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Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Review

Feb 142013

Hourglass Ambient31

Hourglass Ambient Powders ($45) have hit the market of the past few weeks via Sephora.com and soon to be available in stores. Essentially, these powders are intended to brighten, conceal by capturing and diffusing the way that light hits the skin. The company makes the powders in six different shades intended to work on all skin tones, so that one can choose the effect they desire.

According to the company:

“I learned early on how different types of light can truly flatter the complexion,” says Carisa Janes, Hourglass CEO & Founder. “Growing up, my mother had pink light bulbs in all of the lamps throughout the house. She loved pink light because it was the softest and most flattering, and she always wanted to look good.” Janes was inspired to create a new generation of powders that can be customized according to the desired lighting effect.

Unlike traditional finishing powders, Ambient Lighting Powder alters the perceived appearance of the complexion by manipulating and filtering out harsh light. As we age, skin loses its natural luminosity, and Ambient addresses this deficiency with ‘photoluminescent technology’. These transparent micron-size, color-correcting particles emulate the appearance of young, healthy-looking skin.

The packaging is a lightweight compound that feels a bit like plastic and touch-up mirror. The company has released a accompanying Ambient Powder brush ($35) that is sold separately.

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We tried Houglass Ambient Powder in Luminous Light, a champagne pearl powder that looks magnificent in the pan:

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We wanted to love Luminous, we tried to. We actually had a meltdown, of sorts, about the fact that the powder didn’t work for us. Well, two meltdowns, really. (We get passionate about makeup in a way that’s sort of not, well, normal maybe. What of it?).

It was our opinion that the Hourglass powder was too visible and shimmery to use as an all-over face powder for our personal taste. For comparison, here are heavy applications of the nearly-invisible Nars Light Reflecting Setting Powder (loose). As you can see, this very heavy application of the Nars Powder sets up as a demi-matte finish and adds no color, compared to the shimmery Hourglass Luminous. I also swatched the Guerlain Pressed Meteorites in Wulong. As you can see, this very heavy application Guerlain Wulong deposits a subtle soft color, compared to the more visible Houglass Luminous. Of course, you’d never wear any of these as heavily as they are applied here–I’m trying to show relative visibility (not actual).

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I’m not sure how visible these will be to you, as setting powders are notoriously tough to swatch. One more, same powders:

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We took a cue from The Beauty Look Book, who loved it as a highlighter. I tried, but found that the color blocked up a bit on me and left a touch of frost. Back of the compact:

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Edit on Feb. 22, 2013: I was able to try Hourglass Ambient Dim by applying it over my Tom Ford foundation in a Sephora. Still not working–my husband said I looked better prior to application. I didn’t buy, and I won’t be pursuing more of the powders–this is just not the product for me.

Our advice: There are others who are giving these fabulous reviews. In our book, this is a “try before you buy.”

Hourglass sent this Ambient Powder and Ambient Powder Brush to Cafe Makeup without charge for consideration for review. This post contains affiliate links (for more information, see About Cafe Makeup)

New Product Alerts: Dior, Hourglass, and Nars, Oh My!

Dior, Hourglass, NARS 14 Responses »

Jan 302013

Dior Las Vegas (phone: 702-734-1102) is receiving the Dior Pink Champagne collection in mid-February. This includes the Diorskin Nude Shimmer Compact (reviewed here by Mostly Sunny), two nail vernis polishes in the colors Golden Era and Tutu, as well as a twinset in Beige Ribbon (according to the store, a wonderful lid base color for other shadows). The collection will also include a Dior Lip Maximizer in a sparkle pink shade ($31, not pictured). The store is taking orders as of now.

Nars is releasing some pretty gifts for the mid-winter season. First, Nars 413 Blkr Multiple ($39) is a burgundy shade that echos the brick outside the New York City Bleecker street store, as well as the colors in the other Nars 413 Blkr Street line. This will be sold at the two Nars flagship stores–New York and Los Angeles–as well as on Nars Cosmetics.com starting February 1st.

NARS Bleecker Street1 Nars is also introducing a lovely eye set And God Created Woman (pictured above). This one looks drool-worthy, as it includes some of the nicest and richest shades collected from Nars duos and singles over the past several years. Seriously, the gold from Kalahari in the same palette as Galapogas? Sign me up.

For $59, the set includes a travel size primer and the No. 3 Eye Shader Brush. Available February 1st on Nars Cosmetics.com and it’s already up for sale at Sephora.com.

I’ve been terribly excited for these new Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders, just releasing now on Sephora.com. I was fortunate enough to be sent Luminous which I’m currently test-driving (review due soon). I’m hoping to pick up a few more of these as I’ve been impressed so far.

