The Hourglass Palette : Is It Really Worth It?
I’ve always had my eyes set on this palette since it first came out. But I wanted to make sure first that I was buying it for the right reasons, by that I mean not just because the packaging is shiny (it’s my weak spot) so I took my time review hopping and debating whether it’s really worth spending on or not.
Just when I’m about to hit the check out button, it got sold out! And let me just say that missing out on a limited edition product is one of the worst regrets ever. Guys, I dreamed about this palette constantly, it’s ridiculous. That’s why as soon as Hourglass made it permanent on their makeup line, I bought it immediately.
did it live up to its reputation?
Basically, because of the amount of hype over this palette, the waiting, the expensive price, and not to mention that sleek packaging that makes me feel like I’m Athena just by looking at it, I had really high hopes for the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette. And to be honest, it isn’t what I imagined it would be.
First powder from the left is called Dim light. Now I thought this was going to be just another setting powder. I wasn’t really excited about it until I looked in the mirror and noticed that half of my face (where Dim Light was applied) looked like it was slightly airbrushed. What kind of sorcery is this! You know how Instagram filters blur imperfections off our faces then brightens it up? It does the same thing in a natural, subtle way. This is hands down the best setting powder in my book :)
Incandescent Light ― I thought I’d love this , but this thing can reflect way too much light sometimes. You can see it lightly applied on my natural makeup look pic below (noticeable on the nose area). It’s more shiny than luminous. Maybe it’ll work perfectly for super glowy / party makeup look, but as something to wear while I run around to check off my errands list, it’s too much. Also, I discovered recently that it easily turns oily when it’s humid.
The same thing happens with Radiant Light, only a lot subtler and easily forgivable because this color is beautiful. It’s a nice golden peach with a slight shimmer. Much like my favorite highlighter / bronzer duo from MAC. As far as the quality goes, all three powders all soft and last a long time.
final thoughts
All together the palette isn’t bad. In fact it’s a nice compact thing to bring around in your bag cause most of the things you need for the face is in there. Plus the powders are fairly good too ― except for Dim Light ― Dim Light is AMAZING, you guys will love it!
I still think it’s better to get them separately instead of buying the entire palette. If I had to chance to rethink it over ― I’d get Dim Light in a heartbeat, probably skip Radiant Light because it has a cheaper dupe (but same good quality) from MAC, and pass on Incandescent Light because there are other better highlighters than it.
Also I’m not sure if this is just on my skin, but Incandescent Light turns oily when it’s hot. Has anyone experienced the same thing? So if you live in a tropical country or at least spend most of your time at a humid workplace, you may want to pass on Incandescent as well. What do you guys think of the palette? Would you purchase it?
79 Comments
Great job on this great palette love the colors.
http://tifi11.blogspot.com
I've heard so much good about these, especially the shades used as setting powders but I'm not sure I could justify the purchase! A lot of gals with oily skin say it didn't really work out for them as it doesn't offer any oil control, so I think I'll have to pass for now!
Tasha // shiwashiful.
Beautiful palette – I'd never heard of the brand before but will definitely look into it! Looks absolutely gorgeous on you!
Sinéad xo ♥ fabuleuse, toujours ♥
I have yet to try these…it's one of those items that I need to test frist before thinking about getting it at all. I would rather get their blushes – which look so pretty <3
As for setting powders…I finally found my favourite powder. I'll probably just try to get the S&G one heck of blot and that's it…
I loved the post as always and I've been missing you <3
Thanks for this review. It looks like a pretty palette, for sure.
the-creationofbeauty.blogspot.com
I bought it from Rae at a discounted price. I love Dim Light too! I still like Incandescent and Radiant Light but I use them less often. :-)
I don't think the palette is worth it since I don't see myself using the other two powders. But I'll definitely be getting Dim Light in the near future!
Still not giving up on the ambient powders. I might get diffused light.
such an honest and detailed review
i think this is not for me as its already super hot in my city
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Looks amazing. I have heard lots of good things about it. Nice post dear :-)
http://naturelbellefemme.blogspot.com
I've heard such amazing things about this palette! But I've also heard it makes you shiny especially if you have oily skin…which I have :( Dim light sounds wonderful though. I don't think I'd purchase the entire palette, but if they ever did sell them separately I'd buy Dim Light!
dim light seems powerful (whoever the sorcerer behind it, thank you!) the packaging is just oh so PRETTY and put together…they remind me of those “baked” (well that's what they call them) makeup
YES to the packaging. Super luxurious! But I'm pretty sure it isn't worth it for me unless you use all three powders.
Aww..you know I had the same experience sis. I once dreamt of an item I really,really want so I end up purchasing it too hahaha It's really true how things we want can haunt us lol hanggang sa panaginip pa tlga.lol
I haven't heard of this one pa sis but based on your wondrous review maybe I won't buy it. Parang di cya worth it if you rationalize the whole thing. Your reviews are really amazing sis, I always love reading them,always! :))
love lots,
Tin
mypoeticisolation.blogspot.com
looks very pretty on you. Very beautiful glow! I love the dim light the most as well and I use it as a setting powder. The other 2, I use occasionally but not as much. I would definitely buy the full size of dim light when I'm done.
