I tried the powder in a couple ways. First, completely bare-faced—no concealer, no foundation—just to see if it could actually brighten on its own. (It can.) Then I used it with my usual Ilia concealer and even brushed it lightly over my whole face to see what would happen.
A brush is a must—it’s super fine and loose, so tap gently and try not to breathe in while applying. And definitely open it slowly if you’ve traveled with it, because this thing is ready to escape the jar.
There’s no scent, and the texture is weightless. I use the translucent shade—it’s completely invisible except for the good stuff it’s doing: softening, brightening, just generally making me look more awake. It lasts for hours, but I also reapply when I need a little touch-up, and it never gets cakey or crease-y even if I’m building on top of it.
Does the product deliver on its brightening, soft-focus, well-rested glow? Yes. When I’m having one of those days where nothing in my routine is making my face pop—concealer’s not concealing, blush looks flat, coffee’s doing nothing—this powder is the last piece of the puzzle that makes me look how I want to look. It’s not going to revive me from the dead after a night of zero sleep and a diet of potato chips, but it does make me look like I’ve maybe slept a little and eaten a vegetable. And on the flip side, when I have slept, hydrated and my makeup is already on point, this powder just takes everything up a notch—like hitting the “soft lighting” filter in real life.
