Beginner’s Guide to Body Highlighting: Placement, Tools & Mistakes to Avoid

Everyone wants to achieve a natural glow, but we’re all aware of the dangers of spending too long in the sun. Just like a fake tan, you can get a subtle, natural shimmer straight from a bottle. Body highlighting is the missing step of your skincare routine, whether you want to elevate an outfit for a night out or have some fun on vacation. Body highlighting enhances your natural features, giving you that ‘lit from within’ glow that makes your skin look healthy and dewy.

 

If you’re a fan of the ‘glowy’ skin trend, body highlighting is a technique that you need to learn. It’s the secret to achieving photo-ready skin, and it’s a makeup trick you’ll always see on the red carpet. While there are different ways to experiment with body highlighting, using a body shimmer lotion is the easiest method of achieving a natural glow.

 

In this beginner-friendly guide, we’re sharing everything you need to know about body highlighting, including where to apply body shimmer and the mistakes to avoid when highlighting your body.

What Is Body Highlighting? 

 

It’s easy to think that body highlighting is the same as applying highlighter to your cheekbones or cupid’s bow. While body highlighting and makeup highlighting work to accentuate your natural features, body highlighting focuses on giving you a sculpted look, while makeup provides definition. Body highlighting isn’t new, but like most trends, it began as an editorial look before becoming popular as an everyday trend.

 

Both types of products use light reflecting formulas, but body highlighting is more impactful as it provides an all-over glow, while giving the illusion of a leaner silhouette. You can apply a product like a body shimmer lotion or liquid highlighter to your shoulders, collarbone, arms, or decolletage for a subtle glow. Body shimmer lotions are ideal for beginners or if you’re looking for an everyday product, as they offer a subtle glow without looking overdone, while being universally flattering for all skin tones.

Best Places to Apply Highlight on Your Body for a Natural Glow

Placement is what will make or break your body highlighting routine. Learning where to apply body shimmer will help you achieve a natural look that doesn’t feel artificial. It’s easy to apply too much when using a body shimmer, and you only need a small amount of product to achieve visible results.

 

As a rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to focus on high-impact points when body highlighting, but you can make a statement by applying a shimmer to larger areas.

High-Impact Points for Body Highlighting

·      Collarbones: the most popular place for body highlighting, as adding a little shimmer draws the eye upwards and gives you a more defined neckline.

·      Shoulders: one of the best body highlight areas, as this placement will accentuate your overall shape.

·      Decolletage: ideal for enhancing your look when wearing a low-cut silhouette, giving your skin a healthy glow.

 

If you want to make a statement with a body shimmer, use a little extra product on your arms and legs, focusing on the top of your thighs and upper arms. You can also apply a body shimmer lotion to the back of your hands and ankles to give the illusion of a sun-kissed glow.

Choosing the Right Tools for Applying Body Highlighters

While there are different formulas of body highlighters to choose from – like a body oil or our go-to body shimmer lotion – you can use the same tools for most products. It can take a little trial and error to find the right body highlight tools to achieve your desired finish, so it’s worth giving them all a go to find your best match.

 

Your hands are often the best tools for applying any makeup product, and a body shimmer is no exception! You can get a seamless look and blend the product better by using your fingers, as the formula will naturally start to melt between the warmth of your skin.

 

If you want a softer look, you’ll need to incorporate a brush or sponge into your body highlight routine. Our mini thumb puff is perfect for touch-ups or if you want to target smaller areas for the most natural glow possible with even product distribution. You can also use a brush when applying a body shimmer to larger areas, like your thighs or shins, to get a natural finish.

 

One of our favourite ways to apply a body highlighter is by blending it with a moisturiser. You’ll get a boost of hydration and a natural glow while achieving a subtle shimmer. This technique is great for more intense formulas as it can make them more buildable and wearable for every day.

Step-by-Step Body Highlighting Routine for a Natural Glow

Just like applying makeup, you’ll want to use similar techniques for body highlighting. We’re breaking down our beginner-friendly body shimmer application steps to show you how easy it is to incorporate a body shimmer lotion into your daily routine.

 

1.     Prep your skin: You’ll always get a more consistent and even glow when your skin is freshly cleansed and moisturised before applying your body highlighter.

2.    Focus on the high points: Start small and focus on applying your body shimmer to the main areas where you want to add definition, like your shoulders and collarbones.

3.    Blend: The secret to highlighting your collarbones is to focus on blending, using either your hands or a thumb-sized makeup sponge to avoid streaks.

4.   Gradually build the product: If you want a more intense look, you can apply a second layer to give your skin a luminous glow, making sure to blend.

5.    Set your body highlighter: Just like makeup, you’ll want to set your body shimmer lotion with a translucent powder for all-day wear.

Common Body Highlighting Mistakes to Avoid

If you’re trying the body highlighting trend for the first time, there are 4 common mistakes you want to avoid making. These mistakes can leave your body shimmer looking streaky and will stop you from achieving the natural lit-from-within glow.

·      Applying too much of your body highlighter too quickly can give your skin an artificial look. Start light and build slowly. At CFFINDER, we’re focused on refined shimmer, not glitter.

·      Using a body highlighter without prepping your skin can cause the shimmer to look patchy, especially on areas of dry skin.

·      If you don’t blend your body highlighter into your skin, it can leave behind streaks. Spend a few extra seconds blending your body shimmer into your skin with a sponge, brush, or your fingers.

·      Make sure to consider the occasion! If you’re getting ready for an evening event, you’ll want a slightly stronger finish than the subtle sheen you’ll probably prefer for daytime wear.

Start Your Body Highlighting Journey with CFFINDER’s Body Shimmer Lotion

Body highlighting is all about applying a small amount of shimmer to the right parts of your body and blending until you achieve a natural, luminous glow. If you want to boost your confidence or enjoy the look of summer skin year-round, then body highlighting is a trend you’ll want to incorporate into your routine. Get started with our hydrating body shimmer lotion to give you a subtle highlight for healthy, glowing skin.