I'm out of the loop with higher end products. I have to admit, I'd never even heard of it. >.>;; But anything that makes one look airbrushed is very okay in my book. :P
Very pretty! ;) As you know, I'm not so much into makeup but looks like you've tested them well and I'm glad you were happy with your purchase. :)
The colours are very neutral and wearable, I have a feeling that it might disappear into my hooded lids, unless I wear metallic bright colours people would always ask if I wear makeup T_T
I like Radiant Light! Although I can't see myself splurging for this palette. Ganda nung packaging hehe! :)
PS. Dumaan ka sa blog sale namin plsssssss hehe
I've been wanting to try the ambient powders from Hourglass, however I just can't justify the price tag! I'm still looking for an everyday highlighter which is a bit sheer compared to the balm mary lou manizer. I already have Mac's candlelight or soft & gentle, Lorac Perfectly lit luminizing powder and Benefit's high beam… any more suggestions for my NC35 skin?
Hm, well I have never heard of this palette before! I don't think the colors would be worth it to buy it as a palette because they'll all so skin-toned.. and I've so many of those already. I must say I do love Radiant Light (what a beauty) so it's good to read that one has a cheaper dupe.. I'll check that one out :) xx
Glad to hear you're at least happy with one of the powders! For some reason I never got into the Hourglass thing, lol. But I have been eyeing up the NARS Reflecting powder for ages, for the exact reason you love Dim Light… I need airbrushing on my face!! Hehe
Quinn
http://www.Desgettier.com
It's pretty hard to make up my mind on this palette because of soooo many polarizing reviews. Some people fell head over heels for it but as time goes on, I find more rants and disappointments. It's pretty hard to decide, too, as I've had the pleasure of swatching the 6 permanent singles and they interact so specifically on the skin. I went in thinking I'd be perfect for one shade, then ended up looking good in another one that I never even gave a second glance to. I stood there for like twenty minutes so confused! Thankfully the palette is permanent now, I'll probably swatch first before buying.
thanks jackie!
i think that's a good decision esp if you have oily skin. but dim light tho i think could for for all skin type, hope you get to try it, its really nice :)
thanks!
oh i just found out that they have a blush palette asjdsjkd. here i go again going gaga over it haha. ill probably skip it and get them separately in case :P
likewise! which reminds me few more days before your bday!
thanks shannon!
when i found out that she was selling it, nabenta na… you're the lucky girl pala! <3
yes get dim light! <3 i think itll work for oily skin type as well cause it stays matte naman on my oily tzone when i dont use incandescent wih it. and as for the blog sale i really want too! ill try find a way :)
parang maganda din diffused light cause its more yellowish kinda reminds me of kevyn aucoin swatches :)
thanks pooja!
thanks belle!
they do sell them separately! <3 hope you get a chance to try dim light and if you buy it let me know :)
hahaha they do look baked and enticing talaga hay. easy trap para sa mga packaging weakling like me. dim light tho was worth spending on ganda sis :)
agree! incandescent ad radiant were pretty but not something i would use daily :
hahaha im glad im not alone on this! it happens to me a lot which makes me realize that i can be too materialistic sometimes :S but i guess its nice na rin cause that means i practice self control. and thank you tin! writing is a struggle for me so i appreciate it!
same here! i plan to do the same, unless some other brand will come up with something that erases imperfections permanently hehe.
hehe, well your skin is naturally glowy to begin with so i understand why youre not very much into to it <3
thanks sis! :)
hi lily theyre powders for the face <3 but you can also multitask some of the shades as an eyeshadow (prolly radiant light)
masyado mahal sis :S good thing tho mac has a nice dupe for radiant light, cheaper pa <3 missed hearing from you!
ang ganda ng highlighter collection mo sis! <3 i missed soft and gentle :( hmm have you tried milani luminoso? vanessa swears by it, i think im getting one soon so when i do will let you know if its sheerer than the lou manizer. its really nice daw so many raves about it :)
i wish i could remember the exact name of the blush :S i bought it a long time ago but i keep seeing an exact dupe of it in MAC i just dont remember the name hehe. i really missed hearing from you, hope you could do a post soon! :)
ooo i didnt know nars had that kind of powder. i was at their counter last week browsing their powders but i dont think i came across one that can pass as a setting powder. its probably not available here. most of the ones i saw were very shimmery.
when this came out i was really good at avoiding it. even though it was cheaper to get this palette, i instead went with two full sizes in dim and mood which were the most suited for my face coloring. you're right, dim somehow gives an airbrushed look. something i didn't quite expect since i thought maybe the hourglass powders were full of propaganda and promise with no real effect but i was wrong.
