NEW ILIA CREAM HIGHLIGHTERS & BRONZERS

 

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I love a cream cheek product and I love Ilia (for their effortless, natural-looking makeup) so this new launch looked right up my street. Ilia recently added three cream highlighters and three cream bronzers to their collection and I have one of each to review for you today...

Let's start with the Lightshift Cream Highlighter in Arc* | £41. This has such a unique texture and consistency; whilst it is a cream, it does also have some qualities that remind me of a powder. It's not a liquid, dewy or overly metallic formula. In fact, it's more of a soft metallic sheen with a subtle shift. At the same time, it doesn't have the less-flattering qualities I find many powder formulas, like chunks of glitter and the product settling into and emphasising my pores. This applies smoothly and evenly; if you're happy to build up the formula in a way that's very natural then use a synthetic brush, or if you want a bolder look you can simply apply this by dabbing it on with your fingers and blending it out with their natural warmth. This is a really nice colour; warm gold with a slightly peachy undertone, which is pretty much perfect for my skin tone and reminds me a little of the classic Becca Champagne Pop highlighter. I find that the pigment lasts on my skin for longer that more balmy formulas I've tried, so if you like the idea of a cream highlight but you're worried about excessive shine or the product disappearing from your skin by lunchtime; this is a great option. Personally, for everyday use when I don't want something really dramatic and want that soft, warm glow: this is what I reach for.

I also have the Sunshift Cream Bronzer in Ray* | £41. I have to be honest; I'm not a huge fan of shimmery bronzers - whether they're cream or powder formulas - so I probably wouldn't have picked this up of my own volition. Ray is described as a 'warm golden bronze' and has pretty much the same formula as the highlighter. It's subtle and sheeny, but personally I prefer less of a reddish-bronze tone than this for my bronzer and I tend to go for dewy but shimmer-free formulas, though I do have a few matte formulas I enjoy too. I actually use this more as a highlight than for anything else because it's not super pigmented, but I wouldn't purchase it again for that use given my makeup preferences. The colour is quite a subtle shift and I don't find that this adds the sort of warming colour I want from a bronzer and obviously I could live without the shimmer! But, if you do like the shimmer and don't mind the very subtle pigmentation, then this is a nice option without chunks of glitter and with good longevity on the skin.

*Arc, not Faro (not sure how that happened...)

Let me know - have you tried anything from Ilia? Have you ever used a cream bronzer or highlighter formula?

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