When YSL went on 40% sale at counters in Malaysia, I took the opportunity to pick up the iconic YSL Touche Eclat Radiant Touch highlighter pen. Its touted as an liquid highlighter with illuminating qualities so it conceals slightly and highlights at one go.
For many, the YSL Touche Eclat highlighter pen is a magic wand that erases imperfections at a touch. For me, I’m wondering what the hype is about.
Yes, its a dinky little tool with brush tip applicator that you can tote around on the go. Good for travel but otherwise nothing too special for me. Also, many fail to mention that its not a twist type clicky pen mechanism. Oh no! YSL, being luxury opts for a push-button clicky system like that of a ball point pen. See that black button at the back of the pen? That’s where you press down.
Now I’d like you to imagine this. You have just slathered on your moisturizer and sunscreen in the morning and then you reach for your YSL Touche Eclat highlighter pen. You click it as you would a ball pen, but that high gloss gold surface slips over and over due to the lotions from your hands. Its frustrating and I dislike it. Also, did I mention the gold body attracts fingerprints better than any fingerprinting tape the CSI use?
My pen needs me to click it something like 20 times before it spits a giant glob of liquid in the tip of the brush. Its too much to use for 2 eyes so I end up slathering it on my cheek bones and around the sides of my nose too. After all, its a highlighter right? So highlight!
The brush leaves the liquid looking streaky on the skin so I usually use the brush to apply the liquid on my skin and then use my fingers to tap it in to blend.
Now, I’ve been a little harsh. The YSL Touche Eclat pen is not one of YSL’s bestsellers for nothing. Go to duty free and you can buy packs of 2 for much cheaper than retail – that’s how popular it is.
The liquid does help conceal a little and the highlighting properties do help illuminate the undereye area if that is your intention. You can also brush it anywhere that needs highlighting. I sometimes swipe excess around my nose and cheekbones as I’ve said earlier and it works to brighten up dull areas so you look a little more alive. Late nights rushing a knitting project have left me looking like Ling Ling the panda and this helps me in the morning.
There are 4 shades and I can’t remember what shade I am – its either #1 or #2 – but its a tiny little touch pink. The next colour up was a little too dark.
And that brings me to my final complaint. Nowhere on the body of the pen is any indication of the colour shade you are using. The colour shade is on the box and I’ve tossed that – clever me. So there you go! Grumble grumble 😛
I still use mine when I remember and when I want to bother with that dicky clicky pen that spits gobs of concealer at me when it feels like it. It works for me as undereye concealer but otherwise, I’d say pass on it. You can do better with less mess and at lower prices than this one.
Now, will L’oreal please bring back the Touche Magique concealer pen to Malaysia? It acts the same as Touche Eclat and costs a fraction of the price (it was RM40) so I won’t even complain about the dicky clicky pen – I promise! I know its available in Singapore but sorry, I don’t think its quite S$21 (RM52) wonderful 😛
The YSL Touche Eclat Radiant Touch highlighter pen retailed in Malaysia at RM133 and if you can find a YSL counter still in operation, you can ask for it. The sales people will be more than happy to sell you their bestselling item. I’m fine with it for the price I paid but I will not be able to bring myself to pay the full asking price.
And I know you’re wondering why my pen looks so gunky and why I did not clean it up before taking pictures. This my friends is how the pen looks after a few uses so that bugs me too! No worries. I cleaned it up a treat after this 🙂
Pros: Conceals if you don’t have very dark undereye circles, Highlights without looking sparkly
Cons: Expensive, Clicky mechanism is tricky and temperamental, Brush cannot be cleaned properly, Difficult to color match
So was I harsh on this one? 🙂 I’m sorry if you like it. But I guess all that hype about this wonderful YSL Touche Eclat highlighter pen that helps you glow and hides a multitude of sins built my hopes up too high 😀
Do share if you like it! Its always good to have a different point of view.
Stay beautiful,
Paris B
LMAO. Always good to have some thoughts from the other side of the fence. I use it because it’s the lightest highlighter I have and it’s OK. It’s not fantastic but I’m used to it 🙂 I much prefer Dior’s SkinFlash though. A tad cheaper but works just as well if not better 🙂
Hey Geekchic
Ok you got me intrigued by Dior Skinflash. I shall check it out when I can! 😀
i love dior skinflash too! get the yellow toned one, not the pink one. it’s really nice and glowy and not clicky. it’s twisty. and the packaging is nicer.
I don’t think this pen is that great either. It’s okay…but too ex and it seems we’re paying for the hype. And when you use it for awhile, it really stinks!
Hi Sesame
YES! I forgot to mention that. Its only been a little while and already I’m starting to get unsavoury whiffs 😛
Yeah, even YSL liquid eyeshadow (can’t seem to remember the name) stinks after a while, just like their touche eclat. I found out somewhere that you need to constantly clean up the brush attached after several uses.. Even so, the smell will still stick to the brush. yuck..
