Shu Uemura get it very, very right with this skincare-makeup hybrid. It’s designed to renew and lift dull, tired skin and make it seem more luminous and smoothed-out. When I first tested this, I was expecting mega-watt glow and a real shimmery sheen, but in actual fact the glow is quite subtle. It’s the overall effect – the priming, the smoothing, the evening-out of skin tone – that is really quite outstanding.

There is a visible luminosity to the skin after this is applied, but the product isn’t merely a cosmetic ‘effect’ that draws the eye away from imperfection and shadows – it’s an all-round treatment. The moisturiser (for that’s what it is – you could switch your usual daytime product for the Instant Glow) is highly effective. Applied first thing in the morning, I noticed that my skin was still very supple and plumped-out at bedtime when I went to clean my face. The cream contains sweet orange and bitter orange flower to enhance circulation and give skin a natural rosy glow, and Gingko Extract to protect the skin throughout the day. From aggressors. Like Lord Voldemort, The Penguin from Batman and Lex Luther.

If you would care to examine exhibit B, an audiovisual demonstration of ‘Instant Glow’ you will see that my skin is perfectly primed and ‘ready for its closeup’ mere seconds after application. I can see this product really being snapped up by makeup artists who will slather it on hungover/tired/jetlagged/ill/malnutritioned models to get their skin looking healthy and bright. I will be adding the Instant Glow to my list of must-have beauty lifesavers which, one day, I will share with you. I’m working up to it – I don’t want to burn out too early, you see.

Stage Performer Instant Glow, £35 from Shu Uemura.