Foundation Stick Comparison: Bobbi Brown vs. Hourglass

I love the convenience and the idea of a stick foundation.  It's easy to travel with, you don't have to worry about it spilling and making a mess, and it can easily double as a concealer.  I currently have the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick in my collection in the shade 4.5 Warm Natural.  Last week, I received a sample of the Hourglass Seamless Foundation Stick in my Play by Sephora subscription box in the shade Beige.  I was intrigued to see how the two compared since Bobbi's was the only one I had ever tried.

No face makeup

Left (bangs side): BB Skin Foundation Stick in 4.5
Right: Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick in Beige

Foundation with loose setting powder, bronzer, and blush because I don't like to look dead

Top: BB
Bottom: Hourglass 

Here is what I noticed:

Shade
As you can see from the last picture, the shades 4.5 in BB and Beige in Hourglass are almost identical.  I also did half of my face with BB and half with Hourglass, and I couldn't tell any difference in either indoor or outdoor lighting.

Texture/Staying Power/Blendability
While the Bobbi Brown stick has a nice texture, the Hourglass variety is noticeably creamier and easier to blend.  The finish it provides is a bit more dewy versus what I get with the Bobbi Brown.  They both provided great coverage.  They both hold up well throughout the day, and neither of them seem to make my skin greasy after all day wear (keep in mind, however, that my skin is normal to dry).  Speaking of having normal to dry skin, neither of these foundations cling to dry patches or accentuate any dryness.  My preferred method of blending stick foundations is to use my fingers.  I think the warmth from my skin helps to blend stick foundations better than a brush or damp sponge.  When using a stick foundation, I don't typically use a concealer--I just blend the foundation under my eyes.  That is what I did in these photos.  I've mentioned before that the light and bright under eyes is not a good look for me, so I like to use something that matches my skin for that area.

Price
Perhaps the only drawback I can think of for both of these is the price.  Bobbi Brown's is $46 for 0.31 oz, and Hourglass's is $46 for 0.25 oz.  They are both high end brands, so a high price tag on these items is to be expected, but $46 is still more than I care to pay for a foundation (I purchased Bobbi Brown's during her friends and family sale in November when it was 20% off).

Final Thoughts
These stick foundations are very similar, and I love them both.  When looking at purchasing one over the other, Bobbi Brown's is a very slightly better value when you look at it from a mathematical perspective.  However, the difference in the amounts of product in each stick is so minimal that value is not a make it or break it point for me.  If I could only choose one, I would probably opt for the Hourglass stick.  I was impressed by its creaminess and blendability.  That being said, Bobbi Brown's is pretty great too.  One determining factor between the two may be shade selection if you're still unsure which one to buy.

That's all for today--please let me know if you've tried either of these, or if there are other stick foundations you prefer!

xoxo,