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Hourglass Ambient® Lighting Palette

Hourglass Ambient® Lighting Palette


A palette featuring three shades of Ambient Lighting Powder, the high-tech, soft-focus finishing powder that recreates the most exquisitely flattering types of light.

This product is free of talc, gluten, fragrance, Parabens and nano particles.

Hourglass Ambient® Lighting Palette was among one of the many products in my Best in Beauty 2015 post and recently when I saw it pop up on Sephora Websites as their best sellers, I realized I had never reviewed it on this blog and I use this all the time. It deserves a mention for sure.


So here we have my two cents on this wonderful palette.

Texture and Consistency

These powders are finely milled, super soft, slightly powdery in texture. None of them have huge, chunky shimmers or glitters. There is a visible sheen in few of the powders. They are not completely matte. Incandescent Light has the most pearly sheen. These go on smoothly, blends easily without settling in the fine lines. They don't emphasize the pores or texture.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette

Color, Application and Effect on Skin

The Palette includes Incandescent Light (exclusive to this palette), Dim Light and Radiant Light.

Dim Light is a pale, neutral beige powder with warm, peach undertones. It has subtle satin sheen, with no visible shimmers. The powder is finely milled. I use Dim Light all over my face as finishing powder, after my makeup is done, using a big fluffy brush. They blend easily and does not apply patchy. These are not setting powders, but as I have dry skin these work beautifully by giving me that needed, lit from within glow and not make skin look matte flat an dry. It just ties everything together.

Incandescent Light is a pearlescent, beige powder with soft ivory shimmers ad neutral undertones. This has the most sheen. It does not has any chunky shimmers either, but on my skin tone I cannot use at all over finishing powder. It works well as a highlighter, on top of the cheek bones. It does not emphasizes any pores or textures on skin. I like to use it on my collar bones and shoulders as well. It blends well and does not looks frosty.

Radiant Light is a medium, warm peachy beige powder with soft, subtle golden shimmers. This one is my favorite shade. I use it as a cheek highlighter or a finishing powder for the cheeks. It layers beautifully, does not emphasizes pores, textures nor makes me look oily. It gives a lovely warm glow on my medium plus complexion. On lighter skin tones this might work as warm peachy blush.



Scent: None

Packaging: A very sleek, metallic looking compact with a mirror. There is no applicator. The size of the pans are not huge, but not tiny either. A decent size blush brush fits easily. Easy to travel with. It attracts finger prints easily. 


Verdict: Ambient Lighting powders are my all time favorite. A good reason is the fact that, when these were released, there were not many subtle, finishing powders to choose from. Hourglass gave a huge selection. I don't use all the powder in similar way. Every single powder has its own role to perform on my skin tone. With these powders it is difficult to generalize and assign a single powder for any particular use. I have Diffused Light in another travel palette and I use it to set my under eye concealer, because it mimics banana powder for me. These don't settle in fine lines and go on smoothly. I have dry skin and it does not makes my skin drier, on layering over other products. Laura Mercier Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder is pretty similar, though I find them tad more shimmery when swatched. 

It is not a setting powder, but a finishing powder. There is a difference. The finishing powders capture, diffuse, and soften the way light reflects on skin. Ambient Lighting Powder utilizes photo luminescent technology to filter out harsh light and refine the appearance of the complexion. The powders deliver a multidimensional luminescence to every skin tone, making it appear softer and lit from within. The finishing powders enhance skin in any type of light, including flash photography.

People with oily skin would need something else to set their makeup first and then finish it off with these Hourglass Ambient Powders. Depending on skin tone and skin type, these powders can be customized to suit the needs. If you are looking for metallic glow, this is not for you.
As far as cost is concerned, the palette might be pricey, but I find palette better than individual pots. It is a great way to try multiple products or shades and they are easy to travel with. Also, on Hourglass website, these palette can be customized, with colors of personal choice. Isn't that Awesome!!!

A huge thumbs up!!

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