Hourglass • Ambient Lighting Powder • Powder

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brittanymarkle on 4/22/2013 4:13:00 PM more reviews by brittanymarkle

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I have to assume there is some kind of witchcraft going on here because I don't understand how this product can be this magical!

I am not one to spend a lot on powder because I feel like powder is powder - but this is not powder. It is like airbrushing your face - evening out the tone and texture and adding the perfect amount of colour and luminosity (I use it in place of a bronzer because I have fair skin).

As other reviewers mentioned, I definitely recommend using this IN ADDITION to a setting powder as it does little to control oil and your tzone will be shiny if you use this alone.

But man oh man, I've never seen anything like it.

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tecnogrl on 4/15/2013 11:54:00 PM more reviews by tecnogrl

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

This had been on my wishlist for quite some time so it wasn't exactly an impulse buy. I was really excited to finally get it. I got this in Diffused Light. I was underwhelmed as it did absolutely nothing for me. I quickly returned and felt like I had bought into the hype.

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brighteyes22 on 4/12/2013 5:51:00 PM more reviews by brighteyes22

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Olive   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I was so excited for these! Sad, but definitely a no go. I tried dim and diffused light. I didn't notice anything spectacular when I put them on, and within an hour or 2 I was terribly greasy and my pores looked huge! Not a fan :(

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*TOP REVIEWER* 3110hello on 4/11/2013 2:03:00 PM more reviews by 3110hello

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

I am not sure why - considering my overall dislike for powder highlighters on mature faces - but I bought this based on the you tube hype I was listening to ... big mistake. I paid $45 for this product in "diffused" light. The price, for the result you get, is almost obscene. (and, to boot, mine came through the mail from Sephora slightly cracked)

I had hoped that this might be a subtle enough highlighting powder for my more lined 58 year old face. No way. I have to say that initially I didn't see much of any effect. None. Then I worked with it a little bit more and could see some effect, but precious little.

It is my opinion that this is a case of a very high end brand coming out with a new product which generated a lot of hype for not a lot of quality product. I, frankly, have not purchased one Hourglass product that has worked for me. Considering the prices, I may not be experimenting with their line any longer.

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sofibecca on 3/31/2013 6:46:00 PM more reviews by sofibecca

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I bought this in the shade diffused light. It does give a natural brightness and softness to your skin's appearance. unfortunately the effect only lasted for 2 hours, after that it was no longer noticeable and it settled into my pores. For the price this should be more long wearing.

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TheRationalPapaya on 3/31/2013 5:19:00 PM more reviews by TheRationalPapaya

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Black, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Green    

I've gone through and read some of the negative reviews of this product and I feel as though some people are not using this product correctly. First and foremost, this is an AMAZING finishing powder that all have a slightly different effect. They work well on all skin tones, except for maybe Radiant which is a little too dark for my super pale skin. The product is meant to give a soft-focus effect with a touch of luminosity - a great change from the normal total-matte look I go for because of my oily skin.


The key to using this product correctly is to use it as a finishing powder (the last step after you have done your makeup as you normally would). I would not recommend using this as an actual powder to set your foundation, nor do I recommend using this as an oil control powder. It is talc-free and will do nothing for oil control. So if you have oily skin, like I have, use your normal oil control powder, or whatever you use to control oil, then use the Hourglass powder as the finishing touch.


Also, this product should be used with a light hand. A little goes a long way, and I feel as though some might be putting on too much which only adds to an unfair negative review. These powders do have some pigment to them (they are not translucent) so just a light sweep over the face is ideal. Hourglass came out with a brush designed for this product, but it's almost as expensive as the powder itself and I find it unnecessary. I use it with a fluffy powder brush and it works great. It REALLY does make my skin look so much better and not completely flat and fake. There is a glow-from-within feel to it and I have been getting compliments on how much healthier I look. Right now I only have the Diffused and Luminous colors, but I plan to own them all eventually (except for Radiant which I don't think would suit my skin color).

