Love Alert: Hourglass Aura Cheek and Lip Stains
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photos: we heart this
Stains – terrible when it comes to clothing or furniture, fabulous when it comes to cheeks and lips! Especially if the stains come from wht favorite Hourglass. Really Hourglass, other brands are going to start to get jealous the way we’re always gushing about you! But how can we not, you consistently sweep us off our feet.
The Aura Cheek and Lip Stain collection is no exception. These water based stains, housed in their iconic metallic packaging, provide sheer, buildable color in a small, carefully chosen yet beautiful range. I do think that they are the best stains I have ever used.
The Aura Cheek Stain ($45 – ouch) has a bingo-like dabber top that tickles me to no end, and a click-style applicator. The oil free formula provides see through color that you can easily layer for more deposit. Plus, added Vitamin E helps keep the skin moisturized as the color locks on and doesn’t budge. And I do mean that, this is all-day color. Even my oily skin couldn’t put a dent in it. It comes in three shades that leave you wanting more: Flush (super bright, reddish pink), Petal (peachy coral, the lone shimmer formula) and Rouge (plum berry).
Aura Lip Stain ($26) is it’s liptastic counterpart. Also housed in a click-style applicator, this has a soft flocked tip. And again, as with the Cheek Stains, there are only three colors: Flush, Petal and Scarlet (deep wine berry), in a semi matte formula
Now the true question, the question that it comes down to for ALL lip stains – is it drying? Only the teeniest bit. If you are a fan of lip stains, you know that statement is HUGE! How did Hourglass do it? With a formula containing an algae-based extract, white and green tea extracts and Vitamin E; the same ingredients that help this lip stain apply smoothly and evenly. As for that teeny bit of drying? I’m happy to report you can add a balm over the stain after it’s dry and it does not effect it’s staying power. This lasted a full 4-5 hours and through lunch for me.
Application is super easy for both products; dab or smooth on and blend with fingers. And then forget about it, you’ve got color for hours and hours!
Petal Cheek Stain, Scarlet and Flush Lip Stain, Flush Cheek Stain
Hourglass, consider me swept yet again with Aura Cheek and Lip Stains. we heartsters and Review Team, are you with me?
This has been a we heart this Love Alert.
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@stef – I share your love for everything Hourglass and their Aura Sheer Lip Stain in particular! I tested Scarlet, the dark berry, and agree that it’s the best lip stain I’ve ever used. You’re right, it’s only the tiniest bit drying, unlike other stains, which seem to suck the moisture right out of my lips. I didn’t even use a balm with Scarlet and there was no obvious dryness.
Lip stains have always scared me a little for another reason, too– they’re so unforgiving when it comes to applying them. Any mistakes are hard to correct, especially with a bright color like Scarlet. Thanks to Aura’s cool felt tip applicator, precise application was easy. The sheer gel color dried almost instantly on me, and was wearable day or night (it could build into a very dramatic color with a few coats). I had no color transfer at all, and even after hours of wear, I had to use makeup remover to get it off.
I can’t imagine loving a lip stain more than Aura! 5 stars.
I’ve never tried an Hourglass product, but wow $45 for a cheek stain? Although your rave review of it makes me very curious and that’s what always gets me. Plus, I love an awesome blush…I may have to start with the lipstain and if that wows me move on to the more expensive blush.
I have never tried Hourglass’ products either and am intrigued! I graduated to cream blushes a few years ago and love the ease of application, but my oily skin is no match for the natural looking blush and is gone in an instant. I would love to try a cheek stain, but the $45 price tag may keep me admiring from afar!
If it weren’t $45, I’d buy this cheek stain on the picture alone. It looks so fun and fancy! Ladies, how did you apply the cheek stain? Do you dab it on and blend with your fingers or a brush? I’m a foundation user so I’d be afraid to gunk up the applicator. And is the applicator flat? Because it kinda looks like it’s covered with a sweater. :-)
I just looked back at the picture and noticed the sparkles in Petal!!! I love it.
The lip stain looks great too, but oh, the cheek stain. I’m going to have to test these at Sephora, this might be worth a splurge.
@lyssachelle – With this applicator, I’d apply the cheek stain directly to my cheeks and then blend QUICKLY with my fingers. On an applicator like this, I’d just make sure that I clean it every few uses with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol.
I saw the Aura Cheek Stain in Rouge at Sephora and it looks gorgeous in person, but I CANNOT justify $45 for a blush, and that’s coming from me, Blush Lover Extraordinaire. If this was even $10 cheaper, I might be able to justify this purchase, but it would have to be the most magical blush ever. Like it should grant wishes or something :)
If your wish is pretty cheeks, wish granted! A million dollars? Keep wishing…
Good call on sanitizing the applicator!
I got to try the lip stain in Flush, and the Cheek Stain in petal. I should have taken them both in Flush, to test the compatibility, but Petal demanded my attention! So be it.
