NYX Hydra Touch Brightener Review & Swatches

NYX Hydra Touch Brightener ($8.99) is a new NYX Spring 2016 release available in three shades selections. Crayons like this are becoming increasingly popular due to the contouring craze at the moment. Basically this is a water-based formula that instantly illuminates skin and adds a touch of radiance wherever you apply it.

I personally purchased it to use on my high brow area as I thought it would make a good switch up from my Too Faced Instant Attitude Brow Lift. I like to add a little bit of a cream or vanilla shade to this area to gift my eyes a little lift and also to contrast off a brown smoky eye look.

It’s obviously a good pick for using down the sides of your nose as well or even the hollows of your eyes as a contouring shade of sorts.

But..

It doesn’t quite work well.

It’s a funny thing you think I’d like this formula since I have drier skin but I actually hated it. It is a water based formula that’s very cool and refreshing when it hits skin. But that water content hinders the formula in my opinion as it isn’t as creamy as I had hoped for and ended up sorta blending out poorly and pilled and rolled off my face as I blended. It’s also very, very sheer. I purchased the Glow shade which is a pale yellow and one would think this would be an ideal deal to contour under eyes with but sadly it’s very, very sheer so the brightening effect is not noticeable in the least.

I think the cool, refreshing feel is novel but the water content in this formula seems to somehow spoil the consistency of the pencil making it not only difficult to blend but very sheer as well! It did seem to receive mixed reviews on Ulta where some people are loving it where as others felt like I did so it might be worth swatching in store.

Personally I feel like I want my nine bucks back 🙁

Tried it?

Do share your thoughts on it!

Available now at Ulta and Ulta.com.