Hi Shuu
Really? They stink too? That really sucks! I thought mine was going bad and I do clean my brush by wiping on tissue paper – it works for all my other similar type concealers but this one smells exceptionally bad.
Hi Paris,
Thanks for the review. I have not use this before, but would like to share something similar.
I have bought T-Leclerc pen concelear, which I like very much. Concept is similar, twist the pen and the liquid flows out. I just use very little for my eye area. It gives good coverage and last whole day. I bought it at a very good discount, when their counters were having sales.
You can check them out next round.
Cheers,
lemon 🙂
Hi Lemon
I hear T le Clerc has left our shores but I haven’t confirmed it. There are loads of similar type concealer/highlighters though. In fact, the Revlon spa isn’t bad too! 🙂 Thanks for your rec
Thanks for the review!! I had the old Loreal Touche Magique and i didn’t get the hype about it either though its cheaper!! >.<
Hey Jenn
Haha… that was HG for me if I can ever stick to one thing enough 🙂
I have the same looking one but its a concealer from Benefit, I have heard so many raves about this. They were never on sale down here so I didn’t have the chance to pick it up 🙂
Hiya Nikki
Does the Benefit one work well for you?
I agree with you that Dior Skin Flash is a better product. I also love Light Expert By Terry, but that’s a lot more money (Terry De Guinzburg is the inventor of Touche Eclat, and she went one better with her own product!!)
Hi Jamilla
Thanks for that bit of trivia! I didn’t know and I think we no longer get By Terry here. I’ll go check out Dior Skin Flash now I have 2 recs 😀
hi dear,
is the sales still going on? and which YSL counter u went to?
Hi ShaynaJo
I have no idea if the sales are still on or if there are any YSL counters left. Try KLCC. I got mine from Robinsons Gardens but then I think thats already gone as far as cosmetics are concerned.
not harsh at all! the people need to know the truth! It looks icky O_O
I have the Estee Lauder version of this and yet to write the review because I’m not very fond of it… I’m now using the revlon spa concealer which is also in a click pen. works pretty well! and less than RM40 😀
Hey Connie
Ya after a few uses and it looked like that – I was very disappointed. Also it smells 😛 I have the Revlon Spa concealer too! Its good for what it is with less mess. Doesn’t highlight but I’ll live with that!
Well, to be honest I am intrigued by the gold packaging at first. But after reading your review, this is something which I shouldn’t go for at the price of RM133! I can easily get other better alternatives with this price!
Gosh! Thanks for the review Paris. Not not harsh at all. I appreciate your honesty and please continue to do so for other products so I can get a really clear view when I want to buy something. Thanks for saving my wallet 🙂
Hi Celine
I on the other hand disliked the gold packaging for being too gaudy LOL… but yes there are other alternatives out there.
hi Paris, I saw the Loreal Touche Magique concealer pen in the Guardian at my hometown! But I m not sure whether that’s old stock or not… I had never used it before but there’s no tester available so I didnt try it, though i had never seen it in any other places aside from there….
Hi Pinkcloud
If you are in Malaysia, then its likely to be old stock. L’Oreal stopped selling them here years ago
I was curious about this being the best, but seems like it has its fails.
Thank you for the review!
Hi Maryinwonder
Yes it does and its all packaging unfortunately! Product isn’t bad but the packaging brought it down.
Thanks for your honest review. You’ve just killed my lemming for this. I was so intrigued by all the type that I didn’t realise the problems with the packaging. It looks really icky and not worth the full price.
Hi Gio
Haha… I guess i had to learn it the hard way 🙂 Product isn’t bad but packaging could be improved on.
The Body Shop has something called the Lightening Touch, I’ve read that it’s a cheaper version of the YSL one 🙂 Love how honest this review was.
Hi Karysa
I have seen that one and was similarly intrigued. Perhaps some day I’ll give that one a try. 🙂
I am a fan of their mascara and gloss stick and wanted to stock up. I went to find a YSL makeup counter but to no avail. One of the sales lady at Metrojaya, MidValley said that they’ve closed down all counters but one in pavilion. Is this true? Can anyone help me locate an existing counter and if the 40% discount is still available 😛
Many thanks.
Hi Zaza
I’m afraid I know most counters are closed and am not aware of any that are still around. If anyone else knows perhaps they coud pipe up 🙂
Hi Paris,
I’ve also got myself a YSL touche eclat pen during their 40% discount sale a while ago. Mine is shade #2 and you can actually see the colour indication at the black button (bottom of the pen). I believe mine is still in good condition as I didn’t trace any unpleasant smell from it. Well, it did indicate (on the gold body) a 6 month life span after opening though. From what I’ve read from your review on YSL purchases earlier on, think yours was shade #1.
hello there.. I totally agree with your review on this item.
I read great reviews on it and bought one when one of the counter is having 40%. I dont like the clicking part, plus some times,I click and had to wait for sometime to see the dollop and i get frustrated and click too many a times, it goes to waste -__-
and true, it had a bad smell..
Where can i buy this brand products from Malaysia ? I really need to know !!! thanks !!! ^_^