Strobing is a fashion trend in makeup that has replaced contouring. The original strobe technique is similar to the contouring technique: providing radiance, volume and moisturization to the skin of the face. However, the idea of strobing is to facilitate this process. Heavy multi-layer makeup techniques went out of fashion several years ago and were replaced by simple, light and spectacular methods.
As one of the simplest methods, strobing involves the use of a highlighter or light powder with a radiant effect instead of the traditional dark concealers used in the contouring technique. In strobe visual modeling of the face due to light makeup makes it easy to emphasize the beauty of the face, hiding minor skin imperfections.
Features of the strobe technique
It is easy to identify the reasons for this popularity of strobe. This technique has significant pros:
- Light products with reflective particles give the skin a gloss, purity and freshness of youth.
- With the help of strobing, you can make the nose a little narrower, the cheekbones - higher, the chin - sharper, the main thing - to correctly apply the highlighter.
- Strobing is a successful technique not only for everyday life, but also for photographs: in the frame of the lens such makeup looks expensive and stylish.
Initially, the strobe technique was created for models that needed to shine on the podium and shine with natural light in the rays of unnatural lighting. Then the girls noticed that the technique is very fast and easy and began to use it not only on the catwalk. Photographers and videographers always cordially meet models whose makeup is made using the strobe technique - they always look favorably in the frame in any light.
However, with all its advantages, strobing may not be suitable for every girl. In particular, it’s better not to resort to it if one of the incompatibility criteria applies to you:
- Problem skin. In the first place, strobing is contraindicated in case of rashes, redness or allergic skin reactions. Before applying makeup, it is necessary to improve the skin, as decorative cosmetics will not only not hide the problem, but will aggravate it.
- Oily skin. Strobing is an advantage technique for normal and dry skin, if the pH of the skin is higher than 5.7, it is likely that cosmetics will melt, giving the face an unnatural and painful appearance.
Even if you have perfect skin, strobe for daytime makeup and daily exits is best done in a light form. The bright rays of the sun will make your face unnaturally pale and shiny, while in the evening and with irregular flashes of chandeliers, lamps and flashbulbs, strobe will perfectly emphasize facial features.
In addition, there is Three dramatically different strobe techniques:
- Dry strobe. The favorite technique of many girls, since the dry method does not moisturize the skin and does not block the pores, allowing it to breathe and ventilate. In the dry method, products with a powder structure are used - powder-reflectors, eyeshadows, highlighters. The technique is intended primarily for daily purposes, walks, work.
- Wet strobe. The method is suitable for both daily and evening make-up and consists in highlighting the face with liquid and cream cosmetics: basics with light reflection, illuminators in the form of a cream, cushions and tonal creams.A dark matte lipstick will look beneficial on such a background. And to make the makeup less catchy and delicate, only the protruding areas of the face are emphasized.
- Full Face Strobing. This technique is a real find for evening events, where the face should shine perfectly and evenly under the spotlights. This method is almost never used in everyday life, however, many make-up artists prepare the stars for important events with a strobe.
Suitable cosmetics
The undeniable advantage of strobing is that it does not need dozens of funds, just highlighter and powder. However, depending on the technique, additional funds may be needed, which we will discuss later.
Creams
The main purpose of creams in strobing is to ensure even skin tone with a slight glow. It is very important to choose not only persistent, but also a light cream suitable for skin color. According to the ratings of independent experts, some of the best strobing creams are:
- Strobe Cream by M.A.C .;
- Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 by Laura Mercier;
- Illuminating Primer by Tom Ford.
Strobe Cream, M.A.C
The product is white with pink and purple reflective elements. It perfectly illuminates the face, while not whitening the skin and providing a smooth glow. Many makeup artists recommend using shades of pink blush before applying the cream. Strobe Cream is perfectly distributed, 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 tool is best suited for the evening make-up.
Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20, Laura Mercier
Tinted Moisturizer foundation gives the skin shine due to SPF filters. The product is available in five shades, but make-up artists recommend using the lightest shade called “Bare Radience” as a strobe cream. It is this shade that gives the skin a pearly shine and a bronze glow. Unlike many gating tools, Tinted Moistrurizer is applied immediately to the entire face, outside the circuit. Facial skin immediately begins to look fresh and even.
