Next to contouring, strobing is a makeup technique seems to be trending in nearly every beauty selfie posted to Instagram. But since can't carry a Valencia filter around with us in real life, the look can come off a bit intense for wear during the day much less the workplace. To help find a happy medium between the beauty equivalent of Rihanna's "Diamonds" and your everyday look, makeup artist Elle Leary recommends grounding the excess shimmer with a satin texture to balance the effect. "I recommend mixing an illuminator like Charlotte Tilbury's Wonder Glow ($55; nordstrom.com) or Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfector (shown in Opal, $41; sephora.com) with a matte moisturizer, and tapping this on the high points of your face," Leary advises. "It will keep the shine to a minimum, but will catch the light at perfect times." Skip the shading powder, as the technique focuses on illuminating the skin.
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Another method Leary likes to do is mixing two illuminators without any gold pigment, like Benefit's High Beam with the Girl Meets Pearl formula ($30 each; sephora.com). "I like Girl Meets Pearl because it has a soft hint of pink opal that catches the light beautifully and subtly," she explains. "When you use these types together, you get the most beautiful finish that brings out your features with a glimmer of light." If you need to further tone down the intensity, we recommend applying a light layer of powder over the top, or mixing the highlighter with a mattifying primer prior to blending on your foundation.