There's a lot of buzz surrounding foundation sticks, so when one of my favourite brands launched their own version I was excited to try it out. Hourglass describe this as having the coverage of a concealer, the fluid texture of a liquid, and the weightless feel of a powder, so how could I not try it, right? At £42 for 7.2ml it's by no means cheap, but boasts twice the amount of pigment of a regular foundation, so you can expect to achieve high coverage using minimal product.

Here's what Hourglass have to say about the product:  A revolutionary foundation stick with the coverage of a concealer, the fluidity of a liquid, and the weightlessness of a powder in a longwearing waterproof formula for undetectable full coverage. The unprecedented concentration of pigment in this foundation provides maximum coverage with minimum product, concealing all discoloration and imperfections for flawless skin with a seamless finish.

Packaging. Hourglass always seem to impress with their packaging, and this is no exception. The foundation is housed in a sleek triangular shaped bullet which feels luxurious and heavy, despite it  containing only 7.2g of product. It takes up next to no space in my handbag and is small enough to fit into a clutch - win.

 Shade Range. There are 26 shades to choose from ranging from blanc - a pale off-white, to espresso - a deep dark brown. I think the shade range is excellent, and very true to life. My shade is shell - a light neutral with the perfect balance of pink and yellow tones.
Formula & Application. It's incredibly creamy and literally melts into a liquid. I used the recommended brush to give it a proper trial (which was also £42), however it would work with any foundation brush that has short, dense bristles. It buffed into my skin really quickly with minimal effort, but I found it transferred a lot which is a deal breaker for me.

Finish. There's no doubt that you can build this up to achieve full coverage for a flawless finish. However I found that less is more, unless you're going for a really 'made up' look. It photographs beautifully, hiding minor imperfections and causing no flash back, but it just doesn't look natural. I was quite disappointed with how much I had to build this up to get the desired coverage, despite it containing twice the amount of pigment of a normal foundation.

Longevity. It started to break apart on my t-zone after a couple of hours, despite being set with powder. It became really shiny at the four hour mark so I had to reapply by lunchtime - disappointing. I appreciate that everyone's skin reacts differently, but if you have oily or combination skin this will probably slide off your face in no time at all..

Verdict. I was quite disappointed. I expected greater longevity and better coverage for the price tag. I had to apply a lot of product to get the coverage Hourglass promise, which made it look unnatural and cakey. For that reason it was a big thumbs down for me.