The TikTok Highlighter Hack That Will Give You A Glowy, Sculpted Look

Highlighter is always in style. The amount applied may vary and the formulas may continue to evolve, but no matter what, highlighter remains a lot of people's favorite makeup step. There's just something about an adult-friendly excuse to play with glittery shimmery colors on your face. It doesn't hurt that you also get the added bonus of catching every ray of light wherever you go. 

Over the years, highlighter trends have changed quite a bit. In the 2010s, it was all about packing on as much highlighter as glittery as you could get it. Who could forget the era of strobing, per Refinery29? Of course, then it evolved and adapted to the growing demand for a glass skin moment, and suddenly highlighter was applied strategically and as wet-looking as possible (via Byrdie). 

Regardless of how highlighter is used, it's a staple. A makeup look just doesn't feel complete without it. Contouring may have slowly faded into the past, but highlighter has stuck around. And well, it looks like it has lived long enough to overtake its previous partner in crime: contouring. A brand new highlighter hack has taken over TikTok and promises to achieve the sculpting effect of contouring by only using your highlighter. Well, if it works for Bella Hadid, it's definitely worth considering.

Over the years, Bella Hadid has become the ultimate trendsetter. Every unique look she dons suddenly becomes the next big moment in fashion and beauty, per Teen Vogue. The supermodel is undoubtedly a fashion and beauty icon, and her killer style and captivating beauty have everyone in a chokehold. While everyone continues to strive for that sculpted and sleek Hadid look, a makeup trend that promises to help you fake that knife-sharp Hadid jawline with a simple highlighter has officially gone viral on TikTok thanks to makeup artist Rachel OCool attempting to highlight her jaw to replicate a Bella Hadid photo.

Officially named "jaw highlighting," this method suggests you try applying highlighter in an entirely new location: the edge of your jawline, per Byrdie. While contour has undoubtedly been used in that spot, applying a highlighter to your jawline is a brand new approach that promises to achieve that coveted sharp and chiseled jawline look. Makeup lovers can't get enough of the trend that they confirm works. In fact, Refinery29 tried it out and said, "It's official: contouring is out, jaw highlighting is in." 

Dior makeup's international pro-artist Jamie Coombes weighed in on the trend and gave it his stamp of approval, too. "Jaw highlighting helps to create the appearance of a sharp, sculpted jawline, using glassy light reflection ... I would use the technique to complement a natural 'no make-up-make-up look,'" Coombes said, per Vogue. However, Coombes does clarify that while this trend is fun to try, you're likely to only get the most dramatic effects if you already naturally have strong bone structure, but it can still help you fake it a little.