Blushes Archives - Page 2 of 11

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal Light and Mood Light ~ Photos, Swatches, and Review

March 8, 2013 By Christa 11 Comments

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder

I recently reviewed one of the new Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders in Diffused Light. I was happy enough with the powder that I decided I had to try more shades. I came home with Ethereal Light and Mood Light. If they hadn’t been out of stock of Luminous and Dim I likely would have purchased those as well. I was a little crazed at the time. I will reiterate the information on the powders I featured in my initial review. Hourglass is a brand that offers a refined selection of products that are a prime example of quality over quantity. Their newest release, the new Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders, are creating a lot of excitement in the beauty community as well as some confusion. I have seen negative reviews from people disappointed in these products as highlighters. They are not meant to be highlighters. They are meant to be all over face powders that can recreate the effects of different kinds of lighting situations. There are six shades available. Everyone should be able to find at least a couple shades that work for them. There are even a few options that “can” be used as a highlighter as the level of shimmer in each shade differs.

ETHEREAL LIGHT is an opalescent sheer, cool white powder that mimics a moonlit glow – even in broad daylight
DIFFUSED LIGHT is a soft, warm, pale yellow powder that reduces redness and gives skin clarity – like a soft ray of morning light
DIM LIGHT is a neutral peach beige powder that blurs imperfections and highlights a radiant complexion with the perfect balance of warm and cool tones
MOOD LIGHT is a soft, sheer lavender pink powder that mimics the softest most forgiving light and reveals your brightest complexion
LUMINOUS LIGHT is a champagne pearl powder that creates a soft, incandescent candlelit glow – day or night
RADIANT LIGHT is a sun-kissed golden beige powder that enhances the overall complexion with believable, subtle warmth, and also extends a summer glow

The shades increase in sheen and pigment as you go down the list. The amazing Josh Collier has a very detailed and informative YouTube video review that is a must watch regarding these powders.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Mood Light

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal Light

The finish of Ethereal Light is similar to Diffused Light. It has a very, very discreet amount of glow. If you are expecting something more impactful than you would be best steered towards on of the other four shades.

Mood Light has a more noticeable sheen. I absolutely love the finish of this powder. It is exactly what I was looking for. Mood Light happens to be quite pigmented. If I could create my dream Hourglass Ambient Lighting powder it would be a lighter version of Mood Light. I can use Mood Light all over my face, and I adore the finish it gives my skin, but it does impart colour. It actually works for an amazing bronzer type effect. I know you don’t think of bronzers having a lavender pink tone but this works magic on my skin. It also doubles as a blush. I can build it up for the most perfect blush shade with an amazing glow. You can see it in use as a blush in my Benefit Blue My Mind Look. Blush, bronzer, setting powder? Yup Mood Light makes me one happy girl! I just wish I could have that bit lighter version for use as an all over face powder. Or add a bit more glow to Ethereal or Diffused. I remedy this by using a combination of two of the shades for the effect I want.

Soft Swatches in Natural Lighting – Hourglass Mood Light and Ethereal Light

Heavier Swatches in Artificial Light ~ Hourglass Diffused Light, Ethereal Light, Mood Light

It is also important to note that these are finishing powders, not oil control powders, so depending on your skin type you may need to set your foundation with another product prior to applying the Ambient Lighting Powder if you want to keep shine in control all day. My skin is dry so these works as the perfect setting powder for me. I am really loving this product. It doesn’t perform miracles of course, but it is a finely milled, beautiful powder that offers a gorgeous finish to the skin. It is a paraben, talc, fragrance, nano particle, and gluten free formula.

The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder ($45 US/$52 CAD) is available at Sephora and the Hourglass website. Zuneta carries Hourglass but the Ambient Powders are not showing there yet.

Filed Under: Blushes, Finishing Powders, Highlighters, Hourglass

Paul & Joe Cheek Color Duo in 06 Mon Ami for Spring 2013 ~ Photos, Swatches, and Review

March 5, 2013 By Christa 5 Comments

I first introduced you to the new Spring 2013 collection from Paul & Joe in my Paul & Joe Spring 2013 Inspired by the City of Lights post. Be sure to check it out to see the other beautiful and quirky releases from the collection. Today I am showing you one of the Cheek Colors release for Spring, Mon Ami. The Cheek Colors are sold as refills for $18 US. The retro-meets-modern compacts, featuring a chrysanthemum embossment, are sold separately for $8 US.

The clear, clamshell packaging the refill comes in is actually fairly sturdy and features it’s own chrysanthemum embellishment.

Mon Ami is described as deep and sensual shades of lavender and dusty rose charms all who see it. I had expected the shades to lean more purple given the description but they are a beautiful cool pink with silver flecked sparkle overspray and a gorgeous dusty rose. The formula is pigmented but not so pigmented that it is difficult to apply. The silver sparkle overspray dissipates to reveal gold and pink shimmer in the pale pink stripe on the left. The dusty rose shade has a satin finish.

Below I have swatched the shades separately and then blended together. Blended together is my favourite way to wear this. I love the versatility this blush provides though. You can wear the shades individually with the dusty rose on your cheeks and the light pink focused high on the cheekbone as a highlight. Or you could blend the shades together all over the cheeks with the option again of complimenting with the light pink as a highlight.

Given there are 10 of these cheek duos released as part of the Paul & Joe Spring 2013 collection I am very intrigued to explore the rest of the shade offerings. The refill pans are magnetized and fit in my Z Palettes. While I find the compact beautiful I love the money savings of getting 2 shades in one $18 pan that I can pop in a palette for my own use as well as for professional use.

Paul & Joe is available at Beauty Habit and Bergdorf Goodman in the US. Available in Canada at eBeauty.ca although I do not see these blushes available there yet.

Product provided for my consideration. All reviews are always my own honest and unbiased opinions. Post contains affiliate links which helps support this site. Thank you.

Filed Under: Blushes, Highlighters, Paul & Joe, Spring 2013

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Orchid Hush, Rose Petal, and Hot Tamale ~ Photos, Swatches, and Review

February 21, 2013 By Christa 10 Comments

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Orchid Hush, Rose Petal, and Hot Tamale

Call me late to the party but WOW am I ever in love with the Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blushes! I know these have been out for a long time but I had never tried them. I had swatched them at the drugstore one time and found it very difficult to pick up pigment. While the texture felt super fun and intriguing I ended up walking away without ever purchasing. I am so happy I was sent these for review because I need more of them in my life. NEED.

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Orchid Hush, Hot Tamale, and Rose Petal

The Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blushes are a gel formula which provides the bouncy texture. It really is quite neat. They feel very lightweight like a powder and have no stickiness or tackiness at all. They melt into the skin and give a very natural effect as the blushes are sheer on pigment. This is what initially kept me from purchasing these blushes but I quickly learned to appreciate the beauty of this formula. Building up the colour may mean they take a little longer to apply but it yields such a soft, glowing, natural flush that it is well worth the effort. Maybelline recommends applying these with your fingers but I have really been loving the application achieved by buffing these into my cheeks with a brush.

Please excuse my goosebumps. It was chilly! Orchid Hush is lovely lilac pink. Hot Tamale is a vibrant coral red. Rose Petal is a pretty, soft peach.

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Orchid Hush, Hot Tamale, and Rose Petal

You can see from the swatches that the blushes offer a sheer, translucent wash of colour. They also have a super fine, subtle shimmer. It is not really visible but adds to the gorgeous glow these blushes offer. You can see Hot Tamale in action in this pic from my Bright Eyes, Glowy Skin, Rosy Cheek Look.