February 4, 2014

Hourglass Dim Infusion Ambient Lighting Blush Review & Swatches

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

Hourglass dim infusion Ambient Lighting Blush

Hourglass Dim Infusion Ambient Lighting Blush ($35) is one of six new shades of blush that Hourglass Cosmetics created to give cheeks a soft focused look.

Taking a note from their Ambient Lighting Powder these new blushes use Photoluminescent Technology to exhibit depth and dimension.

Take a look!

Hourglass Dim Infusion Ambient Lighting Blush is a subtle orange-y peach shade that should work best on lighter skin tones due to the sheerness and subtly of the pigmentation. This shows very orange on my skin and I was hoping for a bit more peach. The is dominated by lighter creamy beige base which quite reminds me of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural swirled with lighter orange-y peach marbling. The base is actually Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light and a touch of swirled in color with it. It’s actually kinda interesting because you get a feel for Ambient Lighting Powder along with a blush! It’s just like they took Ambient Lighting Powder and improved upon it by adding in some tinted pigment.

Hourglass dim infusion Ambient Lighting Blush swatches

It’s gorgeous to look at and really quite remind me of a shimmer free version of Laura Geller Baked n Brighten Blush or as Laura dubs her matte blushes, sugar-free. I hate to say this but Laura actually has this baked blush market down right. Her Baked n Brighten Blushes are bigger, cheaper, have more pigment, and a better formula than Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush. Of course, I am basing this solely on my test out of Dim Infusion, my mind may change when I try the other shades in this collection.

This formula is very soft, silky, yet powdery and chalky. I never thought I’d say something being chalky was ok but somehow this works for the Ambient Lighting Blush formula. It does kick up a fair bit of powder when running a brush through it so you may need to tap off excess prior to application. It does cling a little bit to my drier areas so blend, blend, and blend some more for the softest most even finish on drier skin. This is a formula that will LOVE oily skin but won’t be as forgiving on drier. It wears for about five hours for me before showing minor wear and around hour seven I notice it loses intensity.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t see the glow. According to marketing the blushes are supposed to produce a “otherworldly glow” but I didn’t see it, not even a sheen, nothing. For the most part this shade is a semi-matte finish sans any sparkle, shimmer, or glow of any kind. It’s funny as I do get a nice glow from regular Ambient Lighting Powder and this just adds in tinted pigment so you’d think I’d get the same effect but no such luck…! The powder does have a soft focused effect though and gives skin a smooth finish and look just not the glow I expected!

In the end, Hourglass Dim Infusion Ambient Lighting Blush is a pretty shade but not quite what I expected it to be! I’d be more likely to rave these if they had more of a candlelit glow. As is, it’s more of just a regular old blush…nothing too special here.

Hourglass Dim Infusion Ambient Lighting Blush fotd

Tried ’em?

I’d really love to hear your thoughts!

More shade reviews to follow I’m still hoping one will change my mind!

Available at Sephora and Sephora.com later this month!

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Elena

    I really appreciate the honesty in your reviews. Every other review I’ve seen of these makes them out to be the holy grail of blushes!

    • Isabella Muse

      naaa unfortunately not the holy grail of blushes Elena…! It’s just an ordinary blush really, they do have a nice soft focus to them but the formula is kinda not great for drier skin and they really lack the luminosity that Hourglass is kinda promoting them for ya know? That disappointed me! But who knows, different strokes for different folks right? 😀 Try one tell me what you think I’d be curious if you like them or not!

  • Lemon

    The blush looked a little too chalky and powdery on the swatch but on your cheeks it looks quite natural. Does it look better after a couple of hours of wear? Or does the color fade away?

      • meow

        how rude. what’s wrong with just answering someone’s question?

        • Isabella Muse

          Actually, it’s not rude at all Meow. Sometimes I”m replying to comments on my phone and it’s easier for me to say “I touched on this in the review” rather than retype out what I said in the post. I wasn’t trying to be rude to anyone, just being rushed and likely on my phone so I asked her to reference the review. Hope this clears things up!

