Hourglass Bronze Flash Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick Review, Photos, Swatches
Bronze Flash
Hourglass Bronze Flash Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick ($42.00 for 0.21 oz.) is a medium copper with warm, brown undertones and a golden shimmer. The consistency was incredibly smooth, almost like a lip balm–thin, lightly emollient but not greasy or heavy on the skin–and easy to work with on bare skin and patted on top of (liquid) foundation. It was opaque in a single layer, but it was easy to apply less using a stippling brush or fingertips (the latter was my preferred method for application). This shade wore well for eight and a half hours on me.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Melt Cosmetics Nova (P, $39.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- Cover FX Candlelight (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Milani Glowing (P, $10.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Sunset Glow (P, $48.00) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
- Dior #004 (LE, $53.00) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Gold Deposit (P, $34.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Dior #003 (LE, $53.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- Smashbox Crank It Up Gold (PiP, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- Phytosurgence Cosmic Cinders (P, $26.01) is less shimmery, cooler, less glossy (90% similar).
- BH Cosmetics Carli Bybel Deluxe Edition #20 (LE, ) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$42.00/0.21 oz. - $200.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be "long-wearing" that feels "weightless" on the skin. It is supposed to have a glow that is "seamless" and creates a "flash of light" and "intense payoff." It's a cream highlighter with a smooth, thin, and very lightweight consistency that has a touch of tackiness and never fully dries down on the skin, but it did not slide around during the day like I worried it might. It could be applied directly from the tube, but I did prefer using my fingertips to pat it onto the areas I wanted, as it made it easier to build up and diffuse along the edges. When applied from the tube onto the skin, it was definitely intense and opaque in a single layer, as described. There was a softly luminous sheen from it being a cream texture, but there was also a lot of shine from the shimmer, too. I found that none of the five emphasized my skin's natural texture, and they were easy to blend on bare skin as well as over foundation (liquid). They lasted around eight to nine hours on me before starting to get a touch patchy.
Browse all of our Hourglass Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick swatches.
Ingredients
This long-wearing, innovative formula adjusts to your body temperature to blend effortlessly into the skin. Soft-focus technology creates a flash of light on the skin for a virtually perfect highlight every time. Itās also formulated with hollow microspheres for a weightless feel on the skin. The unique, triangular bullet is designed to give you the most precise application. Layer multiple shades to create your own custom shades and looks. Vanishā¢ Flash Highlighter is designed to work synergistically with the Vanishā¢ Seamless Finish Foundation Stick.
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Christine, do you know what the explanation is behind the “Vanish Flash” part of the names of these products means? I’m confused just reading the name …. does it mean it won’t look over the top in flash photography? I mean, two “vanishes” and a “flash” in one product name just has me going “hunh”? This shade wouldn’t work for me but a few others look nice (in spite of my Hourglass boycott) but I wonder if I’d be flashing on and off going by the name! š
The formula is called “Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick.” The shade name is “Bronze Flash.”
If you click “Formula Overview,” I pull from the brand’s description: The formula is supposed to be “long-wearing” that feels “weightless” on the skin. It is supposed to have a glow that is “seamless” and creates a “flash of light” and “intense payoff.”
Glad to see it performs well at $200 an ounce!
Super pretty bronze cheek color or highlight! Trying to talk myself out of getting it though, because I do have EE G&G Ray. But sooo tempting for summer!
Looks like a very wearable highlighter. Look forward to seeing the other shades.
Did you set the foundation or the highlighter?
No, I don’t set the product I’m testing for wear unless I’ve explicitly state as much (since it needs to be tested on its own!) š In a foundation review, I would test it multiple ways, including with powder.
Looks really pretty on your skin tone.
Not big on stick check products but I like the way it looks on you. I only thumbs down because of the price is too much.
A full TEN dollars more here! As tempted as I am by the lighter shades (Pink and Champagne, as well as the rose gold one), I will likely pass on these entirely. I do have dupes as I have the Estee Edit Gritty+Glow palette but the texture of this formula (despite the confusing name) makes them awfully tempting.
Oh this is pretty! I like that you’re able to use your fingertips to apply and blend too. Will have to check it out.
Really excited to read your reviews of the champagne and pink flash
THis highlighter looks super pretty on you Christine!
Iām in serious love with those earrings. Where in the world did you find them??
They’re from Kate Spade but were from last spring š