The indisputable advantages of the remedy are also classified as durability (at least five hours), versatility - tonal and clarifying cream in one, as well as an excellent balance between price and quality.
Illuminating Primer, Tom Ford
In a beautiful bottle with a convenient dispenser contains a white cream shade of ivory. The primer from Tom Ford acts almost like a highlighter, highlighting the desired areas of the skin and creating the impression of a moist light. Makeup artists recommend applying it exclusively to key places, since a primer applied as a surface product does not give the desired radiance, but only holds makeup and does not allow other cosmetics to lie on top of itself.
The durability of the cream is not the best - a few hours as a primer, but as a tone for strobing, this illuminator really deserves respect.
Highlighters
Highlighter is a key tool in strobe, and just highlighting the necessary areas with it is the implementation of the strobe technique. In practice, a highlighter does 90% of the work of all cosmetics. Therefore, it is very important to choose the right highlighter suitable for skin tone. Some of the most popular are:
- Master Strobing from Maybelline;
- Seas of Illumination by Rouge Bunny Rouge;
- Skin Fetish by Pat McGrath Labs.
Master Strobing, Maybelline
Highlighter Master Strobing is one of the top products of its segment from Maybelline. It ideally lays on the skin of any type - dry, normal, oily and even problematic.
The highlighter does not have the underlined peeling characteristic of many means, it does not clog in pores and lasts 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 established itself as a manufacturer of excellent highlighters and the Seas of Illuminantion liquid line - no exception. These highlighters appeared on the market before the strobe mania swept the world, but even then they managed to establish themselves as an excellent tool for smooth and at the same time bright skin illumination. The line “Seas of the World” has three shades - white, pink pearls and gold bronze.
Skin Fetish, Pat McGrath Labs
This highlighter is made in the unusual form of a double-sided tube-stick. On the one hand - a golden dry highlighter, very bright, it is recommended to apply it with weightless touches. On the other hand there is a balm reminiscent of the Vietnamese "star" in structure.With it, a dry highlighter turns into a cream.
The convenience of Skin Fetish is undeniable in cases where you want to have one universal remedy for both everyday and evening strobing.
Powder pallets
Many cosmetics manufacturers, with the growing popularity of strobing, began to produce special powder pallets and highlighters specifically for this technique. When choosing cosmetics for these purposes, it is worth paying attention to the following sets:
- Face Strobing Highlighting Kit from Divage;
- NYX STROBE by Genius illuminating;
- Too Faced Natural Face Palette.
Face Strobing Highlighting Kit by Divage
Divage's Face Strobing is designed for true strobing enthusiasts. The palette has two main tools of a fashionista: a light shining highlighter of dry type and a transparent powder-fixer. With the help of a highlighter, light areas are highlighted on the face, and the powder captures the result and removes the effect of oily sheen. The compact palette is indispensable when traveling and is especially convenient to use with a fan brush.
NYX STROBE, Genius illuminating
Genius Illuminating Palettes are renowned for quality and affordable price. The kits contain dry highlighters of different colors with a shimmer. The product is easy to apply and shade, does not roll off and holds fast all day. An excellent choice for every day - the versatility of the shades will allow you to experiment with your appearance.
Too Faced Natural Face Palette
The six concealer palette comes in a cute lace-trimmed case. In addition to the expensive appearance, make-up artists love it for its convenience and versatility: one such palette is enough to apply a perfect luminous make-up. To do this, each tone is used for certain purposes: a matte concealer for the corners of the eyes and any irregularities of the skin to even out and brighten, a brightening concealer for the eyes, cream blush and highlighter for the cheekbones, and finally - powder and bronzer on the cheeks. The perfect combination of the necessary tools in one palette.
Having in the arsenal of several of the above tools, you can start makeup using the strobe technique.
Step-by-step makeup using the strobe technique
Learning to apply makeup using the strobe technique is easy if you follow the detailed step-by-step instructions. For an ideal make-up, it is important to observe three principles:
- To put the necessary means in the necessary order;
- Lighten the face in certain places;
- Apply the highlighter in the right amount, and sometimes - it’s better not to get enough than to sort out.
To perform the technique, step by step presented below, you will need only a few tools: cream and powder highlighter, brushes, matting fixing powder.
Step 1. Sit down and look at your face in daylight. Select for yourself the most illuminated areas of the face, which will need to give an additional glow.
