I might as well state my personal bias up front - I consider highlighters to be the Emperor's New Clothes of the beauty world. If ever there was a completely pointless beauty product, this is it. Now don't all go yelling and slapping me in the face with your Benefit High Beam - I'm just stating my opinion and if you love your highlighters, more power to you. They just don't do anything on me. Maybe I'm always standing in the wrong light or something.
So why did I a tube of Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector then? To get a GWP, of course. Clarins has the best GWPs (though they've been a bit thin on the ground this year), and I will almost always cough up whatever is needed to get my hands on one. I use their toner and cleansing milk regularly - in fact they're two of the few products I purchase over and over - and usually I just stock up on those to get the GWP, but I think in this case I had a ton of toner and cleanser already on hand and I needed to branch out a bit. Anyway, blah blah blah - point is, I have this product, and until now it has been languishing in a drawer with a bunch of other stuff, forgotten. Since I've been shopping my stash, I pulled it out to see what it does.
I like the packaging - it comes in a pump, which is nice and hygenic. It has a very faint, barely discernible rose scent, unusual for Clarins, who often throw a ton of fragrance into their products. The colour I have is 00 Rose Shimmer, you can also get Champagne Shimmer and Bronze Shimmer.
So what does it do? On my hand, you can kind of see a bit of a glow.... kind of. It's not exactly jumping out, though. And on my face?
Nothing. Nothing at all.
I tried applying it all over my face, as it's meant to be for this purpose and even out skin. I tried applying it to my cheekbones with a brush under my foundation, like Lisa Eldridge does. I tried it over my foundation. I applied it to my brow bone and my cupid's bow.
Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing.
Back in the drawer you go, Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector.
I know what you mean about highlighters seeming pointless. I used to think the same thing until I discovered how great they look when mixed with tinted moisturiser or foundation. When I mix them in they give me a glow that I don't get if I use them on their own.
ReplyDeleteooooh I was desperate to try this too! lame. Oh well, you just saved me $50 so thanks heaps! It sucks that highlighters don't work on you, I use my MAC soft and gentle on my cheekbones every single day.
ReplyDeleteI got excited as I read Light and Complexion in the name (and Instant :D) I'm looking for skin lighteners :) This product is not for me either!
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame it didn't work for you! I'm firmly in the Highlighter Love camp but I agree that there are heaps on the market not worth checking out. Great review
ReplyDeleteTegan, it's your lucky day. I was considering giving this away and since you said you had wanted to try it, it's yours. If you want to email me your address I'll send it after Xmas.
ReplyDelete... have you tried Benefit High Beam?
ReplyDelete*ducks*
have you tried MAC soft and gentle MSF? it's my most favourite highlighter. may change your opinion if you try it!
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting post - perhaps highlighters and their success or failure have more to do with skin tone than I realised! I love highlighters, but there's nothing wrong with having one less addiction ;)
ReplyDeleteHighlighters dont work particularly well on me either :( probably for the best cos its one less product I need to splash out on
ReplyDeleteI've tried quite a few different ones and the liquid, cream and stick highlighters are useless but I've found the powder ones are alright
Hehe Dee your posts always manage to make me giggle, the only highlighter I'm loving these days is Dior Amber Diamond, I've never really given any of the liquid ones a go. I hear MAC strobe cream is nice :P
ReplyDeleteI'm not a highlighter person either usually but I did buy a MAC MSF in Pink Porcelain and was quite intoxicated by that for a time. Generally I am a bronzer girl through and through.
ReplyDelete