  • Tracy@Beauty Reflections

    THANK YOU for the honest review Muse! Finally someone who hasn’t drank the Hourglass Koolaid hahaha! I mean, they’re blushes, they’re not going to change your life. 🙂 From other swatches and faces I didn’t see anything so innovative either, yet people are raving about them. I think it’s weird that they’re so matte for something that’s supposed to be glowy.

    • Isabella Muse

      ah my pleasure tracy! Although I’m guilty! I drank the koolaid too when I saw those original promo pictures man I DROOLED hard ;-D They just aren’t as life changing as I had hoped for. They might look better on oily skin but I’m really dry and the texture was very powdery…it wasn’t bad really, it just wasn’t what I expected. Hourglass basically took the base of their Ambient powder and added some tint to it, interesting idea, but they over marketed them in my opinion…all that “glow” and “special technology” etc just doesn’t really live up to the actual product. Nice idea, but not what I expected…you’ll get more glow from MAC’s new Petal Power Blush versus what I’ve seen from these thus far. Of course, I’ll reserved further judgement until I try the other shades, they might prove me wrong yet 😀

  • Fancie

    Your review makes me relieved I didn’t order them during the VIB sneak peek. I agree with the earlier commenter about everyone making these out to be flawless lol. I wasn’t at all expecting chalky or powdery from this line. I’m glad I waited to check them out in person!

    • Isabella Muse

      the chalkiness isn’t really a bad thing, it is soft and silky…but it’s really odd in someways too! But yeah, I think waiting and swatching in person is a wise choice 😀

  • Melissa

    Hi Muse!
    I honestly have to say that I agree with you. When these first came out I was expecting luminous, glowy cheeks since Hourglass marketed this as a new fangled technology – but honestly, you are right – Laura Geller’s blush n-brighten has them beat here. I bought Luminous Flush, and when I got it and put it on my cheeks, I stood in front of the mirror for a long time (and even did it again the next day) trying to decide if I liked it or not. If I’m totally honest with myself, you shouldn’t really have to work that hard to make a $35 blush work (I mean when I got Tropic Hues by LG it was instant love at first sight), but part of me thought maybe I just didn’t get it since there are rave reviews for these everywhere.
    I own and love Luminous Light and wear it every day – it brings brightness to my dull, drier skin, but this blush didn’t quite work for me.
    The new Clinique blushes on the other hand, are a totally different story – those are wonderful!

    • Isabella Muse

      Melissa, it’s very confusing with the marketing…maybe we read too much into it but as I saw it they were promoting these as a glow-y blush….when I got them, just looking at them without trying, i knew no way as I getting glow with these. How sad! i read a lot of raves as well so maybe we are crazy LOL! 😀 I don’t even get a slight sheen with them, it’s pure semi-matte at best…! I completely agree LOVE the clinique!

  • Liane

    I completely agree! I got Luminous Flush and was just expecting more — I will probably return it. I much prefer the new Clinique blushes and those are $14 cheaper! Thank you for your honest reviews 🙂

    • Isabella Muse

      liane, couldn’t agree more on the clinique, outstanding formula! Very sad about these though le sigh! aw my pleasure! glad I’m not alone thinking these weren’t quite what I expected!

  • Krystel M

    I have yet to pick these up, although I love the Ambient Lighting Powders. I’ve been a bit hesitant because all of the colors look so similar based on the swatches I’ve seen in the reviews. I was hoping for a bit more pigmentation and glow. I agree with blush and brighten, sateen subtle berry changed my life. I remember putting it on and going thru the day, checking in the mirror and wondering if this was real! That’s what I was hoping for with these, I guess I’ll have to pick one up and see.

    • Isabella Muse

      Swatch in store Krystel, who knows you may love ’em! But yes, I know what you mean about blush and brighten, there have been shades that seriously made me turn left and right in the mirror and just adore how they looked on my cheeks! Such a great glow-y look to them and that’s what I was hoping for with these!