Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette

on
Tuesday, August 12, 2014

So, when I was in New York this past June, I finally broke down and bought the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette. When it was initially launched last fall, I kept debating whether I even wanted to take a look at it because I tend to go for more "bling-y" highlighters. By the time I decided to go in-store to swatch it, it was sold out everywhere which, of course, only made me more interested to check it out (I needed to see why it was so coveted; it might've been the most hyped up make-up product of 2013). Now I can say that I like the Ambient Lighting Powder formula, but I refuse to shell out $52 here for a single one. So I told myself if the palette ever came back, I would pick it up. Hourglass finally decided to make it permanent this Spring; it was originally launched as an online exclusive at Sephora, but is now available in all locations where Hourglass is sold. Ambient Lighting Powder is described as a "high-tech, soft-focus finishing powder that recreates the most exquisitely flattering light source." These three shades "can be applied individually or layered to imbue skin with a multidimensional glow." They are packaged in a curved rectangular plummy brown reflective mirrored plastic compact. Each Ambient Lighting Palette contains a total of 9.9 grams of product, and retails for $58 USD or $67 CAD. 

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette

Dim Light, Incandescent Light, and Radiant Light

Dim Light is a light-medium warm beige with very subtle shimmer-sheen in a satin finish that "blurs imperfections and highlights the complexion." This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is slightly darker and less pink than MAC Medium Mineralize Skinfinish Natural, and lighter and less pink than MAC Medium Plus Mineralize Skinfinish Natural.
Incandescent Light is a light neutral ivory-beige with a soft pearlescent finish that "brightens the complexion with a celestial glow." This is a palette-exclusive shade. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is softer and less shimmery than MAC Lightscapade Mineralize Skinfinish, and more shimmery and less golden than MAC Light Plus Mineralize Skinfinish Natural.
Radiant Light is a medium peachy golden-beige with very subtle shimmer-sheen in a satin finish that "enhances the complexion with believable, subtle warmth." This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more peach than MAC Medium Golden Mineralize Skinfinish Natural.

In terms of texture and feel, these seem like a more refined, slightly more illuminating version of MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish Natural. The texture is very finely-milled, lightweight, smooth, and incredibly silky; they apply beautifully, and I can see where the "soft focus" effect comes into play with these. The powders have a subtle illumination to them but aren't sparkly or shiny, so it makes the skin appear smoother and more "blurred" while still looking like skin. I didn't really see it with the blushes, but I definitely see it with these. For those who, like me, have a combination-to-oily skin type, you'll like this more for adding a soft, natural dimension to the face, though for those who have drier skin types, you can definitely use these all over as finishing powders. They're especially great to use after foundation, when the face looks flatter and too uniform; these breathe life back into the skin. I've been loving Dim Light under my eyes and those upside-down-triangle cheek areas around the nose (where I want more subtle highlighting), Incandescent Light on my cheekbones and under my brows (where I want slightly brighter but not over-the-top highlighting), and Radiant Light around the outer edges of my face like around the hairline and jawline (where I would use bronzer). The effect is very lit-from-within glow with believable dimension, and I finally get where the inspiration for these powders came from. This is facial definition at it's most sophisticated.
7 comments on "Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette"
  1. I still like these a lot! They get less play during summer but I can't wait to work them in fall. Wear ALL THE THINGS in fall!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DENISE!!!!!!!!!

      http://instagram.com/p/rpPd9nppWx/?modal=true

      Delete
    2. OH MY GOD. I NEED.

      But I already have Luminous Flush. Think it's still worth it? (Let's be real, I'll probably still end up getting it 'cause THE OTHER TWO SHADES!!!)

      I've been wearing this palette quite a lot, actually, almost everyday! I definitely ended up loving it more than I thought I would, not gonna lie.

      Delete
  2. I refuse to give in to this, lol. Do you not find that the powders slightly alter the color of your foundation once you put it all on? I swatched a couple in store when they first came out and I don't know, I think I'm too lazy for this level of pro-ness.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL. I haven't found that they alter the colour of my foundation, but then again, I don't put them everywhere, just selected parts of my face... I also don't use liquid foundation, which might help, too.

      I wasn't that excited about this palette when I first saw it, but it's one of those things that you need to try on your face to really see the result. And trruuuuussst, you don't have to be a pro to use this!

      Delete
  3. I had this since just after the holidays, but honestly I wasn't that impressed - I think my darker skin tone makes these not wear as nicely, as they looked powdery on my skin. But I still wish they worked, the idea of them is right up my alley!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree -- this palette definitely works more effectively on a fairer skintone. I wish they had made two versions, one for lighter skintones and one for darker. It would look quite ashy on you and not how it's intended to look (soft, glowy). :(

      Delete

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