I’m back with another review of a Lisa Eldridge product I don’t love – WHEN will I learn?! But let’s see what happened in my Lisa Eldridge Crystal Nebula highlighter review!
The Brand
I’m waffling on my stance on Lisa Eldridge’s emporium quite often. (Not on her person, to be completely clear – I don’t know her, obviously.)
I don’t love her makeup line per se: some products are fine, some are so-so, some I haven’t tested. Her book on makeup offers some gorgeous imagery, but stays annoyingly on the surface of why we wear makeup (here’s a better one). And then, the emporium itself: the jewelry, Selfridge counters, and the enormous privilege which sometimes leave a strange taste in my mouth. Not every makeup artist with a passion for art history is able to start from there.
You’re never buying only a product, but also the image of the brand. And as pretty as it is, I don’t dig the dream behind it.
- Other Lisa Eldridge reviews: book, lipstick & foundation, lipgloss 1 & 2, eyeshadow palette.
Official Description
A ‘skincare-grade glow-giver’ liquid highlighter that delivers a beautiful, natural glow alongside high performance skin benefits.
Lisa Eldridge
The hybrid formula is packed with hydrating, elasticizing, lifting actives for a subtle skin tightening and smoothing effect. Available in five skin adaptive, sheer shades to suit all skin tones.
Lisa Eldridge Crystal Nebula highlighter review: What is it?
A liquid, creamy highlighter that comes with a giant doe-foot applicator and promises not only glow, but also skincare benefits.
Ingredients
Buckle in kids, we’re in for a wiiiiiiiild ride.
AQUA / WATER · HYDROGENATED DIDECENE · GLYCERIN · MICA · ISODODECANE · HYDROGENATED POLYDECENE · PROPANEDIOL · PEG-10 DIMETHICONE · HYDROGENATED STYRENE/ISOPRENE COPOLYMER · SODIUM CHLORIDE · POLYGLYCERYL-3 DIISOSTEARATE · SODIUM DEHYDROACETATE · CAPRYLYL GLYCOL · 2-HEXANEDIOL · SODIUM PHYTATE · AVENA SATIVA KERNEL EXTRACT / AVENA SATIVA (OAT) KERNEL EXTRACT · TAMARINDUS INDICA SEED POLYSACCHARIDE · TRIETHOXYCAPRYLYLSILANE · CAESALPINIA SPINOSA FRUIT EXTRACT · SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE · KAPPAPHYCUS ALVAREZII EXTRACT · ALUMINUM CALCIUM SODIUM SILICATE · PHENOXYETHANOL · ALCOHOL · ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN · PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE · TIN OXIDE · MAY CONTAIN/ PEUT CONTENIR [(+/-): TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891) · IRON OXIDES (CI 77491· CI 77492 · CI 77499)].
Lisa Eldridge
It’s a highlighter, so it’s obvious we have mica and some film formers in here. Glycerin also isn’t as surprising to find in a cream product as the marketing blurb would make it sound.
‘Skincare-grade’ ingredients
First, the term makes me exceedingly cross. What’s that supposed to even mean?! Even IF there was such a term (it’s a bogus claim for makeup products with some extra skincare ingredients thrown in), glycerin, for example, is basically in everything and your table lamp. That doesn’t make it skincare. There isn’t a rating system that looks at products and tells you ‘those five ingredients make it skincare’ or ‘sorry, it’s only four skincare-y ingredients, it’s makeup’.
What makes it even more bogus is that you won’t slather yourself in highlighter as if it were your moisturizer. Sure, you can mix it into foundation, but those minuscule amounts? Ridiculous.
Notable ingredients
Filmexel® by Silab is a biopolymer compound of Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract and Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract. It’s a film-forming ingredient with hydrating properties.
Oat Kernel Extract is a soothing antioxidant.
Shade
Crystal Nebula is a light, star-kissed champagne shade that beautifully complements light skin tones.
Lisa Eldridge
If that’s champagne, I don’t want to drink it. Crystal Nebula is incredibly orange leaning, but the base is nearly translucent, and the shimmer particles glimmer multi-coloured, and not just straight-up silver, like most cream highlighters (look at the comparison pic below).
Formula & Application
Apply a couple of small dots of the product directly on to clean skin after moisturising. Blend and smooth a thin layer into skin using either fingers or a brush and then continue with your makeup routine.
Lisa Eldridge
I’ve no idea why this highlighter doesn’t come with a pump. The giant doe-foot makes me queasy – DO NOT use it directly on skin, especially if you’ve already done your foundation. You can’t tell me that there’s zero transfer onto the doe-foot, and ick. It’s unhygienic! (And you need some top notch preservatives to keep it germ-free.)
I apply some product to the back of my hand with the doe-foot, and then apply and blend with a small highlighter brush. It doesn’t matter if that brush is synthetic or natural, both work fine.
What I love: while the product gives you ample time to blend, it neither lifts your foundation, nor does it stay tacky. It actually sinks in completely, and as a sticky-skin-hater, I approve. Also, it’s an absolutely fuss-free formula: I’ve layered it over liquid foundation and over powder, and it performs great with either one.
Finish & Longevity
While the base of the highlighter is VERY yellow-orange, on my yellow-leaning skin all it imparts is a gentle glow from the multidimensional pearl. If you don’t pack this on like there’s no tomorrow, the base absolutely is adaptive to various skintones. If you want to build it up, though, it should match your skintone somewhat. You have some leeway, but not that much.
It holds up very well during the day for me. It’s not a blinding highlighter – it imparts an elegant, demure glow.
Comparison
Surprisingly, I do not have a comparable warm-leaning highlighter (but then, my cream and liquid highlighter stash is very small). Another warm highlighter is discontinued Becca’s liquid highlighter in Opal, which is still more golden. Again, discontinued MAC’s lustre drops in Pink Rebel is not really comparable in colour, but in texture. If you loved those way back (and they were awesome: you could mix them into foundations or use them solo), Lisa Eldridge’s Elevated Glow highlighters are good options.
Lisa Eldridge Crystal Nebula highlighter review: Worth it?
Claims
- Lightweight – absolutely
- Blends seamlessly – quite
- Luminous glow – rather
- Subtle lifting, tightening and smoothing effect – eh
I’m – whelmed. Sure, it’s nice. But it hasn’t one thing that blows me away or would make me want to buy it again. Lisa Eldridge fans, go for it. Everybody else – you won’t be very disappointed, but will you be over the moon? Nah.
Price & Availability
15ml are €33/£27/$38at Lisa Eldridge’s own website. Because LE is now available at Selfridge’s in London and Manchester (UK), the products are also available at Selfridge’s website.
Please note that this review is not sponsored in any way. We buy products ourselves, with our own money, and don’t accept exchanging goods, or money, for reviews. We are completely independent, and our reviews reflect that.
I’m surprised at how underwhelming Lisa Eldridge’s makeup offerings are, especially considering that the Boots No7 drugstore line has great formulas BECAUSE of her involvement. Not sure why she has done good work as a brand consultant/creative partner but not on her own line.
I’m as astonished as you, Gabrielle!
(I’ve to say, though, that I was already disappointed when she was still at Lancome. I expected so much, and there was – nothing.)