NARS Orgasm Illuminator review

A recent clear out and tidy up of my beauty stash saw several tubes of dried-up mascara bite the dust(bin), together with some ancient hair treatments and conditioners that had started to smell a bit funny of late. Skincare and silver eyeshadows that don't do anything for me had a similar fate, while the myriad of body lotions that I always forget/can't be arsed to use have now been lined up along the bathroom counter to keep them within eyeshot and force me to use them.

In addition to a rake of stuff that should have been chucked or used up long ago, I came across one or two gems like a travel-sized mini tube of NARS Orgasm Illuminator. Now, despite dearly loving the idea of them and playing with them quite a bit, I find that in practice I don't really go in for highlighters and illuminators very much. Maybe I'd use a smidge atop the cheek, beneath the outer corner of the browbone, and to emphasise the cupid's bow of a very big night out, but that'd be about the height of it.

NARS Orgasm Illuminator has put paid to all that: I'm a total convert. I like that it's liquid, I like that it's shot through with a slight gold shimmer, I like that it's a peachy apricot shade that blends out to be very, very sheer while still giving a super subtle glow and enhancing skin.

Frankly, I like it so much that I worry I'm in danger of completely overdoing it with every use and winding up with robot face.

That's yet to happen, because you'd need to pack this stuff on with the bucket of a JCB for anything approaching C3PO's complexion. That makes it a good bet for anyone who's starting off with or perhaps a bit scared of products like this - you can't really go wrong with it - provided you're after a soft candlelit luminescence rather than all-out skin bling.

I've been applying mine over foundation either with my fingers or a fine skunk brush, along the most prominent part of my forehead, the tops of my cheekbones, and the bridge of my nose. It's far and away the best product I've tried for cheating my way to a dewy, natural look when using a full coverage foundation.