CONTOUR

I have been showcasing this beautiful Hourglass Ambient Lighting Surreal Light Palette (bought here with free international shipping) a lot on my insta lately. The marble packaging totally captured my heart. I have lots of individual Hourglass ambient lighting powder, as well as the Ambient Lighting palette. Since this palette comes in 6 new never-before-released shades, that makes a wonderful excuse for me to add it to my stash.

Basically, the ambient powder adds a soft lit-within glow to the face. All powders are not fully matte, but they are also less shimmery than a traditional shimmer product. It imparts a luminous glow to the face that looks good with all age groups (unlike the ultra glamorous finish that you see on Insta which may not look good in real life!), and all powders go on semi-translucent with a tinge of color so it would look flattering on all skin tones. The application is fool-proof as the pigment is soft and easy to blend, and the powder does not enhance the pores.

The palette contains 1 finishing powder, 2 blushes, and 1 bronzer and 1 highlighter. All of them contain very fine micro shimmer that does not look visible on the face.

Surreal Light: A sheer nude finish powder that goes on translucent on my NC15/20 skin tone. I like to use it to set my makeup over the center of the face. It instantly brightens, and makes the face look more dimensional and lifted as the powder reflects light softly, as well as controlling the oil all day long.

2. Surreal Bronze Light: A neutral tan shade. Great for creating a subtle contour, and adding warmth to the face.

3. Surreal Glow: A pale peachy pink blush that looks very delicate on the skin. Can also be used as a highlighter depending on your skin tone.

4. Surreal Effect: A cool, pink rose fused with a soft, warm peach for a pop of flattering color. Goes on quite bright and adds a flush of color to the cheeks.

5. Surreal Strobe Light: A glimmering golden peach powder, and can also be used wet for an intense highlight.

Under the sun

Swatch

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Labels: BLUSH • BRONZER • CONTOUR • HIGHLIGHTER • HOURGLASS

This fall my top favorite makeup collection has to be the Dior Skyline Fall 2016 Collection, as I can never resist a beautifully designed collection with a neutral color theme (check out my picks on my insta)! There are also some really great practical products from the collection which have been added to the permanent line including the Diorblush Light and Contour Sculpting Stick Duo (bought here in Australia). I got the shade 001 Soft Contour, and it goes well with my skin color (NC15).

First of all, I love the design of this dual-ended contour and highlight stick, as it makes the application much easier and is portable to carry around. It will be my go-to product for a fuss-free contour and highlight application when I’m on holiday next week! I know lately we are spoiled with lots of choices, but for a fresh and clean look, all you need is one contour color that suits your skin-tone, and one highlighter to bring out the features. The Dior is such a perfect simple product that delivers the results.

Between the contour stick and the highlighter stick, I definitely think the contour is more superior. It has a creamy consistency without shimmer, and is silky smooth to apply. It is very pigmented, so one strip is enough for shading one area such as the cheekbone. It is very easy to blend – almost like a stick foundation as the color is blended into the skin seamlessly without any visible edges and patches. It gives a cream-matte finish which is perfect as a contouring product. You can use it for sculpting the cheekbones, jaw as well as the nose bridge.

The highlighter is a pale champagne color with fine shimmer which reminds me of the famous Nars The Multiple Copacabana. As with most shimmer sticks I have used in the past, I find them to be a little challenging to work with. It imparts a beautiful subdued gleam to the complexion that looks dewy and glowing but not shiny. For application it only works well on top of a moist base. If your skin is dry, or apply the highlighter on top of the powdered face, the product won’t blend in, and looks like it is sitting on top of the skin. It also tends to enlarge the pores a little over the cheek area, but on top of the cheekbone it is ok. Having said that I have yet to find a shimmer stick with a texture that melds into the skin. My tip is to press some loose powder with a velvety puff into the skin which will then remove the enlarged pores look. Overall I think the texture and the finish is very similar but a tad more hydrating upon application than the Nars multiples.

I included some of my preferred brushes for application with this product, including the Marc Jacobs The Shape and Contour Blush Brush (absolutely my HG, reviewed here); Tom Ford Cream Foundation Brush (reviewed here); CHIKUHODO GSN-5 Brush. For applying an opaque product in cream formula, it is always recommended to use a firm and dense brush.

Swatches at different angles