I recently invested in a product I had wanted for absolutely ages - the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal, only to get it home and realise it is rather similar to the Revlon Photoready Skin Lights in Bare Light. Something happens to me in Space NK. I go into a vortex and my eyes glaze over. I can't remember what I already have or what I really need and end up spending way more than I meant to. For this reason, I don't venture in there often as I just can't be trusted.

Obviously I had to do a comparison. First off the Becca version is much creamier than the Revlon which is much more liquid. I find the creamier texture easier to blend and you can get the product exactly where you want it without over doing it. If you are planning to mix it with your foundation then I find the Revlon one easier to mix and a little lighter to wear over the entire face.

As you would expect, the Becca packaging is much more luxe however I do get annoyed with these pumps as they also dispense way more product than you need. Even though the Revlon is runnier in consistency, is is much easier to get the amount you want out of the tube so you don't end up wasting it.

As you can see from the swatches, once blended into my hand they are almost identical. Becca's version does come with the addition of being SPF 20+ which is a bonus if you live somewhere where the sun actually shines. Obviously in London this is not really necessary.

Top: Revlon in Bare Light, Bottom: Becca in Opal

Fully blended and you can't really tell which is which ....

The Becca comes in 4 shades, and it is £33.00 / $66.00 for 50ml. The Revlon also comes in 4 shades and it is £11.99 / $29.95 for 30ml. While I love the Becca brand, the packaging and the whole philosophy behind the makeup, I just can't ignore how good these Revlon illuminators are ... and at almost half the price I think I will always have them in my kit and perhaps keep the Becca for personal use for those days when i'm feeling expensive!

Lately it has been all about cheating my way to a radiant glow and in my quest for dewy, youthful looking skin I have come across some great products. There are many ways you can achieve a glowing look but my favourites are to either add a shimmery liquid to my foundation or to subtly high-light certain areas of the face.

My stash of illuminators and highlighting products

Revlon Photoready Skinlights have just been reintroduced to the Revlon range and I am really enjoying using them. The product is a lovely light liquid that you can mix in with foundation or use over the top of your foundation to highlight. There are 3 colours in the range, and I have purchased 'Bare Light' and 'Pink Light'. It is really simple to work with - just add a touch of 'Bare Light' to your foundation for a lovely all-over glow, or a few drops of 'Pink Light' patted along the cheekbones and under the arch of the brow to add a subtle highlight to the face. At only £11.99 a pop, I think they are a makeup kit must have. You can get your hands on these in the UK here. In Australia you can buy these are Priceline here for $29.95 and at the moment they have a 3 for 2 offer on. Run.

Clinique Uplighting is another great liquid product that is easy to blend. It comes in 3 shades - Natural, Bronze and Blush. It is good however I struggle a little with the packaging as I find anything with a pump dispenser pumps out way more than you need which equals a fair bit of wastage. The Natural shade is my pick of the three. It costs £21.00 and you can buy it here. In Australia this costs $48.00 and you can buy it here.

Those of you who read my post on the Liberty Beauty Gift Bag (here) will know that in there I received a small size of the Nars Illuminator in Orgasm. This is a cult product so I had high hopes going in and I wasn't disappointed. It is similar to the Clinique but in a slightly pinkier tone. It glides on like a dream, gives the perfect amount of highlight and can even act as a subtle blush. Definitely another Nars addiction happening here and I will certainly be investing in the other shade 'Copacabana'. There are 4 colours in the range and they cost £22.00 here. In Australia they cost $48.00 and you can buy them here.

One of my all time favourite cream highlighter is from the Australian cosmetics line Bloom. It comes in stick form which makes it very easy to apply without accidentally over-doing it. A little bit goes a long way and it lasts forever. It comes in one shade only which is a 'champagne sheen' but it gives good glow. It costs $35.00 and you can buy it here. They do ship internationally if you are UK based but the rate is quite high unless you spend $100 to qualify for free shipping.

Just remember not to over powder your face after applying these products or you will undo all your good work.

If you prefer your makeup in powder form, you may want to check out the MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle. A light dusting of this on the high points of the face can be really pretty. I think powders are easy to be a little over zealous with so go easy with the application to avoid looking too sparkly.

Luxe versus Less, Illuminators. Becca versus Revlon

Cheating a Radiant Glow