Trinny's makeup trick for a lit-from-within complexion is so perfect for January
This clever highlighter hack is Trinny's secret to unlocking a healthy glow (and we're following suit)


Trinny Woodall has shared her easy one-minute makeup application tip for a natural, glowing-from-within complexion – and it's the perfect look for a January makeup detox.
The lightweight makeup trend is set to be popular throughout 2025 - with many celebrities wearing the best tinted moisturisers and barely-there coverage. But, when it comes to tricks and recommendations, one beauty guru we'll always take advice from is Trinny Woodall, founder of Trinny London.
It's not the first time the beauty entrepreneur has shared a clever makeup trick, last year Woodall revealed her useful top tip for older women to woman&home - a £19 magnifying mirror that enhances your complexion for easy application. So, of course, we're taking notes on Trinny's latest secret makeup trick for a fresh-faced glow and recreating the look for ourselves this January...
Trinny's one minute trick to unlock a healthy, glowing complexion
In a short video posted to YouTube, John Corcoran, Trinny London's Chief Makeup Artist revealed his top makeup trick for achieving a fresh-faced, stage-worthy glow is to apply a cream highlighter before any foundation or concealer. While this unusual application method intrigued us, we simply cannot fault the results it produces...
Recreate Trinny's dewy makeup look
If you're looking to recreate Trinny's go-to trick, you'll want to stock up on a cream highlighter that seamlessly melts into the skin. We've rounded up our top picks, including the must-have buys that our beauty team relies on for a healthy glow...
RRP: £28
Boasting thousands of five-star reviews, this Merit highlighter has a balmy, vitamin-rich texture with micro-fine pearls for a sheer, dewy glow. Its formula is equipped with skin-loving ingredients, such as plant-based squalane for added hydration and an amino acid blend for a healthy function of the skin barrier, which makes for an easy, blendable application.
RRP: £25
If you're looking to recreate Trinny's exact look, why not invest in Trinny London The Right Light Highlighter in shade 'Candlelight'? This cream-based formula is not only incredibly easy to apply but also unlocks a soft ethereal glow. Enhancing areas of your face that naturally catch the light, this product is the key to an instant complexion radiance boost.
RRP: £18
This Pixi buy is a favourite product that Sennen Prickett, Digital Beauty Writer, relies on for her daily makeup routine. Enriched with conditioning ingredients, such as ginseng, aloe vera and fruit extracts, 3D pigments and light-reflecting minerals, this cream highlighter is perfect for adding an incredibly natural luminosity to the skin, resulting in a brighter, radiant complexion.
While Trinny described her skin as "haggard" prior to the makeup application (a feeling that's all too relatable to many), Corcoran set out to create a lightweight skin-enhancing look: "I wanted the skin to look really, really dewy and fresh."
As for exactly how he achieves the look, he revealed his quick two minute method of boosting radiance within the complexion: "My secret tip is to use 'Candlelight' as a base first, feathering it mainly on the highest points and a little bit on the forehead, too," says Corcoran.
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The duo then followed the highlighter application with one of the best lightweight foundations, which in Trinny's case consisted of the Trinny London BFF De-Stress Tinted Serum. Woodall stresses a light application is key for this look, making sure she applies it "just where I need it," instead of blending it over her entire complexion.
Sennen is Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home, where she shares the latest beauty launches, trending buys and personal product recommendations, from makeup and hair to skincare and nails. She is also a judge for the annual woman&home Haircare, Skincare and Beauty Awards.
Previously, Sennen achieved a First Class Fashion and Beauty Journalism degree at Birmingham City University, before undertaking her role as Junior Digital Fashion and Beauty Editor at FROW Magazine. During this position, she wrote about the latest industry news, new product launches, viral trends and thoroughly reviewed a lineup of beauty products. Since leaving FROW, Sennen has gone on to create fashion, beauty and lifestyle content with numerous brands, including Who What Wear UK, HuffPost UK and Harvey Nichols.
When she’s not writing about all things beauty, Sennen spends her spare time outside of work watching the latest Netflix series, doing lots of online shopping and going on countryside walks with her dog.
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