Makeup using strobing technique: step-by-step video instructions

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If heavy contouring isn't for you, strobing may be a makeup trend you can consider. Instead of using bronzer or other dark powder to make your face look more angular, strobing uses highlighter to add light to your face for an extra dimension. But shimmery products can make your face look oily, so it's important to know exactly where to place your highlighter and what shades to use when you strobing.

What is strobing in makeup?
Features of the strobing technique in makeup and its difference from contouring
How to do strobing in makeup: step-by-step photos
Preparing for makeup using strobing technique
How to apply strobing to the face: step-by-step video instructions
Strobing style makeup: before and after photos
What strobing products should I use?
How to choose a highlighter shade for strobing your face

What is strobing in makeup?

Strobing has caused a bit of a stir online, with many makeup fanatics wanting to try this new trend. On the other hand, many makeup artists agree that strobing isn't really a new trend—it's essentially highlighting, but with a slight twist.

How you want to wear your backlight determines whether the technique is “backlit” or “strobe.”
Both methods use highlighting basically everywhere - at the top of your cheekbones, brow bone and brow bone, on the bridge of your nose, in the bridge of your Cupid's nose and chin.
The main difference is that highlighting is usually paired with contouring, while strobing highlights purely on its own and typically has a very dewy finish thanks to brightening creams or serums mixed into the base to add more depth.
An easy way to differentiate is to remember this: the highlighting goes hand in hand with the outline, while the strobing is applied on its own.

Now let's look at some facts:

Strobing means 'extreme glow' and is the new 'hot' technique
The technique uses shimmery highlighter shades to highlight features, creating the illusion that the face is contoured without actually defining the features. Instead, it brings all your features forward and leaves a dewy, glowy finish.
Strobing is a technique that uses only light to enhance your face; There is no bronzer or dark powders here.
The result should be dewy and fresh, as if you were lit from within. Avoid harsh shimmer or chunky glitter, as strobing is all about creating a soft, radiant glow.

Remember, the beauty of both strobing and contouring is that you don't have to limit yourself to products that focus on adding color to your cheeks. Highlighting brow pencils works just as well blending into the nose, chin and forehead as tapping a light highlighting cream powder onto the cheeks.

So now you know the difference between the two methods, play around with both a little before discovering the one that suits you best!

Dyeing technology

The choice of dyeing technique is based not only on an analysis of the oval of the face, but also the natural shade of the hair. There is a single dyeing scheme, which can be modified depending on the natural shade of the hair. Strobing is done using the following technology:

a technique is initially selected that is based on a detailed analysis of the appearance features;
hair is collected in a ponytail;
the necessary strands are pulled out one by one, which will later be dyed;
paint is prepared and applied using a special brush;
the strands are wrapped in foil one by one and left in this position for a certain time;
The foil is unrolled and the paint is washed off.

Now it’s worth considering the features of strobing depending on the natural shade of the hair.

Black hair is one of the most difficult options. In this case, the strobing technique turns out to be multi-stage. Black hair needs to be lightened, often this procedure is divided into several stages: otherwise, you can burn your hair. After lightening, the paint is selected in accordance with the resulting shade.
Dark hair does not need lightening; the result from strobing will already be good. The master can only choose the right shades of paint.
Red hair is least suitable for strobing. Such hair is already bright, so choosing the right shades is not an easy task. For bright red shades, brown tones with a honey tint are most suitable. Gray-red hair is shaded with dark brown dyes. In the case of natural shades with a red tint, blonde color options are selected.

Features of the strobing technique in makeup and its difference from contouring

Strobing is essentially applying shimmery highlighter to the high planes of the face where light will naturally reflect.

Unlike mega-corrector-bronzer-contourers, which look great in photos but unnatural and heavy in the daytime, strobing works great in real life because the light always catches and bounces off your skin. The highlighter simply enhances the reflective glow.

Strobing is different from contouring because no dark shades are used. Instead, bright highlights are placed on areas of the face where light naturally hits to create an illuminated complexion. These areas include the tops of the cheekbones, temples, center of the nose, and Cupid's bow.

