Get Your Glow on - Nars Illuminator in Copacabana

I love a highlighter and I love Nars so this product was a rather obvious choice for me. Nars Illuminator in Copacabana is a pretty, iridescent, pale pink shade. This is a super-sheer highlighter, that when applied to the cheekbones gives the loveliest light-reflecting glow. It can also be mixed with foundation and gives a luminosity to the skin like you've never seen before. A word of warning, a little goes a very long way - so whilst £22 is quite a lot of money, I'd say its well worth it, the tube lasts a very long time. This highlighter is also available in Nars' other trademark hues - Lauguna, Orgasm and Super Orgasm. Copacabana looks great when my skin is at it's palest, in the dead of winter, I might invest in the Laguna for the summer months. This is a great multi-purpose product and a useful addition to any make-up bag. Have you tried any of the other shades?

L'Oreal Paris: Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation & Pure Light Primer

As I am sure with most beauty lovers, I get carried away with new and much-hyped products, forgetting that sometimes I don't give my older products a fair chance and pushing them, in a rather unloved fashion to the back of a drawer. These two have been tarred with that brush and whilst having a tidy up, I found them cowering at the back of that very same drawer (cue melancholic violins). Anyway, I wheeled them out and set them somewhere I could not ignore them, giving both a bit of a second chance hoping they'd wow me.

When I first tried this foundation I wasn't overly impressed, more to do with the shade than the actual product. I bought it in the height of summer, whilst my Celtic complexion will never allow me to be a bronzed goddess, I think it's fair to say I had a bit more colour in my cheeks (that or just a few more freckles), I was somewhere between two of the shades in the rather limited 7 available. I picked C1 Rose Pearl (NB colour in pic not great representation of true shade -sorry!), which at the time made me look rather rather deprived of Vitamin D or any form of daylight for that matter. Now, in gloomy February when I have next to no colour about me and I need all the help I can get when it comes to luminosity, this porcelain shade is perfect. It's a very liquid consistency and you only need a little product, it feels nice and light on the skin. I apply using my fingers then lightly buff into the skin with a brush. The finish is dewy and gives me a lovely fresh-faced glow. I personally don't find it very moisturising, I do find I need to use a moisturising primer before applying, it just seems to sit better on my skin when it's well-hydrated. I can imagine it looking a bit chalky on those with very dry skin. It lasts relatively well, definitely needs a light dusting of translucent powder to set, and I would have to reapply lightly after work if I were going out. In all, a good budget buy if you can find shade that's a good match for your skin tone.

Now, for the primer. L'Oreal's Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer certainly adds Luminosity to the skin. I'm all for a radiant glow, however, I do find it a bit much when used under the Lumi Magique foundation. Again, It's a liquid formula and a little goes along way. It's very white and very iridescent. I wouldn't wear this on its own - firstly, I find it a bit icy in hue, secondly, I look rather too luminous, making my skin just look shiny. Saying that, it's a great highlighter when applied to the tops of the cheek bones or under the eyebrows. I have also used mixed a pump or two with foundation, when I want a more dewy finish than the foundation I'm using achieves on it's own. I'm not mad about this and I'm not sure I'd repurchase, but it is a handy product to have, even if it is stashed at the back of a drawer.

Hocus Focus - Another Shining Star from Soap and Glory

I bought this on a whim, well, who wouldn't take advantage of a 3 for 2 offer in Boots? Even though I chose it in lunch hour haste, I was not disappointed. Soap and Glory's Hocus Focus says it gives a 'blast of brillance' to tired skin - check. It promises 'an instant visual flaw-softening lotion' - check, and to 'diffuse the appearance of large pores, wrinkles and uneven pigmentation' - check. It's a liquid skin brightener, with the most pearlescent shimmering effect.

The colour looks a bit scary when it comes out of the bottle (which, by the way, has a handy pump that dispenses just the right amount), it's quite white, very iridescent and very runny, but when applied to the skin, it's soft, glowy and just gorgeous. I tend to mix one or two pumps with my foundation, which instantly gives me a healthy looking glow to my skin, much needed at this time of year when I'm looking a bit grey around the gills.

This product is also a great highlighter, you only need to use a little, adding the perfect luminosity to the cheekbones. As with all the Soap and Glory products I have tried, Hocus Focus smells amazing, lightly scented with rose and bergamot, for those aren't keen on strong-smelling make up, don't fear, you don't notice when it's applied, the shimmer is much longer lasting than the fragrance. This is a super-duper product and certainly makes me feel and look much brighter on a dull winter morning!

Rose Gold - Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Illuminator

Being pretty slow off the mark on what I believe was Elizabeth Arden's spring Rose Aurora range, for once did me a huge favour - I picked this up in the seasonal sales for 1/2 it's original price tag! And, it's absolutely gorgeous to boot. I'm a huge fan of the dewy look, being matte quite scares me, I'd just prefer to glow (without looking like a disco ball, of course!) The Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Illuminator in Rose Gold is just the ticket for a soft-focus light reflecting shimmer to the cheek bones. The shade is warming and natural on the the skin and not at all icy as I have had with highlighting powders and creams I've tried in the past. It's the perfect shade for my skin tone, which is fair with pink undertones. In fact, I think it has overtaken the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick, as my favourite highlighter. As I'm singing the praises of this lovely product, I can't fail to mention the packaging - aside from the pretty floral box it comes in, the rose gold mirror compact is a super-chic addition to any make-up bag.

I'd say, get your hands on it whilst you can!

Excess Baggage

With the party season upon us, I find with late nights and less sleep than normal, I need a little extra help with the dark circles and bags under my eyes come morning. Here's a quick post on my go to products - one new and one old favourite.

I've been using YSL Touch Éclat for years, both as a highlighter and to disguise any dark circles - it's definitely my go-to product after a heavy night and is certainly a staple in my make-up bag all year round. Dotting under the eyes in darker areas and blending with a brush to even out. It lasts ages, makes me look like I've had a good eight hours sleep and definitely worth the money.

The second is a newbie - Benefit Ooh La Lift. It's a light pink paste, used for brightening any under eye shadows. Dotting under the eyes, patting the product with my finger to even out. I'm a big fan of the Benefit brand and if I'm honest, had higher hopes for this product, it does the job but needs reapplying more often than I'd like. It does sell itself as an eye brightener, so I guess it does what it says - I'd just prefer a little more coverage. To end on a positive note - it feels amazing on the skin, cooling and refreshing.

What products do you rely on to make yourself look and feel a bit more human the morning after a nights partying? I'd love your suggestions - with 2 weeks partying left, I'm sure ill need them!