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So ladies, I took some swatch photos of all the illuminizers I have and thought I'd post my thoughts since I am a "glow" lover- I find with a bit of glow that I look years younger. Tomorrow I will be 39 but I often get carded, I think because I wear these glows. I am in no way wanting to look like a teeny bopper wearing glitter- I want to recapture the look of my 13 1/2 year old's skin.
Mad Minerals- Satin Glow- this is a light ivory finishing powder that has fine shimmer. A great combo of highlight and finishing powder. Since it is so light a color, it really shows up as a highlight. Baby Bronze is actually a bronzer but since it has such a sheen to it, I thought I'd include it in my collection. This one is what I'd call opaque shine- like a pearl- so it takes a very light hand. I find it a bit too much shine to use as a bronzer.
Valerie- Satin Sun- probably my favorite- especially once I get a little more color. It is a golden peach that just morphs into my skin. The shimmer particles are quite finely milled so you don't get sparkle but a glow to the skin. It is also quite sheer. Centerfold is a peachy pink. I find myself grabbing this in the winter- over a sweet pink blush it just works to make this youthful glow to the cheeks.
Lumiere- Clear Radiance- This one seems to impart more color than glow. It is a rosy pink hue. Natural Radiance- a peachy brown hue that imparts a golden sheen. Innocence- a lighter version of Natural Radiance with an almost taupe undertone- glistening particles a little larger in this one and silvery. Baby Face- light peach pink- lightest of the colors- imparts a pink gold hue on skin. Can't beat the price on this brand.
Bronzers/illuminators Sun Kissed A golden tan that morphs right into my skin tone right now with a tiny bit of tan. Great for winter to perk up dull winter skin and not too shiny at all. Nude- a pinker version of Sun Kissed- great for cooler skintones that want just a hint of sun look.
Ambrosia- a terra cotta bronzer that imparts a coppery red bronze- this one is darker and could easily be used as a blush in lighter skin tones. Sugarberry- a mauvy bronzer- this one reminds me of BE soft focus glee. Imparts a rosy glow to the face. California Gold- a golden terra cotta that imparts a golden copper hue with golden sparks. This one is a little more sparkle than the others but not over the top. I'd nominate this one for a great eye color too.
Monave- Glisten- a pale pink glow. Very close to Val's Centerfold only a tad more cool toned. Also a winter favorite to perk up a sallow, pale skin.
Glow is a golden hue which is very close to Val's Satin Sun. A lovely light warm glow. A close second to Satin Sun in my personal ranking of favorites.
Littlestuff4u pure minerals- Sunlit Ginger - this is actually an eye color that I found that is almost a dupe of BE- pure radiance. It is a peachy bronze which is really a complexion booster. Sandra will sell it in a larger container than an eye shadow so definitely request this. All the pure mineral colors are a bit more sparkly than Mad, Monave, Lumier and Val. Angel light pink, almost lavender hued. Very angelic, looks lovely on my daughter- it's a little more sparkle than I like on myself. China Doll is a peach beige a close match to Val's Satin Sun with a bit more sparkle.
Fairy Dust- rose undertone with multi-colored sparkles. Way too much for me but great for the more daring. Could be used as a blush. All these colors are wonderful on the eyes and I often use them this way.
Bare Escentuals- Clear Radiance- my first glow product. This was one of the two products I had to buy a second of in my almost 5 years of wearing BE. I used it daily. Only other repeat buy was foundation. This is actually more coral pink than Centerfold or Glisten. The particles are a bit larger too so there is a bit more sparkle.
Pure Radiance- I fell in love with this when I got an eyeshadow sized one in a kit. A beautiful peachy bronze color. Unfortunately around Christmas I started having a horrible reaction to BE- my eyelids got red, dry and flakey (not to mention the itch that I was putting up with all over) so I have given all the high bismuth oxychloride BE products to my daughter, friends and family. I was pleased when I found Sunlit Ginger because it's so close to a match and much cheaper and no bis. O.
Last is Rose Radiance. This one is too much color for my tastes. It would be a lovely soft rose blush but too much color for all over illuminzing with my yellow undertones. I also had Bare Radiance which I also liked but gave away because of the itch. It was an amber glow that was great when I had more color. I think this would be lovely on darker skin as an illuminizer.
J Lynne Luminous Mineral Glow Powders- Overall I think these glows are the lightest and almost a little opaque. They seem to give a pearlescent color. If you are afraid of too much glow, these are excellent to start off with. They are very finely milled and tiny particles of "glow".They are listed from lightest to darkest in color. Candlelight- lightest color. Ivory beige. This is for the fairest or to highlight on darker complexions to really make areas "pop." (I use a tiny speck on upper cheeks to add extra highlight or for brow highlighter but not necessarily all over because it is so light.)
