My best friend Isa went to the States for a month so I asked her if she could get me a couple of things, one of which was the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat. The other being Diptyque Vetyverio, which you can get here but for a higher cost.

I wasn’t really that excited about this range when the first couple of reviews went out. The idea of a blush and Ambient Lighting Powder (of which I am a HUGE fan) was really exciting to me, but the promo pictures didn’t do them justice, in my opinion.

I was so stunned at how small this turned out to be, compared to the powders. I know that that has been a common comment when it comes to these blushes, but even knowing that, I wasn’t prepared for the smallness of it.

Product Description: A truly multidimensional blush that enhances cheeks with seamless, soft-focus color, and a natural radiant finish.

From Space.NK: “A truly next generation blush: This groundbreaking hybrid combines the customized lighting effects of Ambient Lighting Powder with an infusion of breathtakingly modern colors. The airy, lightweight powders deliver seamless, soft-focus color and a radiant natural finish.

Unlike traditional blush, which tends to be flat, Ambient Lighting Blush exhibits depth and dimension. The integration of Photoluminescent Technology offers transformative coverage while instilling cheeks with an otherworldly flush. The six shades, which range from soft coral to cool pink, are a wardrobe of captivating accent lights for cheeks.

Paraben, talc, fragrance, nano-particle and gluten free.”

It’s bigger than the Ambient Lighting Powder Palette pans, but definitely smaller than the standard powder pans. The blush packaging is made of the same material as the powder compacts, though in a lighter more golden color with an updated Hourglass logotype. I’m not a fan of either one, but I do like this iteration a bit better than the previous art-deco-y one.

Still not a fan of the packaging, unfortunately. It feels really flimsy and light, which bothers me so much because it’s a high-end product. At least they have mirrors?

The whole thing with these blushes is that they’re kind of baked all swirled up with one of the Ambient Lighting Powders. The shade I got, Diffused Heat, is made up of a “poppy” blush shade and Hourglass’ Diffused Light, which is “a soft, warm, pale yellow powder that conceals redness and gives skin clarity – like a soft ray of morning light.” Incidentally, this is the only Ambient Lighting Powder I don’t have.

Diffused Heat is described as a “vibrant poppy blush combined with Diffused Light for a subtle halo effect.” You can’t really pick the colors out, obviously, so when you swirl them together, the shade looks like this:

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat, swatched: unblended, blended

I was looking at this or Mood Exposure, but I’m glad that Isa went and got me this one. (I only have one blush purchase “allowed” until further notice, and this was it.)

When I swatched it, I was a bit underwhelmed. It doesn’t look too special or unique. When I put it on my face in the middle of the day, I was still a bit underwhelmed… I felt like it didn’t show up well. Later that day, though, I ended up re-touching the rest of my makeup, then putting this on and wow. What a dream this blush is!

It honestly made me want the rest, but we all know that’s just greed talking.

The instructions said to apply the blush to the cheeks and blend upward. I swiped the product back and forth, up my cheekbone, and it was such a great thing to see. I can’t explain it without sounding like a crazy, gullible person, but it was kind of a real treat to see the blush transform and blend so well on my cheek. Though the shade is pretty intense, it doesn’t look overapplied on my face, but it doesn’t look weak in pigmentation either. It’s so weird, but the good kind of weird.

Like the Ambient Lighting Powders, this product kicks up quite a bit so it’s best to be gentle with it. On the skin, though, I’ve never experienced any chalkiness or the appearance of it being too powdery. The longevity is pretty decent, and ugh. I don’t even know. The flush is real, you guys, though I guess I can’t say the same for the other shades just because I haven’t tried any of them besides this one.

The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush retails for $35 each.

P.S. My lighting set-up, aka the window I use for natural light, has been compromised… by a really high wall our neighbors built. Woe is me.

Hourglass Cosmetics is cruelty-free.

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