This Cult Illuminator Started a Trend – But is it Still the OG?
Main image – Courtesy of writer
Years ago, I saw a makeup how-to video on Instagram, before the days of Insta stories and TikTok. I’d usually watch makeup videos for a few seconds and then scroll on, but this one stopped me in my tracks. It featured the most incredible golden, liquid highlighter I had ever seen.
The product was Iconic London’s Illuminator (£32 from Boots UK /$40 from Sephora US) and it was the first time I’d seen a highlighter almost literally light up my screen. It was also the first time I’d been completely convinced that I needed to buy something off social media – like, now (full disclosure, I didn’t – it was too expensive). It was, indeed, one of the first of its kind and makeup lovers believe it’s what kick-started the trend for similar launches like Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Flawless Filter.
Iconic London was founded in 2015 and, unsurprisingly, built up its reputation on social media (the brand now has 1.6m followers) focusing on glow-enhancing, high impact makeup. It had been 11 years since first seeing the brand’s infamous Illuminator on Instagram and I still hadn’t tried it – until now.
Image – Courtesy of writer
The problem is, I have since tried several similarly marketed products, which admittedly the Iconic London one probably influenced in the first place. But as formulas have evolved since 2015, I was intrigued to see whether the Iconic London one could still hold its own against newer, updated products like the aforementioned Tilbury illuminator or Selena Gomez’s own Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer, for example.
I personally love a liquid highlighter – the more glow the better – so this would be an interesting test. I do have some bugbears with liquid finishing products though – for example, when they are so watery they disrupt your makeup underneath or when they look glowier in the bottle than they do IRL.
Keep scrolling to see how I got on…
The product details
Available in four shades (Shine, Blush, Glow and Original – the most popular shimmery champagne shade), Iconic London’s Illuminator is vegan and cruelty free and contains light-reflecting pigments like mica to make the skin glow as well as emollients like dimethicone which is what helps the formula glide across the skin. There’s also vitamin E included for antioxidant support.
It’s important to note that this is not a skincare-led product so any glow you get from it is all down to the light-reflecting pigments and it’s highly concentrated so a little goes a long way (hence, its dropper applicator). You can wear it how you like – as a targeted highlighter, mixed into your foundation or primer, or worn alone.
How I tested ICONIC London Illuminator
I first applied it over my makeup, along the tops of my cheekbones as a finishing product. Another day I mixed it in with my foundation. I wore it for full days where a bit of walking was involved (although not particularly high energy). I did my usual morning skincare routine both times (cleanse, serum, moisturiser) and used a liquid foundation with it as well as cream bronzer and a cream blusher.
First impressions
The look of the shade just from the bottle made me feel like this was definitely my kind of product (mine is Original which is beautifully golden). I used the pipette to drop some onto the back of my hand (which I found easy enough) and sure enough, the colour IRL is exactly how it looks in the bottle.
Image – Courtesy of writer
The website says you should only use a little and build up as you need to, so I dabbed a little onto the tops of my cheekbones using my finger. It immediately felt quite watery and not too thick – which is a good thing – but it did mean that when it came to blending it in, it spread out quite far on my skin and it was hard to get it into the right position (i.e. just the tops of my cheekbones, not all over my cheeks!)
The colour payoff was accurate, but I did notice that the more I buffed it in, the less ‘glowy’, more diluted it got. Also, it created a rather unsubtle line along my top cheekbones – it did not blend well. This meant that I didn’t want to apply any more but frustratingly wanted a bit more glow. What to do?!
The watery texture also meant that the formula didn’t stay ‘mouldable’ for long so you have to get it into position quickly before it dries and you can no longer move it around. It didn’t seem to disrupt my existing makeup luckily, but I wasn’t hugely keen on the line it had left over the top.
Image – Courtesy of writer
When mixing it in with my foundation, I wasn’t a fan of the finish. I squeezed my foundation onto my fingers and dropped one drop of the illuminator on top, then applied them both together like a moisturiser around my face. My foundation felt oilier than when I don’t mix it with the illuminator but then it dried down super quickly – confusing. And I’ve got to be honest, a glow was non-existent once everything had sunk in. But perhaps I needed more than one drop?
