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I usually apply with a tapered, moderately dense brush about medium in size, like the Wayne Goss #2. I tap along the cheek bones, down the bridge of the nose, on the cupid’s bow, and just below the center of my bottom lip.
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I use the Goss #14 or #15 fan brush to apply my highlighter to the top of my cheekbones (blended up to the temple) and sometimes my cupids bow. I don’t do my nose or anywhere else. I usually use Becca Moonstone pressed or poured, Kevyn Aucoin Celestial, or Mary Lou Manizer. Then I spritz on a setting spray like UD, Skindanavia, or Tatch dewy skin mist to settle it. If I use a cream I use either my fingers or a stippling brush to blend it into the skin.
If I want to go soft, I’ll use my e.l.f. stipeled blush brush. If I want some dramatic lights, I’ll just wipe off my blush brush (also e.l.f. Studio, like the Stipeled) and use it, I usually only do this when I wear Shaft Of Gold. With my Colourpop highlighters, I almost always use my fingers. But when I apply highlighter to my cupid bow or down the center of my nose, I *usually* use my ring finger no matter the formula.
Makeup Geek highlighter brush and I stipplei-pat the highlighter along the high part of my cheeks, down the bridge of my nose and on my cupid’s bow. Then I take a Sigma F50 and swirl it around in Meteorites and sweep and swirl all over the face to get rid of any stark spots. Sometimes I will use a fan brush, but mostly I just use and Makeup Geek highlighter brush.
With my fingers! Always with my fingers. Not sure why.
I recently started doing the same. I press on a little bit directly where I want it. I usually go in with a light finishing powder after everything and that does a great job blending it all together.
I like the look with Laura Mercier Matte Baked Highlighter #1 with the MAC 159 brush.
It’s hard to imagine a better highlight brush than the Wayne Goss #2 brush. I also sometimes add on top slightly brighter highlight shade (like say Becca Pressed in Pearl) to smaller areas and on the highest points, and for that use the Wayne Goss #3 which is a much smaller brush, and a very lovely brush too.
I rarely apply highlighter, and if I do I limit it to the cheekbones.
I apply powder on to tops of my cheekbones and up to temples with the Elf Studio Blush, which is actually too small and flat for blush but perfect for highlighter. I apply liquid highlighter (Becca’s Shimmering Skin Perfector) with my fingers for the most control when blending.
In the inner corners of my eyes always, and sometimes on the brow bone and cheekbones.
For a matte highlight shade I angled blush or kabuki brush I use. For a shimmery one a smaller face brush that is tapered, I use the [R]EVOLUTION® SM FOUNDATION #BX-45 which is more fluffy than the stock shot makes it look on the sales site.
I like to use the Real Techniques setting brush.
This is what I use and I think it does a pretty good job!
I highlight my cheekbones everyday and brow bone occasionally with either Mary-Lou or MAC Lightscapade.
I absolutely love the Goss #2 brush. I have three of them now. I use them for bronzer/contour, under eye setting powder and highlighter. I apply the same way you do but I add some to the center of my forehead and just above my brows.
Fingers!
Most of the time I use my fingers. I don’t have a particular reason, it’s just what I have always done. Occasionally I will use a brush such as the Morphe B4 – Angled Brush or something similar to it. I have also tried the M501 by Morphe but I didn’t like it as much.
I use a fairly small soft brush, like Real Techniques blush brush and I swipe very lightly on the highest part of my cheekbones, moving towards the temples.
If I’m using a REALLY subtle highlight, I’ll also swipe on the center of my forehead, bridge of the nose, above my upper lip, and point of my chin, but that’s rare.
The Real Techniques setting brush is the perfect size and density for highlighter. I LOOOOVE it!
For everyday, I use a fan brush and apply a dusting over my cheek area. I have a wispy one, and a denser one, depending on the product being applied. For more drama, I apply with a little angled blush brush over the apples of my cheeks, etc.