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*TOP REVIEWER* pinkbrush on 3/29/2013 2:01:00 AM more reviews by pinkbrush

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Uhh.. I don't get it about this product, why was everyone raving about these? I bought Dim Light, returned it, bought Diffused Light, it's a nice powder, but nothing magical.

EDIT: I ended up returning Diffused Light too, I bought the Cargo Blu-Ray powder and prefer that. This product is not worth the hype it gets, in my opinion. I have dry skin and was hoping this powder would work on my skin type, it doesn't, looks cakey even if I use a tiny amount.

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janiebeth65 on 3/27/2013 10:33:00 PM more reviews by janiebeth65

Age: 44-55   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I am so happy I found this product. I have light medium combination skin so I wear primer with matte full coverage foundations. I use HD powder on the t- zone but they make my skin look too matte. I have not had luck with setting sprays because my t-zone is too oily and setting sprays do not really help my foundation stay on and often make my whole face look oily. I did not buy this product as a mattifying setting powder so I still use my It Cosmetics powder on my tzone and I lightly swipe a little of this all over my face and WOW does it make my skin look better...It looks like skin! I love the soft glow and blurring of imperfections. I love how it softens and blends my contour/blush and makes my skin look so smooth! Yes it is expensive but I use so little at a time I know this will last a very long time. I am planning on collecting all the colors when I have discounts codes for Sephora.

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liangaf1 on 3/21/2013 3:40:00 PM more reviews by liangaf1

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I love this product. I purchased it in Ethereal Light. The product has a whitish case to it which does not translate to the skin. I purchased it online, so I can't really comment on the various 'lighting scenarios' the other shades are supposed to create. But as far as a powder goes, I consider it perfection, HG status, as it does what a perfect powder (IMO) does: mattifies without creating a powdery look. I've purchased many (MANY) powders (I probably have 10 at home) and all have some negative: I have several Guerlain meteorites which are pretty, but variably sparkly. I have MAC powders which are visible on the skin. I have some natural brand powders (Jurlique loose powder - I can see the powder on my skin; Living Nature luminous powder - a little shimmery). This powder is perfect as my skin looks matte without looking flat or powdery, and there are no sparkly bits (which sometimes I love & want, but not daily). There's a suggestion of luminosity and it makes my skin look closer to flawless. I would definitely repurchase & recommend.

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aqelvis on 3/6/2013 7:29:00 PM more reviews by aqelvis

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Ok this is for the Ambient lighting in Diffused Light.....I did not care for this....it looks chalky to begin with, looks ok after a few minutes, but a few hours later it does setlle in my lines and kind of separates making my skin actually look worse instead of better....if you check on the Ambient Lighting in Dim Light, you will see I give it a completely different review....needless to say, this one will be going back to Sephora.

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M1KEY on 3/4/2013 7:08:00 PM more reviews by M1KEY

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

EW I absolutley hated this product. I was so so sooooo excited to try this and when I finally saw this in Canada at my Toronto Sephora I snatched it up in the shade Mood lighting which is the pink one.

I wanted to use this over my Dior Airflash foundation and thought it would be a super light, skinlike powder that did all the wonderful things it said it would.

It didn't.

It made my face look AWFFFFULLLLL. It looked dry, dry DRYYYYYYY, chalky, powdery and emphasized pores and for some reason made my skin WAYYYYY more oily than it usually is.

ew, no thanks. I'll stick with my Eshiko HD powder, or any HD powder of the same vain. This was an uber let down for me.

