Beauty Q&A: Should You Apply Highlighter Under Foundation?

TIP #2: Apply Highlighter With a Damp Sponge 

Once you’ve applied your skin care and primer, reach for a damp beauty sponge to apply your liquid highlighter.  “Apply the product to the planes of the face, like the top of the cheek bones and the bridge of the nose,” says Gene. “Be sure to blend the highlighter into the skin until it’s seamless.” Repeat this process until you’ve achieved your desired level of glow. 

TIP #3: Be Gentle With Foundation

The key when putting on your foundation is to be gentle and not rub or drag the product. “To ensure you don’t move the highlighter, I suggest dabbing the foundation onto the skin with a sponge or lightly painting on the foundation with a brush,” says Gene. “After the foundation is applied, feel free to go in with your damp sponge or fingers to tap on any lines of demarcation so there is no trace of where the highlighter begins or ends.” While this technique will give you the lit-from-within magical glow you’ve been searching for, feel free to take things up a notch and layer more liquid or powder highlighter on top of the foundation for a more dramatic effect. 

TIP #4: Mist Throughout the Day 

Whenever you feel like your glow is fading, “refresh the skin with a beauty mist,” says Gene. “This will help by adding a boost of hydration and luminosity back into the skin.” For a refreshing face mist, we like the La Roche-Posay Eau Thermale Thermal Spring Water or the Maybelline New York Face Studio Glass Spray.