While going through my highlighters in my makeup collection the other day, I stumbled upon the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette tucked in the drawer next to my other favorites. It’s absolutely no secret that I love highlighter and this palette has been an absolute game changer for me. Last year my husband purchased it for me as a gift and I continue to use it like it’s liquid gold. As many times as it has been featured in tutorials, I was surprised that I never discussed it or did a full review here, so I decided that I would do that for you today.
I don’t own many things from Hourglass, I have this palette, the blush palette and a few lippies but I truly enjoy them all and I’m glad they are a part of my collection. The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette ($58 USD) includes three shades of the Ambient Lighting Powders. These high-tech, soft focus finishing powders are used to recreate the most flattering types of light, giving your skin the perfect glow. Available at Sephora and Hourglass Online, this palette was once a limited edition creation and has since been made permanent (woohoo).
So what exactly does this palette and the powders within it do? This groundbreaking collection of finishing powders capture, diffuse and soften the way light reflects on skin. These are different than traditional powders that merely cloak imperfections because the Ambient Lighting Powder utilizes photo-luminescent technology to filter out harsh light and refine the appearance of your complexion. The powders deliver a multi-dimensional luminescence to every skin tone, making it appear softer and lit from within. This palette of finishing powders enhances skin in any type of light – including flash photography.
“I learned early on how different types of light can truly flatter the complexion. Growing up, my mother had pink light bulbs in all of the lamps throughout the house. She loved pink light because it was the softest and most flattering, and she always wanted to look good. I used this concept of lighting in Ambient Lighting Powder.” —Carisa Janes, Hourglass Founder
Dim Light is a neutral peach beige powder that blurs your imperfections and highlights a radiant complexion with the perfect balance of warm and cool tones.
Incandescent Light is a shade exclusive to this palette. It is an opalescent pearl powder that brightens the complexion with a celestial glow.
Radiant Light is my favorite out of the three and is a sun-kissed golden beige that enhances the overall complexion with believable, subtle warmth, and also extends a summer glow.
These gorgeous powders are so finely milled that they feel like silk against the skin. I apply each one with a fluffy brush so that it gives a “kissed with highlight” look upon my cheekbones. But, while that is where I apply it most – I love to literally take these powders and apply all over my face. These powders add a finishing touch to your skin – completing your look and giving you that “effortless” glow.
If you were to purchase any of the Ambient Lighting powders separately – you will pay $48.00 for one (0.35oz Net Wt.) I know that unless I use my powder often or daily, I will never get through an entire compact so the choice to pick up this palette was an ideal one for me. If there are others that I want to try – then I’ll pick them up in full size. There is a lot of powder in each shade included in the palette and definitely a great buy and worth the price.
I have been enjoying this palette the last year since I first got it and it has easily become a must-have and a holy grail product for me. As I mentioned previously – Radiant light is my favorite shade as it looks great against my warm skin offering a subtle “lit from within” glow that looks great on me year round. The other two shades have been getting much use as well. I would suggest this as a purchase to anyone looking to try Hourglass and I absolutely love it.
I’ll be sure to stop back and share with you my thoughts on the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette as well – which unfortunately was a Limited Edition. However, my hope is that they will bring it back & make it a permanent part of their line as they did with the Ambient Lighting Palette. We shall see. Have you tried this palette or any of the Ambient lighting powders within? What are your thoughts?
Disclaimer: The products mentioned in this post were purchased by my husband as a gift to me. There may be affiliate links through out this post.
30 Comments
I wish I could have returned my single that I never thought was the right shade for me and gotten the trio instead. I love these shades!
This has been on my wishlist for sooooo long. I really want to get it ASAP!
They look beautiful on you!
I have and love this palette!
What a great concept! Love the colors.
Everyone seems to love this palette so I feel like I need to add this to my collection. I don’t have anything like it!
Gorgeous palette. I love the quote from the creator. It is always cool to find out why someone made a product and what their inspiration was behind their idea.
I am a HUGE fan of finishing powders. I bet I’d love this palette.
This palette is so gorgeous!
This looks like something I would use all the time. I love powders like this just to balance out colors if I need to. It’s a bummer that it’s an LD but hopefully it will come back!
this specific palette has been made permanent 🙂
I have this palette too! Dim Light and Incandescent Light are the two I use the most, I think Radiant Light is a bit too off for my skintone.
I have to get mine out of hibernation. I keep forgetting about it but luckily you reminded me.
I love my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette, although I do use the Dim light most…. Thank you for sharing Honey! (like.mother.like.daughter)
That packaging is everything! I keep hearing great things about these palettes.
This is hands down my favorite purchase I made. I love mine and wish I bought a backup
I love my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder and blush. They make beautiful products… I just wish they weren’t so spendy… lol
I love this palette too. I put incandescent under my eyes and radiant all over.
I love this palette, and have a couple of singles of the powders, too. Mood is one of my faves, but I use it mostly as a blush. Pale girl problems!
definitely a great palette!
100% a holy grail palette for me as well! I’m obsessed!
Wow – this looks like a great palette. Definitely workable colors!
It looks beautiful! I wish my husband would buy me stuff like this 😀
I really want this palette. I love the option of this vs. buying them individually because I like the variety, different tones for different looks. Great review!
I’ve wanted this palette so bad!! But, the amount of highlighters I own, I could wear it head to toe, and STILL have a lifetime supply leftover.
Dim Light is my fave but of course I bought the palette because it’s SO FREAKING PRETTY!
I’ve heard such great things about this palette. Each one of the three looks lovely.
I absolutely love this palette- perfect on my skintone!
Wow, I didn’t realize they were that expensive sold separately. The palette is definitely the way to go, I love the look of Radiant Light.
OOOO me likeyyyy!