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Highlighting Tips For Darker Skin Tones

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Photographed by Sara Kerens.
Strobing, or — as we like to call it — highlighting overload, is poised to take over contouring in the beauty space. And with its rise in popularity has come an avalanche of highlighter products — including powders, creams, and liquids. But many of these pearly-pink and Champagne shades are geared toward fairer complexions, and they can appear chalky or overly sparkly on women with dark skin. (Not exactly the luminous, lit-from-within glow we're aiming for.)
Thankfully, brands are getting privy to the dilemma and releasing illuminating products that look amazing on ladies of colour. (This includes MAC: Its red-tinted strobing/highlighting cream is one of our most anticipated product launches of 2016.) When it comes to choosing the highlighter of your dreams, you should stray from pinks and frosty whites if you have a dark complexion. “You want to pick a highlighter almost the same way that you would pick a foundation — it should look like a part of your skin, as opposed to, like, a disco ball," says makeup artist Nick Barose. "If you’re darker, then I would go for a bronzy gold, and if you’re deep-dark, like Lupita [Nyong'o], for example, I would go for a copper shade. That way it adds a highlight, but it doesn’t add too much of a contrast, because it’s similar to your skin tone."
Click through to check out the newest highlighters on the market, as well as Barose's tips for wearing them. Then strobe on, pretties.
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