I’ve been lusting over an Hourglass palette for several seasons now. First they came out with the powder palette, then it was blushes and eye shadows, and finally they released exactly what I was looking for. Ambient Lighting Edit includes a mix of different face products in different finishes, from setting powder to bronzer, which makes a great introduction to the brand’s exquisite makeup formulations.
The palette includes six square pans:
- Dim Light – neutral peach beige
- Iridescent Light – sheer illuminating highlighter *EXCLUSIVE TO THIS PALETTE*
- Diffused Light – soft, warm pale yellow [I have this in full size and love it]
- Mood Exposure – soft plum
- Luminous Flush – champagne rose
- Luminous Bronze Light – medium tan
First of all, the colors are gorgeous! There is a neutralizing setting powder, two luminizers, two very different blushes, and a stunning bronzer. They can all be used on their own or mixed together with one another, or all at once, to create a multitude of different shades.
As always, the packaging is beautiful, but I wish it came with a protective sleeve to shield it from fingerprints and scratches. I made a mistake of carrying around one of my Hourglass compacts in the bag unprotected, and now its once shiny surface looks a bit worn.
Let’s talk about the size. Usually I’m not too concerned with the price per oz I get out of my makeup since I almost never hit pan on anything, but in this case the pans were too small even for me. I have only two blush brushes small enough to swirl inside these pans without dragging onto their neighbors. If your brush collection isn’t very big, this is definitely something to consider.
Now, I didn’t do the math myself, but Christine at Temptalia calculated the total product value of this palette around $45, so you’re essentially paying extra $35 for pretty packaging and marketing. Are you ok with that? I think I am, but the issue with the pan size and finding the right brushes still remains.
As far as pigmentation, wear time, and other attributes go, here’s where you don’t have to be concerned at all. Hourglass is known for their amazing face products, and their primers, powders, brushes, bronzers, and foundations are all top notch. I loved all six pans equally, and I’m thinking of picking up Luminous Flush blush separately, maybe as part of my Christmas Sephora haul or something.
Swatch reference: My skin tone is between MAC NC15 and NW15 with yellowish hue and neutral undertones. Sometimes I can wear NW20 in the Summer. I thought this would be useful to know, since all screens show colors differently, and I also don’t have a studio setup with consistent lighting. Hope that helps!
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit palette is Limited Edition, released for the 2015 Holiday season. I’m guessing due to its size it will be a while before the stock sells out, but you never know. I’d snag it ASAP if you really want one.
WHERE TO BUY: $80 USD. Available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Barneys.
Have you tried Hourglass products before? Do you buy palettes even if they don’t offer good value for the money? Let me know in the comments below!
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