Hourglass Gold Flash Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick Review, Photos, Swatches
Gold Flash
Hourglass Gold Flash Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick ($42.00 for 0.21 oz.) is a light gold with subtle, warm undertones and a metallic sheen. It was a “cooler” gold compared to Champagne Flash, which was almost orange-toned in comparison. The cream highlighter had a lightly emollient consistency that gave it enough slip to feel and blend like a cream highlighter but not enough to feel greasy or be prone to moving during the day. It didn’t fully dry down, but it stayed in place for almost nine hours on me before breaking down a bit. It had rich color payoff in a single stroke from the tube and was easy to blend out along the edges on bare skin as well as over foundation.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Coloured Raine Selfie (P, $25.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Siren (LE, $12.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Anastasia Butterscotch (LE, ) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Anastasia Gumdrop (LE, ) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- ColourPop Strobe Globe (P, $7.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Huda Beauty Azores (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Medium (02) (P, $38.00) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Anastasia White Sand (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Make Up For Ever 13 Ivory (P, $21.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Beauty Beam #2 (LE, ) is lighter (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. It’s 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. Vanish™ Flash Highlighter is designed to work synergistically with the Vanish™ 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.
I love it for all the same reasons that I fell for Champagne Flash! But, for this one, I do not see even a “close” dupe in my stash. I’m thinking that it may be wise on my part to go up to Sephora with only bronzer on my cheeks and a more subtle daytime eye and lip, try Champagne on one side of my face, Gold on the other, then choose between them. These have certainly been proving to be gorgeous highlighters!
Very pretty; I definitely like this better than the Champagne. I wonder what this would look like *under* powder?
Another good one for you. I think it’s probably too yellow for me. I really need to swatch these at some point.