What It Is:
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal Light
Why This Should Be in Your Bag:
Finishing powder is an essential part of my makeup routine. My skin has a tendency to get oily, so capping off with my look with a powder keeps my face shine-free for much longer and helps to minimize pores and imperfections (if it’s a good powder, that is!).
When Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders were released last year, there was an absolute frenzy! They’re designed to mimic the effect that different lighting has on the skin. After trial and error, I settled on Luminous Light as a finishing powder. It’s described as “a sheer, cool tone that eliminates shine and mimics a moonlit glow—even in broad daylight.” I initially thought I would end up with Dim Light or Luminous Light, but went for the dark horse Ethereal Light and will explain why!
How To Use It:
Depending on the shade, I would advise you to use this powder in a different way, but Hourglass simply says, “Dust Ambient Lighting Powder all over the face with Ambient Powder Brush.” I wasn’t prepared to drop another $35 on the brush, so I just used a densely-packed face brush to apply Ethereal Light all over. Shades like Mood Light or Radiant Light may be better a a blush or bronzer, depending on your skin tone.
CC Rating: A+
Like I said, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders caused an internet frenzy upon their release – and for good reason! Despite striking out with my two initial picks (Dim and Luminous Light), Ethereal Light is a home run! In the pan it looks like a light white-yellow with a sheen, but applies nearly translucent. Yes, there is some shimmer in this, but I find it nearly undetectable unless you’re right by my face in bright sunlight. My boyfriend has been the only person to tell me my face was sparkly, and again, this was in bright sunshine, close up.
So why do I love Ethereal Light? It just blurs everything and makes my skin look almost perfect! The effect is impossible to capture on camera, but this is the kind of product that garners compliments like, “Your skin is glowing!” and makes people wonder what you did differently, without being obvious. It does decrease the amount of shine on my face, perhaps not as well as other powders intended solely for mattifying skin, but I’m pleased with the results.
When initial reviews came out, people were complaining about the price for amount of product (0.35oz), but I’ve actually found it to be comparable to all other high-end brands. Just make sure to not tap your brush in the pan because the powder does tend to fly away!
The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal Light has become an essential part of my routine! It’s available at Sephora for $45.
[Need some new makeup but not sure what to buy? Check out Alex’s other beauty reviews here.]
