Spring 2017

Hourglass Holiday 2016 Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette ($62.00 for 0.27 oz.) is a new, limited edition trio of shimmering blushes for the holidays.

From my understanding, the palette actually contains a new formula--a mix between the Ambient Lighting Blushes and the Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders--which is code for "shimmery blush." The formula is supposed to impart "glowing color and a natural-looking, radiant finish." In terms of value, both the Ambient Lighting Blushes and Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders retail for $38, while the blushes contain 0.15 oz. and the highlighters contain 0.16 oz., so let's call a 50/50 mix and go with 0.155 oz. for calculations, which is $245.16/oz. The palette contains $66.19 worth of product. If you just do a per-ounce calculation against the standalone blush, then it has a value of $68.40, and if you do it against the standalone highlighter, then it has a value of $64.13. In all cases, you are getting a bit more than what you're paying for, but you will get three shades for less than the cost of two (not that any of these are available on their own).

I was a bit confused over the inclusion of Incandescent Electra in the palette, as a shade by the same existed in another trio, and while it had similar colors in its pan, the one in this palette is dominated by the coral, so it was quite different--much more colorful, darker, and only really shares the undertone of the previously-released shade. Hourglass' website says that it is the same as the previously-released shade, though. The products are marbled, so there can be variation in depth based from shade to shade, but this was beyond a mere variation! Also, per Hourglass, this is a holiday palette!

• Brand Description