Do I Really Need to Wear Highlighter on My Face?

YES! If not every day — and then I would ask you, “Why not every day?” — then at least if you know you’re going to have your picture taken or you care generally about being as beautiful as possible. Like, if you see models and actresses and think, “If only I had her cheekbones!” and you are NOT wearing highlighter, you are playing yourself. But if you don’t ever think that, then no.

I’m sure there are lots of brands that work well, and it’s more important to try highlighter than to get the exact right kind, but in general Nars Orgasm Illuminator ($29) is THE best. (Editor's note: No one is paying Jane to say this!) It’s really subtle, dewy, works with all skin tones and will not make you look like a whore. It’s liquid so you have to work fast with it and be aggressive about blending, but if you do it right, people will be all “LIKE LIKE LIKE” on all your Facebook photos from now on. If you can’t get your hands on the Nars, I’ve gotten away with using the highlighting eye shadow that comes in most eye shadow palettes. I just put it on with my fingers same as I would the liquid. To me, powder highlighters are often too obvious and the sparkles can get all over your face and shirt, and you end up looking like a Real Housewife and no.

So here’s what you do.

1. Put on your foundation like you normally do every morning (right? haha), apply blush to the apples of your cheeks, and then add bronzer if necessary (look for an upcoming post about when that might be!).

2. Take a tiny, tiny, like baby-pea-sized-if-that amount of the Illuminator and sweep it on the top of your cheekbone from the middle of your cheek up to your temple. Know what I mean? Like drawing a swoosh kind of low under your eye.

3. Now blend like crazy so it’s not just a line.

4. I often come back in with a little blush underneath at the end just to make sure there’s no line. If you did it right, it’s very subtle and no one will know what’s going on other than you have a glowy, Eva Mendes/Mandy Moore, Leighton Meester/Rihanna quality about you now and a seed of jealous hatred is growing in them. Good job!

Photos via Spoiled Pretty and Makeup Kitten

Jane Feltes is a VERY CLASSY LADY and produces the radio program "This American Life." She can be seen regularly on stage at The Talent Show in Brooklyn and also blogs about cooking awesome meals for that special someone — herself — at ReadyMade.