This review is for the Porcelain Pearl colourway. This is the best brightening/illuminating powder I have tried. It makes me look more awake and more rested than I actually am and gives my skin an airbrushed finish. Thoroughly recommended!

This is primarily used as an all-over powder to set makeup which adds a soft focus glow to the skin. Since it does have illuminators in it, definitely use a large powder brush and lightly dust over the face - don't buff the product in, otherwise you'll definitely see the shimmer particles and it may look chalky on darker skintones. In natural light, I don't see a dramatic difference, but when taking photographs this truly makes the skin look like it's lit from within, and not in a ghostly way as some illuminators can do with flash photography.

I wrote my previous review below but need to update it. I have been using this powder for a while now, and see a ton of flaws. I don't like glittery powders, but each time I look at my face in the mirror with this powder I see small specks of glitter. I don't like that at all. I was hoping that this would brighten my face naturally, which it does but you do see the glitter. I am disappointed with this product. I have used too much of it to be able to return. I am eyeing Guerlain meteorite, hopefully when I have used enough of this BB powder I can buy something else. My skin is very sensitive and combination, this doesn't cause it to break out. The glitter is not easy to get out with a facial cleanser either. I use eye makeup remover but for the rest I prefer to use cream cleanser, doesn't work well in removing all the glitter.

I will not be buying this product again. I have read so many good things about BB, so far I purchased the eye corrector and this one, am disappointed with both. Not sure if I will buy BB again.

The Brightening Finishing Powder is part of the Brightening Nudes collection launched in February 2012. I am quite surprised to read the previous reviews where users found this powder glittery. The Brightening Finishing Powder makes my light skin glow in a subtle, understated way without being over the top shimmery at all. For reference: I am blond and light skinned MAC NW15/BB Porcelain. I find it to be is a wonderful remedy against the winter doldrums. Very finely milled, the powder seems to soften my complexion resulting in a sheer, airbrushed look. I like that the shades in this compact are neutral, not too warm, and not too cool either, just perfect. Sleek silver square compact with a mirror in the lid is also very beautiful. I am quite happy with this purchase. Price: $50.

I am surprised by the other reviews, but then, I am not familiar with the other products mentioned. And, I do not use bronzers - I am too fair and too old. I Really Like this: it looks wonderful on my very fair skin, and I use it either instead of blush, or on top of blush: If used lightly, it doesn't show "sparkly" at all - but the other way I have been using it is over my eye-shadow makeup, which often tends to 'drag' me down - I actually love this product for that, and I plan to use in place of e/s.
I plan to use it over the new eye canvas by Laura Mercier.

This is really a beautiful powder in a beautiful compact, which comes with its own protective pouch. It really does brighten up the face a little, and add a subtle luminous glow, but my major beef with this powder is that you can see little flecks of glitter on your face. Actually, they're not even glitter...they're more like little shimmer flecks. They're very small, much smaller than what you'd usually think of as glitter, and a little iridescent.


You can't see the glitter until you get within maybe 4-5 inches of the mirror, but once you see, you cannot un-see. This looked especially bad on my forehead, where I could see it emphasizing my pores - again, only when I get close enough to the mirror. I don't think someone you interact with normally would notice it, but if your SO leaned in close for a kiss, they might get an eyeful of that glitter.


I had really high hopes for this product, and I'm kind of bummed that I have to return it...but the glitter flecks are a dealbreaker for me. Maybe this would work better for someone who doesn't mind it.

Eager to try Bobbi's version of Guerlain's Meteorites, I rushed to the cosmetics counter and what delighted my eyes held sway over my wallet. A captivating mosaic of beautiful tones with a light shimmer. It comes in a small (too small honestly) compact which is elegantly packaged and I figured she would make some improvement over Guerlain meaning highly wearable. It is a crashing bore. It is not like a Shimmerbrick but it is. The specks are just smaller. And it gives no appreciable luminosity at all. In this category Bare Essentials line of "radiances" (clear radiance, flawless radiance, etc.) do the job much much better without relying on glitter no matter how nano the size. For the best luminosity I use Laura Mercier's Luminous Tinted moisturizer OVER my moisturizer since it is not very effective at that and then apply just a smidge of foundation to "dampen" the shine or it can be too much. Sorry I wasted the $50. on this one.