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evildoctorporkchop on 2/27/2013 3:55:00 PM more reviews by evildoctorporkchop

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

the product description for the ambient powder is practically a poetic dedication to what all powders should strive to be. it sounds so exquisitely perfect, which is why i wanted to like these more than i've ever wanted to like any product i've ever tried.


alas, ambient powder and i are not meant to be, and 'twas a painful realization. for reference, i am nc35. my first try was with mood. i figured being as yellow-toned as i am, that based on the description, mood would be perfect as a color-correcting finishing powder. as the day went by, the feeling of the powder became more apparent to the point where i grew uncomfortable wearing it. i wanted to rush home to wash it off. it was heavy and sticky: the pinnacle of everything a powder should NOT feel like.


it didn't make any sense. it felt silky soft when i swatched it. it applied nicely and evenly, but there's just something about the way it combines with the oil of my skin...not a good combination. it accentuated fine lines and dry patches that i didn't know or even felt i had. most importantly, it dulled my complexion. i could detect no hint of pearlescence once applied. a brutal disappointment, but i would not be deterred!


mood was returned - reluctantly and with some internal debate. like i said, the description made them sound utterly magical, i figured there was something wrong with me, or the color i chose, and not the product itself. so i gave it a second whirl.


next up: luminous. it looked gorgeous in the pan glowing golden. it held promises of granting me an angelic countenance - like a fairy! - not unlike michelle pfeiffer in a midsummer night's dream, and it most certainly did... until two hours later when it faded away completely as if i had never put it on. i never used it as an allover powder due to the high shimmer content, but it proved wholly inadequate as a highlighter in the end anyway.


considering the cost and the cheap plastic packaging, it's not worth the hype or the money. did this review suffer from high expectations? perhaps, but bottom line, it didn't feel good. it simply failed to be a good powder, which was all i needed it to be genius marketing or not. nars light reflecting powder will do a much better job for $10 less. i recommend you try that or stick with your trusty touch-up compact. this will most likely not be blowing your mind away, or even be good enough to replace what's working for you now.

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*TOP REVIEWER* thecharm on 2/24/2013 1:49:00 PM more reviews by thecharm

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Coarse   Eyes: Blue    

I have rarely tried so hard with a makeup product; I tried so hard to like Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal, or, rather, I tried to get it to like me. It was so middle school. I spent time fiddling with it. I spent days trying to observe its effects, willing some positive change. There was such initial positive buzz about this product; I've seen it look spectacular on bloggers. Hourglass calls it "a universal finishing powder that features state-of-the-art technology to recreate the most exquisitely flattering types of light." The powder feels soft to the touch, though there is a bit of a powder kickback. There's almost a siliconey, buttered feel, which I actually like. It's very smooth. Ethereal in particular is touted as an opalescent white to creat a moonlit finish. Sounds super mega foxy awesome hot, right? Sadly, Ethereal was a disappointment on my pale NW5 skin, once applied. For one thing, it was hard to get the balance right: I either applied so little that it was totally invisible (and not in an I'm-not-wearing-makeup-but-my-skin-is-perfect way) or it caked on, settling around the cheek fuzz we all have but don't want to see. Even when I did buff it to a satisfying finish, it looked a little ghostly in some lights. Even when it did look not-hideous, the entire effect was gone in three hours. Back to Sephora it goes. I'm a bit interested in Mood Lighting but I'm worried it, too, will vanish quickly. I want to try it on my face but I'm not all that hopeful. *weeps*

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sitknee on 2/21/2013 4:41:00 PM more reviews by sitknee

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Overpriced and gimmicky with super cheap packaging. Try it if you're curious but don't be surprised if you're disappointed.

If you didn't know this was Hourglass, the packaging wouldn't tip you off. I was amazed by how cheap it feels -- it's like the lowest of drugstore products.

So there are a couple selections. I think it's diffused, ethereal, mood, radiant, luminous, and dim. It seems luminous and radiant are more of the highlighter shades, whereas the others are more for all over. Mood is a bit pink -- too pink for my NC20-25 skin, as it made my skin look a tad darker. Ethereal is a bit white but it's the most universal, even though it might not work the best on those with darker skin. Diffused is a nice pale yellow and whereas people seem to see the best blurring effects with dim, it is too dark for NC20-25 at least. Maybe something for summer.

Except for the ones that are best as highlighters, the powders are better for finishing than setting. I wouldn't expect any oil-control apart from what any old powder might help you with. If you have oily skin, I would use an oil-controlling powder beforehand. In my case, doing so did not help. For some reason, this powder made my skin oilier than it ever is, with or without a different powder underneath. It was not pretty.

