This winter I’ve been all about the glow. I’m not getting any younger and little lines and folds are creeping across my face at a rate that my night serum can’t keep up with. Powders and matte textures like to fall into these newly formed creases and I’m just not that into the look if I’m honest. The shinier my skin the better right now and so powder isn’t that high up on my priorities list. The thing with dewy textures though is that they have the need and want to migrate and though I might go powder-free in the AM and go wild with the facial spritz; by lunchtime things have moved around a little, my chin has completely eaten though my base and I’m back to looking like I did pre-makeup. Here’s where the best powder formula that I’ve ever given a go comes in – Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders.
If you’ve ever given any of these a go then chances are that you too think that there’s something special about these guys. Aren’t they just the mutt’s nuts? Hourglass have cottoned on to just how good they are and have expanded the line to include Bronzers and Blushes, but I think it’s the original powders that steal my heart the most. They melt into the skin – never leaving things looking powdery – and though their texture is sort of undetectable once you apply it, it just makes your skin look healthy. However, being a powder layer it’s providing that instruction to what is underneath to stay in place as well. It’s just win-win here. Now that I’ve given a fair amount of the shades a go through my purchasing of various palettes, here’s what shades I use for what task:
DIM LIGHT – available individually or as part of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette or Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit. I can see why this colour makes it into every powder palette there’s been so far because it’s my most-used too. This pale peach is pretty close to my natural skin tone so works best just dusted all over the face, keeping it more around the perimeters.
INCANDESCENT LIGHT – limited edition available in the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette only. This packs a bit more of a subtle shimmer compared to the colours, but I find this creamy, ivory powder works best applied either under eyes (mixed with a bit of Dim Light) or used as a highlighter.
RADIANT LIGHT – available individually or as part of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette. Out of all that I have, this is the one I use least as it’s probably best suited to those with medium to dark complexions, though in the summer I can make it work (especially blended with Incandescent Light) as a bit of a bronzer/highlight hybrid.
IRIDESCENT LIGHT – limited edition available in the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit only. Think Incandescent Light mixed with Dim Light, then you have this one. It’s a little bit shimmery and a little bit peachy which means that it works nicely on me on the tops of my cheekbones.
DIFFUSED LIGHT – available individually or as part of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit. The first one I tried! A pale yellow, this is great for popping over cheeks to reduce redness, but go too heavy with it and you look like an extra from the Twilight saga. You have been warned…
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