hype...
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Liz has great skin to begin with sure, but the photographer has clearly picked up a few tricks on set too. NB the nude lips. Try patting gel highlighter down the centre of your bottom lip over your lipstick to make lips look fuller and your whole face a hell of a lot healthier.
Photo: via @elizabethsmart.Clik here to view.
Georgie is Alex Box's favourite model for makeup because of her almost entirely symmetrical face. Here she's wearing nothing but highlighter.
Photo: via @georgiehobday.Clik here to view.
One of our favourite faces of the minute, Rina's a big fan of Vaseline on the eye-lids and OTT powder highlighter everywhere else for a sci-fi gleam.
Photo: via @rinasonline.Clik here to view.
No one does glow quite like Rosie. Or rather, no one like her go-to makeup artist, Hung Vanngo. We're loving the inner eyes pearly glow, and the clever line of iridescent powder down the centre of her lids that's making her eyes pop. Get the Rosie glow with her very own Insta Glow Blush.
Photo: via @rosiehw.Clik here to view.
Gabriella Bechtel is the Cali model and Instagram star who stole the show in Petra Collins' latest adidas campaign. While her glow looks 99% natural we're betting some Vaseline has been added in key areas: the lips, cupids bow and the bridge of the nose.
Photo: via @gabbriette.Clik here to view.
Bianca's studio-light glow comes down to some well smoothed illuminator on her cheekbones and the inner corner of her eyes. Try a light powder like Bobbi Brown's cult brick palettes and swish in circular movements with a large brush.
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Style guru, Erika has focused on the bridge of her nose and under her brows. Dewy or what?
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Model Leomie, has subtly applied highlighter to her cupid's bow and it's ensured her natural look is extra #flawless.
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Bella Hadid's make up for the Met Ball was a masterclass in lighting. Her expertly placed highlighter (on her décolletage too) makes her appear as though she's glowing from head to toe.
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Malaika complements her 90s mulberry lipstick and shadow with some pearl highlighter. Try Benefit's iconic High Beam, it's liquid formula means it's fool-proof.
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Neelam has balanced her light-touch contouring with spotlights on her cheekbones and temples, and we're copying, now.
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Model Lydia Graham's lightly-lightly done highlighter on the bridge of her nose and cupid's bow just draws attention to her natural beauty.
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Paloma Elsesser's skin is so dewy she looks like she's fresh from the gym changing rooms. Don't be shy, make like Paloma and skirt your lip line and the bridge of your nose, just add a transluscent powder to your T-zone to prevent a sweaty finish.
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Phoebe's glow enhances her olive skin tone. Try something with a golden base, like Charlotte Tilbury's Bar Of Gold compact.
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DJ and model Shama has accentuated her natural finish makeup with some sheen on her lids for a sexy result.
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Veneda Bundy's no makeup makeup is textbook. The addition of some lightness around her eyes and nose makes her skin look airbrushed.
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Model Coco Baudelle's near-perfect complexion is made angelic with the addition of some illuminator on her cheek and brow bones. Heavenly.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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