Hourglass powder

[taylorlover5171]

Hello! I’ve been looking at getting the hourglass ambient finishing powders but am wondering if they are worth it? After reading reviews I wonder if people are just not using them right as they are a light finishing powder and not meant to add a lot of coverage. I have a mixed skin tone that leans more warm/neutral. Does anyone has opinions on it or shade recommendations? I was thinking dim light Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Collection Dim Infusion Hourglass Illusion Hyaluronic Skin Tint Golden 

[danielledanielle]

@taylorlover5171, I'm typically in the tan range for most products, but with HG, adjustment can be necessary for me to deem it worth it, like I have to seek out a specific version of a product usually marketed towards their interpretation of "deep."  Consider how different skin tones need different lighting effects...there's an argument there for why they don't work for everyone.  Sometimes I find their shade range really limiting in that aspect, kind of reflecting @WinglessOne 's point, a simple reconfiguration of pigment would make it work for a much deeper shade.

I agree in what you said that people aren't really using them correctly, most of the powders are aptly named after the effect they are supposed to create.  Technique definitely plays into it, I was reading comments on a YT vid the other day and some MUAs praised HG on their deeper shade clients, but I imagine their application/use is beyond what I'd do, despite having a fair knowledge of make-up.

I can't remember which single I tried first, radiant vs incandescent.  One of them was a miss (I want to say incandescent), and I found that Laura Mercier who made a candlelight powder was much better for me because of the pigment (it's redder than HG) and two shades worked for me vs the HG single offering.  HG has now released a third volume that's intended for a deeper shade, but I haven't tried it.

There are dupes that can work, the LM candlelight isn't in production, but I am sure there are dupes on Temptalia (I think Milani and Physician's Formula have one).

[taylorlover5171]

Wow thank you!

[WinglessOne]

Hi @taylorlover5171 ! I have several Hourglass AL powders, highlighters (Strobe powders), and blushes that work well on my medium-deep skin tone. But some other shades don’t. At all. 

You tagged a blush, so I’ll warn you that AL blushes can be hit or miss depending on how they’re marbled. The photo of the one you tagged shows a blush with an even balance of blush pigment and finishing powder. But you could end up with a compact that’s marbled with more finishing powder than blush pigment. That’s happened to me a couple times and made the blush useless, since there wasn’t enough pigment to show up on my skin tone. 

As for the finishing powders (no blush pigment): even a very light coverage product can make skin look ashy or otherwise bad if the shade doesn’t work with your skin tone. There are some shades of AL powder I cannot use on my face. If you have a local Sephora or Ulta store that carries Hourglass, I recommend going to play with testers so you can see the effect of various shades on your skin.  

And you can find different ways to use the powders and blushes. I like to use one of the blush shades, Brilliant Nude, to brighten the center of my face. I sometimes use the finishing powder shade Radiant Light just in my hollow tear troughs. 

[SportyGirly125]

@taylorlover5171 @I love the Hourglass ambient lighting powders.  I have tried the singles and the palettes. I think it’s worth it.