What is it? Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush mixes the lighting effects of Ambient Lighting Powder with a selection of different hues; it’s highly pigmented and works to blur direct light to create a soft glow. The Hourglass formula has been created with photo-luminescent technology to deliver depth and colour. This blush is hand-blended using the renowned miscelare (this means ‘mix’ in Italian) technique, and works to provide a finish to enhance the complexion. There are seven shades to choose from.
Who is it for? Suitable for all skin types, but if you’ve got extremely sensitive skin I would ask for a sample before buying. I’ve got fairly dry skin and it hasn’t felt drying in the least, it feels very smooth, there’s no powdery residue. I’ve put the ingredients list below so you can see if there’s anything you need to avoid.
How do you use it? Swirl the entire compact with your brush to pick up the perfect balance of pigment and powder and brush onto cheek. Build the colour up as desired.
What’s the damage? £32
Score: 💋💋💋💋💋
According to the Beautysphere, powder blusher is making a big comeback at the moment as people move away from the contouring phase of recent years. Personally I’ve always been more of a natural blush person rather than a contouring fan (apart from my Trinny London Kate cheekbones) and for the last couple of years I have exclusively used cream blusher as my skin seemed to be getting drier and drier. However, I never found a cream product with any real staying power, I would always have to reapply at some point during the day. When I decided to try a powder again I wanted something that wasn’t a straightforward colour so to speak, and the Hourglass product provides colour, highlight and luminosity.
The actual compact is very nice as you’d expect from Hourglass, there’s no brush but that’s not a problem as I never use the little brushes you sometimes get with blushers. They recommend a specific Hourglass brush, but like me you probably have a favourite blusher brush you can use.
I opted for the Luminous Flush shade which is “a champagne rose blush combined with Luminous Light to evoke a candlelit glimmer” apparently! It’s a lovely natural looking blush which does literally last a full working day and feels very soft on the skin. I like the way the colour doesn’t look all one tone. It’s not a cheap product but it lasts really well and it has a luxurious feel to it.
Ingredients: Mica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Boron Nitride, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Octyldodecanol, Benzoic Acid, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Diamond Powder, Dimethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Laureth-7, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylamide, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Potassium Sorbate, Silica, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Sorbic Acid, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Tin Oxide, Trimethylsiloxysilicate. May Contain (+/-): Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), Red 40 Lake (Ci 16035), Carmine (Ci 75470), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499), Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891)