Road Test: I tried Hourglass’ new sweat-resistant foundation

For the ultimate summer skin.

When it comes to the majority of my beauty products, I’m a relatively unfussy gal. My everyday makeup routine looks something like drugstore concealer, cream blush on lips and cheeks, bronzer all over (my un-sunkissed skin needs the help) and a bit of mascara.

But if it’s a special occasion, eyeliner and foundation will be brought into the mix. And if my teenage years taught me anything, these are the two products you shouldn’t scrimp on. After some thorough rounds of trial and error, I’ve got a curated lineup of no-smudge liquid liners and pore-blurring foundations to rotate through on my extra-makeup days.

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As someone with combination skin that errs on the dry side, I gravitate towards foundations that promise a ‘dewy’, ‘glowy’ or ‘radiant’ finish. Since taking the Nars Light Reflecting Foundation for a 12-hour wear test, I’ve been a loyal follower – but with summer coming up, I needed a formulation with some real staying power.

Here’s the thing: In summer, I tend to be both sweaty and lacking enthusiasm. Despite my Queensland roots and multiple attempts at surfing, I’m just not built for the heat. This means even when my makeup is sliding down my slick summer face, I can never be bothered to touch it up. Once it’s on, it simply stays untouched until I violently scrub my face with cleanser at the end of the day.

All things considered, Hourglass’ new Ambient Soft Glow Foundation seemed like my perfect warm-weather product. The formula boasts blurring spheres designed to “minimize the look of imperfections for skin that looks smooth, even, and glowing”. Most importantly, the formula is reportedly resistant to humidity and sweat (huge news), giving you a transfer-free, “lit from within” look in all weather conditions.

Are these wondrous claims really true? To find out, I put the Ambient Soft Glow Foundation (in the shade #2) to the test.

The hot-day test

I started with the most obvious scenario – a hot Melbourne day. With temperatures predicted to positively soar to 27 degrees (it’s been a grim La Niña spring so far), I applied a careful layer of foundation with a beauty blender before adding cream Ere Perez blush, Fluff Bronzer and Nars Climax Mascara. I then trotted up and down Brunswick, Smith and Gertrude Street in Fitzroy for hours on the hunt for an op shop gem.

The sun was beating by the time I got into the swing of things, and my face remained glowy. What I loved about this foundation was how skin-life it felt, I truly forgot I was wearing makeup. As you can see, the finish was also very natural, which I loved.

The exercise test

Next up was the exercise test, which constituted some at-home yoga followed by a fast walk/jog. For consistency’s sake, I will say this day was overcast and cool, but I definitely managed to myself warm up. I applied a thinner layer of makeup than usual, just because I didn’t love the idea of sweating through a full-coverage lewk.

I took this photo on the way home and while you can see a little of my pigmentation/blemishes, I was really impressed with how the formulation held up. I’m flushed, but the application remained even with zero signs of patchiness.

The night-out test

My final test is the easiest of them all – the night-out test. Paired with a nice swipe of liquid eyeliner and Nars’ Powermatte Lipstick, I applied a full-coverage coat of foundation to see the results. With more product and some concealer to assist, those ‘blurring spheres’ really came into effect. It covered my breakout effortlessly, minimised my pores and held up throughout the night. You heard it here first: officially sweaty-girl approved.

Find your shade in the Ambient Soft Glow Foundation here.