Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo

I was perusing Sephora one night and came across Hourglass's Femme Nude Lip Stylo ($28) lip pencils. They looked interesting, and I love Hourglass. So, I ordered two. I selected Nude N°4, described as pink-beige nude with a hint of deep rose and a satin finish, and Nude N°5, golden peach nude with a shimmering finish.

The photo directly above shows them in full sun at my house. Nude
N°4 is on the left, and Nude N°5 is on the right.

I swatched them in the same order, with N°4 at the top of my arm and N°5 below. My photos were taken in full, mid-day sunshine, and I applied the lip pencils directly to my arm. Although they look similar in the swatches, the peach in N°4 should be obvious, and the rose in N°5 does shine.

These nude lip crayons deliver a creamy, full-coverage formula, all but one with a satin finish. With six shades from which to choose, there’s a nude for every preference. The wardrobe of shades allows you to customize many looks if you want to layer them. I can't imagine why.

The formula contains no parabens, sulfates, or phthalates - all good. They contain vitamin E, which is great for our lips. Femme Nude Lip Stylo comes in a sleek, custom-designed, metal case that feels substantial to the touch and looks good when you pull it out for a quick touch-up.

The only drawback to these lovely lip pencils is that they carry a taste. It's not obnoxious, but it's obvious, and I can taste it for a significant amount of time. For that reason alone, I'm glad I didn't purchase more of them. I read the ingredients and did not see fragrance, so the taste must be coming from one of the ingredients, unmasked.

You can purchase these at Sephora. I find them handy to keep in my purse because the top of the case is well designed and stays on to prevent accidents.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Radiant Bronze Light

You might ask me, "Why did you buy the one for medium to dark complexions?" I don't know! I think I made a mistake. I purchased two of the same shade, and I'm pretty sure I meant to buy one of each. It was last year, so who knows?

Anyhow, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Radiant Light ($50) can be made to work for any skin tone. Just use your brush properly because it is very pigmented. I'll have to order the lighter shade, Luminous Bronze Light, for comparison. This purchase had to be the result of one of my sleepy, late-night online trips to Sephora. However, it makes for a nice feature for those with darker complexions than mine.

As usual, my photo directly above shows the true color of the powder bronzer in the compact. It is definitely not as orange as the Sephora and Hourglass photos show. If you look carefully, you can see some micro-sparkle pigment in it, and this shows up on the skin - but only in strong light. Indoors, it offers a beautiful sheen to the skin.

I took swatch photos in full, mid-day sun, and I used my usual sponge-tipped applicator to apply it. The first thing I noticed is that it is extremely pigmented. I played with it indoors with a fluffy powder brush, and it applied with much less pigment to my face. The color works that way, even on my fair skin.

You can see how dark this shade is when applied fairly heavily with a sponge-tipped applicator. It's perfect for medium and dark complexions. Hourglass describes it as "a warm bronze shade fused with Radiant Light, a golden beige powder, to mimic a summer glow. Ideal for medium/deep complexions."

If this color is good for you, I think you will love Radiant Bronze Light. It adheres to the skin nicely, providing long wear with no fallout. It really is radiant. If you are fair and buy it anyhow, just use your expert brush skills and lightly sweep the brush over the powder to pick up a beautiful, warm, natural-looking tan shade.

You can find Hourglass Ambient Bronzer at Sephora and Hourglass Cosmetics online.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder

Not too long ago, Hourglass introduced a collection of four Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders ($38), illuminating strobing powders designed to sculpt the face with light, creating depth and dimension for a refined, natural-looking highlight.

These powders are formulated in a sheer base that’s infused with concentrated, ultra-fine mico-pearl particles in a number of sizes and refraction levels for natural-looking luminescence - without leaving a heavy metallic finish. Developed with "Photoluminescent Technology," it captures, diffuses, and softens surrounding light to refine the appearance of the skin. Use it wet or dry for different levels of intensity, taking you from an everyday strobe highlight to a dramatic evening strobe highlight.

These universally flattering shades are perfect for all skin tones, and they’re designed to be used with the Ambient Strobe Light Sculptor (sold separately) for the most effortless application.