Honestly, this whole lighting aspect is rather gimmicky -- in my opinion at least. The only thing these powders do is give your skin a bit of a blurring effect and, depending on the product, add a tint or some highlighting. In terms of radiance or overall luminosity, I did see a little something, but I really don't think it's anything to purchase this product for.

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jamesonboo on 2/19/2013 8:45:00 PM more reviews by jamesonboo

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I own this product in 2 colors: Radiant and Dim. Radiant is for 'thise who want to add warmth or extend a tan. Its great for golden, medium to dark, skin tones. Dim has 'the perfect balance of warm and cool tones and blurs imperfections'.Overall I found these do what they say; I found that I had a radiant, lit from within glow when I wore this.I could absolutely see the difference, but the finish looked and felt natural, no sparkles or cakeyness.. The powders are very finely milled and even though the colors are unusual they go on invisble and work on a large range on skin tones. In my opinion these are finishing powders that illuminate the skin and not a highlighter. It is meant to be used last, after other makeup is applied. It will not take the place of foundation or concealer and it does not absorb a lot of oil. The point of this is to provide illumination, not coverage. It will set your makeup,and on my normal skin I found it lasted about 5 hours before I needed to reapply. A thin layer is all thats needed. I think you could even apply an oil absorbing powder before using this. I think this is a great product and will be trying other shades.And yes I would repurchase. I thik the price is well worth it to go around with your best lighting. It makes a big difference in the way I look.I am hooked!

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lilblacksky on 2/18/2013 7:06:00 PM more reviews by lilblacksky

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I got this in Ethereal Light as an online blind buy (my local Sephora didn't have these stocked yet). I am rather pale (~NW10? KvD Light 42) so I was worried the others might leave a colored cast on my skin; plus, who can resist the promise of a "moonlit glow even in daylight"? (I am somewhat of a highlighter fiend, especially the glowy white ones)

Initially I thought this would be more like a soft white highlighter (along the lines of Shiseido High Beam White), but I agree with a previous reviewer, that this is more like an illuminating finishing powder than a highlighter, at least for the shade in Ethereal Light. It feels to me like a hybrid of translucent HD powder that gives you that poreless, perfected 'finish', and a subtle white luminous finishing powder (more subtle than any highlighter I own - you can't really see individual sparkles, but there is definitely a soft pale from-within glow), giving the effect of mattifying and illuminating at the same time. I have thin dehydrated combination skin which tends to dry out easily (even the oily areas, and the dry areas even more so), but this powder doesn't dry out and flake my skin at all like most powders do. That said, the mattifying effect doesn't last long on my oiliest areas.

I feel that this powder is much too subtle / sheer to be used as spot highlighter. So far I've tried using this as setting powder (over liquid foundation) which works great, and also as an all-over face powder, just for a subtly more polished look. A soft fluffy brush seems to work great with this powder.

The texture is lovely, it's a little bit soft but picks up and blends evenly and naturally.
As for the packaging, yes it is rather bulky, and much bigger than I expected it to be, but it's still very pretty. I love the adorable pillow-cushion shape.

Would I buy it again? Well, I do like the soft, diffused, polished moonlit effect it gives me, but it is very subtle. I'm not quite sure if it's worth that $45. I don't think I will return it (I will update if I do), it fits my needs well (pressed form, mattifying, pore perfecting, built in highlighter, nondrying) but I'm not so sure this is HG material, either. I think I will keep experimenting with it a little bit more. For now I put Yes.

Edit: After using it for a few more weeks I decided to keep it, for the reasons stated above, and also because it's really helpful with foundation mistakes (make it look less cakey and more like smooth skin).

