December 12, 2022

Hourglass Elephant Ambient Lighting Edit Palette Review & Swatches

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.
5 stars out of 5

Hourglass Elephant Ambient Lighting Edit Palette ($85) is one of three six-pan Ambient Lighting Edit Palettes released for Holiday 2022. I waffled on purchasing any of these palettes for a while because I feel like the ones I already have in my collection I don’t use nearly enough. I finally caved when they went on sale and I have to admit I don’t regret the purchase. I’m actually really happy I indulged. All three are truly beautiful and actually work great for me. The Hourglass Elephant Ambient Lighting Edit Palette was created for medium skin types and for me it’s the most similar to previous years. I’m leaning towards saying I liked it the most out of the three but I also really liked the Tiger Palette!

I’ve come to a stage in my life I actually really like palettes like this for their simplicity. There’s just enough product here to add a flush of color to your face, a nice glow, and of course, a sheer wash of powder that perfects. I’ve always been a fan of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder for this reason! As it adds a very subtle glow but also, smoothes skin and gives that perfect finishing touch. The blushes I’ve been a little hit or miss on but as I get older I appreciate them more and more for their ease of application and blendability.

You might recall when Hourglass Ambient Light Edit Palettes for the Holidays include three shades and cost $58 for 0.35 oz of product. That changed in 2015 and they started doing palettes that include six shades which cost considerably more at $80 and this year an extra $5 was tacked out making them $85 per palette and have 0.4 oz of product. If you don’t get them on sale I’m unsure if I’d actually recommend purchasing them at full-price. Sure, they are very nice quality items but the price is pretty crazy. The palettes feature artwork from illustrator, Katie Scott, and support Nonhuman Rights Project by donating 5% of the profits of each palette.

Speaking of artwork…I wasn’t sure I’d like the art on these but I actually quite liked it. Katie Scott’s work normally features botanicals! Her Elephant has a slight touch of whimsy to him with his kind eyes and majestic ears and trunk. The beautiful peach shade of the palette makes a perfect background for him. The palette is made out of a lightweight tin and features a full-size mirror inside. The pans are a bit smallish and I struggle getting a my favorite Bobbi Brown Blush Brush into them! Something with a domed head and a bit shorter should serve you well or use the side of your brush to tap into the shades!

Elephant has four brand-new shades and two existing shades. The new shades are the Ambient Metallic Strobe Lighting Powder in Beaming Light (Golden Bronze), Ambient Bronzing Powder in Lustrous Bronze Light (A soft sunny bronzed touched by gold), Ambient Lighting Blush in Iridescent Coral (a golden coral), and Ambient Lighting Blush in Radiant Rose (a pretty berry pink).

The two existing shades are Ambient Lighting Powders in Soft Light (a soft banana) and Dim Light (Natural Beige). I happen to be a fan of Soft Light for using under my eyes to brighten up the area and set my concealer and Dim Light is my normal Ambient Lighting Powder shade! It’s a perfect shade to brighten up your complexion, add a very delicate glow, and complete your makeup.

I purchased the palette mainly for Iridescent Coral which I’m wearing in this review along with Beaming Strobe. The shade didn’t disappoint. I love a good coral blush and this is a lovely pinky peach with a bit of a golden finish. It’s very pretty. Unlike many bigger Holiday palettes you’ll find that Hourglass doesn’t forsake quality for quantity. Too many times we see brands doing bigger palettes with poorly formulated blushes, eyeshadows, etc….in this case, you’re getting more variety but also, you aren’t forsaking the quality. The formulation here is just as good as any full-size Ambient Bronzing product. The textures are all soft, silky, and apply with very little effort. They melt into the skin and leave behind a flawless finish. The blushes are truly the star of the show especially if you have a heavier hand as I do. They apply perfectly and build easily without looking overly done!

Where to buy

SpaceNK Hourglass Beautylish

Hourglass Elephant Ambient Lighting Edit Palette is a six-pan palette featuring four new shades and two repromoted ones. The palette is 0.4 oz in size and $85 featuring two blushes, two face powders bronzer, and a highlighter. This particular palette is one of three and best suited to light medium and medium skin tones. I felt the quality was perfect here. The powders all had a soft, silky consistent that applied easily and blended out perfectly without adhere to drier areas on my face. The highlight of the palette are the blushes particularly Iridescent Coral which was a very pretty golden peach with hints of pink! I did have minor issues fitting my brush into the pans of the palette but I found placing my blush on the side and tapping into the pan was the best technique to get color out!

Pros

  • A beautiful, cohesive shade range.
  • Unique and pretty packaging.

Cons

  • Expensive.
  • Pans are small.

Who

The Hourglass Elephant Ambient Lighting Edit Palette is a perfect pick for anyone that prefers a more natural look. This contains all you need to add warmth, color, and a glow to your skin!

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

  • mn diamond girl

    Love the packaging! The two pink blush shades look very similar in the palette. Do they have noticeably different tones when applied to your cheeks?

    • Isabella Muse

      I oddly did too! I thought I was gonna dislike it but it’s actually really a cute elephant print! Yes. The Radiant Rose is much pinkier/berry whereas Iridescent Coral is much peachier!

  • Jess

    I remember always coming to your page for swatches and reviews back then! I’m glad I found your page again