What is Illuminator Makeup?

Darlings, anyone who knows me knows that I adore the look of gorgeous, glowing skin, and one of the best ways to get a silky-smooth, natural-looking glow is to use an illuminator.

So, what is illuminator and should you add one to your makeup routine? As the Queen of Glowing Skin, I’m sharing all of my illuminator beauty secrets and revealing why every glow-getter needs a light-catching illuminator in their makeup kit.

What is Illuminator?

Illuminators are makeup products that boost the luminosity of your complexion. They are used to give skin a flattering, all-around glow that looks naturally radiant. Illuminators are formulated to capture and interact with all types of light, bending and bouncing them to give the face a soft-focused, blur-effect glow. There are cream, liquid and powder versions of illuminator, but the purpose for each formula is the same: to lift and illuminate the look of the complexion with the most magical glow that still looks like skin.

What’s the Difference Between Illuminator and Highlighter?

Illuminators and highlighters are both light-reflecting beauty secrets designed to create the appearance of glowing skin. The key difference between illuminator and highlighter is the amount of shimmer in their formulation. While it can vary across brands, products and formulas, a general rule is that illuminators have a smoother, more skin-like finish that softly illuminates your complexion, while highlighters often provide a glitzier look and are more pigmented to create a beaming glow.

You can use illuminator and highlighter together to unlock your dream glow, darlings – I recommend applying my iconic illuminator Hollywood Flawless Filter, then gliding my Beauty Light Wands onto the high points of the face to unlock my signature Tilbury glow.

Get The Hollywood Effect with my World-Famous Illuminator

Darlings, when I launched my illuminating beauty elixir, Hollywood Flawless Filter, glow lovers everywhere were captivated by the magically smooth, skin-like glow that it gives the complexion. I was inspired by the illuminating flash of red-carpet lights and the ways digital filters are used in photography to alter light settings; I wanted to create a real-world filter effect that smooths, blurs and illuminates the appearance of skin. I innovated and perfected the formula with world-leading beauty labs, and my incomparable Hollywood Flawless Filter was born. There was nothing on the market like it, darling! I call it my glow booster because it enhances the natural radiance in your skin and dials it up to Hollywood levels of glow.

If you’re looking for an illuminator to give your makeup a Hollywood glow, look no further than Hollywood Flawless Filter, darlings.

Where Should You Apply Illuminator?

Illuminator is one of the most versatile makeup products in your collection. You can apply illuminator all-over the face to give your complexion an overall lifted-looking glow, or you can focus illuminator in particular areas like on the tops of the cheeks for a subtle highlighted look. I also like to apply Hollywood Flawless Filter under eyes to give the eye area a blurring, brightening effect. Wherever you want to glow, darlings, your illuminator is the secret to brighten and beautify your complexion!

Do You Apply Illuminator Before or After Foundation?

The flexible formula of an illuminator allows it to be applied in multiple magical ways. You can apply an illuminator before foundation to glow-prime the skin, or after foundation to create a more luminous foundation finish. Discover how to apply my illuminator, Hollywood Flawless Filter, in 3 ways, below:

How To Use Illuminator in your Makeup Routine 3 Ways

What Shade of Illuminator Should I Use?

As with other complexion products like foundation and concealer, I recommend selecting an illuminator shade with the most natural colour match to your skin tone. The goal of illuminator is to make your complexion glow with natural-looking radiance, so it’s important to choose a shade that can blend seamlessly with the tones in your skin. A lighter shade of illuminator will give cheekbones and under eyes an even brighter look, but the most flattering way to use an illuminator all over the face is by finding your flawless colour match.

Discover how to choose your foundation shade online

Darlings, now that you’ve discovered what an illuminator can do for your makeup, it’s time to experience the magic for yourself! Flawless is a feeling, darlings, and Hollywood Flawless Filter is my secret to looking and feeling like a Hollywood star!

Shop Hollywood Flawless Filter on CharlotteTilbury.com or the Charlotte Tilbury App and get THE HOLLYWOOD EFFECT with my iconic illuminator!