I remember when the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders first hit the beauty scene. Gawd! Everyone and their mother was raving over them like they were the best invention since sliced bread! Ok, I don’t think sliced bread is that great an invention, if I’m to be honest LOL!
But you know how it is right? When everyone is going on and on about how these powders give their skin that je ne sais quoi ethereal glow similar to that of Galadriel in the Lord of the Rings, man, I was champing at the bit to get my paws on them! Glow! Who doesn’t want elven glow?!
But I ran into a snag. 2 snags actually. First, Hourglass cosmetics is not sold here in Malaysia. Second, the powders come in different shades, that serve different purposes and you really have to get it right if you want to appreciate its effects best.
So, that lust for this product eventually died away. When I was down in Melbourne window shopping with Tine 2 years back, I managed to see these powders up close and in person. The conclusion? I was left feeling wanting. I mean, I know Tine enjoyed using her Mood Light, but I couldn’t bring myself to buy it somehow. Perhaps the tanking RM vs AUD helped me in my decision. So I passed.
But as you can see, I did eventually end up with one which I purchased from SpaceNK a while ago. I shop a lot at SpaceNK as you can tell LOL! 😀 And while my choice of Diffused Light was a bit of a stab in the dark (erm… no pun intended!) it’s turned out to be a product I thoroughly enjoy using and am happy to rave about. Yes, I’ve joined the ‘gang’ 😛
What these Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders are, according to Hourglass, is a pressed finishing powder that recreates a flattering type of light on your skin. The fine-milled powders capture and diffuse and soften the light that hits your skin, to give the appearance of smooth, glowy skin. Who doesn’t want that, tell me! 😛
The problem however, is that there are 6 versions of this powder, that recreates different “moods” – Ethereal Light, Diffused Light, Dim Light, Mood Light, Luminous Light and Radiant Light. Each powder has varying intensities of colour and pigment, and based on what I see from online swatches, Radiant Light is the deepest, offering warmth to the skin and Ethereal Light the lightest, offering a cool tone to the skin.
However, apparently, it’s not as easy as to say “I’m light skinned and so I’ll go for the lightest shade”. I’ve read from various online accounts that different powders operate differently on different people and that resulted in a bit of a conundrum for me.
After a lot of research, I opted for Diffused Light which Hourglass says, is a pale yellow powder that conceals redness and gives skin clarity, like a soft ray of morning light. “Soft ray of morning light” Yep, sold – hook, line and sinker! 😀
Fortunately, Diffused Light is a good match for me. The powder which you see in the pictures looks almost white. But in actual fact, it’s a very pale yellow. If you have a lot of redness in your skin then this would be one that you might appreciate. My skintone leans naturally towards being a little pink which is why I feel this suits me.
Even when swatched with fingers, as you can see above, the fine powder looks white, but with a hint of yellow. It isn’t too warm, nor it is too white. I don’t detect any shimmer in the powder, but on skin, dusted on with a fluffy powder brush (I use the Lunasol Powder Brush), it seems to give my skin a hint of a radiant glow. It’s not something I can capture in photos, so you will just have to take my word for it. In person, I see a difference.
Imagine if you will, you sitting by the beach waiting for the sun to rise, and when the first rays of the morning sun hit your skin, it is a soft, gentle, weak light that bathes your skin with a gentle glow, making it seem as if your skin is glowing from within. Now, imagine taking that light with you everywhere you go through the day. That is the effect of Diffused Light on me 🙂
However, you can also see from the swatch of Diffused Light above, that it does offer some coverage as it is rather opaque. So, I do recommend using a fluffy powder brush so it doesn’t go on too thick on your skin.
While these Ambient Lighting Powders aren’t supposed to have oil control, I find that when I use these, my base lasts longer. It’s why I picked this for my beauty scenario instead of the Meteorites. I’ve found that when I want a glow and have my makeup last, this powder does it in our weather and that’s enough for me.
The compact is fairly large, and I haven’t travelled with mine because when it arrived the powder pan had separated from the base. Nothing serious, and perhaps it was dislodged on its way here from the UK, but I’m a little more careful with it. I’ve owned this for months now (I can’t even remember when I bought it) and have barely made a dent in it, because I use it quite sparingly.
However, while I thoroughly enjoy using Diffused Light, I have no plans to get another. From what I can tell from the texture and colours, the other shades may impart too much colour on my skin, which is something I do not want in a finishing powder. So, lovely as this is, it’ll be my one and only 🙂
IN A NUTSHELL
The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders are a range of finishing powders that offer a diffused, softened glow to the skin. The trick however, is to get the right shade, which can be difficult if you don’t have a counter nearby where you can test it. I got lucky with Diffused Light, which I find balances out and finishes off my makeup very well, giving skin a glow without shimmer and helps my base makeup stay on better. It is a fairly large pan and is fairly pricey, but I personally believe that once you find the shade suitable for you, you only really need 1 powder.
