I say this without any exaggeration: Every time I wear this hourglass foundation, at least one person compliments my skin. “Your skin looks so smooth,” “You’re literally glowing,” “Your skin is perfect,” you get the idea. I always love these comments (the best kind of compliment for a beauty editor!), but they definitely impact my skin differently. Not there. at its best.
case in point? I recently experienced a severe reaction when testing a new product (compromised by constantly playing guinea pig!) and have been battling flaky, congested skin for the past several weeks. However, one thin layer of this foundation, and all my textural concerns disappear – well, at least for the day – to the point where my own husband thought my complexion magically healed overnight. Perfect plan!
I’ve never used a foundation that visibly covers breakouts and discoloration Naturally skin-loving, and at the risk of selling my new favorite base product, let me wax poetic on its powers. See, Hourglass Illusion Luminous Glow Foundation.
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Illusion Illuminous Glow Foundation SPF 30
Formula: Smoothing for up to 12 hours of wear
Unlike the brand, this foundation boasts of medium coverage with a super luminous finish (true to its name) Veil Hydrating Skin Tintwhich is dewy yet clear, and this Ambient Soft Glow FoundationWhich has medium coverage yet not that much shine. In terms of ingredients, it features advanced Hydra-Smoothing technology with hyaluronic microspheres to evenly plump fine lines and texture, plus SPF 30 for extra sun protection – a welcome bonus!
I suspect that the hydra-smoothing technology is what helps the foundation instantly hide every single blemish on my face. Seriously, as soon as I blend it into my skin, all my breakout problems mysteriously disappear. And I’m not alone: In a clinical study conducted by the brand, 93% of participants said the foundation instantly minimized imperfections and made their skin look smoother.
This formula also has incredible long-wear ability – 12 hours to be exact – without creasing or flaking as the day progresses. I can also fully attest to this benefit; illusion dazzling shine One of the only foundations that endures an entire office day with multiple late night work schedules and somehow looks just as flawless as my 8am application.
Application: Creamy and even
For texture? It is creamy and blendable but its consistency is thicker than one Skin tint (which is light and serum-like), so applying a little goes a long way. In fact, I only need a pearl-sized amount for my entire face, which I apply to the back of my hand, warming it up. Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation BrushThen buff it into my skin for even, more-than-even coverage. It blends into my skin like a dream and leaves behind the most beautiful megawatt glow. On that note, this probably isn’t the best choice for people with oily skin who are trying to reduce shine. It’s capital-D Dewy, but I love the glassy finish for my combination, constantly thirsty skin.
My results: smooth, filter-like skin
As you can probably guess, I score this base A 1000/10. I’ve been wearing it regularly since it launched in January shadow 4If you’re curious), and it’s become my secret weapon for dull skin days. Yes, it’s shiny to the max, but it in no way makes me look sweaty – just fresh and dewy. However, my favorite feature is that it instantly smoothes the texture of my skin while making it look completely natural, as if I’m not wearing any makeup at all. Maybe that’s why I get so many compliments on my skin (not my makeup) when I wear it. I often just pair it with blush, brow gel, and my ride-or-die lip combo (note, no concealer!), so I can theoretically make people think that yes, I woke up like this.
As I mentioned above, even my husband commented on how much clearer my skin looked after he came home from work. “Your skin looks great!” He commented in surprise, as I had been complaining about my product testing struggles just the night before. What he didn’t know was that my foundation was doing all the work—but hey, I’ll take it.
Buy Hourglass Illusion Luminous Glow Foundation
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Illusion Illuminous Glow Foundation SPF 30
More Hourglass Products I Love
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Vanish Airbrush Concealer
My holy-grain hider. If you haven’t tried this magical formula yet, consider this your neon glowing sign.
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ambient light palette
Holy glow. You can apply each highlighting powder separately, but honestly I swirl a soft brush on all three and apply it directly to my cheeks and lids. The finale is beyond amazing.
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Priming Moisturizer
The Illusion Luminous Glow Foundation is incredibly long-lasting on its own, but for added longevity, feel free to layer this hydrating primer underneath.
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Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Brush
I love compact foundation brushes (sorry, I’m not a sponge girl!), and this Hourglass number is top notch.
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Phantom Volumizing Lip Glossy Balm
Trust me, you don’t know a shine balm until you’ve tried Hourglass Hero. Talk about a favorite cult!
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unreal liquid blush
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Shape and Sculpt Lip Liner
I recently got this Soft-Sculpting Lip Liner, and I’m honestly mad at myself for trying it sooner! The pigment is luxuriously creamy, yet refuses to budge once settled on the skin.
