Terry de Gunzberg created a new makeup category when she invented Touche Éclat for Yves Saint Laurent 19 years ago. Thanks to Touche Éclat’s success — it’s an oft-mentioned celebrity makeup favourite — a click brightening pen is a staple in the lineup for many, many makeup brands, including Dior, The Body Shop, Victoria’s Secret, Fresh, Lauder and more.
Yet I have a wicked peeve about Touche Éclat ($50, Holt Renfrew and Murale). It’s a light-reflective brightening pen for highlighting brow bones, the bridge of your nose, cheekbones, the bow of your lips and so on. However, YSL Touche Éclat is not a freaking concealer!
I’ve met so many women who declare proudly that the pen is their favourite concealer — and all I can see during our chat is the darkness it’s failed to conceal under their eyes. Then there are people who think it’s overrated because it doesn’t hide their dark shadows. Well, it’s not supposed to. As an in-the-know friend said yesterday, “if you’re a blue-circled sad person in the morning, Touche Éclat can’t help you.”
Check out “The Magic Wand of the Makeup Bag” on Macleans.ca. Writer Joanne Latimer delves into Touche Éclat’s popularity via chats with fans, skeptics, pro makeup artists (hi, Diana Carreiro!), editors (hi, Carlene Higgins, Beauty Director at Flare!) and industry bigwigs such as Shelley Rozenwald at The Bay (which carries Touche Éclat, by the way).
And if you want tips on how to use Touche Éclat, YSL makeup artistic director Lloyd Simmonds demonstrates some great techniques in the videos below:
Have you ever used Touche Éclat? Do you think it lives up to its status as an iconic makeup must-have?
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After totally falling for that “beauty must-have” and “holy grail status” buzz surrounding the Touche Eclat a few years back, my thoughts on it is just a big fat MEH. It’s a decent highlighter but there are so many other products out there that are far less expensive and/or offers far more coverage. My beauty regret now sits in my purse for those emergency pick-me-ups kind of moments.
Thank you for not calling it Touché Éclat, which I just saw the other day. And agreed, NOT A CONCEALER.
Thanks Janine! You’re so sweet! And you give good quotes, baby!
It’s kind of like saying the Emperor has no clothes. Finally someone has said what others have avoided. In my book it’s a pretty good highlighter.
There are tons of ways to highlight. This one is fine, especially on dry skins, but it’s certainly not the only way to highlight. I loathe hearing clients tell me it’s their undereye secret. The only secret is “it’s not working”.
I actually love this- for what it is. I keep it in my purse and use it to touch up dark circles and eyelids, the area around my nose, and the marionette lines. I like that it is sheer, matte and easy to control. LOVE.
So agree-it’s NOT a concealer. Now I picked up the By Terry Touche Veloutee Concealer in Paris and it’s AMAZING. So worth the money!
Yes. I agree. It’s not a concealer at all. I first got the original shade which really did nothing for me, even with highlighting. It was not until I think it’s #2 shade (might be #3) – a shade with no pearl to it, that I finally get some lighting/shaping effects from it. But my biggest complain besides the price continuing to skyrocket, if that it does not last more than about 1 hr on me.
Never tried it. I guess I’m missing out?
Not necessarily missing out — there are lots of other great ways and products to get the same effect. But I think maybe you do need to try it so your experience with it adds to your expertise. Does that makes sense?
Ha! Maybe it’s because YSL lists it under ‘concealers’ on their website, therefore confusing everyone.
http://www.yslbeautyus.com/Touche-Éclat/141YSL,default,pd.html
That doesn’t help!
Thanks Janine! I’ve tried several highlighters, so I am curious to see why this one is “the one.” I shall check it out.
i got fooled by a sephora gal – after asking about a new conceler…this is what she said will change my life. so as you’ve all noted, for concealing, no it did not….and i’m still on the hunt!
How did I miss this article?!
Another good one Janine!
Maybe you’re a busy, busy woman?? Thanks lady :-) xo