How to Pull Off Holographic Highlighter, According to Our Favorite Influencers

It’s no surprise that holographic makeup — especially highlighter — will forever go down in makeup encyclopedias as one of millennials’ favorite trends. Rainbows of iridescent icey pinks, blues, purples and more have graced the cheekbones and cupid’s bows of many of our favorite Instagram gurus and feeds — but how exactly does one pull off the look IRL? We chatted with our favorite M Crowd babes to get to the bottom of their best holo highlighter tips and tricks, and how exactly to wear it without looking too overwhelming. Here’s what they had to say.

Pick a Stick Highlighter

“I think the best way to pull off a holographic highlight without it being too much is to use a cream or stick highlighter,” Ashley Hall says. “I find that using a stick and patting it onto my skin really gives me a flawless finish and subtle glow, rather than a powder, which may be too heavy depending on how you apply it.” Our favorite stick to master the look? The L’Oréal Paris Galaxy Lumiere Stick hands down. It still gives you that out of this world (pun intended) finish without the heaviness of a powder.

Think Full Picture

M Crowd influencer Julia Salvia also agrees that a lighter-weight finish is the way to go. She also suggests to, “bring it together in your eyes or lips,” so it doesn’t look too jarring on the face. The Urban Decay Disco Queen Holographic Highlight Powder is our absolute go to for this, and it gives the perfect amount of purple fairidescence to your inner corner or the center of your lips.

Highlight the High Points

Alternatively, the M Crowd’s Madison Murrell looooves using holo highlight on her face, and we don’t blame her. “I like using the holographic highlight only on the high point of my cheek bones. Sometimes applying holographic highlight down the nose and on the cupids bow of the lip can be too much, keeping it on the highpoints of the cheekbones is the perfect placement.” A highlighter we love for these high points is the NYX Professional Duo Chromatic Illuminating Powder in Twilight Tint — this stuff can truly transform any makeup look in just one swipe.  

Blend it With Blush

While Lonyea Maiden admits that her true favorite highlight lives in the molten gold universe — her all time favorite is the L’Oréal Paris Crushed Foils Metallic Highlighter in Gilded Gold — she does have an excellent tip for a holo infused version. “If it’s multi colored, I’d just sweep the tiniest bit onto my cheeks over my blush and melt the two together so it doesn’t get too crazy!” Seriously, genius.