Everybody is crazy about contouring, but the MU trend we love is strobing.

Forget everything you have heard about contouring, this is much the opposite - whilst contouring uses darker and lighter shades to add depth to your features, Strobing is a technique that uses only light to enhance your natural features.  This is perfect for my brides since it creates a real dewy shimmery, much sort after natural youthful glow!

As with contouring you do need to be extra careful when applying this technique, it has to be done well to look good - since strobing can quickly go from dewy and shimmery looking skin to sweaty and shiny looking if not done well!

As with every make up look it is absolutely essential to start with a good clean base.  Prepping the skin with a thorough cleanse followed by a good hydrating moisturiser will not only help with flawless make up application but also keep the make up looking fresh all day long.

Once you have applied your primer and foundation you want to take a highlighter shade that best matches your skin tone - you are aiming to compliment your skin tone for a subtle sheen - we do not want to create a white frosty look so take care not to go too light!

Using an angled brush apply the highlighter to where the light naturally hits your face - cheekbones, temples, brow bone, down the bridge of your nose, your cupids bow and the inner corners of your eyes to enhance your natural radiance - apply all product with real precision using a small brush such as a blending brush or fluff brush, remember less is more at this stage, you can always add to it building up slowly.  Precision is key - you do not want to spread it around your face too freely or this will result in a shiny shimmery mess!  Take care to avoid forehead and chin if you have a tendency to get oily skin as these areas have their natural shine and do not need help.

Model Sophie Anderton
MU by Gemma Sutton

Once applied use your fingers or take a fan brush to blend blend blend!  Blending is so essential in good make up application, there should never be any harsh edges, ensuring the highlighter fades  well into the rest of the skin.

As with all make up products it is key to choose the right one for your skin type.  There are many different brands, textures and types of highlighter that create quite a different look - for oily skin I love using HD Brows Illuminator whilst drier skin types suit a cream highlighters such as NARS Illuminator.

Try creams such as Clarins Instant Light or MAC Strobe Cream for a more subtle effect - they leave a healthy dewy glow on the skin and blend beautifully.  I personally prefer to use a powder highlighter just as it is much more dense so it is more buildable.   HD Brows Illuminator is a light-diffusing compact powder, enriched with pearlescent pigments which have a natural luminous effect adding stunning shimmer and metallic accents.  And with its oil absorbing formula it is perfect for oily skin along with Vitamins C and E for antioxidant benefits too.  Another fab option is one of my secret favourites - Autograph Pure Luxe Powder Highlighter with its versatile formula it is perfect for blending reflecting pearls for a subtle luminous sheen.    With the powders being buildable you can create a much stronger look - but again be careful to really buff and blend into the skin to avoid those obviously lines of application.

As with all make up application knowing which brushes to apply certain products is key especially when such precision is needed.  Some of my favourite brushes to use for this particular look are:

Stipple Brush - this is one of my all time favourites - a multi purpose brush, don’t use to apply product with this brush but absolutely fantastic for blending, buffing face primers, foundation, compact and loose powders to a seamless finish.

Eye blending brush - A tightly packed brush to diffuse and blend powders.  This is perfect for blending in smaller areas such as cupids bow and the inner corner of the eyes.

Fluff Brush - This brush has a thick bundle of fibers arranged in a rounded shape, perfect for precise application to smaller areas.

Contour brush - a gently angled brush that follows the shape and contour of the cheeks and temples allowing you to blend colour evenly without streaking, perfect to sculpt areas of the face with precision and control.