I Tried the Viral TikTok Highlighting Hack to Make My Eyes Pop — and I’m Hooked

Another day another TikTok makeup trend — or at least that’s what it feels like. And while I can never get enough beauty content, admittedly I’ve never been a fan of viral makeup hacks that use kitchen items or eccentric techniques to achieve the perfect makeup look. 

But when I saw @meganlavallie on TikTok share a quick highlighting hack to make the eyes pop, I was intrigued. Considering that the video has more than 5.6 million views and 144,000 likes, I clearly wasn't the only one. There was no frozen makeup sponge or spoon needed to achieve the look. The technique was different from other highlighting techniques I’d seen, it seemed easy enough for anyone to master. So, I gave it my best shot and now I’m hooked. To see why I love it and learn how to try it out for yourself, keep reading. 

The TikTok Eye Highlighting Makeup Hack

In the video, Megan shows herself using a liquid highlighter and placing one dot of it at the inner corners of her eyes, one dot on her brow bone, and one more dot about an inch below her eye at the top of her orbital bone. 

The three dots form a triangle shape surrounding the eye and she says that when blended out, this creates a “halo effect” around the eye to brighten the area and make the eye pop. This 10 second highlighting hack made a significant visible difference in the brightness of her eye as compared to the other eye without it. 

What Happened When I Tried the Viral Makeup Hack

I decided to test it out for myself because it looked fast and easy to master. I started by applying a tinted serum (I used the L’Oréal Paris True Match Hyaluronic Tinted Serum) and concealer to even out my complexion. I lightly set my concealer with translucent powder in the small area where I experience creasing. I find that liquids don’t often layer well on top of powder. Because my under eye area creases so quickly, I need to set it immediately after applying concealer. But you don’t have this issue, you can set after applying the highlighter. After brightening up my cheeks with some blush and defining my lashes with a volumizing mascara, it was time to test the technique. 

Using a liquid highlighter in a pale champagne shade, I applied the three dots in the specified areas and softly blended them out with a makeup sponge. The result was incredibly natural and it created a subtle brightness in the area, so I decided to apply a light layer of powder highlighter on top for added glow. I used a small eyeshadow brush to dust the powder highlighter over the liquid, and the result was gorgeous. 

Highlighting in these three specific areas really did accentuate the shape of my eyes and my bone structure without looking overdone. I also found that placing the highlighter on my orbital bone, rather than on my cheekbones like I usually do, created a more authentic-looking highlight. When I looked at myself in natural lighting, my skin looked luminous and like the highlighted areas were a result of a dewy moisturizer and not a shimmering makeup product — or two. 

If you prefer a minimal glow, opt for a subtle liquid highlighter, like the L’Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Glotion Natural Glow Enhancer. The same shade that you would use on your cheekbones will work for this. And when applying it, be sure to use a blending brush or just the tip of your makeup sponge to keep the product in the concentrated areas. If you blend it out too much, you’ll have a ring of brightness around your eyes rather than a targeted highlight.

If you’re like me and want an extra boost of luminosity, apply just a hint of a powder highlighter on top of the liquid at the highest point of your brow bone and orbital bone. The L’Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Glow Nude Highlighter Palette is a great option because you can customize your glow to your liking. 

Final Thoughts 

I’ve finally found a TikTok makeup trend that I can get behind. This technique took me just one minute to complete, and I’m confident that anyone can achieve it regardless of their makeup skill level. I also think that it would be flattering on a wide variety of eye shapes and bone structures, and considering how easy it is to achieve, it can’t hurt to give it a try. 

Next: Purple Blush Is Having a Moment — Here’s How to Nail the Trend

Written and photographed by: Alyssa Kaplan