Fab or flub?: Bobbi Brown’s new balm promises luminous skin

For this week’s Fab or Flub, I took the opportunity to try out Bobbi Brown’s new Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm ($63 at Nordstrom). As part of the Illuminating Nudes Collection, this skin-boosting moisture balm promises to help energize tired, dull skin and restore its natural glow.

Described by Brown as being a “Cinderella cream,” the balm can be applied before makeup to your face, neck and decolletage, or it can be patted over foundation for a subtle glow.

While I had not heard of the product before, I had seen the campaign pictures for the collection (they feature a fresh-faced Kate Upton sporting a healthy, glowing complexion that is beyond gorgeous).

If the balm could make my skin look even a fraction as great as that, then consider me sold.

First impression

The product comes packaged in a pump-style bottle, so I squirted a small amount of the balm on my hand the minute I got it out of the box.

While the word “balm” might conjure up thoughts of a thick, yellow ointment, this is more like a typical moisturizer. The non-greasy formula is light and slightly fragrant (the smell reminds me of Bliss’ line of Lemon + Sage body products).

On closer inspection, I could see that the balm had a shimmer to it — the manufacturer credits this to ultra-fine pearls that are included in the product’s formula. Blending the balm into my hand, I found that it soaked into my skin immediately without leaving a residue.

Afterward, my skin felt soft and nice.

Fab or flub?

Fab! A great new addition to my daily makeup routine, Bobbi Brown’s Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm has done wonders for my skin.

On days that I don’t get the recommended eight hours of sleep (a frequent occurrence), it does a great job of helping give my face a refreshed, glowing look. The quality of my skin is much brighter and has a much more even look in pictures and on video.

I found the balm worked best for me when I mixed a small amount of it with my foundation, though I did apply it to my face before makeup on a couple of occasions and it seemed to work fine that way as well. It also worked as a midday pick up, when I would pat it over my makeup.

You only have to use a small amount, too, so for those who have reservations about the product’s price tag, there is the assurance that the balm should last for quite some time.

And even if you have oily skin, I’m happy to report that the balm did not make my face oilier (I use a matte foundation to help with that as well).

Overall, I had a wonderful experience with this product and would recommend it to those who want glowing skin.

This story was originally published February 13, 2015 at 3:24 PM with the headline "Fab or flub?: Bobbi Brown’s new balm promises luminous skin."