Love it: Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm

I am a huge fan of Bobbi Brown, both the woman and the brand. Both are beautiful yet practical, with the end goal being making every woman look the best she can be. The celebrity MUA is also famous for her belief that foundation should look like skin – and that’s why she has created various formulas that achieve a natural finish no matter what your skin type or skin tone.

She has also created a marvellous little wonder designed to sit somewhere in between the foundation and skincare category, in the form of Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm. A creamy moisturising formula that is perfect for dry or older skins, it has a very fine, pearlised pale gold shimmer to give skin an illuminated, radiant, healthy effect.

Its rich, creamy texture has an obvious iridescence and shimmer to it, and it can be used as a highlighter or in any number of other ways depending on your skin type and desired end result.

The shade is a very pale gold, which adds warmth and delicate shine, and the texture gives skin a bit of a hydration boost, and made my feel soft and supple too. The subtle sheen almost tricks the eye into seeing healthy, radiant skin without seeing “shimmer” as such, so don’t be afraid to play with this if you’re usually averse to a little shine.

There are a few ways you can use the Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm, some of the ones I have had the most success with being:

1. Wearing the creamy formula on its own for beautifully healthy looking, luminous skin. This is perfect for days when your skin might feel a little on the dull side but you don’t feel like wearing a full face, and with a little concealer is just as effective as a BB cream IMHO.

2. Under your chosen foundation to add a subtle glow. If you have dry skin you can apply a full face under a thin layer of foundation for a your-skin-but-better look, or to perk up a more mattifying base. Don’t forget your usual moisturiser though as this isn’t a substitute, just a little something extra!

3. Blended with your foundation to add luminosity. The super fine shimmer effect gives added luminosity to most liquid foundations for that all-elusive “glow” factor.

4. Over foundation or BB Cream for a little highlight and shine exactly where you want it. Pat it on top of your foundation with your fingers or a flat foundation brush to control where you want it to sit, and the light hit.

Last up, I really like the packaging – and not just for its sleek, minimalist style. The pump twists up and is easy to control, so you can dispense just the right amount. Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm is in store now with an RRP of $120, but a little definitely goes a long way!