One for when your face lacks any kind of radiance and resembles an arid, dusty moonscape (“there’s no life on this planet, Captain!”): Bobbi Brown’s Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm. This hydrating, subtly pearlescent cream provides a nice, even glow which makes foundation look juicier and bare skin realistically dewy. It’s non-greasy and – surprisingly – not really that heavy, despite its balmy/extra name, so a great option for most skin types along with a quick, foolproof way of adding some illumination without having to blend in mega-watt highlighters or strobing products. The balm (which has more of a “stiff cream” texture than an oily sort of balm) is kind of a diluted version of something like Strobe Cream (MAC) or NARS’ Illuminator – imagine mixing a good few drops of Benefit’s High Beam into the face cream and you’re getting the idea. It’s not “robot face”, but you can definitely tell the difference when you’ve applied it.
I’ve been using the original version of the Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm (black packaging) for quite some time now, but it has come to attention that this complexion-perker has relaunched with new packaging (white, but nonetheless a handy pump-action bottle) and two new shades. What was the original is now “Bare Glow” – I’d say that it’s the sheerest of the lot, having a slight champagne tint – and the line-up also includes “Pink Glow” (pictured above) and “Golden Glow”. Each of those are probably pretty self-explanatory, though I’d state that they are both a smidgen more pigmented compared to “Bare Glow” – the pink tint might well be a little cool for me, since i like to warm my skin up a bit, the golden is the perfect summer skin base.
Who is this for? Anyone who wants a multi-tasker which will moisturise, prep skin for makeup and give a touch of cosmetic radiance at the same time. It’s like a final skincare step and first makeup step in one, though my skin seems to be getting drier by the day and thus – for me – this isn’t quite enough as a moisturiser on its own. In the summer, perhaps, but as it stands, I’m needing to layer up a hydrating spritz having a serum and then a moisturiser and then this – do not expect dry skin miracles from it! It’s great, though, if you value the idea of a noticeable radiance and sheen but they are scared about using highlighters because you’ve seen so many images of girls online who look as if they’ve held a snail race across their cheekbones. Or sprayed chrome car paint onto their skin like a finisher. The Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm will not make you appear silly, whether you decide to abide by it with a foundation or BB cream or leave the skin virtually bare – the fact that you can use it all over, as you would a moisturiser, removes any kind of guesswork.
If I may be pedantic about it, I’d say that perhaps oily/combi skins should put it on sparingly on the forehead, nose and chin if they’re leaving their skin foundation-free, but that’s only since it might be a little too sheeny for an oily t-zone; it’s better to look as though you’ve been living in the Alps for five years, drinking only mountain water and eating goats cheese salad than looking as if you’ve been trapped in a lift for five years, praying for that air conditioning to come back on and drinking your personal urine. All over sweats isn't as good as holier-than-thou dewiness, unless you’re filming a horror movie or perhaps an exercise DVD.
But experiment and find out what suits you best. For those who have been pining for some of Victoria Beckham’s Morning Aura* (it’s a makeup product, not some sort of bottled-up air from VB’s vicinity, though nothing would surprise me nowadays!) then you’ll be very happy to know that Bobbi Brown’s works out to become almost identically priced – approx lb1.50 per ml in both cases. You thought I was going to say that the BB was loads cheaper, didn’t you? Ha. I’m filled with tricks, me.
(Before Christmas Bobbi Brown were selling an enormous 200ml glass jar of this Illuminating Balm as a limited edition item and it was really quite amazing, especially in relation to value for money. I’m sorry I didn’t flag it up but I thought it was a permanent edition, hopefully they’ll bring it back again. It’s so heavy it makes a bloody brilliant temporary doorstop, or a weight for if you need to stop your tent from blowing away in a gale, or an anchor, should you tie some rope around the lid, or.. You get the image. It was big.)
You can find the Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm at Lookfantastic here* or Bobbi Brown’s own website here* for lb44.50. I’ve just seen around the BB website that there’s 15% off your first order if you sign up to their newsletter, so worth doing to create things a little more affordable.
If you probably did want a really affordable all-over highlighter then L’Oreal’s Lumi Magique primer has done me well, in the last year or so – it’s nowhere near as moisturising as the Bobbi Brown, however doesn’t claim to be. It gives a big glow, but is better layered over a face cream, I find. It’s a great primer for those with oilier skin who would like glow but no grease – it’s lb6.66 (number of the beast, but I’ll gladly ignore that for a bargain!) from Amazon here*.