Its origins come from the red carpet scene. This trend is about healthy-looking skin, not the sculpting you get with contouring. When you first highlight, the contours of your face naturally come forward.

And what is the result? Skin that looks like it's glowing. It's important to use different strobing shades based on your complexion. This ensures that skin looks bright and radiant, rather than too tight or ashy and dull. People with fair skin tones should focus on white and pink-beige shades. Those with medium skin tones look best in bronze beige to gold shades. Meanwhile, gold to peach and orange shimmers stand out on dark skin tones.

Suitable cosmetics

The undeniable advantage of strobing is that it does not require dozens of products, just highlighter and powder. However, depending on the technology, additional tools may be needed, which we will discuss later.

Creams

The main purpose of strobing creams is to ensure an even skin tone with a slight glow. It is very important to choose not only a long-lasting, but also a light cream that matches the color of your skin. According to independent expert ratings, some of the best strobing creams are:

Strobe Cream from MAC;
Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 by Laura Mercier;
Illuminating Primer by Tom Ford.

Strobe Cream, M.A.C.

The product is white in color with reflective elements in pink and purple. Perfectly illuminates the face without whitening the skin and providing an even glow. Many makeup artists recommend using pink blush tones before applying cream. Strobe Cream spreads well, is easy to apply and at the same time moisturizes the skin.

The effect of the cream lasts for three hours, then it begins to be absorbed into the skin. This product is best suited for evening make-up.

Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20, Laura Mercier

Tinted Moisturizer foundation adds shine to the skin due to SPF filters. The product is available in five shades, but makeup artists recommend using the lightest shade called “Bare Radience” as a strobing cream. It is this shade that gives the skin a pearlescent shine and bronze glow. Unlike many strobing products, Tinted Moistrurizer is applied to the entire face at once, without a pattern. The skin of the face immediately begins to look fresh and even.

The indisputable advantages of the product also include durability (at least five hours), versatility - foundation and lightening cream in one, as well as an excellent balance between price and quality.

Illuminating Primer, Tom Ford

The beautiful bottle with a convenient dispenser contains a white ivory cream. Primer from Tom Ford acts almost like a highlighter, highlighting the desired areas of the skin and creating the impression of dewy light. Makeup artists recommend applying it exclusively to key places, since a primer applied as a surface agent does not give the desired shine, but only holds makeup and does not allow other cosmetics to lie on top of it.

The longevity of the cream is not the best - several hours as a primer, but as a strobing tone this illuminator really deserves respect.

Highlighters

Highlighter is a key tool in strobing, and simply highlighting the desired areas with it is a strobing technique. In fact, highlighter does 90% of the work of all cosmetics. Therefore, it is very important to choose the right highlighter that suits your skin tone. Some of the most popular are:

Master Strobing by Maybelline;
Seas of Illumination by Rouge Bunny Rouge;
Skin Fetish by Pat McGrath Labs.

Master Strobing, Maybelline

Master Strobing highlighter is one of the top products in its segment from Maybelline. It fits perfectly on any skin type - dry, normal, oily and even problematic.

The highlighter does not have the pronounced flaking characteristic of many products, it does not clog into pores and lasts for a long time. With all this, manufacturers managed to combine excellent quality and low cost.

Seas of Illumination, Rouge Bunny Rouge

Rouge Bunny Rouge has a reputation for making excellent highlighters and the Seas of Illumination liquid line is no exception. These highlighters appeared on the market before the strobing mania swept the world, but even then they managed to establish themselves as an excellent tool for evenly and at the same time brightly illuminating the skin. The Seas of Light line has three shades - white, pink pearl and golden bronze.

Skin Fetish, Pat McGrath Labs

This highlighter is made in an unusual form of a double-sided tube-stick. On the one hand, there is a golden dry highlighter, very bright, it is recommended to apply it with weightless touches. On the other there is a balm, reminiscent of a Vietnamese “star” in structure. With its help, dry highlighter turns into cream.

The convenience of Skin Fetish is undeniable in cases where you want to have one universal product for both everyday and evening strobing.

