Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector

I'm starting a new series called "holy grail". Holy grail (or HG) is a term used by makeup and beauty bloggers to describe their absolute favourite product. I'm doing this because I now wear makeup a lot more than I used to (mostly because of work and secondly because I enjoy putting it on for work). I also had some skin issues that were driving me crazy and I'd like to share what I learnt.

Today's holy grail category is: illuminator/highlighter. I suspect this product might not be familiar to some of you because I once had to ask a friend why there was a white powder (the highlighter) next to the powdered blush she gave me!

The point of this product is to make your skin look glow-y and to emphasise the high points of your face . You can apply this product on your cheekbones, your cupid's bow, underneath the arch of your eyebrow and down the bridge of your nose. But that's too much effort for me, so I just apply it on the top of my cheekbones.

My favourite makeup artist, Lisa Eldridge, explains how to use to it make your skin look glow-y. Her English accent is delightful!



Most makeup brands nowadays will have a highlighter or illuminator in a liquid, cream or powdered form. My holy grail one is Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal.

Image from Becca Cosmetics
I like this because I have dry skin on my cheeks and this product sits really well on my skin: it doesn't emphasis flaky or dry patches and the colour is an excellent match for my skin tone. I apply it with my fingers, after foundation. I use a tiny amount and dab it along the top of my cheekbones until it's well blended in. A little goes a long way, and even though it's expensive (AUD66), it's worth it for me because I wear it everyday at work and I only need to use a little bit when I use it. I order mine online from Amazon (USD42).

 If you want to try this product, I suggest you visit a Becca makeup counter at David Jones and ask the makeup artist there to suggest a colour for you and to apply it on you there and then. Take a discerning friend who can tell you which colour suits you better. If you're super-polite, you can ask for a sample to take home and try. I always do this before buying any skin products if possible. It's good to see how a products fares over the course of the day (does it oxidise, does it make you break out etc etc), and see how it looks in natural light. You could try less expensive options from Australis, Face of Australia, Topshop, The Body Shop or any other makeup brand, but the Becca one is my favourite.

Does it work? Well, I did catch up with a friend during a lunch break and she complimented me on my skin, so yeah, I think it works!