January 28, 2015

This or That Beauty: Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Sculpting Contour Trio vs Hourglass Ambient Lighting

This was provided to me by a brand for review and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post but all opinions are my own.

this that beauty

If you don’t quite have the $$ to splurge on Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder ($45) might I suggest the Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Sculpting Contour Trio ($21)?

Recently, Sephora launched two new shades of their Microsmooth Baked Sculpting Contour Trios in Sublime and Spirited for Spring 2015 and Sublime is a perfect little switch up for the more expensive Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders.

Take a look!

Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Sculpting Contour Trio is made up of three gradating shades of soft, silky highlighter powder. I know people who automatically see the words “baked” cringe! Personally I’m a huge fan of baked shadows, baked blushes, etc…don’t let your hate of baked sway you from trying this palette as the texture is divine and very close to the silkiness of Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder.

Sephora MicroSmooth Baked sublime

Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Sculpting Contour Trio swatches

Sephora MicroSmooth swatches

The soft shimmery, beige peach shades remind me of my own Radiant Hourglass Palette and also reminds me of shades in the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette! Not exact dupes mind you but the texture and look of the shades on skin do very much remind me of Hourglass’s much more expensive formula.

The Microsmooth Baked Sculpting Contour Trio has a very soft shimmery finish. I wouldn’t recommend it all over use but you can use it in key areas around your face to add a touch of luminosity. It’s especially handy to have around if you contour your face as this makes for a perfect way to follow up with a highlighter.

The texture is divine on this powder. It’s very soft, silky, and easy to blend. The colors are quite universally flattering as they’ll look great on lighter skin and even better on darker.

If you’re not looking to spend near $50 bucks on Hourglass’s powder, I’d say that Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Sculpting Contour Trio in Sublime is a nice little switch up!

You can get it now in stores or online at Sephora.com.

This was provided to me by a brand for review and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post but all opinions are my own.

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

  • Aly

    Which trio is this? It appears there are a lot of options on the link you provided. Is it “sublime”? I can’t tell. Thanks for your help!

  • kim

    I bought this trio last week (mostly because it looked to pretty in the package). I was never that into highlighters, but this won me over. it’s so silky, and I love the subtly different colors.

  • Carol G.

    I might try this. Unfortunately, I was not impressed with the Hourglass powder. It got so many rave reviews but for me, I felt like it was “meh”. I am a fan of baked products too so I just might like this.

  • XtinaVida

    Hourglass products are my “spurlge” items. The prices are painful, but the products are so worth it. I have extremely fair skin & since I hit 30 , my skin type changed & I’m now swimming in oily loveliness lol
    I ran to Sephora yesterday as soon as I read your post to check the trio. Definitely good as a highlight, but I use Hourglass Ambient Lighting as my setting/all over face powder. Even though some Hourglass products have highlighters swirled into them, the shimmer power of the trio is just too much compared to the Hourglass “Dim Light” powder 😔
    Was still worth a shot!!! ❤️
    Keep your dupe discoveries coming girl!!

    • Isabella Muse

      yup, I agree, the only downfall is the fact it can’t be used all over your face the way the Hourglass one can! 😀 thanks will do 😀

  • Genevieve

    I love this – especially as the Sephora one is very similar to/identical to Hourglass.
    Sigh – no Sephora in Melbourne!

  • Lisa

    it’s pretty, but it looks pretty dark for highlighting, except for that pink shade.