As for the cheek stain, let’s get the con out of the way first: $45 is a lot of money for a product that only does one thing. I agree with @krista, $10 less would be way easier to handle. But, with Hourglass you’re getting the beyond fab packaging too. And I tell you, that bingo dabber top is really pretty awesome…
As is the product. Petal is just so, so gorgeous. It’s a sheer peach, tinged with coral and loaded with gold shimmer. I love that you can wear it lightly, or apply and extra layer (or 2) for more color. I actually think the extra layers will work better in the non shimmery shades, as I start to look a bit TOO disco ball-ish with more than 1 layer of Petal. So Flush Cheek Stain, I’m pretty sure you will be mine in the near future, price tag be damned.
If forced to pick a favorite between the Cheek and lip stain, I’d have to say lip. Flush is just so beautiful, a burst of juicy reddish pink. I’ve been applying it, doing the rest of my makeup then adding a layer of balm over it at the end (just to make sure it’s dry – which is probably overkill since it dries pretty instantly).
And I have hours of color, perfect when you don’t want to have to worry about touch ups. I’ve been playing around with sheer, shimmery glosses on top too, and I tell you – everything looks good over this! Pink, red, gold.
Love both of these. I can’t even deduct for the price on the Cheek Stain, it’s unlike anything I own and I think it’s worth the splurge. 5 stars!
The Aura Cheek and Lip Stain collection especially in Petal looks amazing. But gasping and suprised at the pricetag. I’ll have to see this in person at my next visit at the store! Great review otherwise!
Wow, the Aura Cheek Stain in Petal is just gorgeous! But $45? I don’t think I can swing that, no matter how beautiful.
Dear Sephora Fairy- Please put the Aura Cheek Stain on sale. A good sale. I’ll be good all year if you do this for me, and I’ll wear it every day. Kthanxbi!
I got to try the lip stain in Scarlet. First, Scarlet is really more like a blackberry…really similar in color to UD’s Greedy lip stain.
I have used UD’s lip stain as well as Benetint before. This stain (as well as Greedy) is just a little too dark for me, generally speaking. I look a little Goth with my winter pale skin…a rosier Benetint color would be more flattering.
The formula is amazing, however: smooth and slightly gel-like, it offers more control and less running or bleeding than many other stains (i.e. Benetint). There is no overt scent or taste which is ok, but I do like the vanilla scent of UD’s version.
Hourglass packaging is magnificent: always a weighty metal package that suggests good stuff awaits.
I really would like to give Flush a try in both stains (and Petal cheek stain, too). Until then, a pale lipgloss or sheer color on top of the stain brings the blackened red down a notch or two. Four stars from me for this color…I’ll bet I’d have given five if I had tried the other colors..
Generally I steer away from stains for cheeks or lips, so I did not test these lovely looking Hourglass products. But after reading @stef ‘s review and checking out her gorgeous pictures, I am regretting it! Flush looks so pretty in both the lip and cheek formula.
Wow, those are pretty, but like everyone else, $45 is steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep (especially on a college student budget!)
When I first saw that price I laughed and thought “no way!” But on more thought…I’ve already spent well over $45 on lip and cheek stains that were drying and didn’t keep their long-lasting promises, so if this works I can totally justify the cost! But I would definitely have to hide that receipt…
oh @melinda – thanks for the laugh! I just imagined my hubby’s face if he found my receipt for a $45 cheek stain. His eyes would pop out of his head like a cartoon. I wonder if men have any idea what, say, a lipstick even costs?
Wow, these look gorgeous. I haven’t been a huge fan of stains but I have no doubt Hourglass has made them fabulous! Petal is on my list and so is that lip stain. It looks likes great colors for spring!
I received the cheek stain in Flush and it’s fabulous. Petal seems to be the star here (and believe me, I’m lusting myself!) but I loved working with Flush. It gives you that, “Oh, I just came out from frolicking in the snow…no big deal” look that is just so fresh and brightens up the face! It’s really innocent and very chic. I think of awesome runway trends with this blush, like a simple face, subtle eye makeup and a flushed cheek. With a shade like this in its sheer form, you can’t really mess it up.
When I first opened it, I clicked it for what seems like a gazililion times before I saw product seep through. But that’s expected with click applicators. I love the packaging. How purse friendly too…As long as you have clean fingers you can touch up whenever! Didn’t know that it was $45 which is a bit over my budget for a blush so maybe I will try to make this last forever if I can :) But good makeup staples are worth it if they truly work for you. So 5 stars it is from me!
I received the cheek stain in Flush to test out.
I love the color. Nice and warm, gives you a nice flush. I dab a little bit of the stain onto a foundation brush (the flat side) and pat the color onto my cheeks because I hate getting my fingers dirty, or the applicator. It also works great as a lip stain! I loooove the lasting color that it gives to my lips, and will definitely keep using it that way. It isn’t drying at all. It’s not moisturizing, but it doesn’t dry my lips out the way many staining products do. I like that this product is so portable–I can just throw it in my purse and touch up my blush or lips any time.
I am not crazy about the price. $45 is a LOT of money. This product isn’t very long lasting on my cheeks either. It barely makes it to the end of my 6 hour work day. The applicator is a cool idea, but doesn’t apply color very well or evenly to my cheeks.
Just barely 4 stars. I really love the color as a lipstain!
I am super bummed that I didn’t get to try these stains out, especially the lip stain. It looks awesome! Hourglass is great. They always produce such high quality products. I only wish that these were cheaper. But if the lip stain is that good I may have to just save my pennies and take the plunge.