I'm a magpie for glowy makeup products, be it a fresh, dewy-looking blush, a luminous highlighter or chrome-like packaging. Hourglass makeup boasts all of the above, so theoretically, we're a beauty match made in heaven. With that said, I had to test a full-face of the brand's best-sellers to find out for sure...
I tend to keep my beauty routine as simple and natural-looking as possible. I like my complexion to look fresh and clear but not too 'done' - I'm also not very adventurous with my eyes or lips day-to-day. Thus, my best foundations, mascaras and liquid blushes take on much of the heavy lifting. One aspect I do take very seriously is glow and because of this, I'm always on the hunt for products that offer lit-from-within radiance.
Enter: Hourglass. Boasting a lineup of powders, blushes and foundations that promise to bathe your skin in 'ambient lighting,' this beauty giant calls to me like a moth to a flame. But it's a flame whose price can tag singe. So, for those who are equally tempted, these are the nine Hourglass products that are worth investing in - tested and ranked by moi...
The best Hourglass makeup buys, ranked by a beauty writer
It's no secret that Hourglass is on the premium side - with lip products alone costing upwards of £30 - but where these nine offerings are concerned - as with many of Chanel's makeup best-sellers - they are worth every penny.
RRP: £36
This hybrid lip product is a lipstick, gloss and balm rolled into one and has been a go-to of mine for the past year. I wear the shade Impulse and it's the only red lipstick I feel confident wearing because, not only is it easy to apply, but the shiny gleam it gives the lips is so flattering. It's also very comfortable, with minimal stickiness, though it does tingle slightly - to achieve that plump look - which I quite like. The tint is buildable, making the bolder shades feel more approachable and wearable. I've worn it to the office and out to dinner - it suits both settings effortlessly and just makes my lips look so juicy. It's available in 20 chic shades and is my favourite of Hourglass' collection.
RRP: £68
You shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but Hourglass' metallic packaging does hint at the luxury within - especially where this Ambient Lighting palette is concerned. My second favourite Hourglass product, this delivers the most beautiful, lit-from-within glow to the skin whilst simultaneously setting your makeup in place. It's available in three iterations, all of which feature powders that are designed to mimic the look of light sources illuminating your skin, whilst simultaneously blurring and concealing pores and imperfections. Volume 1's highlighting powder is my personal favourite for giving the complexion a soft-focus gleam. Of course, it is on the pricier side but in my opinion, the finish is well worth it.
RRP: £35
A best-seller for a reason, Hourglass's Vanish concealer is available in 22 shades and works to blur and brighten your complexion, offering full and lasting coverage (for up to 16 hours) that is easy to blend. It feels light on the skin. pairing well over foundation, tints and even the best tinted moisturisers. It feels weightless and does well to mask the look of dark circles and blemishes. I love it for minimal makeup days and was very impressed by its lack of creasing especially around the eye area, which is often a problem area for me. It can be a tiny bit drying if you don't prep your skin with enough hydration, but all in all, the coverage and lasting power are impressive.
RRP: £38
This liquid blush is gorgeous and very natural-looking, especially when buffed into the skin with Hourglass' tapered blush brush. It sinks in like a dream, creating a very realistic and luminous-looking flush, with no patchiness in sight. A little also goes a very long way, with one tiny drop covering both cheeks easily - making the price justifiable. I'm also a big fan of its unique dropper-like bottle, which so far, I've found very mess-free compared to some liquid blush packaging. It also pairs very well under the Ambient Blush powder, for a long-lasting finish.
RRP: £44
Formulated with Photoluminescent Technology, this pressed powder blush affords a soft-focus and multidimensional glow to the skin. It's available in several flattering shades, all of which look as pretty in the pan as they do on the skin (thanks to their marbled formula). The feels light as air and just coats your cheeks with a diffused, almost airbrushed flush - especially when used in tandem with the No.15 blush brush. As mentioned, it also layers well over Hourglass' liquid blush.
RRP: £49
Another cult favourite, this tint is available in 18 shades and promises a 'second-skin-like' finish. Its formula boasts hyaluronic acid and meadowfoam seed oil, along with plant-based squalane and other skin-loving ingredients to hydrate, nourish and smooth your skin during wear. It's also lightweight and affords a dewy glow that layers well underneath the brand's concealer for those seeking added coverage. I did find that less is more when applying this product, as too much too quickly can make it hard to blend in - so begin with a small amount and build up. You can apply it with a brush or your fingers, I would recommend the latter for a very natural and sheer finish.
