I hadn't dipped my toes into Hourglass, a brand I had seen repeatedly at Sephora. I was afraid it might be one of those teenybopper brands - without knowing anything about it. Then, I read favorable reviews of Hourglass makeup by Gaia at The Non-Blonde, so I started browsing at Sephora. I finally bought my first Hourglass piece, and I'm delighted with it!Aura Sheer Cheek Stain ($45) is a water-based stain that gives cheeks a subtle lit-from-within glow. The lightweight, hydrating cheek stain creates a radiant, natural color that lasts all day. Its click mechanism dispenses the perfect amount of product for convenient on-the-go application. The first time I used it, I clicked and clicked and clicked - I started to wonder if Sephora had sent me a dud. Then the color appeared in the spongy applicator, leaving me a bit relieved I didn't have a product to return. I wanted to like it.
Aura Sheer Cheek Stain comes in three shades: Flush (berry pink), Petal (peachy pink), and Rouge (soft plum). They all looked pretty in the little swatches, but I was conservative and ordered only Flush, the one that looked the most perfect for my skin tone. When the product clicked its way into the applicator, I was suddenly fearful that the swatches were off-base. It looked strawberry with a hint of coral! While strawberry is a berry (remember, berry pink), I was expecting something a little different, but what I expected was almost exactly what I saw on my skin when I applied the cheek stain.
Here's a swatch photo. I applied a little circle on my arm, using not only the applicator, but my finger to even out the color just a tad. It's a messy swatch, but I think it shows the color well. I took my photo indoors in sunlight. While there is a tiny amount of coral/peach in the shade, it's a pretty pink that will be wearable by gals with different skin tones. I can wear it with my pale skin, and I think it's going to be perfect on medium-toned skin also. I think it's fabulous.
I'd like to see how Rouge works on my skin, but that will have to wait for a trip to Sephora. For now, I'm very happy with my purchase, and I have Gaia to thank for unknowingly prompting me to try Hourglass. If you would like to read about the brand and its founder, Carisa Janes, check out this Sephora link.
You can purchase Hourglass Aura Sheer Cheek Stain at Sephora and Apothica.
Update 2/6: Here's a second photo. The sparkly appearance in the photo above and this one is due to sunshine, not the cheek stain. The reflection in this photo is a little less extreme because the photo was taken indoors during sunrise. The cheek stain is very natural and not at all sparkly. Unfortunately, the color isn't true in this second photo. Flush is not this peachy.
Update 2/6: I have been clueless about Hourglass! I just discovered they have their own Web site, where you can purchase their cosmetics. Their little swatches of the cheek stain may be better than Sephora's.
Photo courtesy of Sephora