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planetnars on 2/17/2013 8:23:00 PM more reviews by planetnars

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I will be reviewing the ambient powder in the shade Mood Light. My first criticism is the cheap packaging. It's super light and made of a plastic material that reminds me of those 25 cent rings made of painted plastic. My other gripe and probably my biggest is that it doesn't contain a pouch of some sort which would be especially helpful since this easily attracts fingerprints and I'm sure would scratch if not left in the box. Now onto the powder itself. I purchased early on when there was little known except that the concept was innovative and cool and beauty bloggers who had been sent the powders to try were for the most part absolutely bowled over by them. I am fair complected and I chose Mood because it was described as softening my features and imperfections and giving the most flattering lighting/glow/effect/what have you. The powder had a very nice creamy texture to the touch and went on pretty sheer to the face. I don't know how this one could be used as a highlighter because the effect is just not noticeable enough. I wore this a good 4-5x to try and get a feel for it, or more honestly? I just wanted to love it as much as those beauty bloggers who told me I must have it or what an absolute bargain it was. This is an okay product. It's not terrible but it certainly do much correcting. My pores were less obvious; though they are pretty small anyhow. My features did look softened but all of my surface redness was still on display. My uneven skin tone was also clear to see. This did last a good amount of time on my skin but it seemed to look "drier" as the hours wore on. The other problem was the pink cast it gave my face. It was super subtle and not obvious but it was there and it accentuated my surface redness. I am sure these will work well for some people but I really got the impression that these are not going to be user friendly to people who don't already have pretty good skin. Those of us with our issues are probably not going to see much correcting or benefit and isn't that who needs it the most?

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*TOP REVIEWER* AntiqueGlitter on 2/1/2013 10:07:00 PM more reviews by AntiqueGlitter

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

I was interally debating whether to categorize this product as a highlighter or powder. I settled on powder because this is more of an illuminating powder than a spot highlighter.
Ambient Lighting Powders are my first experience with the brand Hourglass, and I think it's safe to say that this product has left me with a more-than-satisfactory first impression.
The concept behind this powder is very innovative, and--dare I say?-- genius. This powder is available in 6 shades: Ethereal Light, Mood Light, Diffused Light, Luminous Light, Radiant Light, and Dim Light, each of which are supposed to mimic its corresponding light. As we all know, lighting makes an incredible difference in appearance of our makeup. These powders were created to mimic the effect of its corresponding light and capture the way the light reflects off your skin. Think of it like your own personal lighting technician, only in compact form.
I wouldn't go as far as to say it's that dramatic or amazing, but it IS a great illuminating powder.
I currently only own two shades, Dim Light and Luminous Light, but I will be testing, if not purchasing, additional shades in the near future. I'm currently eyeing Ethereal Light in particular, although I'm definitely loving Dim and Luminous!
Please read my reviews for the individual shades for a description of each shade as well as a review on its performance.
If you're fair- or dark-skinned, don't let the colors of these powders intimidate you; since they're illuminating, they're sheer. The only thing that should transfer onto your skin is the glow and perhaps a tiny bit of color, so if you're interested in a shade, don't hesitate because of its color in the pan!
Also, they don't control oil, nor are they meant to, so if you have oily skin, use a mattifying primer underneath. If you have super oily skin, you may want to use both a mattifying primer and a matte powder, then topping it off with this powder.
Some blurring of pores and lines does occur, but it's not going to make them disappear. If you want them to disappear, use a pore- and line-minimizing primer, such as Benefit The POREfessional or L'Oreal Magic Perfecting Base. Otherwise, don't expect miracles!
Regarding the packaging, it isn't spectacular; it's a simple compact with a full-sized mirror. The compact is actually too thick for my liking (I prefer NARS and MAC compacts), but it's tolerable.
There is also a separate brush that was created specifically for this powder, called the Ambient Powder Brush, which you can purchase for $35. I don't particularly feel the need to purchase it, as I simply use a fluffy powder brush (MAC 150 or 129) to apply this, which works perfectly fine.
It's definitely pricey at $45 for 0.35 oz., but I can imagine that one compact will last a long time.
Would I repurchase? Yes.

19 out of 21 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No