Tom Ford Nudelight Shade and Illuminating Duo Review & Swatches
Nudelight
Tom Ford Beauty Nudelight Shade and Illuminating Duo ($89.00 for 0.42 oz.) is a new highlighting duo that included a very pale champagne gold and a darker, warmer gold together. They could be used individually or together to add shine and warmth to the skin. Both shades were more pigmented than marketed, but they were blendable, easy to work with, and forgiving to use otherwise.
Ingredients
Dimethicone, Silica, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Ozokerite, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Acrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methicone, Isohexadecane, Synthetic Beeswax, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, [+/- Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499)].
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Nudelight
PPermanent. $89.00.
Nudelight (Top)
Nudelight (Top) is a pale, champagne gold with subtle, warm yellow undertones and a luminous sheen.
- Opaque pigmentation (more than marketed)
- Gel-powder formula, so dense and firm to touch, best with dense brush
- Applied evenly and blended out easily, “melted” on skin, did not emphasize skin texture
- Long-wearing (8 hours before fading visibly)
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Becca Citrine (LE, $38.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Becca Vanilla Quartz (P, $38.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty Worth the Wait (LE, $49.00) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
- Anastasia Iced Out (P, $34.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- ColourPop Extra (LE, $12.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Zoeva Glowing Still (PiP, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- LORAC Star Reader (LE, $23.00) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
- Anastasia Vegas (P, $25.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Gilt Glow (LE, $68.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Ghostlight (P, $22.00) is warmer (95% similar).
Formula Overview
-
The formula is supposed to have "one-stroke luminosity" with the "payoff of a liquid highlighter." The "lighter shade to highlight and the darker shade to bronze" to get "buildable radiance." It is a gel-powder hybrid formula, which means that the feel of the powder was smooth to the touch but firmer and denser, though not stiff to work with, but was best paired with a moderately-dense brush in order to pick up product evenly.
The advantage of the gel-powder formula is in how the product applies, as the powder goes on evenly and almost blends itself as it "melts" on the skin, which results in a more seamless, luminous finish that doesn't accentuate skin texture. Most of the shades were mostly opaque to opaque in coverage, though could be used readily with a lighter hand for sheerer, more buildable coverage, whereas the luminosity was buildable as the more product layered, the more intense the shine/highlight effect was.
From the limited description by the brand, it did seem like the payoff wasn't intended to be as opaque as it ended up being, so it was rated downward primarily for that purpose, as the shades blendable, easy to work with, and long-wearing otherwise.
On my skin, most shades lasted around eight to eight and a half hours before fading visibly.
Browse all of our Tom Ford Beauty Shade and Illuminate Highlighter swatches.
Ingredients
Dimethicone, Silica, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Ozokerite, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Acrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methicone, Isohexadecane, Synthetic Beeswax, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, [+/- Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499)].
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Nudelight (Top)
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Nudelight (Bottom)
Nudelight (Bottom) is a dark gold with moderate, warm undertones and a luminous sheen.
- Opaque pigmentation (more than marketed)
- Gel-powder formula, so dense and firm to touch, best with dense brush
- Applied evenly and blended out easily, “melted” on skin, did not emphasize skin texture
- Long-wearing (8.5 hours before fading visibly)
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- NARS Ibiza (P, $38.00) is more shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Gold Bullion (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Kosas Helios (Highlighter) (PiP, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- MAC Always One Jump Ahead (LE, $35.00) is more shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
- Dior Midnight Wish (LE, $45.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Artist Couture Conceited (P, $27.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- rms beauty Midnight Hour (P, $38.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Maybelline Molten Topaz (P, $9.99) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Oh, Darling! (P, $42.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild Goddess Glow (P, $5.99) is warmer (90% similar).
Formula Overview
-
The formula is supposed to have "one-stroke luminosity" with the "payoff of a liquid highlighter." The "lighter shade to highlight and the darker shade to bronze" to get "buildable radiance." It is a gel-powder hybrid formula, which means that the feel of the powder was smooth to the touch but firmer and denser, though not stiff to work with, but was best paired with a moderately-dense brush in order to pick up product evenly.
The advantage of the gel-powder formula is in how the product applies, as the powder goes on evenly and almost blends itself as it "melts" on the skin, which results in a more seamless, luminous finish that doesn't accentuate skin texture. Most of the shades were mostly opaque to opaque in coverage, though could be used readily with a lighter hand for sheerer, more buildable coverage, whereas the luminosity was buildable as the more product layered, the more intense the shine/highlight effect was.
From the limited description by the brand, it did seem like the payoff wasn't intended to be as opaque as it ended up being, so it was rated downward primarily for that purpose, as the shades blendable, easy to work with, and long-wearing otherwise.
On my skin, most shades lasted around eight to eight and a half hours before fading visibly.
Browse all of our Tom Ford Beauty Shade and Illuminate Highlighter swatches.
Ingredients
Dimethicone, Silica, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Ozokerite, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Acrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methicone, Isohexadecane, Synthetic Beeswax, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, [+/- Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499)].
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Beautiful! Especially the top shade: chef’s kiss*. And because I’m so enamored of it, wouldn’t you know, I have dupes! PML’s Fine Gold, but I would also add Fenty’s Metal Moon to the dupes, too. Anywho, I don’t need this duo!
These are designed to suit warmer skintones and they do look quite pretty and flattering on you Christine.
This whole release is total nonsense. Who is this highlighter for? One shade will be either too dark or too light. Easy skip for me