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Which products have you found lately? Is there anything good, bad, exciting or not that you’d like to share?

Hourglass sent the Ambient Powder without charge to Cafe Makeup for consideration for review. This post includes affiliate links (for more information, please see About Cafe Makeup)

Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick Canvas and Edition Review and Swatches

Hourglass, Lipgloss, Lipstick 4 Responses »

Dec 092012

This fall, Hourglass released a line of Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick ($28 each , available at Sephora, Bergdorf, Space NK and Barney’s). These provide highly pigmented, very vivid color and a matte finish. At Cafe Makeup, we love a new formulation. There have been some real game changers this year, making it an exciting year for beauty. When Hourglass offered to send us some to try, we were delighted to accept.

We were able to try Edition, a soft pink with nearly imperceptible shimmer. As with the rest of the line, Edition is packaged in a slip-in-your-clutch convenient size with a clear front so that you can see both the color and the amount that remains. The doe-foot application is a familiar winning feature–it’s predictable, easy to use, and always makes application foolproof.

The delightful part of this formula is that a single swipe lays down enough color to match the color you see in the tube, no layering required. This allows you to get a gorgeous swipe of color without a thick layer of product (“thick layer” and “lips” isn’t usually a good combination). We found that this performed well, and gave long-wearing performance.

This is a single layer, no lipliner or balm was used. I suspect that adding a moisturizing balm would soften some of the lines on Liz’s lips (above). Straight from the tube, we found Hourglass Opaque Rouge delivered a flattering matte texture. It’s an edgy, on-trend look that stays flattering.

We also tried Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Canvas ($28), a soft dusty rose without any shimmer.

We found that Canvas’ texture was very similar to Edition, which is a good sign that suggests that the high quality formula is consistent across the line. Here is Canvas on Liz (we were working a little too quickly as the early winter light began to fade, as you can see Canvas isn’t 100% dry on the bottom lip but is dry on the top lip):

Here are swatches of both Edition and Canvas:

Both Edition and Canvas are crowd-pleasing colors that can be worn anywhere. There are edgier colors in the line, including the tangerine Riviera (reviewed here at Olivia Frescura) and the deep dark Empress (reviewed here at GlitterGeek). Overall, we found that these delivered comfortable, on-trend color with a long-wearing formula and a pleasing range of colors.

Hourglass send these Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipsticks to Cafe Makeup without charge for consideration for review.

Hourglass Nº 28 Primer Serum Review

Hourglass, Primer, Skin care 9 Responses »

May 152012

Hourglass Nº 28 Primer Serum ($65) is a best-in-class primer for dry skin. According to Hourglass, the “28″ in the name refers to the key ingredients in the primer, which includes 14 essential oils, 10 lipid-rich plant oils, and 4 vitamins. I’m no stranger to using rich and essential oils on my skin, having used Rodin’s legendary Olio Lusso for the past year whenever my skin feels dry and in need of nourishment. I’ve finally learned that even my combo-oily skin can benefit from the caring properties that well-chosen oils can bring.

Unlike Olio Lusso, Hourglass Nº 28 Primer Serum is a true primer intended to act as a hydrating base for foundation. In my opinion, the ideal user for this product has dry (or combo-to-dry) skin, and is concerned about anti-aging because the treatment properties are an important part of this treatment. The scent is light and pleasant, to my mind it seems like a slight floral with a touch of sandalwood. I find the scent far more pleasant and unobtrusive compared to Olio Lusso. I didn’t notice the scent after about 1/2 hour after application (and that’s being generous).

The product applies as a sheer liquid. With this product, you do not need very much to get a velvety base–I used at most three little droplets. It absorbs quickly. My liquid foundation applies like a dream over it, giving me a very smoothly textured base. I used Nars Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30++, as well as Burberry’s liquid and Chanel’s Perfection Lumiere. These foundations lasted all day. I was surprised to find that my skin did not feel “oily” in any way–rather, the finish was more velvety. Truly a “best in class” primer.

Using so little, I can see that this bottle is going to last a very long time. Note that, according to Hourglass, the Nº 28 Primer Serum can be used as a night treatment and even to put on the ends of your hair as a conditioning treatment.

Some of you may be wondering how this compares to another of my favorite primer, Burberry Fresh Glow Luminious Fluid Base. These really do serve two different purposes. The Burberry is intended to add a glowy highlighter to the skin, but not to add any skincare properties. On the other hand, the Hourglass is completely sheer (no added glowy bits), but is intended to treat and moisturize. I really love both for different reasons, and I think you can see that those with dryer skin types (or those who live in dryer climates) are really going to love the moisturizing benefits of Hourglass Nº 28. And (because I know your wondering)–no breakouts from the Hourglass primer. Trust me, it’s always a concern.