My results
My results when wearing it along the tops of my cheekbones were mixed. It left more of a forced metallic finish, rather than the golden sheen that naturally catches the light I’d seen on Instagram (and that perhaps I was used to seeing with the Charlotte Tilbury and Rare Beauty products). I don’t love the fact that it enhances my pores either.
You learn to work around the issue of the line it leaves by buffing the edges with a different brush but this is a bit of a faff and my honest feelings are that if something costs £32, you shouldn’t have to spend any extra time hiding a trait it shouldn’t have in the first place. Harsh but true.
To be fair, it does leave a subtle glow which I liked. I like the shade too and I’m a fan of the pipette applicator – the brand is right, you really don’t need to use much at all and the applicator helps you to control it better. Some have said it’s messy, but I disagree. Although to be honest, I didn’t even need to squeeze a drop out of the pipette for the first few goes as the product is already on the outside of it – one touch of it on the back of my hand and it was enough to cover application on both sides of my cheeks.
The glow was subtle but nice. However, it only lasted a few hours – not even for half a day. Something tells me if this was packed with moisturising properties like the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter, my skin would glow for longer. And at the end of the few hours, it was even more glittery-metallic and patchy than I’d care to admit.
I do feel like this is more of an evening product though – you can get away with applying more makeup in artificial lighting and I think the line it left (that was oh-so noticeable during day time) put me off a bit. The line wouldn’t be so obvious in the evening and perhaps the formula would catch artificial light better than natural daylight.
As a foundation mixer it’s not my thing at all. The fact that I haven’t included an ‘after’ photo of this method says lot – there just wouldn’t be anything to show, except my confused face. In fact, my skin was actually left looking drier than usual after using it this way.
What other users are saying
It’s a mixed bag online. CreativeAsFuuu writes on Reddit, “I hated the formula. It dried down too quickly to blend in, ended up a patchy mess and it has a crease-y, chalky finish.” While Mediocre_Whereas says, “[the drops] dry too fast. They swatch beautifully but I’ve never been able to get a proper blend with them.” Unfortunately I have to agree, the formula didn’t blend seamlessly for me either.
On the other hand, others absolutely love this product. “I have combination skin and use it as a highlighter and the glow is unbelieveable (I love a really extra highlight),” says Icequeen0591. “It’s worth the money in my opinion, long lasting and pretty pigmented, works well as a base for a powder highlighter in addition,” adds whiteoleander94.
Overall value for money
It’s a tiny bottle for £32 but think about how much you’re using – one drop (if that) per use. It’s going to last you an age. It’s much more reasonably priced than the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter (£40) but then again, you get a way bigger Tilbury bottle and, I have to say, a much more hydrating, long-lasting formula.
Whilst it’s a nice product, I wouldn’t spend £32 on this again as I just haven’t been blown away by the results. I’m sticking with Rare Beauty’s Positive Light which is marginally cheaper – but, like with the Tilbury product, a much, much more pleasing, kinder-to-skin formula.
The takeaway
So Iconic London’s Illuminator may well be the original liquid highlighter that got everyone talking but for me it should no longer hold the crown for being the authority in liquid highlighters. Things have moved on since 2015, and the likes of Charlotte Tilbury and Selina Gomez have launched much more considerate and skin-friendly versions meaning that expectations are now higher.
There is no getting away from the fact that the Iconic London Illuminator is a really beautiful product at first sight, but when it actually came to applying it, what I saw on the outside just didn’t translate on my skin. Others may have had a different experience but the stripe on my face, the diluted, metallic glow and its high price point put me off investing in it again.
I will say though that it would make for a gorgeous evening makeup product. You can get away with applying more makeup in artificial light and I think with careful buffing and positioning, it would be a beautiful finishing touch for a short-term makeup look.
Get Glowing!