Natural - light beige/peach- a nice warm shade for light skin. Imparts the slightest bit of color.
Bronze- my personal favorite of the six- it just disappears into my skin right now. Similar to Natural with a bit more golden brown tones rather than peach.
Blossom- peachy pink hue. Imparts a warm pink glow.
Lovely- a pink mauve hue- a cool pink glow.
Summer- reminds me of Bare Radiance by BE. a rosy brown/amber hue. This imparts the most color but it isn't what I would call a bronzer because it really show up more rosy than a tan. This would be a lovely highlighting color on darker skin tones or used as a light blush on lighter skin tones.
Lauress Luminesce. These products are more like glow setting powders. The texture is featherlight with just the slightest hint of glow. Anyone who is afraid of too much glow should definitely try these. I did do a swatch because they are so light it's like trying to show the differences in a setting powder.
Glow is the lightest color I sampled, a light ivory color.
Glisten is a light yellowish one.
Lustrous is a tan. These impart a little color, especially Lustrous, and just the tiniest bit of glow. These would definitely be great candiates for a setting powder without making one matte. I am wearing Glisten in the b/a sticky- page 10 with the Lauress Elemental foundation.
Entier Face Photo #1- wearing Val's Satin Sun Photo #2 wearing J Lynne's Bronze with Candlelight as a cheek highlight Photo #3 Wearing Lumiere Natural Radiance.
The swatch colors are as follows- Left, wrist to elbow- Mad Satin Glow, Mad Baby Bronze, Val Satin Sun, Val Centerfold, Monave Glisten, Monave Glow
Right, wrist to elbow- Littlestuff Sunlit Ginger, littlestuff Angel, littlestuff China Doll, littlestuff Fairy Dust, BE Clear Radiance, BE Pure Radiance, BE Rose Radiance.
Swatch #2- Wrist to elbow- Left Lumiere Clear Radiance, Natural Radiance, Innocence, Baby Face. Middle: Lumiere Bronzers- Sun Kissed, Nude, Ambrosia, Sugarberry, California Gold, Right: J Lynne Luminous collection: Candlelight, Natural, Bronze, Blossom, Lovely, Summer.
I use the tiniest amount and apply with an angled blush brush starting at the tops of my cheeks and then continuing above the brow, nose, chin etc. once there are less minerals on the brush. A little goes a long way.
Mad Minerals- Satin Glow- this is a light ivory finishing powder that has fine shimmer. A great combo of highlight and finishing powder. Since it is so light a color, it really shows up as a highlight. Baby Bronze is actually a bronzer but since it has such a sheen to it, I thought I'd include it in my collection. This one is what I'd call opaque shine- like a pearl- so it takes a very light hand. I find it a bit too much shine to use as a bronzer.
Valerie- Satin Sun- probably my favorite- especially once I get a little more color. It is a golden peach that just morphs into my skin. The shimmer particles are quite finely milled so you don't get sparkle but a glow to the skin. It is also quite sheer. Centerfold is a peachy pink. I find myself grabbing this in the winter- over a sweet pink blush it just works to make this youthful glow to the cheeks.
Lumiere- Clear Radiance- This one seems to impart more color than glow. It is a rosy pink hue. Natural Radiance- a peachy brown hue that imparts a golden sheen. Innocence- a lighter version of Natural Radiance with an almost taupe undertone- glistening particles a little larger in this one and silvery. Baby Face- light peach pink- lightest of the colors- imparts a pink gold hue on skin. Can't beat the price on this brand.
Bronzers/illuminators Sun Kissed A golden tan that morphs right into my skin tone right now with a tiny bit of tan. Great for winter to perk up dull winter skin and not too shiny at all. Nude- a pinker version of Sun Kissed- great for cooler skintones that want just a hint of sun look.
Ambrosia- a terra cotta bronzer that imparts a coppery red bronze- this one is darker and could easily be used as a blush in lighter skin tones. Sugarberry- a mauvy bronzer- this one reminds me of BE soft focus glee. Imparts a rosy glow to the face. California Gold- a golden terra cotta that imparts a golden copper hue with golden sparks. This one is a little more sparkle than the others but not over the top. I'd nominate this one for a great eye color too.
Monave- Glisten- a pale pink glow. Very close to Val's Centerfold only a tad more cool toned. Also a winter favorite to perk up a sallow, pale skin.
Glow is a golden hue which is very close to Val's Satin Sun. A lovely light warm glow. A close second to Satin Sun in my personal ranking of favorites.
