MAC Barbados Girl Lustre Drops ($20.00 for 0.60 fl. oz.) is described as a “rose gold bronzer.” It is a warm-toned, coppery bronze with a frosted shimmer-sheen. Blended out, it will add a coppery warmth to the skin along with flecks of golden copper shimmer and sparkle. Illamasqua Supernatural is slightly warmer/darker but still similar–it is a cream formula, so it is also more similar than a powder product would be. MAC Sun Rush is lighter, more golden, less coppery. See comparison swatches.
The texture is thinner than lotion, thicker than water; and it sheers out easily and quickly. The consistency makes it work well mixed with moisturizer or liquid/cream foundation. It can also be patted onto the skin with fingertips, sponge, or brush. To test the wear, I patted it along the top of my cheek bone with my fingertip and then lightly blended it with a fan brush. It did emphasize my pores slightly; enough to be noticeable but not so much that I felt self-conscious. The wear with Lustre Drops does depend on how they’re used, as mixing with foundation or moisturizer makes it harder to tell when it “stops” wearing well (since everything is so mixed together, it seems to wear as long as the foundation would). In the past, when used as a cheek highlighter or color, they’ve worn between eight and nine hours. I’m wearing Barbados Girl today, so I’ll check in when I’ve wrapped up testing (so far so good).
The RiRi Hearts MAC summer collection will launch June 18th at noon EST exclusively online for North America; June 20th exclusively online for international.
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The RiRi Hearts MAC summer collection will launch June 18th at noon EST exclusively online for North America; June 20th exclusively online for international.
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
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Gleam Cream is supposed to feel lightweight, highlight with “iridescent pearlescent pigments,” and can be used alone or with foundation. Supernatural adds a warm, coppery glow wherever it is applied. It does add some color on my medium complexion, so I see it certainly adding color to lighter skin tones and still adding some noticeable warmth and bronzing to medium-dark skin tones.
It has a shimmered, lightly frosted finish, and depending on how sheered out you apply it, it can emphasize pores. Very lightly applied, it did not emphasize pores (think stippling brush, blended out so it adds mostly warmth without adding color). The consistency is thin, creamy, and it applies and blends out easily as a result. It takes a few minutes to set (somewhat), but it never fully sets so it always had a dewy sheen. I have normal-to-dry skin, and it lasted well on me (I was surprised!) for a full eight hours and only started to look a bit patchy after nine hours.
It has a shimmered, lightly frosted finish, and depending on how sheered out you apply it, it can emphasize pores. Very lightly applied, it did not emphasize pores (think stippling brush, blended out so it adds mostly warmth without adding color).
Product
9.5/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
9/10
Longevity
9/10
Application
5/5
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Hourglass Mood Light Ambient Lighting Powder ($45.00 for 0.35 oz.) is described as a “soft, sheer lavender pink powder.” It’s a nearly-matte, pale pink with neutral undertones. The aim of this powder is to imitate the “softest, most forgiving light and [to brighten] the complexion.” Like the other Ambient Lighting Powders, the effect is subtle, natural, and it is the, “Did you change your skincare regimen?” kind of product. Mood Light has a softening, lightly luminous effect that’s hard to really pin down. I can see this particular shade working well on all skin types, because it’s subtle and won’t make oilier skin appear oilier.
The texture of the powder is very, very soft and silky, but it can be a little powdery–which does work well for minimizing or absorbing oil for those who have normal to oilier skin. Even though my skin can be dry, I didn’t notice this powder emphasizing dryness either. The powder is very soft, so a soft brush and light hand will be key to minimizing excess product getting dislodged from the pan. It’s designed to work as a finishing powder, but I’ve found it helps just as well to set and prolong my base makeup (by about two hours) as it does to finish it, so I usually use this as my setting and finishing powder.