How are these powders different from the original Ambient Lighting Powders? Designed to emulate the way in which strobe lights capture and reflect light on the face, Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders contain a more concentrated level of micro-pearl particles in varying sizes and refraction levels. Combined with a sheerer base, the powders impart a highlight to the face in its purest form without masking the skin beneath it. They are very sheer, as you can see below on my arm.

"Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders give off the most amazing glow to your skin without being overpowering. I love using them with the Ambient Strobe Light Sculptor when I want a more reflective highlight." - Carisa Janes, Hourglass Founder

I couldn't decide among the colors, so I ended up with all four of them, thanks to  sweet friend who works for Hourglass.  Brilliant is shown above at top left, and Euphoric is shown at top right. On the bottom row, Incandescent is shown at left, with Iridescent at right. I sure hope I got that right. I swatched in the order listed here.

I tried to apply them dry and heavily with a sponge-tipped applicator, and I took my photo in full sun. Nevertheless, the sheerness of these powders made them disappear into my skin. I can see the stripes of subtle color and a bit of sparkle, but little else. Euphoric shows up pretty well; it's the golden tone second down on my arm. Did I need all four of them? Nope.

How does Hourglass recommend that you apply Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders? By using their Ambient Strobe Light Sculptor  - wet or dry to achieve varying levels of intensity, taking you from day to night.

• To broaden a narrow forehead, gently dab the angled side of the Sculptor to the middle of the forehead.
• To give height to the nose, sweep the tip of the Sculptor down the bridge of nose. Add more to the tip of the nose for a lifted effect.
• To accentuate the cheekbones and lift the brows, sweep the angled side of the Sculptor along the tops of the cheekbones, up towards the top of the brow in a “crescent moon” shape.
• To open up the eye area, dab the tip of the Sculptor under the brow bone and in the inner corners of the eyes.
• To create the look of fuller lips, dab the tip of the Sculptor on the Cupid’s bow.
• Use the flocked side of the Sculptor to blend and diffuse any harsh edges. Powder can be layered, gradually building up to your desired intensity.

The idea of strobing has tickled me. Young makeup artists are all excited about this new method. They aren't old enough to know that highlighting, strobing, or whatever you want to call it is old - very old. It's often used with contouring, also an old method, to highlight the areas of the face you want to bring forward and darken the areas you want to recede.

I think of these Hourglass powders as highlighting powders. They do sparkle, so you may want to limit their use to nightime occasions. If you are comfortable with micro-glitter, you can use them during the day.

Have you tried them? You can find them at Sephora and Hourglass.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Hourglass Cosmetics Ambient Lighting Blush

Hourglass Cosmetics has introduced six shades of a new product: Ambient Lighting Blush ($35), which is a very clever follow-up to its uber-successful Ambient Lighting Powder. When I went to Sephora to check out the shades during the V.I.B. early access preview, they were all sold out. Apparently they went as quickly as you can count to five.

With a click of a mouse, I headed over to Hourglass's own Web site and found six lovely blush shades beckoning. What a choice! It was so difficult, I surrendered my sanity and ordered all six. I figured it was a pretty safe purchase since they looked so pretty. I love marbling in color cosmetics.

My blushes arrived early last week, and I kept my hands off them until I could get photos. Finally, the sun came out while I was at home, and I took product and swatch photos. Then, I started playing with my new colors.

The first photo at the top of this feature shows Diffused Heat, Dim Infusion, and Ethereal Glow from left to right. The second photos shows Luminous Flush, Mood Exposure, and Radiant Magenta from left to right.

Hourglass says that unlike traditional blush, which tends to be flat, Ambient Lighting Blush uses "Photoluminescent Technology" to exhibit depth and dimension. The airy, lightweight powders contain optically transparent particles that amplify the colors to a multidimensional level, effectively reinventing the way you view blush - or perhaps the way blush looks on your skin.

The hand-made powders are formulated using an advanced miscelare technique, which means “to mix” in Italian. The result is a perfect balance of pigment and powder - all unique, meaning no two look alike. The cutting-edge formula means that the blush's full potential is displayed only on application. Hint: you won't see the magic until you apply the blush.

Here are Hourglass's descriptions for each of the shades.