Littlestuff4u pure minerals- Sunlit Ginger - this is actually an eye color that I found that is almost a dupe of BE- pure radiance. It is a peachy bronze which is really a complexion booster. Sandra will sell it in a larger container than an eye shadow so definitely request this. All the pure mineral colors are a bit more sparkly than Mad, Monave, Lumier and Val. Angel light pink, almost lavender hued. Very angelic, looks lovely on my daughter- it's a little more sparkle than I like on myself. China Doll is a peach beige a close match to Val's Satin Sun with a bit more sparkle.
Fairy Dust- rose undertone with multi-colored sparkles. Way too much for me but great for the more daring. Could be used as a blush. All these colors are wonderful on the eyes and I often use them this way.
Bare Escentuals- Clear Radiance- my first glow product. This was one of the two products I had to buy a second of in my almost 5 years of wearing BE. I used it daily. Only other repeat buy was foundation. This is actually more coral pink than Centerfold or Glisten. The particles are a bit larger too so there is a bit more sparkle.
Pure Radiance- I fell in love with this when I got an eyeshadow sized one in a kit. A beautiful peachy bronze color. Unfortunately around Christmas I started having a horrible reaction to BE- my eyelids got red, dry and flakey (not to mention the itch that I was putting up with all over) so I have given all the high bismuth oxychloride BE products to my daughter, friends and family. I was pleased when I found Sunlit Ginger because it's so close to a match and much cheaper and no bis. O.
Last is Rose Radiance. This one is too much color for my tastes. It would be a lovely soft rose blush but too much color for all over illuminzing with my yellow undertones. I also had Bare Radiance which I also liked but gave away because of the itch. It was an amber glow that was great when I had more color. I think this would be lovely on darker skin as an illuminizer.
J Lynne Luminous Mineral Glow Powders- Overall I think these glows are the lightest and almost a little opaque. They seem to give a pearlescent color. If you are afraid of too much glow, these are excellent to start off with. They are very finely milled and tiny particles of "glow".They are listed from lightest to darkest in color. Candlelight- lightest color. Ivory beige. This is for the fairest or to highlight on darker complexions to really make areas "pop." (I use a tiny speck on upper cheeks to add extra highlight or for brow highlighter but not necessarily all over because it is so light.)
Natural - light beige/peach- a nice warm shade for light skin. Imparts the slightest bit of color.
Bronze- my personal favorite of the six- it just disappears into my skin right now. Similar to Natural with a bit more golden brown tones rather than peach.
Blossom- peachy pink hue. Imparts a warm pink glow.
Lovely- a pink mauve hue- a cool pink glow.
Summer- reminds me of Bare Radiance by BE. a rosy brown/amber hue. This imparts the most color but it isn't what I would call a bronzer because it really show up more rosy than a tan. This would be a lovely highlighting color on darker skin tones or used as a light blush on lighter skin tones.
Lauress Luminesce. These products are more like glow setting powders. The texture is featherlight with just the slightest hint of glow. Anyone who is afraid of too much glow should definitely try these. I did do a swatch because they are so light it's like trying to show the differences in a setting powder.
Glow is the lightest color I sampled, a light ivory color.
Glisten is a light yellowish one.
Lustrous is a tan. These impart a little color, especially Lustrous, and just the tiniest bit of glow. These would definitely be great candiates for a setting powder without making one matte. I am wearing Glisten in the b/a sticky- page 10 with the Lauress Elemental foundation.
Entier Face Photo #1- wearing Val's Satin Sun Photo #2 wearing J Lynne's Bronze with Candlelight as a cheek highlight Photo #3 Wearing Lumiere Natural Radiance.
The swatch colors are as follows- Left, wrist to elbow- Mad Satin Glow, Mad Baby Bronze, Val Satin Sun, Val Centerfold, Monave Glisten, Monave Glow
Right, wrist to elbow- Littlestuff Sunlit Ginger, littlestuff Angel, littlestuff China Doll, littlestuff Fairy Dust, BE Clear Radiance, BE Pure Radiance, BE Rose Radiance.
Swatch #2- Wrist to elbow- Left Lumiere Clear Radiance, Natural Radiance, Innocence, Baby Face. Middle: Lumiere Bronzers- Sun Kissed, Nude, Ambrosia, Sugarberry, California Gold, Right: J Lynne Luminous collection: Candlelight, Natural, Bronze, Blossom, Lovely, Summer.
I use the tiniest amount and apply with an angled blush brush starting at the tops of my cheeks and then continuing above the brow, nose, chin etc. once there are less minerals on the brush. A little goes a long way.