I have long been a fan of Touche Eclat by Yves St Laurent and first started to use it when I was in my early twenties and continue to use it to this day. I use make up six days a week with only Sunday off as my 'rest day' and this can take its toll on my skin. Also, as I reached my late twenties and then turned thirty, I did notice a significant difference tot the skin under my eyes. It didn't become wrinkly, but I have noticed it has thinned a little and made my dark circles a lot more prominent.

When I first started to use Touche Eclat (or Radiant Touch, to give it its English name) it was available in only one shade only but now there are several different tones to choose from, ranging from very light (number 1) through to several shades darker. I have a medium toned complexion and prefer to use shade number one as it is the lightest and I think it works better at covering my dark circles; anything darker would probably only serve to accentuate them.

Touche Eclat is so easy to apply. I tend to use it primarily around my lower eye area as it contains light reflecting pigments and minerals and these really do reflect the light and help to make my dark circles a lot less noticeable. I also like to use it (sparingly) around the outside of the nose area and I also use it as a base before applying lipstick. It is actually designed to be used anywhere on the face you would like to be reflected and isn't just meant to be for the eye area. Depending on how adept you are at applying it you can actually make your lips look much fuller by careful application of this product.

It isn't cheap at around £24 for a small tube but it does last a long time and I generally use about three (possibly four depending on how heavy handed I have been) per year. Also, if you shop around you can find it considerably cheaper on the likes of Strawberry.net and if it is on offer I always stock up as it seems to have a very good shelf life.

The product comes in a slim-line, quite classy looking golden tube with pull off lid. The first time you use it you will see that the brush is white and clean and contains no product at all. Upon reading the instruction leaflet which accompanies it, I found that if I depressed the black button on the top of the tube about twenty times, eventually I was able to detect a tiny amount of pale pink / cream fluid emanating from between the bristles of the brush.

The trick to applying this well, I think, is not to overload your brush (or your face) with the lotion as really a little does go a very long way and that's why it lasts me so long, despite my using it on a daily basis. The consistency of Touche Eclat is fairly runny and not at all thick and gloopy as some concealers can be. It feels light on the skin and does not sink into lines but seems to sit on top and brightens the whole area like magic. It is long lasting and I have personally never found the need to touch up during the day. LIkewise, it is simple and easy to remove at night with my usual make up remover.

I would not recommend Touche Eclat as a method of hiding spots or blemishes, however, I think it is too lightweight for this and I prefer to use something a little heavier if I need to do this. Touche Eclat works best at reflecting light on the face in a completely natural way and gives me a wide-awake look even if I have had a heavy night the previous evening. I can heartily recommend this product. It is expensive, I agree, but as far as I am concerned it is an investment.

N.B. ------ Also posted on Ciao! under the username "dawnieG" (I am THE SAME person & this review is my own work & NOT copied from another source)