Friday, January 23, 2015

I Love Hourglass Cosmetics

I have to say I've tried a few things from the Hourglass Cosmetics so far and I've LOVED everything I've tried thus far.  I've loved their products so much that I thought it was worth writing about AND they don't have a Pro Discount (well they have one for US artists but not Canada :( ) so that means I've been paying FULL PRICE...something I pretty much NEVER do...so if that doesn't say something I don't know what does lol!

It is a "luxury" brand and therefore at a bit higher price range than some brands but the quality is there so I think it's worth it.  Plus when it comes to things like foundation I think investing money on good products is never a waste!  They have been around for just over 10 years and from what I know they've been in Sephora (where I get my Hourglass products) for at least a few years now.  I really love that they are a cruelty free brand and many of the products are vegan and produced w/out gluten, parabans, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, GMOS, Triclosan and nonoparticles ...very important for a lot of ppl these days!

I originally got introduced to the brand when I was sent a Nude Lip Stylo to review.  Right away I really liked that the brand had many different colours of nude lip stylos...often ppl don't realize that one shade of nude isn't right for everyone and ppl w/ darker skin tones often have to go darker in nudes than they might initially realize.  It was a great product and I love the chubby stick pencils for lipsticks these days as they are very easy to apply and fill in...especially if you're on the go!

One of the biggest products for the brand and probably the one that has made them the most well known has been their primer.  I've never actually bought a full size version of it but have tried samples.  It's good but the funny thing is it's not my fav. product by them lol!

Next I think I got another mini rouge liquid lipstick in Icon w/ one of my Sephora orders. Immediately I loved it!  Went on matte/opaque and was a gorgeous red...one that I think would look good on almost anyone!  Very smooth and easy to apply and very long lasting!  I think it was after this that I really started to take notice and look at the other products the brand had to offer.

After hearing a lot of buzz about it I decided to invest in one of their pricier items - The Ambient Lighting Palette!  I'm obsessed w/ a nice glowy cheek for my clients so I thought this would be a gorgeous addition to my kit and I was definitely not wrong!  Goes on so smooth and seamlessly blends into the skin.  Creates a gorgeous glow - not too sparkly or shimmery.  All 3 powders would be universally flattering on pretty much anyone and the product is definitely good for both day and evening looks!

After this I was pretty much hooked so when Sephora released an Ambient Light Blush Palette for VIB members I knew I had to give it a try...and of course I was not let down.  Gorgeous finish and colour - Peach, Pink, Plum blushes. I really love how smooth and buildable all the products are...never cakey or powdery looking. I would say though this product probably wouldn't be suitable for darker skin tones as I don't think it would show up.

Finally after all of this and being a die hard Cover FX foundation user on myself I decided to try out their Liquid Powder Foundation.  Anyone who reads this blog knows I have oily and acne prone skin so the idea that a foundation was oil absorbing, buildable coverage and had a matte/velvet finish all sounded pretty good to me.  The "secret" ingredient is Cashmere Kaolinite Clay which has been shown to absorb 75% of it's weight in sebum while still retaining moisture in the skin.  I personally like to apply the product w/ a damp beauty blender and tap/bounce the product into the skin.  One of the first days I was wearing it another artist commented how great my skin looked...umm right there I guess we can say I was sold!  When another artist comments your skin/foundation looks great you know you have a winner!

So yeah I guess you can say I'm a fan of the brand.  Haven't tried anything I didn't like...and I've even been paying full price :S  If anything all I have to say is Hourglass bring your Pro Discount to Canada!!!  Definitely worth checking out the products though if you don't mind investing in good quality makeup!

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