How to Faux that Pregnancy Glow!
Heard of the fabled pregnancy rosy glow? Still waiting for it to happen? Then these illuminating skin products are for you. After the morning sickness, anxiety, and sleepless nights, it’s no wonder your skin needs a boost. These products will give your skin a fresh, radiant, and realistic appearance, even if all you want to do is lie on the sofa. Fast and easy to apply, these products will illuminate your face brighter than the Orchard light-up. Honey, we hear your S.O.S.! With these complexion enhancers, get your glow on whenever you want.
What they do
The secret to these magic illuminating products is that they reflect light, give a soft focus and luminous quality to skin, and help to neutralise that grey pallor so that skin tone appears more even. Foundation and bronzer can look flat and obvious, as if you are trying to cover something, whereas illuminators provide a visual trick that really works. Don’t be put off by the appearance (i.e. shimmery)! Skin illuminators aren’t just for a party – they’re also a great pick me up for any time of day!
Application – it really is fuss free
These can be applied with little fuss (translation: finger tips in 5mins!) Less is always more; apply in good light and wait fifteen minutes before applying another layer. A little goes a long way. Mix a small pea sized amount in with your moisturiser and apply to the whole face, or use them on their own to give your skin that pep. The application is not about covering every flaw, but creating the illusion of freshness to replace that tired and dull look. Unlike foundation that requires layering of products on top; this is an easy fix. If you can face adding mascara (and the thought of removing it), why not add a sheer lip gloss and go for it!
Pro Tip:
A tired face needs a soft natural colour palette that does not draw attention to it. Bright or heavy make up will just highlight the contrasts in the skin (i.e. those dark circles) will look darker. Save your colourful lip and eyeliner for another day.
Where to apply
If you feel there’s too much mixed in with your moisturiser and cannot live with out a little bit of coverage, blend the illuminator over the top of your chosen product up to the cheekbones, Cupid’s bow, and the brow bones. This will have you ready for your close up! Additionally, blend the enhancer with your body lotion and apply to arms, legs, and your décolletage for a pretty sheen (great for distracting from those sudden spider veins…). Just remember to check your hands afterwards.
Finishing touches
Cancel out “pink eye” with a neutral or white eye pencil on the lower inside rim of the eye. Try Benefit’s eyebright pencil or a beige eye liner. If you are adding a concealer, make sure to blend into the inside corner of your eye at the bridge of the nose. This is a common area with a grey/blue tone and will freshen your gaze.
The products to try
All of these are light in texture and easy to blend. Our picks?
Josie Maran, Argan Illuminizer, gives a hint of bronze. Bonus – no parabens or sulfates. Available at Sephora, island-wide.
Nars Illuminator, comes in four shades, pick the one closest to your current skin tone. Available at Tangs, 310 Orchard Road, Singapore, 2388864, p.6737 5500.Open Mon-Thurs, Sat 10.30am-9.30pm, Fri 10.30am-11.00pm, Sun 11.00am – 8.30pm.
Benefit Girl Meets Pearl, one universal shade, available at Sephora, island-wide.
Lancôme’s Eclat Miracle Universal radiance booster, one universal shade, available from Strawberrynet.com.
Charlotte Tilbury, Wonder Glow Instant Soft Focus Beauty Flash. One universal shade. Just launched in the UK by the well known make-up artist, available at net a porter.
Try these if you want slightly more coverage:
Dior Skin Airflash. It’s a foundation but is light weight; apply only where needed. The new version is also paraben free. Available at Dior counters, island-wide.
Bare Minerals SPF 20 moisturizer with a sheer tint. One of the few tints that works applied all over the face and neck. It really is a sheer application (despite the colour out of the bottle) and is fabulous at giving you a healthy glow. It doesn’t mask anything just brightens you up with a hint of colour. Also paraben and sulphate free. Available at Sephora, island-wide.
Images: Nars Cosmetics UK, Benefit Cosmetics, Josie Maran Cosmetics, Lancome UK, Dior, Bare Minerals.