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CONTINUE READING: Formula overview for details on overall performance and properties (such as fragrance).
These are the dupes that the editor has drawn but not yet rated and officially submitted.
- ColourPop Enchanted Mirror (LE, $12.00).
- MAC Sugar or Syrup (LE, $24.00).
- ColourPop Sassy Pants (PiP, $12.00).
- ColourPop Swirled (LE, $12.00).
- Burberry First Love (LE, $68.00).
- Pat McGrath Aphrodite Amour (LE, $44.00).
- Makeup by Mario Mellow Mauve (P, $24.00).
- The Buxom Havana (P, $22.00).
- Zoeva PK030 (P, ).
- Hourglass Surreal Effect (LE, $40.00).
formula overview
$24.00/0.21oz. – $114.29 per ounce
According to the brand, the formula “offers fantastic color with ease and consistency” that “lays on evenly and adheres easily to the skin.” There are five different finishes within the range: Frost (“iridescent, slightly shimmering color”), Matte (“flat, matte finish…applies well”), Satin (“adds subtle highlights to the skin”), Sheertone (“gossip, micro-refined powder…that fades”) and Sheertone Shimmer (“just enough shimmer to make the light dance on your cheeks”). Their permanent blushes are available in both compact and pan-only forms (the latter will be cheaper).
The overview below has been updated to reflect the most recent iteration of the brand’s permanent range (whether or not there has been an official change) as I repurchased the majority of the permanent shades in June 2018. I want to point this out specifically because I felt that the textures of several shades, particularly the frost finish shades, were noticeably different; They were much smoother and slicker but less shimmery/matte (on average) and seemed a little weaker in pigmentation (but still buildable). Some of the mattes felt like I’ve experienced them in the past (slightly drier, pigmented, and fairly blendable), while others felt more velvety and finely ground.
MAC has a solid range of blushes, but some shades are more difficult to blend or spread than others, and like most formulas (from any brand), it really comes down to a few shades underperforming. The matte finish tended to darken on my skin within five minutes of application; For most shades, I would recommend applying over a powdered face and/or avoiding applying to skin products that are still drying to make blending easier. The matte shades seemed semi-opaque to opaque, buildable and long-lasting (about eight hours).
Few of the shades in the permanent range seemed particularly frosty/metallic against the skin; Most of the shades that shimmered appeared softer luminous or pearlescent against the skin, to the point where little sparkle/reflection was still being captured by my camera (I’ve double-clicked and re-shot swatches a few times just to see that same finish yet to be found captured again!). The Sheertone Shimmer was the most consistent: very subtle shine, more “my skin but better” with a slightly more noticeable shine than matte. There were a few shades that had a strong shine on the skin (such as Peachykeen), although. The frost finish only seemed to have a heavier, bigger shimmer, but the effects on skin ranged from subtle to moderate. The same was true for satin – some were more satiny and some seemed more like a frost (like Modern Mandarin).
Most shades were blendable, while pigmentation varied from transparent to opaque depending on the shade, but most had decent, buildable opacity. The textures were firmer than the average powder blush of today, but they don’t have any excess product in the pan at all. Wear ranged from seven to nine hours with deeper, more intense matting (like Fever or film noir) lasted longer.
Browse all of our MAC Powder Blush Swatches.
ingredients
Talc, Zinc Stearate, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Isostearyl Neopentanoate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Silica, Tocopheryl Acetate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Tin Oxide, Titanium/Titanium Dioxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, [+/- Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Bronze Powder (Ci 77400), Carmine (Ci 75470), Chromium Hydroxide Green (Ci 77289), Chromium Oxide Greens (Ci 77288), Copper Powder (Ci 77400), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Ferric Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Red 6 (Ci 15850), Red 28 (Ci 45410), Red 6 Lake (Ci 15850), Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), Red 28 Lake (Ci 45410), Red 30 Lake (Ci 73360), Red 40 Lake (Ci 16035), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140), Yellow 6 Lake (Ci 15985)] ILN43276
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available from the brand (or retailer) at the time of publication. Please always check the product packaging, if available, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you are purchasing or the brand or retailer’s website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.