Powder palettes

With the growing popularity of strobing, many cosmetics manufacturers began to produce special powder and highlighter palettes specifically for this technique. When choosing cosmetics for these purposes, you should pay attention to the following sets:

Face Strobing Highlighting Kit by Divage;
NYX STROBE by Genius illuminating;
Too Faced Natural Face Palette.

Too Faced Natural Face Palette

The six-concealer palette comes in a cute lace-trimmed case. In addition to its expensive appearance, makeup artists love it for its convenience and versatility: one such palette is enough to apply the perfect glowing makeup. To do this, each tone is used for specific purposes: matte concealer on the corners of the eyes and any uneven skin to smooth and brighten, brightening concealer under the eyes, cream blush and highlighter on the cheekbones, and finally, powder and bronzer on the cheeks. The perfect combination of essential tools in one palette.

Having several of the above tools in your arsenal, you can start doing makeup using the strobing technique.

NYX STROBE, Genius illuminating

Palettes from Genius Illuminating are famous for their quality and affordable price. The sets contain dry highlighters of different shades with shimmer. The product is easy to apply and blend, does not clump and lasts all day. An excellent choice for every day - the versatility of the shades will allow you to experiment with your appearance.

Face Strobing Highlighting Kit by Divage

The Face Strobing palette from Divage is designed for true strobing connoisseurs. The palette contains two main tools for a fashionista: a light, shining dry highlighter and a transparent setting powder. With the help of a highlighter, the light areas on the face are highlighted, and the powder fixes the result and removes the effect of oily shine. The compact palette is indispensable when traveling and is especially convenient to use with a fan brush.

How to do strobing in makeup: step-by-step photos

If you have very oily skin, it helps to apply a mattifying primer before your foundation. This will help absorb any excess shine throughout the day.
If you really want the glow from strobing makeup to stand out, pair it with natural, minimal makeup. Choose matte, neutral eye shades and a lip color that is similar to your lips' natural shade because glow is the first thing people notice.
Applying some of your strobe highlighters down the center of your calf can make your legs look longer and thinner.

Strobing should be the last step in your makeup routine, so it's used on top of all the other products you're wearing (foundation, blush, etc.).

Before you strob, it's important to matte areas that you don't want to highlight, such as your forehead, chin, and the tip of your nose. Otherwise your whole face will just look greasy. You should do this before applying your foundation, tinted moisturizer, or BB/CC cream.

Main mistakes

In principle, there is nothing complicated in strobing, but there are nuances that can ruin the whole image and, instead of the effect of a wet glow, you can end up with a greasy, oily pancake.

Therefore, it is better to start learning the technique with common mistakes made by beginners:

To be sure of your dazzling effect, it is better to try the technique at home when you have enough time. Experience is a key factor in quality make-up, so you shouldn’t experiment before a meeting, date or going out.
Highlighter can easily be confused with bronzer, but they are significantly different - bronzer will add yellow pigment, emphasizing the tan, and it is completely inappropriate in strobing.
It’s easy to overdo it with highlighter, so in the initial stages it’s better to minimize its amount by practicing on the wrist, for example. The glow of the illuminator should be light and elusive.
The technique is intended primarily for evening makeup, so you should be extremely careful when using it during the day.
Smooth lines are good for contouring, but strobing requires smoothness and good shading.
If you decide to brighten your face with highlighter, forget about bright cosmetics. Strobing itself is quite bright and goes well with soft blush, black mascara, pastel or matte lipstick. An emphasis on the lips is acceptable, but shadows, flashy lipstick colors and thick strobing eyeliner are contraindicated.
Before applying highlighter, make sure your skin is ready for it. Illumination requires an ideal tone - any unevenness, rashes, scars and spots must be disguised in advance with cream, foundation or corrector, so as not to highlight flaws once again.

Strobing is essentially one of the simplest techniques in makeup. With its help you can make your face radiant, natural and fresh.

Preparing for makeup using strobing technique

Step 1: Moisturize your face

Because strobing draws attention to your skin, it's important to make sure it's properly hydrated so your makeup doesn't look patchy or sticky. Before applying any makeup, use a moisturizer to make sure your skin looks smooth and healthy.

If you have oily skin, choose an oil-free moisturizer to avoid clogged pores.
Wait at least 5 minutes after moisturizing your skin before applying any other makeup to ensure the moisturizer has been fully absorbed.

