Should we be highlighting our jawlines? Bella Hadid sure thinks so

Chins and cheekbones unite

Digital Beauty Editor / February 02 2022

Bella Hadid has been a highlighter fan for years. One of the very models who helped usher in the era of the see-it-from-space cheekbone highlight, she’s all about playing up her best features with a little bit (or a lot) of luminosity.

Well, that’s the thing: when you’re a Hadid, every feature is one of your best. And so in a series of snaps shared to her Instagram, it was clear that she had in fact illuminated a part of the face usually reserved for a light dusting of defining bronzer: her jaw.

We know what you may be thinking – ‘I just spent 10 minutes applying foundation so my chin wouldn’t shine?!’. Well, let’s be clear: shine and shimmer are two different things, with the latter tending to look far fresher than the former. In Hadid’s case at least, her final look is definitely more iridescent than oily.

@bellahadid

What occurred when the Internet caught wind of Hadid’s innovative highlighter placement, you ask? A viral TikTok trend, of course. Content creator @rachelocoolmua kicked it off with an initial attempt and since then there's been a radiant ripple effect in motion.

One of our faves? @jaclynforbes' gleaming success story, where she layers the Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter Foundation ($65 at Charlotte Tilbury) with the brand's glistening Beauty Light Wand ($60 at Charlotte Tilbury) right along her jawline to achieve the coveted Hadid effect.


Isn't it magnificent? Why yes, yes it is. Don't stress about the shimmer looking random or out of place, either; if you look closely at Hadid's highlight, it's clear that she's actually connected her cheekbone shimmer swipe to her jawline glow.

In fact, we'd even guess that there's probably a touch on her temples too, almost like the '3' shape we were all taught to apply bronzer in. The best bit? Highlighter is way harder to mess up than its contouring counterpart (which has the ability to look muddy or blotchy far quicker). Win!

Long story short, there's nothing we love more than a new, creative makeup trend that's equal parts simple and stunning, and Hadid has blessed us with just that.

Main image credit: Getty Images

After a highlighter to try the trend with? Here are our pharmacy favourites...