The iconic designer Sabyasachi and the iconic beauty brand Lakmé has come together once again to create Illuminate 2.0, a range designed to create looks that celebrate the glamour of shimmer. This range is all about luminous make up and includes the Illuminating Foundation, 4 new metallic shades of the Shine Line, the Sun-Kissed Bronzer, Moon-Lit Highlighter and Illuminating Shimmer Bricks. I was sent some of the products from this range to try out and in this post, will finally share my thoughts on the new Lakmé Absolute Illuminate Range.
Lakmé Absolute Illuminating Foundation (Rs 750) – There are four shades available – Ivory Fair, Honey Beam, Natural Flare and Beige Glimmer. I have the shade Beige Glimmer which unfortunately is too light for me so I have to mix it with a darker foundation. This is an illuminating foundation so it does have a lot of shimmer particles in it. If you don’t want to look like a disco ball, I’d suggest mixing this with your regular foundation to tone it down. Because of the shimmer, it is not easy to blend and you need to work hard to ensure the product is applied evenly. It provides light coverage so does not really cover blemishes or evens out the skin tone. On me, the foundation lasts for about 3-4 hours. Overall, this is a decent foundation. Does not really do much except give you a very glowing face. If that’s what you want to go for, you can surely try it out.
Lakmé Absolute Sun-Kissed Bronzer (Rs 725) – This comes in a regular plastic pan with a clear plastic lid. This is a dual-toned bronzer so you have a light brown on one side and a darker brown on the other. I am very impressed by the pigmentation, the smooth texture and the fact that it blends beautifully. I don’t use it as a bronzer though simply because this product is so shimmery. I like to be all radiant and glowy but a face full of bronze shimmer is not the look that I want to go for! Hence, I prefer using it as a blush and on my dusky skin, the light wash of bronze looks really nice. If you are darker than I am, this will also work as a highlighter for you.
Lakmé Absolute Moon-Lit Highlighter (Rs 725) – Same packaging as the Sun-kissed Bronzer and this is dual-toned as well. You get a frosty highlighter on one side and a bronzer on the other side. Pigmentation is again very good and the formula is super soft and easy to blend. I like that it is not too shimmery and gives a nice glow to the skin. On me, the highlighter is too white but on someone lighter, it will work really well. What I do is swirl my brush on the entire pan picking up both products and using them as a highlighter. I love the subtle glow that it gives to my skin.
Lakmé Absolute Shine Line Shimmer Bronze and Olive (Rs 450) – These are colored liquid liners with a shimmery finish. Both colors are beautiful and I like that they are not too glittery but add just the right amount of shine and sparkle to the eyes. The formula is quite watery and I will not say that pigmentation is insane. On the first application, the color hardly shows up so you do need to go over a couple of times. It dries up pretty easily and stays put for nearly 6-7 hours without smudging. It can look slightly wrinkly though after a few hours.
Lakmé Absolute Illuminating Shimmer Brick (Rs 725) – When I first saw the pictures of the Illuminate range, the Shimmer Bricks instantly caught my eye. These pretty palettes are available in the shades Coral and Pink and each includes four shades that add a touch of shimmer to the skin. While the Shimmer Bricks are essentially blushes, you can use them as eye shadows as well. I have the Coral Shimmer Brick and it includes four shades – Bright Coral, Peach, Bronze & Light Coral. You can use the shades individually or swirl your brush and pick up a mix of all the colors. The texture is soft and smooth and it blends really well. I like that the product is not too shimmery but gives a subtle glow. This is definitely my favorite from the entire Illuminate collection!
In this pic, I’m wearing the Peach and Bronze shades from the Shimmer Brick on my lids as eye shadow, the Shine Line in Olive on my upper lash line and Shimmer Bronze on the lower lash line. On my face, I’m wearing the Illuminating Foundation in Beige Glimmer and I’ve used a touch of the Bronzer and Moon-Lit Highlighter. On my lips, I’m wearing Chanel Rouge Charnel.
Have you tried any product from the Lakmé Absolute Illuminate Range? Which one is your favorite? Do share in the comments below.
Amrutaa says
I hav the coral shimmer brick and lov it…
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Dolon says
I love it too 🙂