Step 2: Apply foundation

Your skin should be as even as possible when you apply highlight makeup, so use foundation first to even out your skin tone. It's best to use a matte formula because it allows the shimmer and glow of your strobing products to stand out against it.

If your skin is mostly clear, you can substitute a light tinted moisturizer or BB cream for your foundation.
Use a sponge or brush to blend the foundation into your leather for the most flawless finish.

Step 3. Cover all imperfections with concealer

Your foundation can't hide all the discoloration on your face, so apply a concealer. Apply it to pimples, scars, dark circles and any other areas of hyperpigmentation and blend well.

You can use a sponge or brush to apply the concealer, but using your fingers usually results in a smoother application because the warmth of your skin helps the product blend most effectively.

Basic Rules

The skin must be in good condition, otherwise you risk further emphasizing imperfections in the form of enlarged pores, pimples, and acne marks. This is why makeup artists advise first to apply foundation, hide all imperfections, and only then apply the technique;
The highlighter is not applied in a clear line; it necessarily requires shading. You can apply the product with your fingertips or a damp sponge, or using a loosely packed brush;
Don't get too carried away with highlighter. The main task is to highlight the skin, giving it a natural tint. If you apply too much product, you may get the opposite effect - oily, shiny skin, even if it is not;
The strobing technique should not be confused with contouring. These are two different stages in makeup that combine perfectly with each other both in daytime and evening makeup. The most important thing is to regulate the intensity of application;
For daytime makeup, it is better to use more natural products, but for an evening out or a themed photo shoot, “nuclear” options are also suitable, the glow of which will be visible almost from space.

How to apply strobing to the face: step-by-step video instructions

Step 1: Apply cream highlighter to the high points of your face

For the most natural strobing effect, it is best to use a cream. Be sure to choose one shade that matches your skin tone and apply a small amount to the top points of your face, including the tops of your cheekbones, temples, eyebrows, bridge of the nose, and just above the center of your upper lip.

You can also apply highlighter to the center of your forehead and chin for an extra glow.
If you have oily skin, you may want to skip the highlighter on your forehead, nose, and chin because these areas tend to become shiny on their own.
If you have fair skin, choose a highlighter in a champagne shade.
If you have fair to medium skin, choose a highlighter in a champagne pink shade.
If you have olive skin, choose a highlighter in a golden shade.
If you have dark skin, choose a highlighter in a bronze or terracotta shade.

Step 2. Mix

Once you have applied the highlighter cream to the high points of your face, you need to blend it out to make it look natural. Use a damp sponge or synthetic stippling brush to gently apply the cream to your skin for a smooth finish.

Step 3: Apply dry highlighter on top of cream highlighter

Once you have completely blended the highlighter cream into your skin, you can intensify the glow by adding a powder highlighter to it. Use a powder in the appropriate shade and lightly dust it over the cream using a small fluffy brush.

If you have dry skin, you may want to skip dry highlighter because it can look patchy or sticky in dry areas.

Step 4: Apply matte blush to your cheeks

To make sure your strobing makeup takes center stage, it's best to use matte products on the rest of your face. For a healthy look, apply matte blush in a shade that suits your skin tone, starting at the apples of your cheeks and sweeping back toward your hairline under your highlighter.

An angled blush brush usually provides the most precise application.
For fair skin, choose a light pink or peach blush
For light to medium skin, choose a mauve or apricot blush.
For olive skin, choose a coral blush.
For dark skin, choose a deep orange or berry blush.

Step 5: Use bronzer sparingly

When you're strobing, you're usually not using any type of contouring product. However, if you feel like your skin needs some warmth, you can lightly apply a small amount of bronzer. Swipe it along your temples, under your cheekbones, under your blush, and along your chin.

Just like with your blush, use a matte bronzer. You don't want any shimmer or shine to compete with the highlighter.

Step 6: Set unlit areas of the face using translucent powder

To reduce shine and set your makeup, apply translucent powder. However, you should not apply the powder to the areas where you have highlighted. Use a fluffy brush to lightly dust the translucent powder over the rest of your face.

