Hourglass

It’s a miracle! Luxury line Hourglass Cosmetics claims to have photographic evidence of a “miracle makeup for oily skin,” and it’s called Immaculate Powder Foundation.

What is it?

The new liquid-to-powder face product ($55 for a 1-ounce bottle) for guys and gals with oily, combination and acne-prone skin promises to polish skin tone with a lightweight formula and a natural-looking, long-lasting matte finish designed to last all day, and it’s not supposed to need a setting powder applied on top.

Since my skin is oily on my forehead, dry on my cheeks and prone to pimples around my chin, I say “Sign me up!” Let’s put this potential prizefighter to the test. 🙂

First things first, Immaculate’s bonafides look great on paper. The oil-free, water-resistant formula contains interesting botanicals like Phytostem Edelweiss, a Himalayan plant said to help heal cell damage, and Lavandox, an extract of Spanish lavender, which Hourglass claims helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles by inhibiting muscle contractions. And it doesn’t contain parabens, phthalates, synthetic dyes, GMOs, synthetic fragrances or nanoparticles.

According to Hourglass, Immaculate doesn’t stop at evening out skin tone. It’s also designed to soften the look of fine lines, pores and imperfections, all while showing some love to skin.

LOL! I was mostly interested in this because I liked the idea of being able to skip powder. Anything to save a little time, ya know?

Limited selection of shades

Of the eight available shades (and more on that in a few)…

1. Porcelain
2. Shell
3. Ivory
4. Nude
5. Light Beige
6. Sand
7. Beige
8. Warm Beige

…Beige comes closest to my skin tone (I’m an NC 42 in MAC), but it’s not an exact match, as it does have a lot of, um, beige in it.

It can look a little ashy on me if I wear too much, but as long as I only apply a couple of thin layers, it’s close enough. A lemony beige with an extra dose of yellow in it would probably have been a closer match.

Finding a perfect match among Immaculate’s eight shades could be a challenge, especially if you have a deep tan or a darker skin tone. It seems like many of these shades cater to ladies with lighter and medium skin, and if you’re darker than I am, Warm Beige is the only shade here that might be a match.

And it’s a shame, too, because the formula, which applies as a liquid but dries to a powder, took Hourglass a year to perfect. It’s just so neat! As you work the liquid into your skin, it dries to a very fine powder.

The coverage

For coverage like the kind I’d wear with casual jeans and a t-shirt — just to even out my skin tone and disguise any little pimples on my chin — I use half a pump applied with my fingers or something like the Hourglass No. 2 Foundation Brush ($58).

But for dressier events, say, for skin to go with a cocktail dress and heels, I’ll use a second half a pump on my cheeks and chin for nearly opaque coverage.

Either way, I think Immaculate looks great. My initial reaction the first time I saw myself in the mirror with it on was “Wow!”

Matte foundations don’t always look like this. Some look heavy, like a mask, but Immaculate still looks very natural natural to me. Dare I say it? 🙂 Almost like I’m not wearing anything at all, LOL!

I think the difference is the finish. It just has a lot of life in it, a slight sheen that keeps it from looking dull and flat.
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