Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen

The Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen is Dior's take on the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat. If haven't heard of either product, they are both light weight illuminators that help reduce the appearance of fine lines, dark circles and generally freshen up your complexion. I like to use the Touche Eclat as a highlighter, which I apply after I have used concealer and powder to brighten up my under eye area. I don't usually wear it on its own because it isn't heavy enough to cover my dark circles. 

I was curious as to how the Dior Skinflash was going to compare. The first thing is the Dior pen is a little cheaper (I have to qualify this - at Sephora the .1 oz YSL pen sells for $40, while the .05 oz Dior pen sells for $34 - so though you pay more for the YSL, are are also getting more product).  Second, I find the Dior to be a little heavier, which is a good thing because it can be worn on its own as a brightening concealer, and it also be used as a highlighter over your other makeup. As far as coverage goes, it's still not as heavy as some concealers, but it covers circles more than the Touche Eclat does on its own. It does lighten dark circles pretty well, especially when using it over a concealer. I have a feeling that I am going to like the Skinflash better in the summer as a concealer because it's so light weight, and I tend to wear less makeup.

There are a couple of minor things that I didn't like: the smell and the brush. When you press the button to get more illuminator on the YSL pen, it evenly distributes through the brush, so when you go to apply there isn't a ton sitting on the end of the brush. The Dior pen seems to always come out in a big glop at the end of the brush, which wastes product and it's just messy. The other thing I don't love is the smell. Most Dior cosmetics are lightly scented, and usually I don't mind it, but for some reason I just don't like the scent of the Skinflash. The good news is, it does fade pretty quickly, so it's not strong enough to discourage me from using it. 

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the Skinflash, I didn't think  it was going to be comparable to the YSL Touche Eclat, and it totally holds its own. To me it's a different kind of brightener, more on the side of a concealer than true illuminator. It's a nice alternative to the YSL pen if you're looking for an highlighter that offers more coverage. If you'd like to read more about it, visit Dior.