Which highlighter is best for warm skin tone?

There’s no way to deny the highlighting trend that has dominated our Instagram feeds over the last few years. And with all-over dewy, radiant skin an official year-round staple in the makeup category, highlighter is becoming as classic and essential as blush and eyeliner. But with the endless number of shimmery options out there, how do you know which one is right for you? Ahead, we rounded up the best highlighters for your skin tone, with a little guide as to why we love each one. Without further ado, let’s get sparkling.

Índice Show

“When going for a more natural glow, choosing a formula with a thinner, creamier texture and more subtle shimmer is advised.”
How to pick the best highlighter for you
Identify your skin undertone
Consider your skin tone
"If you have dry or acne-prone skin, or larger pores, you will be better served by a highlighter that is a cream or liquid formula."
Consider your skin texture
Determine your desired effect
Go with a universal option
Get The Glow
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Highlighter for Fair Skin Tones

If you have pale to light skin, you should opt for highlighters with a pearlescent, icy silver or champagne sheen. The light pigment adds just enough radiance to your complexion. You also want to avoid going with shades that are too warm or contain dark red undertones, and opt for shades that have a little bit more of a light, pinky-peach finish. For fair skin tones, we absolutely love the Urban Decay Sin Afterglow Palette because it’s an easy way to play with color and highlight, all while accentuating your complexion. If you want that crisp, ice finish, we recommend the Pixi by Petra Glow-y Powder in London Lustre. This yellow-based highlighter will work to add the ultimate velvet-like shine to your already pearly skin tone.

Highlighter for Medium and Olive Skin Tones

To keep your complexion from looking too frosty, warmer skin tones pair well with highlighters that have gold-bronze or iridescent undertones. The hint of color is just enough to give you that sun-kissed glow or a double-take worthy highlight as you please. A daily go-to for olive skin is Glossier Play Nightshine in Pale Pearl, which provides a sparkling, blendable highlight that will pop out against your skin tone. We also adore the NYX Professional Makeup Away We Glow Liquid Boosters to give a ton of personality to your highlight on medium-toned skin.

Highlighter for Deep Skin Tones

Rich variations of rose gold or bronze work wonders on darker complexions. Just be sure to look for options that pack a ton of pigment and steer clear of frosty, opalescent shades, as they can cause the skin to appear dull instead of lit-from-within. Instead, keep your focus on warm hues. We are absolutely enamored with the Maybelline New York Master Chrome Highlighter in Molten Gold for this. For another gorgeous highlighter for deeper skin tones, we recommend the Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer, which is a liquid formula you can easily blend into your foundation or face product for some extra sheen.

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When it comes to achieving luminous, glowing skin, few products can compete with highlighters. For an effortless, lit-from-within glow, highlighter tops the list as one of the most essential additions to your makeup bag — especially on those days when you’re feeling dull or have missed a few hours of sleep. In one quick dab, highlighter can add extra radiance to areas of the face including the brow bone, bridge of the nose, cupid’s bow and even the décolletage. That said, there are a lot of highlighter options on the market.

Highlighter comes in countless formulas and textures like creams, powders, balms and liquids, but it’s also available in various shades such as gold, rose gold, champagne, pearl and bronze (not to mention the different levels of shimmer, sparkle and sheen). With so many options, it can be challenging to narrow down the best highlighter for your coloring. To help with this, we tapped Melissa Collazo, a makeup artist, and OMNIA brush artist, to share some tips and tricks of the trade on deciphering the best options for your skin tone and complexion.

“When going for a more natural glow, choosing a formula with a thinner, creamier texture and more subtle shimmer is advised.”

How to pick the best highlighter for you

Identify your skin undertone

When deciding on a highlighter, there are two main things to consider: your skin tone and undertone. To identify your skin undertone, look at the veins on your wrist in natural light. “Cool undertones will see their veins are more blue/purple,” Collazo says. “Warm undertones will see green veins and neutral will see more aqua blue-green veins.”

Once you know your skin undertone, it’ll be much easier to select a highlighter that will look best on your complexion. “Those with warmer (more yellow) undertones from fair to tan look great in highlighters in champagne and gold,” Collazo says. “Likewise, those with cooler and neutral undertones from fair to medium are best served by silvers, pearls and rose golds. “Gold, amber and bronze highlighters are beautifully suited for tan to deep skin tones to bring out a gorgeous, natural glow.”

Consider your skin tone

Your skin tone is the skin’s surface color and can range from very fair to very deep. Skin undertone refers to the skin’s temperature, which typically falls into one of three main categories: warm, cool or neutral.

Here’s why this is important: “A mismatch of highlighter to a skin’s tone and undertone can be a cause for distraction and dissonance,” Collazo says.

As a rule of thumb, Collazo suggests choosing a highlighter that is a shade or two lighter than your natural skin tone to give it that light and bright effect.

"If you have dry or acne-prone skin, or larger pores, you will be better served by a highlighter that is a cream or liquid formula."

Consider your skin texture

“If you have dry or acne-prone skin, or larger pores, you will be better served by a highlighter that is a cream or liquid formula," she says. “Powders have a tendency to make textured skin look even more textured. By opting for a cream or liquid, you can ensure the product will melt into the skin for a more seamless application. These formulas can even be mixed into moisturizer to give a more natural, lit-from-within type of glow.”

Determine your desired effect

“When going for a more natural glow, choosing a formula with a thinner, creamier texture and more subtle shimmer is advised,” Collazo says. “For those that are seeking a more Euphoria-esque shine, reaching for a highlighter with a duo-chrome effect is right on trend, bringing a megawatt sheen in opalescent shades of pink, lavender, green and aqua blue.”

For powder highlighters, Collazo recommends a fluffy fan or pointed diffuser blush to avoid over-applying product. For cream or liquid highlighters, blend them out with a damp makeup sponge.

Go with a universal option

A clear balm or facial oil on the high points of the face is one fail-proof option that looks good on every skin tone. “It is a ‘grown and sexy’ way to amplify your features without introducing shimmer, sparkle, or color,” she says.

Get The Glow

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Which highlighter is best for wheatish skin?

Hues like golden and champagne arebest for medium to wheatish skin tones. Iridescent shades can also work but look for colours that have more warmth to them. Stay away from pink as it might come across as harsh against your warm complexion.