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I spent the last 7 years researching, testing, and writing about skincare. Lotions and potions are still my first love, but I’ve been eyeing makeup more and more. This holiday season, I treated myself and bought the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palette.
This is a special limited edition release available at Sephora, Ulta, Hourglass official site, Cult Beauty Global, and Nordstrom. The Jellyfish, Leopard, and Snake each contain two blushes, two finishing powders, plus highlighter and a bronzer. I chose Jellyfish, because I’m very pale and this variation features the lightest colors.
The case is made from 100% tin to reduce the use of plastic. It is lightweight yet feels sturdy and luxurious.
Despite the gorgeous packaging, the real MVP here is the formula. Hourglass utilizes a special Photoluminescent technology with “micron-size, color-correcting particles that capture, diffuse, and soften surrounding light to refine the skin's appearance.” The powders are hand mixed.
My impressions
I’m so in love - zero buyer’s remorse here, even though this was the most I have ever spent on makeup. For reference, my idea of a daily look is powder and mascara. Eyeliner if I’m very fancy. Blush, eyeshadow and lipstick if I’m filming. I have never owned or used bronzer before. I have a highlighter somewhere, but it doesn’t get much love either.
Why did someone like me choose such a high end palette for their first product of this kind? I have no idea. It was a combination of FOMO (fear of missing out), TikTok doom scrolling, and stress over things I cannot control. We all cope differently, and sometimes I deal with life by diving head first into something new to me - perfumes, bread making, learning a new language or instrument, or makeup.
Hourglass provides great instructions on how to apply each powder. Instead of following those, I’ve been playing around and seeing what I like best. For now, I use blushes and finishing powders as usual, but apply the bronzer in small, cautious amounts to the periphery of my face. After the very first time, it blew me away. My skin had life to it! It wasn’t just a pale sheet with some blush on the cheeks. It looked like I went frolicking outside, ate lots of whole foods and maybe even got the suggested 8 hours of sleep at night. It added a glow and a hint of color that I’ve never seen before. Most importantly, it brought so much joy!
The powders are very smooth and fine milled. They apply seamlessly, blend easily, and don’t accentuate unwanted texture. A makeup artist can make even the most affordable makeup look good. Since I’m no pro, I love having a palette that does all the heavy lifting for me. 10/10 would get this again!
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