Hourglass Holiday 2016 Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette Review, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Fri, 02 Dec 2016 19:00:00 +0000

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!

Spring 2017

LELimited Edition. $62.00.

B+

8.5

Product

9.5

Pigmentation

8.5

Texture

Longevity

Application

88%

Total

Get a shade-by-shade breakdown of this palette, along with individual photos and swatches…

Incandescent Electra

Incandescent Electra is a bright, medium coral with warm, orange and red undertones paired with a luminous sheen. The pigmentation was intense, while the consistency was soft, lightly dusty without being dry, and smooth. It applied easily to the skin, as the consistency allowed for quick, easy blending and the shimmer didn’t emphasize my skin’s natural texture. It wore well for eight hours on me before fading noticeably.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Sephora Heated (P, $14.00) is less shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
Charlotte Tilbury Seductive Beauty (Cheek Swish) (LE, $40.00) is warmer (95% similar).
Chanel Sunkiss Ribbon (LE, $70.00) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
Clinique Melon Pop (P, $21.00) is cooler (95% similar).
Marc Jacobs Beauty Lines & Last Night (502) (P, $42.00) is darker (95% similar).
MAC Autoerotique (LE, $31.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
MAC Supercontinental (LE, $24.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
ColourPop My Sun and Stars (DC, $12.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
MAC Oh You Pretty Things (LE, $24.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
Charlotte Tilbury Pretty (LE, ) (90% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

$38.00/0.15 oz. - $253.33 Per Ounce

The Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder is designed to have the “illuminating effects” of their Strobe Lighting Powder with “vivid cheek colors.” The formula features “buildable color” with a “natural-looking, radiant finish.” The texture of the powder is very, very silky and finely-milled, which can result in noticeable powder that gets kicked up in the pan, though they apply beautifully to the skin and never look dry or dusty actually applied (which is where it counts!). One of the things I have noticed over the years is that the depth of color can vary dramatically depending on the marbling of the powders; some have more of the “Strobe” shade and others have more of the “blush” shade. They last between seven and eight hours on me typically.

Browse all of our Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush swatches.

Ingredients

Ingredients: Mica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Boron Nitride, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Octyldodecanol, Silica, Dimethicone, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Alumina, Water/Aqua, Benzoic Acid, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Diamond Powder, Ethylhexylglycerin, Laureth-7, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylamide, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Sorbic Acid, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Tin Oxide, Trimethylsiloxysilicate. May Contain (+/-): Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), Carmine (Ci 75470), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499), Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891).

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.

Incandescent Electra

PPermanent. $38.00.

A-

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

8.5

Longevity

Application

92%

Total

Brilliant Nude

Brilliant Nude is a medium brown with warm, peachy undertones and flecks of gold shimmer and sparkle. The shimmer was larger in this shade, and while it didn’t emphasize the skin, there were larger bits of sparkle that sat on the skin and might not be everyone’s cup of tea. It felt a little drier, too, which made it more prone to sheering out on the skin. If you have oilier skin or apply on top of damp foundation, I expect it to be harder to notice that feeling in the texture. The pigmentation was good–mostly opaque and buildable–and lasted for a solid seven and a half hours.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Suqqu Yawakouki (05) (P, $34.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
By Terry Tropical Sunset #4 (LE, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
Chanel Tweed Beige (140) (P, $45.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
Sephora Secretive (19) (P, $14.00) is darker (90% similar).
Viseart Bronze #1 (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Tom Ford Beauty Warm (Winter 2016) Highlighter (LE, $60.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
Chanel Light (P, $58.00) is lighter (90% similar).
Surratt Beauty Coup de Genie (P, $32.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
Clinique Sorbet Pop (LE, $21.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
Zoeva ND030 (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

$38.00/0.15 oz. - $253.33 Per Ounce

Browse all of our Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush swatches.

Ingredients

Look Using this Product

Viseart Grande Pro Vol. 3 Eyeshadow Look - Pink & Copper

Read How-To

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Read How-To

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Brilliant Nude

PiPPermanent in Palette. $38.00.

B+

8.5

Product

9.5

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

87%

Total

Euphoric Fusion

Euphoric Fusion is a muted, medium rosy mauve with strong, warm undertones and a luminous sheen. The finish of this shade was the shiniest, but it didn’t have the same glittery look as Brilliant Nude. If you applied it with a lighter hand or a fan brush, you could tamp down the sheen a bit. The consistency was soft, finely-milled with slight dustiness, but it had semi-opaque, buildable coverage. On my skin, the blush lasted for seven and a half hours before fading.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Lethal Cosmetics Ornamental (P, $15.50) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (95% similar).
bareMinerals Golden Gate (LE, $22.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
Tarte Prim (LE, $29.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
Tom Ford Beauty Cool (Winter 2016) Highlighter (LE, $60.00) is cooler (90% similar).
Makeup Revolution Make Love Instead (P, $5.00) is cooler (90% similar).
Edward Bess South of France (P, $45.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
CoverGirl Medium Rose (DC, $9.99) is less shimmery, cooler (85% similar).
Milani Dolce Pink (P, $7.99) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
Bobbi Brown Island Plum (P, $36.00) is more shimmery, darker, glossier (90% similar).
Urban Decay Rapture (DC, $26.00) is cooler (85% similar).