Highlighter-obsessed ladies raise your hands! I have both of mine raised right now because my stash is ridiculous. Highlighter makes you look like you drink enough water and don't have any stress in your life, but let's be real, only using powder as highlighters can get a little boring. There are some things powder highlighters just can't do. With liquid highlighter, aka illuminating drops, you can get an awesome or subtle glow with very little effort. Plus, there's an added bonus for us oilier girls: you can get a radiant glow in your foundation without getting any oilier than usual.
I've got three ways to use liquid highlighter to take your complexion game to the next level. Thank me later.
On Its Own
I love to layer powder foundation on as much as the next highlighter junkie, but sometimes that just doesn't glow the way I want it to. Illuminating drops solve that problem for me. Just a couple strategically placed drops are all I need to get a full impact, megawatt glow. No fan brush necessary. To be honest, I like to use my fingers to blend it out. It gives a more natural-looking finish. (Not that natural is what I'm going for.)
Products Used:
From top left to bottom right
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector – Rose Gold
Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter – Champagne
Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter – Luminous Gold
Layered Under Foundation
This is where the fun starts. Because the highlighter is a liquid, it won't slide right off if you apply a liquid product on top of it like a powder would. This means you can cover your face in liquid highlighter before you put on your foundation and you'll look like you have a radiant glow coming from within.
To show you what I mean, I added a very thin layer of Milk Makeup Blur Liquid Foundation over the liquid highlighter swatches so you can really see the difference between the shades. Pro tip: You can always add more layers of foundation to tone it down if the radiance seems to be a bit much.
Products Used:
From top to bottom
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector – Rose Gold
Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter – Champagne
Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter – Luminous Gold
Mixed Into Foundation
This is probably my favorite way to use these drops. I have oily skin all year long so a foundation with a dewy, radiant finish is out of the question. I don't like for my foundation to look so matte that it's dull so a couple of drops of illuminator mixed into my usual foundation saves me! All I do is pump out my usual amount of foundation on to the back of my hand, add a few drops of illuminator and mix them together. I apply that mixture like I would my foundation and, bam! I have a radiant finish without any extra oiliness.
To show you what these look like mixed, I used equal parts foundation and illuminating drops. I would normally use more foundation than highlighter, but again, I wanted you to really be able to see what I'm talking about with the added radiance. I mixed each highlighter with Milk Makeup Blur Liquid Matte Foundation.
You can add as much or as little liquid highlighter to layer or mix as you'd like.
Products Used:
From top left to bottom right
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector – Rose Gold
Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter – Champagne
Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter – Luminous Gold
Now that you know the tricks of the megawatt highlight trade and the tools that will help you elevant your radiant look - test the waters. If you really want to have fun with it, you can mix different liquid illuminators together to make a custom shade! That's the fun part about make-up - you can really do whatever you want. You better glow girl!
Featured image by Shutterstock
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The essence of effortless poise and refinement shines bright through the iconic university colors of indigo blue, red, and white. Every October, Howard University students, alumni, staff, and friends gather on the prestigious campus in Washington, D.C. to take part in time-honored traditions and events, which is Homecoming. This year's theme, “The Meccaverse,” was a week-long celebration of Howard University’s heritage, including the Homecoming football game and Bison Pep Rally, the Fashion Show, Greek Life Step Show, Homecoming Day of Service, Lavender Reception, and the iconic Yard Fest Concert.
As 2024 marked the 100th anniversary of the Howard Bison trek back to The Mecca and after two years of virtual events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this was to be a celebration of a lifetime. We enlisted HU alumnus Sharmaine Harris, a luxury retail buyer, as she revisited her alma mater as eyes on the yard for fashion-forward outfits mixed with personal style and campus pride for the weeklong celebration.
Before we get to the looks, discover how attending Howard University impacted her career in fashion and her day-to-day style:
Credit: Sharmaine and Friends
xoNecole: Describe your personal style. Did attending Howard have any impact on developing it?
Sharmaine: Howard taught me that there’s no such thing as being TOO dressed. There’s always a reason to “put it on” and look presentable, even if it’s just for a day of classes. Standing out was celebrated and encouraged with my peers embracing the opportunity, giving me the confidence to try new styles and trends.
xoNecole: How did Howard shape your career as a luxury buyer?
Sharmaine: I studied Fashion Merchandising, through which I was fortunate to have professors who were very connected to the industry and able to give first-hand accounts of opportunities and what to expect post-college. I was also able to build a network through my peers and other Howard Alum, which has opened doors to endless possibilities both within fashion as well as daily life.
The same confidence instilled in me through my style has also been rooted deeply within me as I step into any role or project I’m faced with throughout my career.
xoNecole: This year marked Howard’s 100th-anniversary Homecoming celebration. Can you describe what the weekend looked and felt like?
Sharmaine: I’ve gone to many Howard Homecomings since graduating, but this year’s 100th anniversary felt like a huge family reunion filled with nothing but love. It was beautiful to see so many Bison return home looking great and radiating joy. It was beautiful!
xoNecole: What makes Howard fashion different from other HBCUs?
Sharmaine: Being that Howard is The Mecca, we have such a diverse population with each individual having their own spin on fashion. Getting dressed is second nature for us, but the layered confidence is our secret ingredient to make any look come together. Through that comfortability to push barriers, we have a legacy of setting trends, as indicated by the many alumni we have in the fashion and entertainment industry.
Keep scrolling for the top street style moments from The Mecca's Homecoming weekend:
Credit: Lacey Gallagher
Credit: Alan Henderson
Credit: JaLynn Davis
Credit: Dylan Davis
Credit: Caleb Smith
Credit: Kendall W.
Credit: Jordyn Finney
Credit: Vanessa Nneoma
Credit: Dr. Mariah Sankey-Thomas
Credit: Caleb MacBruce
Credit: Tiffany Battle
Credit: Teniola
Credit: Ilahi Creary
Credit: Nicolas Ryan Grant
Credit: Dylan Davis
Join us in celebrating HBCU excellence! Check out our Best In Class hub for inspiring stories, empowering resources, and everything you need to embrace the HBCU experience.
Featured image courtesy of Sharmaine Harris
