Wet n Wild Illumi-Naughty Highlighting & Concealing Pen Review & Swatches
Wet n Wild Illumi-Naughty Highlighting & Concealing Pen ($4.99) is a new, permanent highlighting and concealer click pen that launched with the Wet n Wild Spring 2016 Collection in two shade selections.
I wasn’t going to purchase the Wet n Wild Illumi-Naughty Highlighting & Concealing Pen because whenever I see “highlighter” and “concealer” in the same sentence I think of a shimmery formula that will end up putting a spotlight on my under eye imperfections.
But hey, I somehow talked myself into trying it out as because if nothing else I’m a concealer junkie.
Wet n Wild Illumi-Naughty Highlighting & Concealing Pen is available in a two shade sections which are “Posing Nude” and “A Happy Medium”. These are click pens with an attached brush for application however, the packaging on both of mine were faulty as with just two clicks the concealer ended up flowing out heavily and getting all over the place. First click nothing, second click a huge flow of concealer came up and out and wouldn’t stop flowing. So just be careful when clicking!
If you’re using these to create a strobing effecting or contouring with them under your eyes you’ll find that either of the two shades should suit a variety of skin tones including darker tan and medium skin tones. If you’re using them to conceal darkness, puffiness, finer lines, etc…you’ll likely not find a perfect match for many skin tones considering this is available in a lighter cream and lighter medium yellow toned shade selection.
If you watch youTube videos you likely ran across at least one guru who uses Benefit Lemon Aid as a contouring tool for under their eyes. This not only adds a lift to your eye area but it also brightens the area up and creates a highlighting effect. I believe Huda Beauty was one of the first gurus to do a tutorial of this technique. I contour under my eyes but I do not use Lemon Aid to do it. Typically I use my concealer and I bring it below my eye socket just where my cheek bone begins and I blend it upwards and out towards my temple. If I look well rested it isn’t because I’ve had eight hours sleep, it’s likely because I’ve use this contouring method to give my eyes a lifted, brighter appearance. Wet n Wild Illumi-Naughty Highlighting & Concealing Pen can be used in a similar fashion as Benefit Lemon Aid particularly A Happy Medium which has a good deal of a yellow undertone that produces a strobe or highlighting effect even though the formula has absolutely no shimmer or sparkle.
Both shades of Wet n Wild Illumi-Naughty Highlighting & Concealing Pen have a very soft, lightly hydrating, creamy, pigmented formula. These blend quite easily into skin and I had no issues with them appearing dry or creasing into my finer lines. These actually work well to conceal minor darkness, puffiness, and finer lines. But as I mentioned above not everyone is going to find a match within two shades. You can’t really use then to highlight your entire face and if you’re looking for a radiant or illuminating glow this isn’t the effect they product in my humble opinion.
The best way to use them is to apply under your eyes in the shape of a V so that the color just touches the tops of your cheek bone. Use a bushier brush to blend them out and you’ll find the color will be distributed and blended not only under eyes but also towards the top area of your cheeks and face which in turn gives a lifted, brighter appearance aka a sort of spotlight or strobe effect.
I do think they are a little messy to work with directly from the pen because as I said they do flow very quickly when clicked. However, using in conjunction with a good blending brush produces a better effect.
I actually prefer my own favorite concealer to do the same thing that this product does and I feel like it’s a better match for my skin tone. I think this is a product for folks that have excellent contouring skills. It’s also a nice hydrating concealer but you’ll have to fit into their two shade selection for it to work that way.
Wet n Wild Illumi-Naughty Highlighting & Concealing Pen is an interesting product that will give your eyes a lifted, brighter appearance. But it does take a little time to understand how it works if you’ve never contoured under your eyes before so there is a little learning curve.
Wet n Wild Illumi-Naughty Highlighting & Concealing Pen is launching now at drugstores.
Tried it?
Do share!