Gen Z Is Expanding Our Highlighter Horizons — & We're Here For It

Scroll through your Insta feed, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a single influencer, supermodel, or even fashionable stranger not working a glowy, lit-from-within makeup look this summer. While a full night of shut-eye, staying hydrated, or a recent beach trip might be partially to thank, highlighters (and all their complexion-enhancing powers) are also part of this season's beauty equation — and for good reason. Not only do they keep your skin looking fresher than fresh, but also they won't visibly melt off your face like a matte finish (because let’s be honest, humidity is real).

Contrary to popular belief, this cool-girl summer sheen can also be interpreted for your eyes, lips, and beyond. For inspiration, we partnered with Target and turned to two Gen Z-ers — Anzie and Anajah — whose penchant for light-reflecting makeup does not discriminate by facial feature or product texture. The BFFs found each other on Tumblr four years ago, bonding over their love of fashion and appreciation of a good makeup plot twist: "We wear simple makeup styles with one thing that’s different — a sparkly eye or something extra, creating a vibe before we head out into the world," says Anzie. From high-glosses to straight-up glitter, these women take the dewy look to a whole new, shiny level. And we're totally here for it.

Who says highlighter should only be applied to your cheekbones? Anzie sure doesn’t. Her look blends drops of NYX Away We Glow Liquid Booster with a few pumps of a hydrating primer to create an allover glow. "Then, when I’m going for something bolder, I like to play with interesting textures — like a gloss over easy-to-match primary colors," she says. "Bright red is such a passionate and powerful color. It really pops on my complexion."

2x Design Quote Options:

"When a woman is in red, she looks so fierce and like she can take on the world." —Anzie

"We both really love a hydrated, dewy look. That’s always our go-to." —Anzie

For Anajah, a few swipes of Wet n Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Face Powder over her cheekbones, bridge of the nose, and Cupid’s bow is only the first step to creating her dewy, '60s-inspired look. To really amp up the dew factor, she's also been known to dabble in some glitter: "I love the contrast of a glittery cat-eye — the sparkles are very ethereal and feminine, while the black eyeliner is bold and rebellious," she says.

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"I get a lot of my inspo from other decades. I look at the starlets of the time and pick who I feel like I can embody." —Anajah

"We bond over beauty and fashion. We talk about it all the time: our favorite looks, what celebs dress the best. We’ll even FaceTime to get ready with each other." —Anajah