I Just Tried a Full Face of Hourglass Makeup—These Are the Products I'd Genuinely Buy

These coloured balms are one of the brand’s best sellers, and they're huge on social media. Housed in a bullet applicator, you twist the product up to reveal a highly pigmented, glossy lacquer that imparts a creamy shine to lips. On contact, they have a slightly minty, tingling sensation that gives a plumping effect, but they're also very hydrating. I like to wear these on their own, paired with a lip liner or layered over lipstick, and they really last well on the lips without the need to constantly reapply. I do think £35 for 1.7g of product is steep, but that being said, you don't need to apply much as these are very pigmented—one swipe is enough. The gold packaging is also a luxe addition to your makeup bag, and pulling this out of my handbag always feels like a treat.

These lip liners feel luxuriously creamy and glide onto lips with amazing definition which then set into place and stay put throughout the day. They pair really well with the Glossy Balms or Unlocked Soft Matte Lipsticks to define, sculpt and help your lip products wear better throughout the day.

I have to caveat this review by saying that I'm not usually a fan of matte lipsticks. I'm prone to dry lips and they can become sensitive after using matte formulas—but not with this one. Whilst it has a soft matte finish, it's not drying and feels like a lip balm on the lips; it's actually quite hydrating. The shades span neutrals from pinks to deep browns as well as statement reds, but my favourite is Foxglove, a pink-brown that can be patted onto the lips for a flush of colour or layered for more impact.

The Caution mascara is a great formula if you want to prioritise volume with a fanned-out effect. The wand features a bristled brush that evenly coats lashes from root to tip and even manages to catch the shorter ones to maximise all lashes to their full potential. If you like a bigger-lash look, this also layers nicely with additional coats. What I love about Hourglass’ mascaras is that they don’t smudge or flake throughout the day, but you can also wash them off easily with warm water. I prefer my mascaras to be lengthening and lifting, so I actually favour Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara (below), which holds a curl better on my stubbornly straight lashes. But if volume is your goal, I’d go for this.

This might be my favourite product from Hourglass. Featuring a flexible, moulded brush, it stretches lashes with incredible length and definition. My lashes are straight and struggle to hold a curl, but this mascara both lifts and keeps them in place all day long—it really looks like I'm wearing lash extensions. The formula also feels very light, and like Caution mascara, it doesn’t smudge or flake. This particular formula is a "tubing" mascara, meaning that it coats lashes in a film that simply slides off each lash in a tiny tube between your fingertips with warm water.

Veil Mineral Primer is another hero amongst Hourglass’ range. As someone who doesn’t love makeup primers, this is one of the few I can count on one hand that I genuinely rate. It’s ultra-lightweight yet blurs fines lines and pores to give the skin a soft-focused effect with a silky, suede-like finish that provides a perfect base for foundation. It’s also oil-free, which will come as good news for those with oily or acne-prone skin‚ as this won’t exacerbate any problems. I’ve really noticed a difference in how my makeup applies over this primer; it’s smoother and the matte finish helps to mitigate shine throughout the day. It even repels water, so it's practically bulletproof. As I tested this, I noticed that it significantly improves the application of my foundation and ensures it looks freshly applied all day. The only caveat is that because it contains zinc and titanium (which are minerals), it does leave a white cast upon initial application, but this disappears into an invisible finish once blended into the skin.

I could talk at length about how much I like this skin tint. I chose shade 3 on the recommendation of the shade-matching quiz on the Hourglass website, and it was a perfect match. The lightweight liquid formula delivers a light coverage that still lets your skin shine through, but it disguises redness and uneven areas whilst looking undetectable on the skin. I'd describe the finish as "satin"; it's neither dewy nor mattifying but has a finish that lends itself well to both dry and oily skin types. Ingredients-wise, it contains hydrating hyaluronic acid and squalene, making it a nourishing choice to add moisture into your skin. It holds up well throughout the day without separating (particularly when paired with Veil Mineral Primer), and I know I'm going to be reaching for this a lot on days when I want sheer coverage.

One of these concealers is sold every 30 seconds, making it one of Hourglass' most popular products. I'll admit that I've heard mixed reviews about it though, and I can see why it's divisive. It's a full-coverage concealer, which makes it amazing for brightening up dark circles and concealing blemishes or pigmentation. You only need a tiny amount and it blends flawlessly. It does dry down into a matte finish, however, which might not make it suitable for dry skin. And if you prefer light coverage, you might find this too heavy. For my combination skin though, it's a great option for when I require a full-coverage moment, particularly to brighten the under-eye area and conceal acne scarring. Because it dries matte, I ensure my skin is primed with a hydrating eye cream and primer first so that it sits well underneath my eyes. My parting advice would be to use less than what you think you need because it's very pigmented.

The Ambient Lighting Powders are probably Hourglass' most famous product, and I can see why. The Ambient line comprises a range of finishing powders, blushers, bronzers and highlighters that feature photoluminescent technology, which captures and diffuses light in any setting, be it artificial, natural daylight or in photography. You can buy the shades individually and also in palettes, such as the one I tried. It comes in three shades to suit different skin tones and contains three finishing powders that can be used to set makeup and add radiance to cheekbones or anywhere you require glow. These powders truly are amazing. As someone with oily skin, I still like a radiant look to my complexion, and these powders allow me to mattify my skin without compromising on glow. The powder is silky-soft and blends effortlessly into the skin, making them a dream to use.

I find myself reaching for this brow pencil daily, which is a testament to how much I like it. The nib is fine, meaning you can get precise shading on sparse areas of your brows, and the formula is neither too hard that it drags nor too soft that it smudges. I like to fill in and then use the spoolie brush on the other end to diffuse the brow strokes for a seamless result. The shade range is also well-considered, catering to both cool and warm hair colours, so you'll be able to find a natural-looking match for your brows.

These eye shadow sticks are stunning. The shades are all metallic, but they can be applied as a sheer wash of colour or layered for more pigment. I chose Equinox to try, which is a metallic taupe, and it glides onto the lids, allowing you to blend with enough time before it sets into place for eight hours of wear. They last really well throughout the day but I'd probably pop some more on after about six hours to refresh the colour a little.

If you love a wet-look metallic eye shadow, you absolutely must try these. The cream formula imparts a subtle glimmer that can be built up to a full molten shimmer that catches the light in the prettiest way and lasts so well. You only need a tiny amount, so this pot will last you forever. I'm keeping this on standby for evenings and party season.

This might be the best loose powder I've ever used. It's incredibly fine, making it almost undetectable on the skin for setting your makeup into place. It comes in three shades to cater to deep, medium and fair skin tones and features light-reflecting particles to blur pores and fine lines, ensuring your makeup looks great in any light. A little goes a long way, so it's a worthwhile investment if you're in the market for a new translucent powder. I know this is going to become my forever setting powder.

I've had this foundation brush in my arsenal for a while and I reach for it often. The bristles are densely packed, which results in an airbrushed effect for foundation application. It's the perfect shape and density for blending and buffing in product.

I've seen Hailey Bieber using these brushes, so I knew they had to be good, and I can confirm that they are so soft. The price tag does make me wince a little, but seeing as you get two brushes in one (which will also save space in your makeup bag), my beauty-editor maths can justify it. The smaller end is ideal for applying powder around the under-eyes or nose, and the larger end is great for all-over powder application. It's also large enough to double up as a bronzer brush too.

The dual-ended brush is ideal for using with the Ambient Lighting powders, whether it be the finishing powders, blushers or bronzers. The tapered end is perfect for highlighter and blush, and the larger end is effective for bronzer and powder application.