• Dim Infusion: A subdued coral blush fused with Dim Light to add warmth
• Diffused Heat: A vibrant poppy blush combined with Diffused Light for a subtle halo effect
• Luminous Flush: A champagne rose blush fused with Luminous Light to evoke a candlelit glimmer
• Radiant Magenta: A golden fuchsia blush combined with Radiant Light for a summer glow
• Mood Exposure: A soft plum blush fused with Mood Light to brighten the complexion
• Ethereal Glow: A cool pink blush fused with Ethereal Light for a moonlit luminosity

I took my swatch photos in full, morning sun in alphabetical order, starting with Diffused Heat at the top of my arm and ending with Radiant Magenta at the bottom. I swatched all shades heavily using a sponge-tipped applicator. If you don't like my photos, for one-by-one close-ups, see Temptalia.

Sorry about that little bandage. The bruise under it looks worse. These photos are fairly light for a very good reason: the blushes are fairly light. You can't go wrong with any one of them (although that's possible if you don't like nude). It's interesting that in alphabetical order, with one glaring exception, they move from light to medium in pigmentation.

Diffused Heat at the top of my arm is a glorious pink-peach hybrid. Dim Infusion is very nude/beige. It's a blush for those who aren't looking for help with color, just a little contouring, thank you. Ethereal Gloss is an icy pink - so light that it is best used to top other shades, not on its own - unless your skin is almost white in color.

The three more pigmented shades are my favorites. Luminous Flush is another pink-peach hybrid. It's a warm shade that packs a little more punch than Diffused Heat. Mood Exposure, which looks almost brown in the case, is drop-dead gorgeous. The plum-mauve-pink color lifts my skin's own undertones. Radiant Magenta, whose name makes it sound unnecessarily loud, is a stunning pink. Shown at the bottom of my arm, it is not magenta!

Every one of these shades works on my fair skin. My favorite by a hair is Mood Exposure, simply because it makes me look like I'm blushing naturally. All of them will be worn (no throwaways here), and I'm only beginning to start playing with layering them. A maestro makeup artist (unaffiliated with Hourglass) suggested to me that the lighter shades will be fabulous when layered over the darker ones - to add depth of color and different effects. I tried. Of course, he's right.

Let's talk about radiance for a minute. I can see some minimal micro-flecks in the powders, but they impart no sparklies to the face. They are lively. That's my term for blushes that make me look alive. Are they radiant? Technically, that term means they reflect light or add luminance. Maybe, but I would need scientific equipment I don't have to give you an unequivocal answer on that. See below for why I won't try.

Hourglass has offered us a fabulous, new set of bushes with Ambient Lighting Blush. Choose the right shades for you face, and I'll bet you will be delighted.  They blend with ease, and they offer all-day, beautiful wear. What more can one expect?

They keep selling out at Houglass and Sephora online, but persist. They are being restocked quickly. I think everyone should have at least one.

Model photo courtesy of Hourglass; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder

I was ultra-intrigued when I saw Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder ($45) at Sephora online. Then I read a couple of glowing reviews (the powder would make me glow), and I was sold. I had to have one - except that the colors looked fascinating, so I ordered three. One is in my take-back box at the moment, along with a few Stila Color Balm Lipsticks I never opened.

Carisa Janes, Founder of Hourglass, had articulated something I've observed. “I learned early on how different types of light can truly flatter the complexion. Growing up, my mother had pink light bulbs in all of the lamps throughout the house. She loved pink light because it was the softest and most flattering, and she always wanted to look good. I used this concept of lighting in Ambient Lighting Powder.” Think about how good you look in soft candlelight in a restaurant. If you've never noticed, pull out a mirror and look!

"This universal finishing powder features state-of-the-art technology to recreate the most exquisitely flattering types of light." When I read that, I was sold.

Create your perfect light. Ambient Lighting Powder is a groundbreaking collection of finishing powders that capture, diffuse, and soften the way light reflects on your skin. Ambient’s illuminating particles are one of the first ever to exhibit both photoluminescence and color-correcting capabilities. The transparent micron-sized spheres with an entrapped diamond core - called photoluminescent technology - do not simply cloak imperfections like traditional powder, but rather, alter and refine the perceived appearance of the complexion by manipulating and filtering out harsh light. Delivering a multidimensional luminescence to every skin tone, skin appears softer, younger, and lit-from-within. With six universal shades available, you can choose to create your desired lighting effect - not unlike having a personal lighting technician. Ambient is free of talc, gluten, fragrance, parabens, and nanoparticles.

