Beauty Mythbuster: Should You Highlight Your Face With Oil?
The claim: Using facial serum (or oil) produces the same if not more luminous results as using your typical highlighter of choice. Sounds great, but wouldn’t this leave you greasy and slick? The gist of this Beauty Mythbuster method is that the oil gives your face a bit of extra nourishment and hydration — not oiliness — so it’s a two-for-one way to get your glow on while doing your skin a major favor in the process. This technique — if it works — also seems great for minimalist-minded makeup gals who want their skin to have that subtle sheen but don’t want to add another product to their routine. So I tried it — it can’t be much different than subbing your moisturizer for oil or adding serum to your foundation for similar benefits, right? Here’s what happened:
Spolier alert: It totally worked, and the results were beautiful, especially on camera. You can use your favorite facial oil or serum for the oil-as-highlighter method. The key is to not overdo it or else you’ll look straight-up greasy. A high-quality makeup sponge like the beautyblender sponge ($20)is also key for this because you’ll be blending, blending, blending. Here’s how to hack highlighter with facial oil in two super simple steps.
STEP 1: DISPENSE A DIME-SIZED AMOUNT OF OIL ONTO YOUR HAND
After applying your routine makeup (sans highlighter, of course) carefully apply a small amount of oil to the top of your hand. Do not — I repeat, do not — use more than a dime-sized amount of oil, y’all! Ish will get messy with any more than that, and it won’t be cute. Lightly dab the sponge on top of the oil so it’s absorbed off of your hand but still sitting on top of the sponge.
STEP 2: TAP THE SPONGE ON THE HIGH POINTS OF YOUR FACE
Gently tap the sponge on the high points of your face (where you’d use a powder or cream highlighter). Since you’ll already have face makeup on, it’s important not to rub the sponge on your face because you’ll smear your makeup. Tap the oil onto your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, your cupid’s bow and your brow bones.
DID IT WORK?
Yes! I love how oil looks on the skin when it’s applied lightly like a highlighter. You can tell the difference in the above images. It gives off the same glow as the powder highlighter I usually use but has a bit more natural radiance than something that’s out of a compact. This method gives you a glow, healthy skin and, best of all, keeps you on-trend with the minimalist makeup movement. I’ll definitely be turning to the oil-as-highlighter method in the future, especially during the winter when dry skin strikes!
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