Hey everyone!
Today I’m reviewing a fantastic golden pink liquid highlighter from Illamasqua ~ Fondle.
Price : £13.50 (approx. Rs 1100) for 7 ml.
Buy online HERE.
Illamasqua Illuminator Fondle Review, Swatch, FOTD
What Illamasqua says about the product
Illuminate your alter ego with this intense colour that highlights and enhances wherever it’s applied. Goes on wet but dries quickly, leaving a high-shine reflective finish that lasts all night. Use it on cheek bones and brow bones, on the cupid’s bow, on the centre of the eye lid or on any other part of your body where you want to draw attention. Not for those who want to keep their night quiet.
7ml 0.2 FL. OZ.
Ingredients
AQUA (WATER), GLYCERIN, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, POLYESTER-5, MAGNESIUM ALUMINUM SILICATE,ACRYLATES/ T-BUTYLACRYLAMIDE COPOLYMER, PHENOXYETHANOL, POLYACRYLAMIDE, STEARIC ACID, TRIETHANOLAMINE, C13-C14 ISOPARAFFIN, METHYLPARABEN, CETYL PALMITATE, CERA ALBA (BEESWAX), XANTHAN GUM, LAURETH-7, GLYCERYL STEARATE, ETHYLPARABEN, PROPYLPARABEN AND MAY CONTAIN: [+/- TITANIUM DIOXIDE CI 77891, IRON OXIDES CI 77491, BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE CI 77163, CARMINE CI 75470, MICA] MAY CONTAIN CARMINE AS A COLOUR ADDITIVE. STOP USE IF IRRITATION OCCURS.
Artist’s’ Tips
Illuminator is best applied in small quantities and built up to the desired effect. Use a Blending Brush 2 or a Highlighter Brush. Perfect for highlighting the nose, cupid’s bow, brow bones, the décolleté and cheeks.
Illamasqua Illuminator Fondle Review, Swatch, FOTD
Illamasqua Illuminator Fondle Review, Swatch, FOTD
Illamasqua Illuminator Fondle Review, Swatch, FOTD
My take on the Product
Illamasqua illuminator comes in a lip gloss-like tube packaging with a brush applicator. The transparent tube allows the gorgeous golden pink color of the product to show through and the brush picks up enough product to apply on the cheekbones, bridge of the nose and browbone without having to go back into the tube. The cap screws on tightly so there is no danger of spillage/leakage while traveling. To highlight the shade, just apply the product on the desired area with the brush applicator and blend it using fingers/brush.
Illamasqua Illuminator Fondle Review, Swatch, FOTD
The product itself has a thin, light-weight consistency. Its not runny but its not thick or gloopy either. The light texture ensures that it doesn’t make the skin oily or greasy over time. The shimmer is very very fine and non-gritty. It blends very easily with light strokes (I use my fingers to blend) and after some time to application, dries down to a smudge proof finish. The shimmer is so fine that it only imparts a lovely sheen to the skin and can only been seen on the skin if you look real closely. The most fantastic thing about this is that it does not highlight the pores/imperfections which is a great quality in a highlighter. The staying power is good, it stayed on for about 6 hours on me after which it faded off though it was difficult to tell since the shimmer is barely visible. I love the formula especially how well the shimmer is integrated into the soft pink base, it makes it a very wearable product for women like me who have open pores and acne marks.
Illamasqua Illuminator Fondle Review, Swatch, FOTD
Illamasqua Illuminator Fondle Review, Swatch, FOTD
The shade Fondle is described as a hot pink with gold shimmer by Illamasqua but the base is actually a very soft pink that blends completely into the skin only leaving behind a very even layer of fine gold shimmer. The shimmer is not too densely packed yet there is enough to give perceptible illumination to the face. I love everything about this product – the shade, the shimmer, the texture, I just wish it stayed on a little longer!
Illamasqua Illuminator Fondle Review, Swatch, FOTD
Illamasqua Illuminator Fondle Review, Swatch, FOTD
Illuminator v/s Highlighter
As I understand it, illuminators are generally products meant for the entire face and have lower shine as compared to highlighters that are more concentrated and meant for specific areas (browbone, cheekbone, bridge of the nose, cupid’s bow). Illamasqua has branded this as an illuminator but it is essentially a highlighter. With the small applicator, it would anyway not be possible to apply it over large areas!
Fondle worn on the cheekbones and bridge of the nose :
Illamasqua Illuminator Fondle Review, Swatch, FOTD
The GOOD about Illamasqua Illuminator Fondle :
- Convenient, sturdy packaging
- Workable consistency
- Blends easily
- Non-gritty shimmer
- Gives a lovely glow to the skin
- Good staying power
- Does not highlight pores/imperfections
- Does not make the skin oily/greasy
- Shimmer does not spread over the entire face as it wears
- Staying power could be a little better
- With added shipping charges, comes out quite expensive
Overall Verdict
Illamasqua Illuminator in Fondle is a lovely golden highlighter in a soft pink base. The liquid highlighter applies and blends very easily, stays on decently well and doesn’t draw attention to skin imperfections. The shimmer is very very fine and gives a lovely sheen and glow to the skin. I love everything about this product – the shade, the shimmer, the texture, I just wish it stayed on a little longer!
Rating : 4.5/5
Buy online HERE.
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