PROS: Fine milled powder feels smooth to the touch, Offers skin a gentle diffused glow without shimmer, Fairly decent oil control on my normal-dry skin, Finishes off my base and helps it stay on looking good for longer
CONS: Pricey, Hard to get the shade right especially if you don’t have a counter nearby, If not careful, it can go on too thick
WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who wants an easy to use finishing powder that offers skin an imperceptible and flattering glow
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder vs Guerlain Meteorites
I’ve read of these Ambient Lighting Powders being compared to the Guerlain Meteorites and it has been said the effect is the same or similar. While I tend to agree on the point of them both giving skin an imperceptible but definite even-toned and diffused glow, I disagree on other accounts.
I find Meteorites more “fool-proof”. You can buy any tub of Meteorites and get it right, right off the bat. You don’t need to find a shade that suits you. Also, Meteorites, while offering a lovely glow, does it with more transparency and translucency that I find lacking in the Hourglass powders.
These powders offer some coverage and colour to the skin. Meteorites doesn’t and therefore doesn’t mess with your makeup. Even the compact version of Meteorites goes on transparent and translucent. Hourglass doesn’t so you have to get your shade right or you won’t appreciate it. I could go on, but it’ll turn out to be an essay so if anyone’s interested in my thoughts on the Hourglass powders vs Guerlain Meteorites, holler and I’ll do a full post on them 🙂
Have you tried any of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting powders? Which shade are you using and do you like it?
I honestly wasn’t sure I’d like this powder since I was already happy with using Meteorites, but I can definitely see the differences and appreciate them both for being different products. But I’d be the first to admit that choosing the right shade, sight unseen will be tricky! So if you have a shade you like, share! You might help someone else 🙂
Paris B
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders come in 6 shades – Ethereal Light, Diffused Light, Dim Light, Mood Light, Luminous Light and Radiant Light Price: £38 | US$45 | AU$65 Availability: SpaceNK and Net-a-porter ship internationally | Sephora (USA)
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Do I need one? Probably like I need another arm (actually, don’t mind another arm) but do I want it? After this post, yea. The power of suggestion. I’ll have a wander around the shops at lunch today 🙂 Iknow it’s something that’s almost impossible to photograph – I’ll just have to wait to see you in person with this on 🙂
LOL! You have easy access to it, so take a look. No harm 😛 But I think since you already use and like Guerlain, and you don’t have humid weather or oily skin, I don’t think you really NEED this.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this product! I’ve been eyeing it on the SpaceNK website for a very long time now, but for some reason, cannot seem to bring myself to buy it as I have tubs of Meteorite balls sitting at home! That aside, when are you going to review THAT Hourglass primer I spotted on your Instagram account? =D
Hmm I don’t own the Hourglass primer, Sukie 😀 But I hear it’s da bomb! I too pondered on this from Spacenk for ages and ages! I’d say though if you have Meteorites and love it and it works for you, you don’t really need this powder since it’s easy to get wrong. That’s the bit that gets to me!
I LOOOOOOVE Dim Light. That with Burberry Fresh Glow base and foundation are my HG trio to get glowing, perfected skin. I agree that it seems to help makeup hold up a lot better, which I’ll take!
Ooh Dim light actually looked a bit dark for me, but happy to know that it works so well for you! It does seem to help makeup hold on better doesn’t it? I was quite impressed by that!
And just last week I made a promise to myself not to commit on the Ambient Lighting/Meteorites not until you review and compare them both.
And now you have!!! Oh I don’t know whether to thank you or otherwise for this post! Hahaha
Oh please do a full comparison post cos I really don’t know which one to get and I’ve never own a Meteorites before!
I will love for that 😛
Hahaha I’m a mind reader, yay! 😀 I’ll work on a quick comparison post, Rahainah, but my summary at the end pretty much sums it up. It’s hard to pick the right Hourglass powder just based on online descriptions. But Guerlain is quite foolproof 😉
Holler! Holler! Can we have a Meteorites Vs Hourglass Powders? Daily wear and evenings? How much, how little? How about we mix both? 😀
Hahaha Ok Rage, I’ll work on that post 😀 Thanks for all the questions, it’ll help! 😀
Have both meteorites (in compact and loose form) and ambient lighting powder (in Dim glow) and I have to say that I reach for my ambient lighting powder more. On me both powders don’t add coverage or any colour and the difference for me with the two is that both versions of meteorites have visible micro-glitter if you look closely in the mirror whereas the ambient lighting powder for me, does not but still gives me that ‘glow’.
Actually you have a point about the glitter in Meteorites. Sometimes, when I rest my hand on my face, I see these glittery bits on my palm. So that’s a good point to note!
I have Diffused Light as well, and I use it as a setting powder. I got it a while back, and find that it does not control shine very well for normal combination skin. Now that my skin is drier, I appreciate it a little more. I’m still not wowed by this powder though. And because it’s not amazing in my books, I consider it overpriced 😛
Glad you like yours though, Paris!