Contouring – the magic of the play of light and shadow

Contouring is a makeup technique for creating the perfect image by darkening and highlighting certain areas of the face. The modeling technique allows you to hide imperfections, adjust visual volume, and straighten lines. It makes it possible to “sculpt” features like a sculptor by placing accents, which is why it is called sculpting.

For contouring we use liquid and dry corrective products. With the help of dark concealers we can reduce the length and width of the nose, “hide” a wide jaw, and correct a high forehead. Light-colored concealers increase volume, highlight the bridge of the nose, the V-shaped area between the eyebrows, and the arch above the upper lip. The contouring technique helps solve most aesthetic problems, change the visual sense of proportions, the shape of the oval of the face, the shape of the eyes, nose, and cheekbones.

An oval face is ideal. However, we know that every beauty has unique shapes. Makeup products and contouring techniques allow you to correct a round, triangular, square, rectangular or pentagonal face and get the correct oval. In each case, the central zones are highlighted, and the areas protruding beyond the classical form are darkened.

Contouring a face of any shape begins with standard preparation: cleansing, toning, moisturizing. The prepared surface is covered with a makeup base. If you use liquid concealers for sculpting, apply the powder after completing your face sculpting. Dry cosmetics (bronzer and highlighter) are applied to powdered skin. Then the usual makeup is performed for a day or evening out.

What strobing products should I use?

There are three rules for choosing the ideal strobing product:

1. Avoid anything shiny. The point is to create a subtle shimmer that could be mistaken for naturally glowing skin.

2. Keep in mind your skin type . I personally love cream formulas for ease of application and portability, although they tend to be best suited for normal to dry skin types. Dry highlighters are likely to last longer on combination or oily complexions.

3. Choose a highlighter that matches your skin tone . Stick to a highlighter that matches your undertones.

What you need for strobing

Use the Beauty blender Micro Mini to blend your strobing

Dry highlighter

Liquid highlighter

Advantages

The strobing effect is achieved through the use of light shining powder or highlighter. It does not allow clear definition of the cheekbones. The purpose of this makeup is to visually enlarge the lips (we wrote about this separate technique earlier), make the nose and eyes more expressive, and slightly raise the cheekbones.

In addition, applying highlighter helps give the face a natural glow that is easily distinguishable from the reflections of oily skin. In order to achieve such a result, it is not at all necessary to have a huge set of brushes - you can even shade the strobing products with your fingertips.

The advantages of the technology include:

no artificial or mask effect;
small amount of time spent;
the skin will glow with freshness and health;
imparting sexual moisture to the face;
helps to advantageously emphasize or hide certain facial features;
can be used both for an evening look and in everyday life;
no need to use a large amount of toning products before facial strobing.

Baking – flawless skin for the red carpet

Baking is an ideal technique for special occasions. It allows you to get the effect of smoothing the skin texture.

Baking means "baking". The makeup technique involves applying a thick layer of mattifying agent such as compact or loose powder to the face. You leave it on for a few minutes until it is maximally absorbed into the pores, then remove the excess with a brush.

The result is more uniform, velvety skin without imperfections. Makeup looks flawless, as if done by a professional. It is ideal for shooting on Instagram and showing to subscribers.

To use the professional baking technique, you must prepare your skin for makeup. Just a few steps and you're ready.

Apply moisturizer all over your face and eye area.
Use long-lasting professional concealers like MAC and a base with a dense texture. The light corrector is applied to the area under the eyes, the lower part of the cheekbones, the wings of the nose and the V-shaped area between the eyebrows. Using a damp sponge, carefully blend the cosmetic product without blending it too much.
To use the baking technique, you will need a makeup brush or sponge, transparent compact or loose powder. Generously apply the product to the areas under the eyes, the bridge of the nose, chin, and cheekbones where concealer was applied. Wait 10-15 minutes for the skin to absorb the product.
Buff off excess with a clean, fluffy makeup brush and continue with your normal makeup application routine. The face will remain velvety and matte throughout the event.

Makeup made using the baking technique will remain unchanged for several hours. You will be delighted with beautiful, glowing skin without traces of pores.