I used No7’s Skin Illuminator in my No Foundation Makeup Look a couple of weeks ago; it gave my skin a beautiful sheen with just the right amount of pearlescence. Because  – let’s face it – some of these illuminators are almost too pearlescent to work with in any kind of sensible way. At least, they’re OK once you’ve bunged a foundation on top, but you couldn’t go out in them without some form of tempering down. You’d look like the inside of a seashell. (I’m thinking of you, Dior Glow Maximiser and Laura Mercier Radiance Primer!)
The No7 Skin Illuminator takes a softly-softly approach to adding radiance to the skin – it’s a believable, fresh dewiness rather than the OTT shine that you might use on cheekbones and beneath brows to add drama to the face. It’s not as full-on as the primers mentioned above and so gets a bit lost underneath full-coverage foundation, but for perfecting bare skin it’s just wonderful. For added glow: Laura Mercier Radiance Primer…

It has a lightweight, silky feel and although it isn’t especially moisturising, it leaves skin looking as though it has been thoroughly buffed with a nourishing face oil. If you did want to use it with a foundation then it works very nicely mixed in – equal parts if you’re not fussed about sheering out your coverage – or patted on over the top. Though you have to be careful with the patting, becau...