For powder, I usually use an e.l.f. angled blush brush or something similar. I apply lightly to my forehead, down my nose, and chin. I apply the highlighter more strongly to my upper cheekbones. I pat with my finger to highlight the tip of my nose, my cupid’s bow, and the inner corner of my eyes, so the highlight is more intense than a brush, but still gets diffused. Because I have oily skin, I only use cream highlighters on my cheekbones. I usually just use my fingers, but sometimes I use an e.l.f. Small Stippling Brush. The stippling brush works great with the ColourPop highligters.
I LOVE the elf stippling brush for colourpop highlighters as well! Works like a charm
I use my finger to apply my girl meets pearl. I apply on my nose, cheekbones and chin. I suppose I should apply to my cupod’s bow as well.
I use Goss #14 brush. It’s light handed like a fan brush can be but with a more traditional shape of a face brush. I highlight the tips of my cheeks and bridge of my nose. I just ordered Inglots SS4 brush which looks like a giant eye shadow blending brush for highlighting. We’ll see how that goes.
I use my fingers. It’s easier and I can control it better without looking like a disco ball. The disco ball look isn’t cute.
I don’t use a highlighter, but I think I might try one. I will have a go and get myself an elf brush.
I have a Becca liquid as my main highlighter so I use my fingers mostly. When I use a powder one, I have a large fluffy eye blending brush from Armani that works nicely for this.
i use a tanseido aq 20 usually or a random koyudo highlight brush
I grab a small amount on a kind of tapered, very un-dense brush (I use a Morphe M509, but I know there’s a very similar MAC one) and blend it over the tops of my cheekbones in circular motions (NOT a stripe!), down towards the apple of the cheek, and then up my temples, again in circular motions.
I use my sigma F25 tapered brush. I lightly tap it onto my high cheekbones, and sweep it through my t-zone, not quite to the tip of my nose (I have a pointy nose, so if I highlight the tip it just looks weird). Like many others, I lightly sweep along my cupid’s bow and a bit on my chin (not too much or I look like I ate a greasy burger!).
I almost always use my Eco Tools fan brush to apply a powder highlighter to the high points of my cheekbones, tip of my nose, sometimes the bridge of my nose, and then I’ll apply the highlighter to my cupid’s bow with my finger because I like it heavier there. I don’t currently own a product marketed as a face highlight, so I use “Telepathy” from the KVD Monarch palette most of the time, or some other shimmery shadow.
Eco Tools are some amazing brushes, aren’t they?
powders are applied with a Laura Mercier fan brush (GWP from years ago – it just works!); liquids like NARS Illuminators I apply with my fingers …. always
I use my Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow blending brush, which is dense and a bit too long for blending… But it is perfect for applying highlighter. My favorite one is the Kevyn Aucoin Celestial powder.
I have a powder brush which I can’t remember where from, but it’s soft and too small for powder so I use it with Mac Lightscapade on my cheekbones blended up to my temples and brow bone, Bridge of nose, tiny bit below and above lips, and a more defused amount on the centre of my forehead. If im going for ultra glowiness, I will apply Benefit Highbeam under and use more Lightscapade, or maybe even add Mac Strobe cream. I love highlighting!
I apply powder highlighters with a small brush, like the Wayne Goss 04 brush or MUFE 144 precision highlighter and concealer brush, just to the tops of my cheekbones and a dab at my Cupid’s bow. For creams, I use my finger or the MUFE 144. Once all my cheek products are on, I blend it all gently with a bit of Ambient Lighting Powder and the Cover Fx Powder Brush or Hourglass No. 2 Foundation/Blush brush.
If it’s powder highlighter and it’s for going out at night, I use a medium sized blusher brush and apply to the top of my checkboxes, up a bit to my temples and a bit under my brows. If it’s a cream or liquid highlighter, I use my fingers to apply that. I don’t do my forehead, nose or chin as I’ve combination skin. If it’s a daytime look, I’ll use a subtler highlighter like NARS Nico and do it all over my face with a bit more on the areas I’ve already mentioned.
I was using a medium powder brush and focusing on my cheekbones, chin, cupid’s bow, and that triangle area between the eyes, leaving my nose as I wear glasses. I saw my favorite MUA for a consult and he recommended I keep my highlight closer to the center of my face, as I’m a bit chubby right on. That is, closer to the apples of my cheeks,crather than on my cheekbones.