MAC Prep & Prime CC Cream in Illuminate

I'm not going to lie, this has been sitting in my makeup bag for some time, mostly untouched until fairly recently because, to be quite frank, I didn't really have a clue what to do with it. I honestly don't quite remember why I bought it but it probably went along the lines of - Oh it's new and it's MAC - Need I say any more? 
If you're a makeup noob, then CC stands for colour correcting. CC creams are designed to counteract specific skin problems, such as dull skin, redness and blemishes. I remember all too well the first day that I was introduced to a green-tinted concealer and the mind was blown. Anyway, a while back, MAC released a whole range of Colour Correcting products which you can check out right here, but today I'm going to focus on the cream that's made its way into my hands.

It's called Illuminate and as you can probably tell from the pictures, it's a pinkish/lavender colour. I get what you're thinking, how bizarre right?! When I first splodged this cream onto the back of my hand at the MAC counter I was intrigued, but mostly just confused. Seriously, what do I do with this? Naturally, I bought it anyway because A. I felt like I could use a little illumination in my life and B. It's pretty. Yes, I'm one of those people. 
It turns out that the lovely lavender colour isn't just a pretty face, it actually helps to brighten up a dull complexion so if you find your skin lacking a bit of life after a heavy weekend, then this product is your friend. Let's have a look at it swatched shall we?

 

As you can see, once it's blended in, it's pretty hard to notice. Although the formula is quite thick, once applied it gives a nice, semi-sheer finish. I like that it isn't too chalky or powdery, so you're not going to be left looking pasty faced.
Used underneath foundation, the CC cream works just like a primer and helps to balance out your skin tone before you apply the rest of your base. That being said, I personally wouldn't use this as an all-over primer. I tend to apply a small amount, over the top of my usual primer, under my eyes, along my cheekbones and down my nose with a small sweep above my brows. Think of it a bit like where you would want to apply your highlighter and you can't go far wrong, and take note, a little goes a long way! 
So, next question. At £24 a tube, is it really worth it? Hmmm... For me, probably not, but at the rate I'm using it, I don't think I'll ever see the last drop so it's not going to be something I'd need to replace regularly. I only use this on off days when I feel like my skin needs a little pick-me-up; however I can imagine that if you regularly struggle with a dull complexion, then this is really going to work for you and you'll get more use out of it than I do. 
On the whole, not a bad little product from MAC. It's nice to see something other than a new eye shadow or lipstick release once in a while and I think that if you have problem skin, you'll more than likely find something in the CC collection that's going to help you out. 
Thoughts anyone?