Hourglass Illusion Foundation Review

It seems these days I just can’t get enough of the Hourglass Illusion foundation. So naturally I thought I’d review it for you guys! Check out my thoughts and application video after the jump.

UPDATE: 11/17/17
I'm sad to report that Hourglass has sold their brand to Unilever, who not only tests on animals but also has actively tried to interfere with the success of vegan competitive brands. (Unilever attempted to sue Hampton Creek over Just Mayo.) For these reasons, I am no longer able to support Hourglass products since I do not purchase from brands with parent company testers. 

As an overall note, Hourglass is one of my favorite brands. I love a ton of their products, especially their liquid lipsticks and ambient light powders. While Hourglass is 100% cruelty free with no parent company testers, I will say their vegan products can be difficult to identify because the website and packaging aren't always consistent with the "vegan" label. And in this rare case, it actually works in our favor because they seem to have more vegan products than what's actually labeled. Make sure you double check the ingredients on the package and if you still aren't sure, you can e-mail their customer service team for clarification.

I hope this review is helpful! If there are any other elements you'd like for me to cover, please let me know in the comments below.

Packaging: Aesthetically and practically, I love this tube. With it's beautiful pewtery-gold finish, I would enjoy leaving this out on my countertop to admire. (Okay fine, maybe I'm a little cluttery but that's besides the point.) Most importantly, the cap locks into place and it is totally leak proof. 

Smell: There is virtually no smell to this foundation at all. If I had to describe a smell it might slightly smell like clay but that is it. No added fragrance at all which is so important to me because fragrance can be so irritating to the skin.

Price: While this foundation isn't outrageously expensive, it is on the pricer side at $55 for 1 oz. But in my opinion it's totally worth it.

Shade Range: I have a pretty light complexion and have found the shade Ivory to be a good match for me. (I think it's the 3rd to lightest shade.) I have not had the opportunity to play with the entire shade range just yet. From what I can tell online there are 12 color options to choose from. It doesn't look like there are very many options for very deep complexions.
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Oxidation: Huge props to this foundation for having little to no oxidation! Nothing is more frustrating than thinking you've found your perfect match, only to find that 10 minutes later your face is 3 shades darker.

Finish: The foundation has a dewy, radiant finish. 

Coverage: It's a solid medium coverage foundation with the ability to build where needed.

Longevity: This foundation wears really well throughout the day, however I do find that into the afternoon I'll need to blot down the shine just a bit. (I truly have combo skin.)

Skin Type: Great for all skin types as long as you like a dewy finish! 

Benefits: This foundation does contain hyaluronic acid, which is a known skin hydrator and plumper. The foundation does claim to help firm up the skin but I'm a little skeptical of those promises.

Here's a video of me getting really excited about a foundation.