Bottom line: Loved this best in class primer.

Ingredient list (from Sephora.com): Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Cocoate, Dimethiconol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Ceramide 3, Sphingolipids, Jojoba (Simmondsia Chinensis) Oil, Rose Hips Seed Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Sweet Almond (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis) Oil, Green Tea (Camellia Sinensis) Oil, Olive (Olea Europaea) Oil, Hazelnut (Corylus Americana) Oil, Borage (Borago Officinalis) Seed Oil, Kukui (Aleurites Moluccana) Nut Oil, Cherry (Prunus Avium) Pit Oil, Tocopherol, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Linoleate, Panthenyl Triacetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Octyldodecanol, Dioctyl Succinate, Peg-8, Tridecyl Stearate, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Lithospermum Officinale Root Extract, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Citric Acid, Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) Oil, Geranium (Geranium Maculatum) Oil, Rose Geranium (Pelargonium Roseum) Oil, Vanilla (Vanilla Planifolia) Oil, Clove (Eugenia Caryophyllus) Oil, Orange (Citrus Aurantium Dulcis) Peel Oil, Petitgrain (Citrus Reticulata) Oil, Amyris (Amyris Balsamifera) Oil, Benzoin Siam Absolute, Lemon (Citrus Medica Limonum) Peel Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Oil, Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis) Leaf Oil, Bois De Rose (Aniba Rosaeodora) Oil, Cedar (Thuja Occidentalis) Leaf Oil, Ylang Ylang (Cananga Odorata) Oil.

Hourglass Nº 28 Primer Serum was sent to Cafe Makeup without charge for consideration for review.

Trend Watch: The Contoured Cheek

Bronzers, Chanel, Highlighter, Hourglass, NARS 5 Responses »

Oct 102011

This Fall, I’ve begun to notice a heavily contoured cheek used on the runway and in magazines. For example, look at this look from last week’s Paris runway show of Louis Vuitton Spring Summer 2012:

I noticed another heavily contoured look in this feature from the October ’11 Vogue in this androgynous take on the trend:

I was tempted to try this look, because I love nude blushes, light bronzers and highlighters and have several in my stash. However, I did not want to apply the product so heavily and dramatically because the heavy application that you see in these examples seem best suited for a runway or fashion studio. Some ways that I played with the look include using a deeper foundation shade on the lower cheek, and a subtle highlighter on the upper cheek. This is the most subtle version of the contoured cheek that I can create.

Another is to use a deep blush and highlighter combination, such as the Chanel Soho blush/ highlighter that was released last Fall (limited edition)

If you prefer a cream version of the colors in the Chanel Soho palette, Nars Multiples in Maui and Luxor is a good substitute (swatches below). I bought the Nars multiples as mini’s in this Sweet Disposition set.

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A third way is a highlighter/combination, including this Hourglass Illume Creme-to-Powder Bronzer Duo in Bronze Light ($40), which is sold at Sephora. On the top of the compact, there is a champagne gold sheer highlighter. On the bottom, the compact holds a warm-toned cream bronzer that runs to a medium-toned depth. The top mirror keeps the compact sleek when stored, but can be swiveled up so that the large mirror can be used.

This Hourglass duo can be worn with the two tones applied separately to create a defined, contoured cheek.

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Alternatively, I can wear the bronzer more traditionally with the highlighter all over the cheek and on the brow bone. The Hourglass Bronzer duo holds one of the deepest bronzers that I can get away with, and I have to apply it sheerly to get it to work. If you have a medium warm skin tone, you can be more liberal with the use of this bronzer. Those with cooler skin tones may find this duo is too warm.

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I also own Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzing Makeup Base ($48) (swatched below). The Hourglass bronzer is a traditional creamy texture that dries down to a powder on the skin and can be beautifully sheered out. Chanel’s cream bronzer feels drier in the tub, and feels as though it contains some silicon. Chanel’s is lighter in tone than the Hourglass. The Chanel tub is a rather enormous 1.0 ounce; the Hourglass duo holds .39 ounces of product in total (both bronzer and highlighter).

Here is a comparison of Nars Multiples in Luxor and Maui, the two shades from the Hourglass Illume Bronze Light compact, and a combination that I created the Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzing Makeup Base and Edward Bess All Over Seduction in Sunlight ($38) (reviewed here).

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Have you played with a contoured cheek? What are your thoughts?

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