Hourglass Sublime Flush Ambient Lighting Blush Review & Swatches

Sublime Flush

Hourglass Sublime Flush Ambient Lighting Blush ($40.00 for 0.15 oz.) is a medium pink with warmer undertones and cooler, ultra-fine lavender pearl that gave it a luminous finish once applied and blended out on my skin. The texture was incredibly smooth to the touch, finely-milled and silky without being overly powdery.

It had semi-opaque pigmentation in a single layer, which could easily be built up to full coverage if desired or used with a lighter hand to dial down coverage initially. This shade was previously available in the Ghost palette, but it is now available as a single. The color stayed on well for eight and a half hours before showing signs of fading.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

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MAC Mother o' Pearl (LE, $34.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (95% similar).
Dior Bal (250) (P, $44.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
LORAC Wavelength (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
NARS Loves Me Not (LE, $30.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
NARS Liberation (Left) (LE, ) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
Milani Petal Primavera (P, $8.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
Colour Pop Enchanted Mirror (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
bareMinerals Golden Gate (LE, $22.00) is less shimmery, darker (85% similar).
Tom Ford Beauty Frantic Pink (P, $60.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
Hourglass Surreal Effect (LE, $40.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).

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Formula Overview

$40.00/0.15 oz. - $266.67 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to have “depth and dimension” unlike traditional blush, be “lightweight and airy,” and have the “perfect balance of pigment and powder.” Hourglass says it uses “an advanced ‘miscelare’ technique,” which means to mix in Italian (per Sephora) and is how the marbled effect is achieved. The blush is also supposed to have “buildable color.” It does bring to mind the concept of a lot of baked formulas on the market, but I think the texture is softer and more finely-milled than most.

The texture is very soft and delicate; it feels exactly like the Ambient Lighting Powders. In an all-over powder, I don’t mind what can sometimes veer on powderiness, but in a blush, it can be easy to overload color onto the blush and then onto the skin. I wish it was slightly firmer or less powdery, which would minimize waste and make it more foolproof to apply.

Browse all of our Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush swatches.

Ingredients

Mica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Boron Nitride, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Octyldodecanol, Benzoic Acid, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Diamond Powder, Dimethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Laureth-7, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylamide, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Potassium Sorbate, Silica, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Sorbic Acid, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Tin Oxide, Trimethylsiloxysilicate. May Contain (+/-): Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), Red 40 Lake (Ci 16035), Carmine (Ci 75470), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499), Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891).