HOURGLASS Ambient Lighting Edit Review

Swatches & Palette Review

Each year, luxury brand Hourglass Cosmetics bring us a beautiful holiday palette
And this year, she's a Stunner!
First the Ambient Lighting Powder trio as a permanent item in 2013,
then the Ambient Lighting Blush trio last year as a limited edition palette, 
that I'm sure a lot of us are still kicking ourselves for not picking up (I know I am!)
And this year the Ambient Lighting Edit, a limited edition complete face palette 
with finishing & highlighting powders, blushes & a bronzer in one!
But with all the rumours & reviews so far about the price & size, we're left asking
Is it really worth it???

♥
Price $80 USD for 0.29oz
Available at Sephora, Hourglass website, Nordstrom & other retailers

www.sephora.com/hourglass

We all know Hourglass Cosmetics is a luxurious high-end brand acclaimed for 
their soft-focus, complexion perfecting formulas that create radiant, glowing skin!
Often the Ambient face powders are mistaken for highlighting or strobing powders 
when in fact they are used for setting the face makeup & giving that "perfect lighting" effect 
like you're ready for selfies all day!
Don't get me wrong, build up the product, such as Iridescent Light or Diffused Light, 
on the highest parts of your face - cheekbones, brow bone, you will achieve a beautiful, natural looking highlight. These are not meant to be highly pigmented powders & are designed to give the most natural, flawless-looking finish, but you can use them wet to intensify the highlight effect!

♥

This palette includes three Ambient Lighting Powders, including one new shade 

Iridescent Strobe Light, two Ambient Lighting Blushes & one Ambient Lighting Bronzer in 

a golden plastic palette with a large mirror inside. The standard Sleek Hourglass packaging

Dim Light - A neutral peach beige that blurs imperfections & highlights the complexion

Iridescent Light - A rose pearl that gives the complexion a refined glow

Diffused Light - A soft pale yellow that conceals redness & gives the skin clarity

Mood Exposure - A soft plum blush fused with Mood Light to brighten the complexion

Luminous Flush - A champagne rose blush fused with Luminous Light for a candlelit glimmer

Luminous Bronze Light - A medium tan shade fused with Luminous Light for a softer candlelit warmth

Now lets talk about the value of this thing! 

Price - $80 USD (approx $120 NZD)

The size is 0.29oz/8.3g which is 0.049oz/1.4g in each pan

At first that sounded insane to me, that's a tiny amount of product!

"How could they possibly make this palette $80?!"

I convinced myself it was because of it's luxurious design & quality,

Hourglass is an expensive brand & this is a Limited Edition, High-end Holiday palette

In my mind, $80 is not that bad for 6 different products in one travel friendly palette

I'd be happy to pay $13-14 separately for this size pan of Hourglass powder,

& 6 in 1 is the perfect way to try the different shades & lighting effects.

Also, considering how long it takes to make a dent in these powders,

this palette should last a long time!

There is a travel size Ambient Lighting powder available in Dim Light

but it's $22 for 0.049oz of powder

If you already have the Ambient Lighting Palette & Ambient Blush Palette,

you really don't need to get this

I love mine & don't regret the purchase, I use it most days & don't find it

difficult to use with my brushes. I use an angled blush brush or tapered face

brush & get a good application. Obviously you're not gonna shove your

bronzer/powder brushes in there! The other shades may transfer & you'll

have the bronzer where you wanted the lighting powder!

LucyLoves! xx

HOW TO: Look Healthy When You're Feeling Sick

Makeup Tips for a Healthy complexion!

Finally, I'm back in to blogging after a couple of weeks with the flu, &  I picked up a few tricks while trying to present myself for work, or just leaving the house in general at this time.
I think it's important to keep your skin moisturised, especially in Winter, 
and to give some life & radiance back to the skin.

♥

(Products I used & why, listed below)

♥ BASE PRODUCTS ♥

After moisturising my face, I mixed a full-coverage luminous foundation with a illuminating face primer/base to give the ultimate glowy base!

I used NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation mixed with

L'oreal LUMI Magique Base Primer or MAC Strobe Cream

I then go for a highly pigmented & brightening concealer to cover those 

dark, sleepy circles around my eyes! Ensuring it is lightweight to prevent creasing.

Using Urban Decays Naked Complete Coverage Concealer (my current fave concealer!)

Also Benefits Fake Up concealer (surrounded in Vit C & Apple Seed Extract) 

keeps skin around the nose hydrated!

Typically, I would then start using powder products to set, contour, bronze etc, but I found working with more cream products would keep my face looking dewy & prevent enhancement of any dry skin

I Love Soleil Tan De Chanel as a universal cream bronzer to contour & add sunkissed colour!

Benefit Watts Up is a stunning champagne, cream highlighter for the cheekbones.

Cream Blushes! Tarte, Stila, Colourpop, MAC are just a few brands

 with amazing colours & formulas! 

I actually went for a powder blush most days, Benefit Dandelion Blush.

This is a pale peachy pink, Face Brightening powder. This powder has a slight sheen on the skin giving a natural radiance with very subtle shimmer. Love!

Using the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette, I set the oilier parts of my face with "Dim Light" & used "Radiant Light" over the cream bronzer! It gives a beautiful, brightening finish to your complexion when you're sick!

♥EYE PRODUCTS ♥

When you're sick, you feel weak & your appearance can be the last thing you care about! So I like to leave a few unnecessary makeup steps out...

Eyeshadow! I will quickly pop a dot of shimmery white shadow in the inner corner to 

open the eyes & look wide awake! I won't bother doing a crease/lid shade..

Mascara is a MUST to open up the eyes, Benefit Rollerlash is a great option.

Eyeliner is not necessary if you don't feel up to it, I personally don't feel myself without it! 

I go for Maybelline Master Precise Liner, it's a felt-tip like pen & I find it super easy to use!

Kat Von D Tattoo Pen Liner is another easy alternative. 

♥ LIPS ♥

I prefer to go for a simple lip colour, something undetectable that fades off & is easy to reapply throughout the day. Creamy & Moisturising to hydrate your lips if they get dry.

I love my nude shades! Gerard Cosmetics "1995" I'm wearing in the photo above^ It's a rosey brown nude, deeper then my natural lip colour, super easy to wear!

Chichi Cosmetics "O.M Nude" a mauve brown Nude that's creamy & moisturising!

Check out my Instagram for Blog updates! Lucymaria_x

LucyLoves! xx