Thanks for sharing it’s shine control properties for normal-combination skin! I think these sorts of powders generally work better for non-oily skin. After all, there’ll be a natural “glow” once that oil surfaces eh? LOL
It was really hard for me to decide which “light” to choose because they’re meant to look very subtle on the skin. In the end, it was the sales assistant who chose Mood Light for me because I was like, THEY ALL LOOK THE SAME TO ME! Mood Light has pink undertones, which actually complemented my very yellow undertones well, believe it or not. I love it. Having said that, like you, I do think that the Meteorites are more fool-proof. If I’m a tad heavy-handed with the Mood Light, my skin can tend to look a tad cool, which doesn’t match the rest of my body but the Meteorites are usually just spot-on.
Never has it been so important to work out what our skintones are right? LOL! But it did strike me that if I took Mood Light, and on my pinky toned skin, I might just end up looking flushed and not “in the mood” as it were LOL!
I own a couple of these Hourglass powders but since you are the absolute fan girl of Meteorites and clearly now own both, do I need to drop dough on the Guerlain balls at all?
Erm… yes 😛 LOL! But honestly, SG if you love the Ambient powders, then it does function in a similar manner. But Guerlain balls are prettier hehe… 😉
Aaaaah! Finally a post about my beloved diffused light! You made a great choice Paris! I first got dim and had to return, the shade was too dark,too peach. I always wear mine whenever i feel like taking photos outside, no filters needed!i have both,and i equally love the ambient and the guerlain meteorites.
Yes! I thought Dim would be too dark and I was right when I first saw it. Surprised me how pigmented it was too. Happy to know you love yours too – I do think it adds that certain glow to the skin, but something different from Guerlain right? I can’t quite put my finger on it but heck, it’s nice to own both 😉
Hey paris,
Can i ask you about this. Is there a difference between a setting powder (those powders that have tinted colour), and finishing powder (like those Guerlain meteories, i used this as the last step to finish up the foundation)? I’ve read some blog saying that the best base is liquid foundation> setting powder> then lastly finishing powder.
Do u think this is really necessary, or is the finishing powder’s step more like a redundant extra step?
Thanks much
Hey Anne, I’m no expert, but I’d say that a setting powder helps to set your base makeup if you’re using liquid/cream foundation. It tends to feel a little tacky and the setting powder usually helps hold it in place and “set” it. Usually, you can use loose powder (translucent or tinted) for this purpose, or even powder foundation for more coverage, if you’re using something low coverage like a CC cream. A finishing powder is more like an optional product. It finishes your makeup by tying a look together (not many brands make finishing powders, Guerlain Meteorites is one, but I also use it to set – depends on your makeup style and preference) so it looks more pulled together. If you’re used to using Meteorites, you may notice how when you put it on, it kind of diffuses the look so everything melds together? If you want to go the whole way, yes it’s liquid foundation -> setting powder -> finishing powder. I usually just do liquid foundation -> setting OR finishing powder. So in a way, yes finishing powder is an optional extra 🙂
Thank you thank you Paris for the detailed explanation. It is a lot clearly now. I’ve always thought setting powder must be in tinted colour, and I’m on the mission looking for a new one ( despite having 4 new tubs of transparent powder from Nars and Ettusais, which I thought could only be used for finishing powder!) this solved the mystery, and also I could save some money. I can just used these “finishing” powder as setting powder now. Haha
Thanks once again!
Not a problem! I think they’re essentially the same thing to be honest, just that some brands make them better than others 😉 Save the money – spend it on something else more worthy hehe…
Please do the Hourglass powders vs Guerlain Meteorites. Thank you Paris
I only have 1 Hourglass powder 😀 But I’ll make a note to do this comparison post soon!
Hi Paris, thanks for this article! It’s really helpful! Diffused Light looks so pretty! They don’t sell these powders in my country though 🙁 I did notice on Malaysia’s Sephora site that Hourglass products are already available for purchase there. Can you confirm? I’d love to get to test all of them and pick one up when I visit Kuala Lumpur next month!
Hi Fifi I hope I’m not too late but yes, you can get Hourglass Cosmetics at Sephora stores (I know for a fact it’s available at Sephora Starhill but I cannot speak for the other stores). Hope you get your hands on one!
no, you’re not too late at all…thank you <3
Hey! ? I have oily skin actually.. and it’s a kind of beginning for the cosmetics on my face. So will these lighting powders suits my skin type ? Or would they make me look more oily ? And could you also please tell me whether to purchase these lighting powders or Laura mercier baked highlighter ?
If you don’t want to look more oily, then highlighters will not be your friend. I don’t find these Hourglass powders to give a lot of shine to the skin, but there is no real oil control either. You may want to consider a translucent loose powder or pressed powder to set foundation, if that’s your purpose.