I had high expectations. So high, I even ordered the Ambient Powder Brush ($35), a densely packed brush said to be ideal for evenly dispersing Ambient Lighting Powder all over the face. It comes equipped with extra-soft, high-grade Taklon bristles and is packaged in a protective travel-pouch.

Here are Diffused Light, a pale yellow, and Dim Light, said to be a neutral peach-beige. The brush is shown below.

The brush was an experiment. It's relatively large, which is good for applying powder to the entire face, and also useful for getting into the corners near the nose. On the other hand, it's not a great tool for buffing, something you might want to do with your finishing powder. It's soft. It feels good, but won't buff the powder once you apply it - if you wish to buff it into your foundation.

This is where my story derails. I found nothing novel, unique, or noteworthy about these Ambient Lighting Powders. Perhaps I selected the wrong shades for my complexion, but I had the impression that I could mix and match to suit the appearance I wanted to create. I don't want to discourage you from trying these. They seem to be popular, but maybe they are best for different skin types and complexions.

Here are the two shades I've been testing, pictured in full sun. Because they are finishing powders, I had to apply them heavily to my arm so that they would show up in photos.  Diffused Light is shown at the top, with Dim Light below. The colors are as-described: light yellow and a peachy, warm beige.

Neither of these powders makes me glow - no glow, no shine, no special effects. In fact, you can see in my photos that my own skin glows from the direct sun more than the swatches.

One would never apply these powders as heavily as I did for these swatch photos. So imagine these color sheered out significantly and what do you get? A tinted powder. If you want to use them for color correction, I think they would be great - along the lines of Bobbi Brown's Retouching Powders. Actually, the only one I can use as a finishing powder is Diffused Light. Dim Light is too dark for my skin. I can only use it where I wish to create shadows.

Since these powders have received such critical acclaim, I feel like there's something wrong with me - my expectations, my approach, my application, my impressions. How could reviewers claim to glow with an ethereal light? One had darker skin for sure, but I just don't get the glow.

I'm going to throw this one open for suggestions and feedback. Did I buy the wrong colors? Hourglass says, "Choose one or more and step into your perfect light." I'm wondering if I should have purchased Mood Light, a sheer lavender-pink. Have you tried these new wonder-powders? What colors? What did you think?

I'm not giving up yet. However, I'll be holding my Guerlain and Chantecaille powders tightly and with a renewed appreciation.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Hourglass Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Gloss

I had to do it during the Sephora V.I.B. sale. I was anxious to try Hourglass Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Gloss ($28), one of the items in the Give Me Some Lip Lip Sampler. Since I gave that away, I decided to order an Hourglass gloss shade during the sale. Which shade? Inexperienced with this particular gloss, I ended up with three. I wanted all 13. Moderation is not one of my virtues, so I decided to order one light/cool, one that turned out to be medium/warm, and one dark/red, appropriate for all skin tones - a spectrum I could use to select future shades.

Hourglass promises smoothing, defining, and opulent shine with Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Gloss. Here's its description at Sephora.

The crème-de-la-crème of lip glosses, Extreme Sheen is pure luxury for the lips. The formulation delivers high shine and rich pigment without feathering. It contains moisturizing active and vitamin E to provide intense hydration to keep lips from cracking or chapping.

What the heck is moisturizing active? I was sure Sephora had to have left out at least one word when posting this lip gloss, so I went to the Hourglass site and got the real scoop.I found better swatch representations too.

Pure pigment, pure shine, pure luxury: this intensely-hued, super lustrous lip gloss is formulated with active ingredients that hydrate and restore lips for an immediately soft and smooth effect. The hydrating formula keeps lips from cracking or chapping. Added super-antioxidant vitamin E protects the lips from damaging environmental elements. Wears alone or layers over lipstick and liner to impart shine.

My photo at the top of this feature shows Fortune on the left, Icon in the center, and Truth on the right. Fortune is described as a golden pink shimmer. Icon, a new shade, is called a deep ruby red. Truth's description is probably the only misleading one of the three: rosy nude. I'm not seeing that.

