My Favourite Cheek Highlights

I used to consider myself a blush girl, I loved it and it was my favourite makeup item to buy. Nowadays I am definitely more of a highlight girl. There is just something so beautiful about a perfectly highlighted cheek bone. 

I have collected quite a few highlighters lately and thought I would share my faves. First I will talk about my fave liquid highlighters.

Revlon Skinlights in 01 Natural Light (Discontinued)

This stuff is amazing, its a liquid illuminator that gives your cheeks a beautiful natural looking dewiness. It's also a great base for a powder highlight to make them last longer. This was discontinued a while back :( and my tube only has a little left so I am savouring every drop. On ebay this fetches about $100AUD!!

Nars Liquid Illuminator in Orgasm (RRP $29USD)

This illuminator has a thin consistency and is a pretty pinkish colour. However once blended out it's not too pink for a highlight. It is quite shimmery so I wouldn't recommend using a highlighter over the top or a shimmery blush. I have used this as my blush and highlight before and it looked quite pretty. 

 

MAC Paint Pot in Rubenesque ($35AUD or $17.50USD)

I've had this paint pot for ages but never thought of using it as a cheek highlight until a few days ago. I never really loved it as an eyeshadow base as I found the consistency too thin and not pigmented enough, but this means it works great as a cheek highlight! If you own this give it a go.

Now onto the powder highlights...

Dior Amber Diamond ($51.50AUD on StrawberryNet)

Hands down my favourite highlighter. It's absolutely gorgeous. You can layer it lightly for a really pretty natural looking highlight or keep laying for a more dramatic obvious highlighted look. You can't really go wrong with this one.

Nars Albatross (RRP $27USD or $49AUD)

Albatross is a white highlighter with an obvious golden sheen. This is more of an obvious highlighter and I love using it for nights out. 

BYS Blusher in Peach Sundae (RRP $3.95AUD)

Yes this is a blush but its a really light apricot toned blush that is light enough for me to use as a highlighter. It gives a gorgeous sheen to the cheek bone and is another favourite of mine for a night out. Before I bought Amber Diamond this was my HG highlighter.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Sin (RRP $17USD)

Another product which isn't marketed as a highlight I know but trust me this is insanely gorgeous on the cheeks. It is more obvious than your typical highlight so definitely use a light hand to apply but it gives you a beautiful pinky shimmery highlight. 

BYS Baked Bronzer in Golden Shimmer ($8.95AUD)

This is marketed as a bronzer but it is far too golden and shimmery for that. Instead I use this sparingly as a highlight when I am going for a bronze look and want to add a bit of golden shimmer to the tops of my cheeks.

Want to see swatches??

L-R: Revlon Skinlights, Nars Illuminator, MAC Paint Pot

L-R: Amber Diamond, Albatross, Peach Sundae, BYS bronzer, UD Sin

And what do I use to apply these highlighters??

T-B: Tapered Highlighter F35, Tapered Blending E40, Foundation F60.

For applying all my powder highlights I tend to use the Sigma Tapered Highlighting brush (F35) as it is the perfect size to just swipe on your highlight colour. If I want more precise application or I am using an eyeshadow I use the smaller Tapered Blending brush (E40) and if I am using a cream I tend to favour my foundation brush (F60).

What are your favourite highlighters?? Do you favour cream/liquid or powder products??


Hannah xox

August Faves!!

I can't believe that it is almost September already?? How fast has this year gone! So much has been happening lately with moving house, getting another puppy, renovating, exploring new career options it's been a bit insane. But throughout this month these were the products that kept me purrrty :) 

August Faves :)

This month has been a month of extremes for me in terms of makeup. I've either been going for a really natural look or I have been rocking a smokey eye. 

For days I felt like I needed a bit of darkness in my eyes I have been relying on my Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Zero and MAC's Woodwinked. 

Woodwinked, UD 24/7 liner in Zero, Napoleon Whole Lotta Lashes

These two paired together make a gorgeous smokey eye. What I do is smudge the liner over the lash lines (upper and lower) and out onto the lid. I then smudge Woodwinked over the top and line my waterlines. 

UD liner in Zero, Mac's Woodwinked

Top it all off with my mascara of the moment and another fave for August Napoleon's Whole Lotta Lash and you have a gorgeous smokey eye.

Napoleon Whole Lotta Lash - got this free in InStyle mag - SCORE!!

On days I wanted a bit more of a natural look I have been loving cream products. Nyx Jumbo eye pencils in Milk and Yogurt have been my go to for my natural eye. I place Milk in the inner corner and brow bone (and smudge it out) and yogurt on the lid (smudged out) for a nice natural looking eye.

Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencils in Milk and Yogurt

I would then add my cream blush, still loving the Australis creme colours for this (review here).

L: Flirtatious Pink, R: Dusky Rose

And top it all off with a liquid illuminator on the cheekbones. This month I have been loving Revlon Skinlights (sadly discontinued) in 01 Natural Light.

Revlon Skinlights L: swatched heavily, R: blended

For some reason this month I have gone back to using my paddle foundation brush. I go through different stages in the way I apply foundation. Sometimes I use my Sigma F80 flat top kabuki, other times I will just use my fingers but lately I have been loving the regular old classic foundation brush to apply my foundation. It's quick, easy and looks good. 

Sigma Foundation Brush F60, Revlon Skinlights

My last fave is a bit of a random find. My hands get super dry and I usually always have hand cream on me but lately Blake's been stealing all of mine! (grrr) So one day at work I was wandering through IGA when this moisturiser caught my eye. 

Redwen's Organics Moisturiser in Orange & Bergamot

I use the Redwin Vitamin E cream and love it so I assume that is what drew me in. But then I smelt it and this stuff smells awesome. A mixture of oranges and well I have no idea what bergamot smells like but I guess it's that. (Like my description there...duh Hannah just read the name of it) Anyway it has been a lifesaver for my dry hands and it's not greasy, which I love and it doesn't contain any nasties!

So there you have it, my monthly faves :) Hope you enjoyed.

Let me know what your favourites were for this month

Hannah xox