RRP: £44
With its vegan fibre technology and tapered bristles, this stippling brush has been a game-changer in my routine. It just applies both liquid and powder blushes so beautifully, whilst offering precision and feeling silky smooth against the skin.
RRP: £28
Available in nine reflective hues, this cream eyeshadow is buildable and offers both pigment and a glistening finish. It's easy to apply, especially with your finger (ideal if you're not very confident with eyeshadow application) and feels weightless on the eyelid. I will say that there are other, more affordable options out there, but the shimmer and formula are lovely.
RRP: £46
If you're looking for a dense and compact foundation brush for on-the-go, this is it. It blends both foundation and tints well, offering a very seamless and blurred finish. That said, I did find it a tad spiky on the skin, though that could have been down to my impatient application method.
My verdict on Hourglass makeup and how I tested
While I have dallied with Hourglass products before, having invested in cult-favourite Phantom Glossy Balm and a mini of the Ambient Lighting blush, to get an encompassing feel for the brand, I needed to sample a full-face of product. Thus, I added nine best-sellers to my makeup routine - spanning base products, like the Veil tint, Vanish Airbrush concealer and an array of blushers, to the brand's accompanying brushes.
So, what's my verdict on the premium beauty line? As mentioned, I was already a fan - especially of the Ambient Lighting Palette - and my adoration has only increased.
Let's begin with base products, the concealer is well worth its social media acclaim, it's creamy and easy to blend but offers impressive, buildable coverage. I love wearing it on its own but it also works beautifully over foundations and the Veil Tint. Speaking of which, the tint offers a sheer and radiant finish, ideal for a natural makeup look - I did find that if you applied too much, it wouldn't melt into the skin in quite the same way and looked a tad cakey. Less is more, in my experience.
As mentioned, the Ambient Lighting powder palette is one of my holy grail products. It sets your makeup, whilst leaving this soft gleam on the skin. The Ambient blush is a similar story, it adds a lovely diffused, rosy tint, whilst blurring.
The newest addition to Hourglass' blush family, the Unreal Liquid Blush also affords a lovely flush to the cheeks and a little goes a long way. The pigment in just one drop can spread to both easily, especially when using the No.15 blush brush. Both Hourglass powder and liquid formulas layer beautifully together, so much so, that the combo has quickly become my everyday go-to - for a lasting and multidimensional pop of colour.
The Phantom Glossy Balm is one of the only lip products I wear regularly thanks to its luxe, ultra-shiny finish and tint as well as its hybrid formula. It's essentially a lipstick, gloss, balm and plumper in one, sleek twist-up tube and whilst it is pricey, I've found that it lasts well and feels so comfortable to wear - compared to some lipstick and gloss formulas.
Last but not least, the Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadow. I tried the shade 'Blaze' ( a vibrant copper), which I found very flattering alongside my blue/green eyes. The cream formula applies easily and the shimmer is very impressive. That said, for the price, you can find comparable formulas - like Urban Decay's Moondust eyeshadows for instance, which are just £20.
All in all, Hourglass' array of radiance and soft-focus products are, in my opinion, a worthy investment - especially in terms of the powders and blushes - but an investment they most certainly are. It's a pricey brand but the quality of each product is reflected in said price. Plus, I have found that each formula - be it the concealer or Phantom balm - lasts well, making them all the more worth it.
How to save money on Hourglass makeup
Though Hourglass houses some lovely products, many of which have made it into my daily routine, I will concede that it is a tad pricey. However, there is one easy way to save a bit of money. While I wouldn't normally recommend buying a mini or travel-size version of a product, as typically the full-size is more cost-effective in the long run. That said, I own one of the mini Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush - having found the £28 price point slightly more justifiable than the full-size £44 - and have been pleasantly surprised by how well it's lasted. I've had it for months and not even made a dent in its marbled, pressed-powder surface.
Digital Beauty Writer, Sennen Prickett can also attest to the cost-effectiveness of Hourglass minis: "Last Christmas, my beauty advent calendar of choice treated me to two Hourglass minis - the iconic Ambient Light Blush and the Veil Setting Powder. I’d never tried the brand before but had heard stellar reviews across an array of their products, so I was excited to try them out. Unsurprisingly, they did not disappoint and although I love a makeup mini, I was somewhat sceptical about how long they would last - especially considering I was using them in my daily routine. However, much to my surprise, a year later the blush is still going strong and I’m nowhere near hitting the pan.
"As for the loose powder, it also lasted me roughly six months before I ran low on the product. While the full-sized products may boast heftier price tags, investing in the travel sizes is a great way to try the product for yourself to see if you like the formula, while also saving yourself some pennies in the process."
