Audrey Dao

Nars Orgasm Illuminator ($29) NARS Orgasm Illuminator lights your skin from within! Deceptively sheer and decidedly luminous, it magically transforms lackluster skin into a remember-me, luscious complexion. Flirt with foundation, go it alone, or go neck-and-neck with your décolleté. The effect is, well, orgasmic.

My Thoughts:

I love illuminators and highlighters. My favorite go-to look is glowing skin so I am always on the hunt for the perfect product to give me that angelic glow. I had heard and read such positive reviews on the Nars Orgasm Illuminator so I knew I had to try it. Did I like it? I’m not sure. It’s not a great product, but it’s not a bad product. I guess it just didn’t live up to its hype. I think it will only work for people who have a light to medium skin tone. It gives a slight peachy glow. Be careful when applying it over makeup because if you don’t give enough time for your makeup to set or dry the illumintor will cause your makeup to get sticky, gummy. I don’t think it’s worth $29 and isn’t as great as the other Orgasm products.

Benefit Gilded Highlighting Pencil ($20) why we love it: Our tequila-gold highlighting pencil adds a glimmer of gold to lips, brow bones, eyes, anywhere you want. It’s like 24 carat gold in a stick…and just as valuable!

what else you need to know: It catches light in the most provocative ways you have to see to believe!

My Thoughts:

I prefer Gilded Highlighting Pencil over High Beam and Moon Beam because it matches my skin tone the most. It has a golden yellow tone. It runs out faster than High Beam and Moon Beam because it is a pencil, but I still like it. The staying power also isn’t as good as High Beam and Moon Beam. Gilded also doesn’t highlight as well either. Gilded is smudgable, so I just my fingers to blend it out. I also find it more versatile. I can use it to highlight the inner corner of my eyes, my cupid’s bow, my nose bridge, cheeks. Everywhere!

I find that High Beam is for a pale and pink skin tones. It has a bit of a whitish tone to it so it can be a bit obvious if you have dark skin or a tan. You would be better off with Benefit Moon Beam or Benefit Gilded Highlighting Pencil.

Benefit Moon Beam ($24) why we love it: A golden apricot liquid that illuminates cheek and brow bones and adds a warm shimmer to your complexion.

what else you need to know: Looks perfectly radiant on all skin tones.

Can be used as a spot highlighter or delicately blended all over your complexion.

My  Thoughts:

Benefit Moon Beam will definitely give you a dewy, radiant look. It instantly wakes up your entire face and gives you this healthy glow. You don’t have to worry about looking too shiny or glittery. A little goes a long way so this bottle will last you practically forever. The one thing that really bothers me is the packaging. I hate the bottle with the nail polish looking brush. I just pour a little bit onto a sponge and use a brush to apply.

I find that Moon Beam (also Benefit Gilded Highlighting Pencil) is perfect for people who have dark skin or a tan because it has more of a golden pink tone where Benefit High Beam is more for a pale and pink skin tones. High Beam has a bit of a whitish tone to it so it can be a bit obvious if you have dark skin or a tan.

Benefit High Beam ($24) Why we love it: Our satiny pink liquid highlighter accents cheekbones and brow bones for a radiant glow. It’s known as the “supermodel in a bottle”!

What else you need to know: Looks perfectly radiant on all skintones.

Can be used as a spot highlighter or delicately blended all over your complexion.

My Thoughts:

Benefit High Beam will definitely give you a dewy, radiant look. It instantly wakes up your entire face and gives you this healthy glow. You don’t have to worry about looking too shiny or glittery. A little goes a long way so this bottle will last you practically forever. The one thing that really bothers me is the packaging. I hate the bottle with the nail polish looking brush. I just pour a little bit onto a sponge and use a brush to apply.

I find that High Beam is for a pale and pink skin tones. It has a bit of a whitish tone to it so it can be a bit obvious if you have dark skin or a tan. You would be better off with Benefit Moon Beam or Benefit Gilded Highlighting Pencil.

Laura Mercier Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer ($42) Laura Mercier Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer is a lightweight, buildable sheer foundation formula that delivers a youthful, radiant finish, while protecting skin from the damaging rays of the sun with SPF 20 protection.

My Thoughts:

I have to say that I prefer the original tinted moisturizer.It blends well and has a nice finish, but it was a too shimmery for me. I have oily skin, so the Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer just made my skin appear even oilier. It performed well just like the original tinted moisturizer. It is light and lets your skin to breathe.  It is not greasy, oily, or drying. You can actually use this as a highlighter.

Smashbox Wicked Lovely Cream Liner and Shimmer ($32 now $24) are part of the Wicked Lovely Collection. Three sultry cream liners and a sparkling loose shimmer in one mirrored pot! The liners provide totally customizable eye definition that doesn’t flake, run or tug. This mistake-proof formula is a great tool for the perfect smoky eye, and is ultra-blendable to create a range of eye looks! The loose shimmer provides the finishing touch for wickedly lovely eyes. The three cream liner colors are (left to right): metallic taupe, metallic bronze, and metallic charcoal. The top of the packaging flips open to reveal a mirror and the three cream liners. Underneath the liners, in a pot that unscrews from the liners, is the loose shimmer. The liners apply very easily and stay on all day, just be sure to set it with powder. I don’t really care for the loose shimmer. I only use it for a night out on the town. I prefer not to shimmer during the day.