I resisted and failed. Sort of. This is my brother’s Christmas and late birthday gift to me—the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Palette. I am one of the crazy people that are absolutely in love with these, and I actually only have one other shade left to try, thanks to this palette. (Diffused Light, if you’re wondering.) If you are looking for an in-depth review of what exactly these powders are, I wrote one quite a while back, which you can read here. I’m still a firm believer in these, though, if that’s any indication (to you) of how awesome these are.

This is a holiday release by Hourglass, and has three shades and a travel-sized Veil Mineral Primer, which is my HG Primer and costs an arm and a leg, so YAY. The shades are as follows:

• Dim Light — a neutral peach beige powder that blurs imperfections and highlights the complexion.
• Incandescent Light (Limited Edition) — an opalescent pearl powder that brightens the complexion with a celestial glow.
• Radiant Light — a sun-kissed golden beige powder that enhances the complexion with believable subtle warmth.

L-R, swatched: Dim Light, Incandescent Light, Radiant Light

The powders in this palette are way smaller than the original powders. Someone did the math~ and found out that you actually pay more per g. when you buy the palette. I’m guessing that’s why they threw in the Veil Mineral Primer, which is priced at about $8.32 for 0.16oz, compared to the cost of the full size at $52 for 1.0 fl oz.

One thing I hate is the packaging. I made a remark about them being super lightweight (though they do actually look luxe) when I first got them, but wow. Look at how scratched my new item came from Hourglass/Space.NK USA (which is where my brother bought this from). This is brand new, okay? My 7-month old powders look much newer than this.

In any case, I still like what’s on the inside, lol. I apply these with my new Hakuhodo powder brush, by just pressing it lightly on the powders then gently sweeping over my skin. The effect is beautiful and subtle.

Me, wearing Dim Light by itself:

To reiterate, Dim Light is “a neutral peach beige powder that blurs imperfections and highlights the complexion.” I think that’s pretty accurate. It is quite satin-y and deposits just a bit of a sheen to your face that, when applied lightly, can make one look quite healthy. At least in terms of complexion. A lot of people favor Dim Light, but I feel like it should be used sparingly for it to give you optimal results. It’s a product that’s easy to over-apply, in my opinion.

Me, wearing Dim Light, Incandescent Light, and Radiant Light alone:

I wore all three in tandem here, and I’m not sure if I’m a fan of how they play together. Incandescent Light is definitely a highlight shade. It’s way too sparkly to be an all-over face powder. I think this should be used very sparingly, too. I feel like I look a little greasy with it on, so I’m going to play around with it a bit more. Radiant Light is the bronziest of all, so I treated it like one and applied it to the perimeter of my face and anywhere the sun would, technically, kiss my face. It’s a little shimmery, too, and too warm and light to be a contour. I don’t know if I can get away with it all over my face, since it looks a lot like Luminous Light.

Of course, I was bound to compare these with the ones I already have: Mood Light, Ethereal Light, and Luminous Light. Here’s how the powders in the palette swatch next to them:

L-R, swatched: Ethereal, Mood, Luminous, Dim, Incandescent, Radiant

L-R, swatched: Ethereal, Mood, Luminous, Dim, Incandescent, Radiant

Wearing Ethereal Light over a liquid foundation:

Ethereal Light is a transparent powder, meant to “mimic a moonlit glow.” It is stark white in the pan and if I use it with a base that has little tint to it, it’s going to make me look shockingly pale—AS THOUGH LIT BY THE MOON. I like it, though. It’s the most basic of the powders, in my opinion.

Wearing Luminous Light and Mood Light over moisturizer:

OK, so this looks like a bad idea because it was incredibly hot and humid that day that I wore Luminous Light. It’s a champagne pearl that “creates a soft, incandescent candlelit glow.” This was my Galadriel powder. I think this really looks best in darker rooms, so you can be a light in dark places, when all other lights go out. Seriously, if you wear this on a night date or something—BAM! Gawjussss.

Mood Light is my favorite one so far, and until now. It is a soft sheer lavender pink that “mimics the softest most forgiving light, reveals the brightest complexion.” I used it as an all-over powder here and in the photo below:

Wearing Mood Light over a skin-perfecting cream:

I think it gives the most flattering tint to my skin. It’s also the one, along with Ethereal Light, that seems to get rid of the appearance of those pesky pores and makes me look like the opposite of a grease ball. It’s my one true lighting love, and I think that ends my journey into these products.

Wearing Mood Light over mineral foundation:

I think they’re great if you’re on the hunt for a finishing powder, but they control oils at the minimal level, though they do great with sweat. It’s gross, but it’s true. When you commute here, sweating is inevitable. I’ve worn these a couple of times on extremely face-sweat days and when my sweat dries, my face still looks put together. Imagine that!

I would definitely repurchase Mood Light when I run out, but I have been using these products in rotation so I don’t know if I will ever run out soon. Here’s to hoping that I don’t because these cost a crapton of money.

Hourglass is cruelty-free.