In which I try to explain why Hourglass’s Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light was my staple in the last month and also, why it’s great for fall.
Yes, I know. The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders have been around for ages, and you’ve read oodles of reviews, and have very likely tried them, too. But if you’re like me, you were intimidated by their description, and thought: Not worth the hassle. I mean, why do powders need an explanation anyway? If you thought that, then this is for you: Hourglass Dim Light explained.
The question of the right light…
I bought a mini at Sephora, mainly because it was there, and it was my birthday and I was in the mood to splurge and try something new. I choose Dim Light, because it looked like it was the right shade (yes, I know, I shouldn’t be in a Sephora unsupervised and overwhelmed, just like a normal person and forgetting I’m a beauty expert). So Dim Light it was.
Here’s what Hourglass says about its powders:
A collection of six universally-flattering finishing powders that recreate the most flattering light.
Create the perfect illumination for your face with Hourglass Ambient® Lighting Powder. Infused with the innovative Photoluminescent Technology, each finishing powder captures, diffuses, and softens the look of the skin. The micron-size, color-correcting particles refract light and create transparent coverage, filtering out harsh light and refining the appearance of the skin.
Dim Light: A neutral peach beige powder that blurs imperfections and highlights a radiant complexion with the perfect balance of warm and cool tones.
… explained
And this is where Hourglass lost me in the past. I didn’t want to look closely at pics to see how my skin looked in different lighting conditions! Also, if I wanted a bit of diffused skin, I used my Guerlain Meteorites. But a thousand selfies later, most of us have seen how important light truly is.
Dim Light, in this scenario, isn’t the million-watt-glare influencers use and that makes their faces Barbie-like – smooth, bright and porcelain-doll-even. It’s more of the afternoon light that isn’t particularly good for selfies, because it’s too warm and diffuses your makeup – your eye makeup might look a bit blurry in pics, for example. What isn’t great for selfies, though, is great in real life, because it’s an insanely flattering look. And Dim Light does that. It’s blurring, and makes me look radiant and hides a lot of sins. This is why it’s so great for fall.
Why Dim Light solves my foundation issues
My skin became insanely dry after moving back to Germany, and I struggled with foundation a lot. First, my liquid foundations are still a tad to light, and second they don’t sit well on my skin, highlighting dry patches, cracking, and pooling in every line.
Dim Light is a warm peach, which is great, because it warms up my face slightly, especially when foundation is a bit to stark. Its diffusing powers are insane. You can use the super fine powder very lightly, a sheer dusting, or more heavily – if used too heavy, I can see that the powder might be too much for people who’re very cool-toned and fairer than me (NC15). You’ll have a ‘glowy’ look after using it, but it’s never shiny, or oily, and I also think it prolongs the wear-time of my foundation a bit.
Can you see it in pics? No. Can I see it in the mirror? Hell yes. Does it blow my good ol’ Meteorites out of the water? It’s not even close. I can imagine that this warm glow is maybe a bit much in the depth of winter (or not, depending on your taste), but I want to try Diffused Light next. If you were too afraid of the ‘complicated’ Hourglass Finishing Powders, think again. They’re worth it.
Sephora, $46, 0.35 oz./10 g
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