Image: supplied.
I love the idea of a tinted moisturiser for daily use — something that looks natural and feels lightweight, yet gives the skin an even, fresh look.
The problem is, my skin never received the memo it needed to be in fairly good condition for me to slap on this product and skip out the door. For that reason, I was a medium coverage girl each and every day.
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Like many women, my skin is left with the reminders of spots gone by, with areas of hyper pigmentation. Plus my skin tone looks uneven without a bit of a base, partly because of how naturally pale I am.
Tinted Moisturiser just didn’t cut it when it came to coverage and longevity in my books… until I found Hourglass Cosmetics Illusion Tinted Moisturiser.
This product came into my life when I noticed a friend's skin looking exceptionally flawless one day, and had to know the reason. She told me about Hourglass' tinted moisturiser and while I was keen to try it, I didn't have high hopes it would give me enough coverage.
I was wrong: one sample and it was love. Pure and simple beauty love.
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Hourglass is a higher-end cosmetics line that delivers consistently good products; each and every one I've tried has surpassed expectations and the Illusion Tinted Moisturiser is no different. (Post continues after gallery.)
Micellar cleansing waters
Tinted moisturiser fans, be warned: the formula isn't the thin, watery kind you're probably used to. Rather, it's a creamy formula that can be applied with fingers or a brush.
You can build the coverage slightly — but remember that you're probably not looking for full coverage if you're wearing tinted moisturiser — and you can concentrate on problems areas without looking overdone. I've used both a stippling brush (for when I want a heavier coverage) as well as a damp beauty blender and have been left very impressed with the results.
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Colour-wise, I've found this brand tends to run slightly dark. I wear Illusion in the shade "Ivory" and find that on very pale days, I need to pay extra attention to blending it in:
Illusion also contains an added SPF factor, which we all know is crucial and gives a luminous glow to the skin.
Because of how moisturising the product is, I've found I need to set it using a powder — the one I chose was also from Hourglass — but from there it lasts the whole day. For me, that's unheard of with a tinted moisturiser.
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I like to think of this product as a daily tint for a real woman — one with some flaws, one with uneven skin tone, one over the age of 25. At $74.00 a bottle, it is on the pricier side but if you just use a small amount every day, it will last you ages.
Hourglass cosmetics are available nationally at Mecca Cosmetica.
What's your go-to base product?
If you're looking for a more budget friendly everyday foundation, here's our picks for the best of the best (all under $30):
The Best Foundations Under $30
