Ambient Lighting Powder

Hi guys. I have cool toned light skin with strong pink/red undertone - a quite traditional Nordic skin - and I am a huge fan of these powders. I own all but the Ethereal Light shade. Here are my thoughts on them, starting from the least favorite to the number one.

RADIANT LIGHT: This is a very warm toned powder and I cannot get it to work on my skin tone. But I bet it's a great finishing powder for a warm medium skin! It has a lovely sheen finish, no glitters.

LUMINOUS LIGHT: This works for me when I'm tanned, but this one is more shimmery than, say, the Dim Light. For a medium or a bit deeper skin this would be a really lovely natural highlighter, I think. Like a glow within. I have used it lightly for the whole face, but it is a tad too shimmery for that, imo.

DIFFUSED LIGHT: This one has a yellow undertone and a very brightening effect especially under the eyes. If I use it on the whole face, my skin looks a bit off, but the warmer or neutral skin tones, fair to medium, could definitely use this as a finishing powder. I use it under the eyes on those not so fresh mornings. :) Mind you, this one has a bit of a microshimmer finnish, just like the Luminous Light.

DIM LIGHT: Oh, Dim Light, you grew on me. Yes, at first I thought this one is way way too dark for me, and it sure is on the winter time. In summer, however, it is a Perfect (notice the capital P) finishing powder. And I learned to use it on the winter time too! It is a wonderful light natural bronzer and even works as a contouring powder on the pale winter skin. No shimmer on this one - it's just magic - a glow withing - a filter for your skin. I think this might be the most universal of these powders.

MOOD LIGHT: Now, this is not a universal tone. As one review said, it may turn greyish on dark skin tones. However, it is absolutely gorgeous on my pink cool toned skin. I have no problem declaring my love for Mood Light on the top of the roofs everywhere. Every single time I wear this, I get "the looks" from the boys, and compliments from girls. When dusted lightly as a finishing powder, it gives me this otherwordly glow, and I can also use this as a blush for that natural flushed look. So if you have a cool pink toned fair or light skin, I can highly recommend this one.

I always use big fluffy brushes (the It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Jumbo Powder brush and the Chikuhodo Makie powder brush) for these, except when I contour with Dim Light.

The only one I have not tried yet is the Ethereal Light. I am hesitant, because the Diffused Light is already very brightening... How brightening can the Ethereal Light be? Do I want to be a beacon in the night? :) Greetings from Finland!

This isn't something you will see in photos but in person, the powder gives a nice subtle glow. I use it on my cheekbones and it gives a pretty lit from within glow. Previously I've owned the three pan ambient lighting palette and I wasn't impressed, they just didn't look that great on my skin, and the effects were minimal and at times I felt it they accentuated my pored and make my skin look even more bumpy. However, theres something different about this individual powder in luminous light that doesn't do all those things.

At first I tried to use this as a setting powder, I personally didn't like it because it made me look dewy (if you like that then this is perfect), then I used it as a natural highlight and it was really pretty, but THEN I used it under the eyes and that's how I use it everyday! Definitely worth the price and everyone should have one in there collection!

I am usually quite wary about using powders since i've got very dry skin and powders tend to make me look cakey and accentuate my dry skin. BUT the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder is amazing! I use the colour dim light all over after applying foundation and it gives a beautiful but subtle glow. It's so different to other powder products I've used. It's very finely milled and gives my skin a nice glow. I don't know how to describe it but it's just amazing! I love it so much I want to buy the ambient lighting powder palette to try the other shades.

The ambient powder by hourglass is perfect for setting foundation on more aged skin because it is so light weight and translucent it allows a light veil over the skin and skip the wrinkles to prevent eccentuating the wrinkles or 'crows feet'. This product is also great for younger skin leaving a very sheer finish for a more youthful look. The ambient dim light is my new spring must have.

I’ve been using this under my eyes after I apply a setting powder. It’s so finely milled that it sits great under my eyes despite already previously powdering. It does not add any texture to that delicate area but it just brightens and makes me look glowing without any shimmer. I’m a bit fair during this time of the year so the white tone does not look stark. I can never see the white powder under my eyes just a bright healthy look

I am a fanatic over filtering and lights and it was pretty hard to make me a believer that a finishing powder can mimic the effects of having your own lighting crew or the types of filters you place on pictures to look better. I was shown this in Sephora and came home to look at reviews. I had the hardest time determining the shade. I was sold on Radiant. You could swipe it in the pan and fall in love with the color, however the others, you are just not sure how they are going to perform. Dim really makes my face and foundation look amazingly flawless!

NC40-42. I own these in Luminous, Dim and Ethereal. I got these when I wondered with my friends into Liberty in London, and I heard of these powders before a lot, so I swatched 'Dim Light' and was so in love, the SA applied it all all over my face using the three shades that I got, because it was crazy how these powders made my makeup look a million times better just after a light dusting of these powders, it gives the most beautiful glow and it also has a blurring effect on the skin, it's crazy, my fave shade is Luminous, all of them look beautiful!

For reference I'm a NC45. I thought NARS albatross was my HG highlighter but then I met luminous light. Oh my word.....talk about a soft glow! I don't look like a disco ball!!! When applied along my cheekbones and blended along the edges of my blush my skin looks dreamy without coming across ashy flat. Absolutely impressed and it doesnt take a ton of product to get the desired affect. So for WOC you must try this because it will look absolutely beautiful on you. This definitely pushes my NARS to the corner as its much finer than NARS and its not difficult to work with. I'm so happy to have snagged this gem.

This powder is sooooooo soft, and really looks like you have a beautiful glowy filter walking with you everywhere! Dim is my favorite, even though it is the one that you would least expect to like at first glance.