Jenn
A Beautiful Zen
haha its quite confusing nga. cause i remember most popular vloggers raved about this but then after that some girls were saying na its not as good. whered you swatch it? did you also try their blushes?
oh gosh, I'm silly…you even mentioned in your post that you'd recommend buying them separately! hahahaha. Well thank you for clearing that up! & yes I'll definitely let you know if I end up buying it :)
I feel you, sometimes I judge based on packaging din! LOL. I always love reading your reviews Shayne, they always give me tons of idea and things to consider about the product/s. :)
Thanks so much for the review, I've been wondering whether to get this for a while now and tbh I think I'll just skip purchasing the palette and go straight to buying dim light! Xx This has been incredibly useful :D I've just started a blog of my own and if you're interested you are very welcome it visit. Followers are desperately needed!!! http://xbeyoutifulx.blogspot.co.uk
I've been lusting over that palette too sis! The packaging is just to die for, and love the radiance of the shades.. but I agree with what you said, it's a fair point that it's better to buy them individually just in case you don't like one of the shades coz it's going to be such a waste. Hourglass is not cheap! hehe. Thanks for the helpful review sis! Have you tried their blushes yet? :) There's so much hype about them!
Take care always, love Christine ~ xx
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Wow I Love all the colors Ate Shayne !! esp. the hourglass radiant color and It fits to you too !! The packaging is really nice , I agree it really is shiny and we should also always think about if we're buying it because of its packaging or because of what's inside
xx
Molly
http://www.corinnemolly.blogspot.com
I've heard a lot about this palette and the problem is, the reviews all contradicted each other. I didn't know who to believe! Thanks so much for reviewing this though. I don't think I'm gonna get it na. I was planning to use it as a “highlighter” but then it doesn't seem worth the price.
http://www.thestylishbipolar.com
Such a great review hun! Your looking beautiful :)
Sensitive Epidermis | Rainbow
xxx
ahaha noprobs! <3
ah i wish i did the same thing! i also wanted mood. i went after the palette cause i thought incandescent light was an excellent highlighter. if i remember correctly it was suppose to be the “special”/ bonus / limited edition shade.
weak spot talaga naten lahat yan hahaha. thanks sis! <3
glad you found it useful tasha! and welcome to the blogging community! <3
youre right! and thats why i havent tried the blushes yet haha. i keep seeing inconsistent reviews on the blush so i might skip it… for now. we shall see! ^^ are you planning on getting those? :)
thanks molly! nice to hear from you again!!
you might like thebalm's mary or cindy lou manizer. a lot cheaper and better quality than incandecent light :)
thanks rain! :)
I've seen so much hype around these powders and I've always wanted to try some. I have oily skin and I don't see that working much for me though. Ahaha. I love the review, so straightforward and on point:) Always a hit with you Shayne:D Thank you for the lipstick recommensations, researching them up right now as we speak. (or more as I type. ahaha)
P.s. I got your mail^^
❤ Charms | My ∞ Fashion Confession
great photos love! would u like to follow each other on bloglovin and facebook? let me know
kisses
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I feel like 'Dim Light' is by far the most loved powder in this palette! UHM, I WANT TO LOOK LIKE I'VE BEEN SLIGHTLY PHOTOSHOPPED…BUT IN REAL LIFE (shhh, sometimes I photoshop my skin in photos SO IMMA NEED MY FACE TO LOOK CONSISTENT IN REAL LIFE AND ON THE INTERNET, YA KNOW?) A lot of people are saying that its better to get the powders separately though, so if I ever want a fancy setting powder, Dim Light it will have to be! :D
I didn't like Incandesecnt Light too when I first got it but now it's the only highlighter I'm using on my face. I've used it like crazy last summer. I really dig the glowy look it gives me. Too bad it doesn't work for you though. Oh and I've got to ask, what's the cheaper MAC dupe you have for Radiant light? Hehe ;)
@Shayne, so sorry to misled you… I meant to put “In Mind” after Benefit's High Beam… I don't own any of those, I'm still contemplating which one to get! bwahahaha and btw, I already have milani luminoso, been using it for over 2 years! it's my favorite everyday blusher, but I recently gave it away to a friend since I haven't been using it as much… it's such a pretty blush and I want to buy a new one. hehe
Nice review! It seems like a good palette. I'm glad they restocked it after being sold out and you were able to purchase it! :)
~Moll
http://www.mollymac13.blogspot.com
thank you charms! howd you find the lipstick swatches so far? any shade you like? while youre at it i really think mac viva glam will look SO GORGEOUS on you! :)
aaah! hihi! im excited naman to get luminoso tuloy. i thought it was more of a highlighter than the blush but youre right i think ill like it better as a blush. but siguro from all your choices i think i like mary lou manizer most, or the pinker version cindy lou manizer :)
thanks!
hahaha! yes! although sometimes when i use dim light on the face i feel that i must use it all over the neck as well. cause it looks weird when they dont match. i always forget this step tho lol
its called happy together mineralized blush! haha i had to halungkat my ataul to find it. its a really old limited edition product. they dont sell it anymore but i always see MAC release dupes for it. i just forgot their names :)
thanks moll! <3
This is actually super helpful! I really was lusting after the palette too, but now I think I'll just get Dim Light! <3
ah you'll like dim light, perfect for when you do some costume photo shoots! <3
Yes! I am back.. :) come tomorrow (monday, which is in a couple of hours here) I will be back to blogging!! xx
woohoo! finally! ill check it soon! <3