Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush II Review & Swatches

Exactly two months ago I published a post about the new Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes in Radiant Magenta and Mood Exposure and since then, I have acquired two more shades, Dim Infusion and Diffused Heat, which I  will talk about today. For a more detailed review of these blushes in general (packaging, texture, formula and so on) please visit my original review. This post will (hopefully) be the final post about these blushes! I will have comparison photos and swatches of all 4 shades at the end of the post as well.

Dim Infusion

Dim Infusion is a combination of the Dim Light Ambient Lighting Powder and subdued peachy coral pigments. This was initially the second shade that I wanted to buy but upon swatching it on the back of my hand in store, I found the pigmentation to be really low, almost invisible on my skin even after layering, so I decided to give it a pass. Little did I know that for Dim Infusion, you have to test it on the actual cheek! (I am so glad that my awesome reader Carolyn mentioned this to me! Thank you, Carolyn!)

On the cheeks, that’s where the magic comes to life! Honestly, I’ve never seen anything that looks this natural and effortless on me. Dim Infusion imparts a healthy, slightly peachy, slightly coral flush that melds in pretty seamlessly with my skin. The pigmentation is just right (though it’s more on the light side) making it a fuss-free and fool-proof shade. I don’t think you even need to blend because I rarely see any hard edges when applying it with a rather dense brush! All I see is a gorgeous soft flush of color with a smooth matte-satiny feel. It tends to kick up a lot of powder and can feel chalky if over applied. The all-day lasting power is impressive for a sheer blush. I am completely and absolutely in love with this shade and am definitely bringing it with me to Thailand next week!

Sidenote: I’d like to mention that this particular shade has been receiving mixed reviews in terms of pigmentation. My thought is this: each pan of the Ambient Lighting Blush is different — no two are exactly alike. Mine has quite a few peachy coral “veins” running throughout the pan and that may explain why it has decent color payoff. If yours has more of the Lighting powder and less of the colored veins, the pigmentation may be low. The outcome may be affected by the type of brush used to apply and the amount applied as well.

Diffused Heat

Diffused Heat is a combination of Diffused Light Ambient Lighting Powder and vibrant poppy red pigments. In contrast to Dim Infusion, Diffused Heat is not quite as fool-proof to use because it’s a very pigmented shade! I would use a light hand and less dense brush with this shade as it is easy to overdo. A touch of the very tip of the brush in the pan is more than plenty for a good color payoff on my cheeks.

At first glance I thought this shade was going to be “too red” but with the strong yellow tone of the Ambient Lighting Powder, Diffused Heat turns out to be such a lovely reddish coral on me. It’s a nice pop of color for sure and one that will brighten up your whole complexion. Of all the four shades that I have, Diffused Heat is the only sparkly one and you can actually see the sparkly bits on both arm swatches and when applied on the cheeks. I really like how it adds just a hint of luminosity without looking like I have applied a separate highlighter. Overall, a perfect Summer blush! It can be worn sheer and blended out for a natural finish or built up for more intensity. The color stays vibrant for an all-day wear for this shade as well.

Radiant Magenta, Mood Exposure, Dim Infusion, and Diffused Heat

Well, that’s it! I hope you enjoy my coverage of the blushes! Let me know what you think in the comments below! :)

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