As a small life hack, you can take a picture of yourself in the mirror and, with the help of any photo editor, add an image of contrast. You will immediately see how the bright areas stand out. Usually these are protruding areas - the upper edge of the cheekbones, nose, chin.
First of all, apply the cream-illuminator (highlighter) on the upper part of the cheekbones and thoroughly blend it with a makeup brush, as shown in the photo above.
Step 2. Apply powder on top of the cream highlighter. This should be done carefully and carefully: without crossing the border, without pressing the skin too much, but also blending well.
Step 3. After staining the cheeks (cheekbones), we proceed to staining the nose. Its back must be highlighted with a vertical strip in the center. The amount of highlighter cream used depends on the type of skin: for dry, you need more funds, for oily - just a little bit.
Step 4. As in contouring, the lower border of the face under the cheekbones is emphasized. Using a cream highlighter, make a strip and blend.
Step 5. Now we turn to the design of the eyelids. We don’t touch the lower one, we focus on the upper, as well as the areas in the corners of the eyes and under the eyebrows. Apply satin or other shimmer shadows. This method allows you to get a lifting effect, hide fatigue and make your look bright and fresh.
Step 6. Highlight the dimples above the upper lip. To make lips more voluminous and give them a clear light contour, go highlighter along the edge of the dimple above the upper lip, which is also called the “Cupid's bow”.
Step 7. The final step is to consolidate all the makeup. In order to enhance the radiant effect of the technique, transparent powder with a matting effect is applied to all areas where a contour is usually made. This will remove the oily sheen and make the makeup smoother. You can take the advice of Romero Jennings, the main makeup artist of M.A.C Cosmetics. Romero advises applying powder according to the “cat's feet” method. To do this, two identical fluffy brushes made of natural material are applied in turn to the contours, dusting the skin evenly and imperceptibly.
In these seven steps is the simplest technique. However, this does not mean that strobe is exclusively light pastel colors. Using powder of different colors, you can achieve a unique image, for example, a bright pink make-up, a quick method of applying which is presented in the video below:
Its main tool is a highlighter. With this wonderful tool you can experiment as you like:
- A powdery highlighter, shaded over a creamy one, will enhance glare.
- Different shades of highlighters are used to give the face different shades: pearl highlights the highlighted areas, pink colors bring a blush to the cheeks, gold and bronze - emphasize the cheekbones and create a light tan effect.
- Cream and liquid highlighters give a more gentle and natural effect compared to dry, in addition, it is easier to blend.
- To get the effect of moist skin, use tonal bases and moisturizing BB creams with a radiant effect.
- To get a stronger highlight effect, use only dry finely ground highlighters.
This set of tips is enough to quickly fill your hand and learn how to do makeup using strobing technique without hesitation. However, even knowing all the methods of performing the technique, many mistakes can be made.
Major mistakes
In principle, there is nothing complicated in strobe, however, there are nuances that can ruin the whole image and, instead of the effect of wet shine, you can get a greasy butter pancake.
Therefore, it’s better to start learning technology with common mistakescommitted by beginners:
- To be sure of your dazzle, it is better to try the technique at home when there is enough time available. Experience is a key factor in high-quality make-up, so you should not experiment before a meeting, date or going out.
- Highlighter is easy to confuse with bronzer, but they are significantly different - bronzer will add yellow pigment, emphasizing tan, and in strobing it is completely inappropriate.
- With a highlighter it is easy to overdo it, so at the initial stages its quantity is best minimized by training on the wrist, for example. The illumination of the illuminator should be light and elusive.
- The technique is intended primarily for evening makeup, so with its use in the daytime you should be extremely careful.
- Smooth lines are good in contouring, while strobeing requires smoothness and good shading.
- If you decide to brighten your face with highlighter - forget about bright makeup. Strobing itself is quite bright and successfully combined with soft blush, black mascara, pastel or matte lipstick. An emphasis on lips is acceptable, but shadows, flashy colors of lipsticks and thick eyeliner in strobe are contraindicated.
- Before applying the highlighter, make sure that the skin is ready for it. Illumination requires a perfect tone - any irregularities, rashes, scars and dots must be masked in advance with a cream, tonal or corrector, so as not to emphasize the flaws once again.
Strobing is, in fact, one of the simplest makeup techniques. With its help, you can make your face radiant, natural and fresh.