My swatch photos were taken in full sun about mid-afternoon. These days, mid-afternoon sends me dragging up to my neighbor's property to find sun spots. I'm like a cat in winter, moving around the house with the sun. I swatched in the same order listed above: Fortune at the top, Icon in the middle, and Truth at the bottom of my arm.

Fortune and Truth are sheer. Icon is richly pigmented. That's the first thing I noticed about these glosses after I marveled at their two flat sides. Fortune is very light. Fortunately, it sneaks just over the line at which I find a gloss too light to wear without lipstick. It adds a pretty pink shine to my lips.

Icon is a whole 'nother story. It's red - really red. I had assumed when I ordered it that it would offer a sheerness that would make it wearable. I am uncomfortable wearing it. It's too red and the color is too saturated for me, but anyone who likes red lipstick will love it. The color is gorgeous.

Truth is a warm nude beige. Sheer and shiny, it's very pretty. It's not what I had expected (more rose than nude) from the online swatches, but I like it.

These Hourglass Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Glosses deliver on the promised shine. They have no detectible fragrance, and they are formulated without all the nasty chemicals we are trying to avoid. The only weird thing I have noticed is that their wands are slightly flexible, forcing me to be careful when stowing the wand back in the tube.

Hourglass products are available at Hourglasscosmetics.com, Sephora, SPACE.NK, Barneys, Zuneta, Liberty, and Dermstore.com. Please let me know what you think.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty

Hourglass Aura Sheer Cheek Stain

I hadn't dipped my toes into Hourglass, a brand I had seen repeatedly at Sephora. I was afraid it might be one of those teenybopper brands - without knowing anything about it. Then, I read favorable reviews of Hourglass makeup by Gaia at The Non-Blonde, so I started browsing at Sephora. I finally bought my first Hourglass piece, and I'm delighted with it!

Aura Sheer Cheek Stain ($45) is a water-based stain that gives cheeks a subtle lit-from-within glow. The lightweight, hydrating cheek stain creates a radiant, natural color that lasts all day. Its click mechanism dispenses the perfect amount of product for convenient on-the-go application. The first time I used it, I clicked and clicked and clicked - I started to wonder if Sephora had sent me a dud. Then the color appeared in the spongy applicator, leaving me a bit relieved I didn't have a product to return. I wanted to like it.

Aura Sheer Cheek Stain comes in three shades: Flush (berry pink), Petal (peachy pink), and Rouge (soft plum). They all looked pretty in the little swatches, but I was conservative and ordered only Flush, the one that looked the most perfect for my skin tone. When the product clicked its way into the applicator, I was suddenly fearful that the swatches were off-base. It looked strawberry with a hint of coral! While strawberry is a berry (remember, berry pink), I was expecting something a little different, but what I expected was almost exactly what I saw on my skin when I applied the cheek stain.

Here's a swatch photo. I applied a little circle on my arm, using not only the applicator, but my finger to even out the color just a tad. It's a messy swatch, but I think it shows the color well. I took my photo indoors in sunlight. While there is a tiny amount of coral/peach in the shade, it's a pretty pink that will be wearable by gals with different skin tones. I can wear it with my pale skin, and I think it's going to be perfect on medium-toned skin also. I think it's fabulous.

I'd like to see how Rouge works on my skin, but that will have to wait for a trip to Sephora. For now, I'm very happy with my purchase, and I have Gaia to thank for unknowingly prompting me to try Hourglass. If you would like to read about the brand and its founder, Carisa Janes, check out this Sephora link.

You can purchase Hourglass Aura Sheer Cheek Stain at Sephora and Apothica.

Update 2/6: Here's a second photo. The sparkly appearance in the photo above and this one is due to sunshine, not the cheek stain. The reflection in this photo is a little less extreme because the photo was taken indoors during sunrise. The cheek stain is very natural and not at all sparkly. Unfortunately, the color isn't true in this second photo. Flush is not this peachy.

Update 2/6: I have been clueless about Hourglass! I just discovered they have their own Web site, where you can purchase their cosmetics. Their little swatches of the cheek stain may be better than Sephora's.

Photo courtesy of Sephora