Skin Illuminating Powder Duo

Stunning. Been in my kit of a long long time. Two shades, easy to blend together or use alone. Sometimes we think we need so many things, but these two suit all skin tones, giving the skin that glow that is oh so popular. But not an instagram glow!

Let's establish right off the bat that this palette contains 2 illuminators. Not a highlight and a contour. I see people refer to this frequently as a highlight and a contour. That is not what this is. This contains a soft daylight illuminator and a soft candlelight illuminator. They are beautiful worn on their own and also magical worn layered over each other. I feel like people always ask me if I just got a facial when I am wearing this as my highlight. It's effortlessly glowy. I have found though that my Goss brushes are to soft to use with this. It's pressed pretty tight and they don't pick up enough product. This can also be worn for a subtle glow or built up for more impact. I 100% believe it's splurge worthy! I knocked a star off because I do find that I have to work for it to get the product on my brush and then sometimes it feels like it's a little chunky. But the finished result is 5 stars!!!

Tom Ford Beauty's Skin Illuminating Powder Duo is one of those products that's not only visually stunning, but performs as a luxury makeup product should. It goes without saying that Mr. Ford's formulas are absolutely exquisite, and these powders in particular have a gorgeous gel-powder formula that illuminate your features with a multidimensional glow.

The gorgeous mahogany colored compact with gold accents holds an iridescent soft white gold highlight and shimmering bronzed rose gold highlighter, reminiscent of Estée Lauder's famous Modern Mercury. The rose gold is definitely the more intense highlight of the two, but I love that you can layer and mix the two shades together to create varied intensities each application. I personally use the white gold as a base highlight and in areas where I don't want too much shimmer, such as the bridge of the nose and brow bone; I then top off my cheekbones and temples with the rose gold to add a healthy glow.

While there are many beautiful highlighters on the market, in fact I would say it's a product area that has become a bit oversaturated, this stands as one of the most ethereal and versatile highlighting products I have encountered.

Also, I should mention that this contains an astounding 12 grams of product, which will last quite some time!

I'm disappointed to say the least. For 80$ this product was not worth it. The consistency isn't what I expected. It feels as if there is a rough layer on top and I have to really hit the pan to get any color on my brush. I'm also using the Tom Ford bronzer and blush brush and still nothing. Btw the brushes are superb. The color is lacking pigment and the staying power is horrible. I may be the only person in the planet not wowed by TomFords makeup line...especially given the pricepoint

I bought this because they looked beautiful. They are indeed beautiful applied on my skin. But the crosshatch pattern are pressed so hard thus, giving it rock solid layer makes it difficult to pick up with regular brush. Dock 1 star for the hard crosshatch layer. If you want to buy and use this, I suggest you get high quality brushes thats dense enough to mow through the hard top layer and get the product.

This has quickly become my go-to highlighting product.

Word of caution for those on the fence: the product picks up onto brushes light.

If you are into a mega-watt highlighter, you are going to have to use an extremely dense brush (natural hair will pick more up vs synthetic) to force more product for application, and then you still won't have the same result as say, a Kat Von D, or Anastasia heavier highlight.

This is very subtle, and that is what sets it apart. You can build it very easily, instead of getting more than you bargained for with the first swipe.

Both shades are equally gorgeous. I tend to use the darkest shade the most, and I LOVE it over the top of blushes and bronzer to add a light glow. Hourglass Ambient blushes are my favorite blushes, and the darkest shade in this TF duo blended over the most boring blush can give it that same mineralized and glowy effect you'd see with the Ambient blushes from Hourglass. It's also beautiful used on lids or in the crease by itself, or over an eyeshadow.

It wears well, and takes forever to hit pan. Love it!

I have pale skin and was very surprised to find that I could not get this product to work for me, even using stiffer or denser brushes. The crosshatch pattern disappeared on the product and it was looking more and more used, so something must have been getting onto the brush. But on my skin: no visible effect. The darker shade was definitely more visible but too dark to use as a highlighter, too light to use as a bronzer, and as an illuminator...?. My skincare regimen is intense and highest priority, so my skin is pretty glowy from my skin care alone, I guess it could be that I just don't need an illuminating product? Regardless it upset me every time I used it that I could not see the lighter shade, and I don't need added frustration in my life! I love Tom Ford, and could not bring myself to give this product one star... so 2 stars just for being Tom Ford.