Beauty Obsessed

Ever notice how your favorite products often seem to rotate?  There’ll be that one that seems to hold all your attention, where you find yourself wanting to wear it all the time and you modify your ‘looks’ just to make it work – and then after those few days or weeks (sometimes months), your eye falls on another product, new or already owned, and the love affair starts all over again.  You know that feeling?  Well, every month I’m going to note those products which have captured my heart (however briefly) and divulge my passionate affair to you; maybe even bring you over to the dark side with me

This month is a funny month to start with as I’ve only been back in the game four short days, but in the six weeks previous of which I had no fresh stimulation, I had to make my old stand-bys feel like new again to keep boredom at bay.  Six weeks is a long time, however, and my rotation was on warp-speed as I grabbed a ‘new’ IT product every couple days.  And, when the time came and I was able to indulge in my weakness once again, I bought so many products and was in a state of excitement so great that they all were getting ‘play’ equally with no real focus.

However.

Yesterday I picked up NARS’ Laguna Illuminator, as I mentioned…and oh, BOY.  This product is a freaking gold mine (literally and figuratively!).  I tried it out as soon as I got my eager hands on it – over my hot pink blush (MAC’s Madly Magenta CCB) – and BAM!  I was one sultry-looking gal.  It gave my cheeks the most bronzed, lit-from-within glow I have EVER had, bar none.  THIS is the ‘bronzer’ I’ve been looking for my whole life.  Being of the caramel-colored variety, a bronzer as it’s typically used always falls flat on me.  It either doesn’t show up, or is too dark and ends up making me look like X-tina in her ‘Dirrty’ phase.  Yet I continue to fall prey to its charms because it just looks so damn fabulous on everyone else!  Finally, one of my trusted SA’s at Mills Brothers was able to convince me to forgo the bronzer and instead try the NARS Illuminator to get the real effect I’ve been going for.  Lo and be-freakin’-hold, by jove I’ve got it!!  Bronzed loveliness like I’ve never had before!

Today I applied the sheer, slightly shimmery (but NOT glittery) gel to my cheekbones before applying blush, blending up toward the temples and swiping the remainder down the length of my nose.  Afterward, a light dusting of NARS Torrid and I was good to go.  I look naturally golden and fresh.  The illumination this product imparts is simply fantastic.  I have also been looking for a ‘highlighter’ for ages, not realizing what I really wanted was THIS.  No obvious shimmer (so, totally work/beach appropriate), no OTT glitter (Orgasm in all your many forms, be very ashamed), just a healthy glow.  Oh, yeaaaa.

(Swatched as is)

(Sheered out)

OK.  Crazy ramble is now over.  But seriously – get out there and GET THIS PRODUCT!  Or at least a facsimile of it – I have heard that Laguna (the Illuminator) is somewhat too dark/orange-y for some skin tones.  I think the Illuminator in Copacabana plus the actual Laguna bronzer would do the trick.

FYI, the quick description from NARS is as follows: “NARS Illuminators light the skin from within. A collection of light-reflecting liquids that glide on to refresh and enhance the complexion to create a shimmering incandescence.” A fancy way to say it creates FABULOUS GLOWING SKIN. On top of all that, it contains antioxidants, has anti-inflammatory and soothing / comforting properties, contains Vitamin B5 which improves lipids in the skin, and Sodium Hyaluronate which binds water to the skin. Price: $29USD, $36CDN.

Gotta say, this makes me more excited for Summer than ever!!

Has anyone else tried this or the other illuminators?  What is the Orgasm version of this like?  Hopefully without the glittering chunks I have come to despise…