Mood Light softens the appearance of the skin's natural texture, giving it a smoother, refined appearance with a lightly luminous quality. It worked well to both set and finish my base makeup, as it prolonged the wear of my foundation by almost two hours, and it helped to minimize oiliness that can sometimes occur (on my skin) after a full day of wearing makeup.
Product
10/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
9.5/10
Longevity
10/10
Application
5/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
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MAC Golden Elixir Strobe Liquid ($31.00 for 1.7 fl. oz.) is described as a “golden shimmer.” It’s a warm-toned, bronze and gold-shimmered tan brown. I don’t know of any specific dupes, as I’m not as familiar with the liquid illuminator category, so I haven’t reviewed many products previously. NARS Maldives is somewhat similar, but it is more pigmented and in stick-form, but NARS does have a liquid illuminator range, so my guess would be that this would be somewhat similar to Laguna. The thing with illuminators like this, though, is that they are very subtle once applied so while Tom Ford Fire Lust doesn’t look similar when swatched, when applied, they seemed to both offer the same effect.
The formula is described as a thin liquid that “produces a soft, radiant light on the skin … by providing a natural-looking glow.” It’s supposed to spread smoothly and absorb quickly. MAC has Strobe Liquid (the original) available year-round, while this is a bronzy take on the formula. This type of product can be applied in many ways (and as with any beauty product, apply however you wish! the possibilities are endless!), but the common ways are mixed with moisturizer, foundation, and patted along the high planes of the face. The consistency is thin, almost water-like, and it seemed sheerer and thinner than even original Strobe Liquid (but it’s been a long time since I’ve used it, so I might be remembering incorrectly).
Golden Elixir seemed to add a smidgen of warmth to my skin while giving it a radiant finish, which some might find too dewy that it looks oily, and I think on camera, it can look too reflective, but in person, it’s quite lovely and natural-looking. A light dusting of setting powder will bring it down and make it photo-ready, though. I didn’t have any trouble with it interfering with the wear of my foundation when I wore it mixed with it (I used Guerlain’s Lingerie de Peau as my base). When I wore it as a spot highlighter, it lasted six hours well and then seemed to slide around a bit.
Golden Elixir seemed to add a smidgen of warmth to my skin while giving it a radiant finish, which some might find too dewy that it looks oily, and I think on camera, it can look too reflective, but in person, it's quite lovely and natural-looking.
Product
9/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
9/10
Longevity
8.5/10
Application
5/5
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This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
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Tom Ford Blush Guilt Illuminating Cheek Color ($58.00 for 1.0 oz.) is described as a “natural, radiant glow.” It’s a warm-toned, pink bronze with a glowing, illuminating sheen. Of the two shades for summer, this is the most dupable, as it doesn’t add a lot of color, just sheen. It’s not as warm-toned as the other illuminator, Fire Lust, which has a liquid consistency, and the form of this one makes it easier to apply in specific spots, rather than mixed with foundation or moisturizer.
Bronzed Amber ($58.00 for 1.0 oz.) is described as a “natural, bronzed glow.” It imparts a warm, bronzy sheen and barely-there shimmer to wherever it is applied. It only adds very slight warmth to my medium complexion, so I think it wouldn’t be too strong on pale complexions and then on deeper skin tones, it will be more of a gleam than added color.
The Illuminating Cheek Color is a solid, creamy stick of color designed to illuminate the skin. These reminded me of NARS’ The Multiples, though the texture of this formula is creamier, less waxy, and glides on better. It also seems to be more flattering against my skin (in terms of texture), because it blends out more readily and easily. I would guess that Orgasm would be somewhat similar to Blush Guilt (I think Orgasm might be a bit pinker), while Bronzed Amber would be somewhat similar to Palm Beach (you can see some really old group swatches of The Multiples here). I think these are sheerer, and designed to be that way given they’re illuminators, compared to some of the Multiple shades available (think more in the style of Copacabana).
The texture is emollient without being too slippery or slick, so it blends and spreads easily across the skin, while not becoming oily looking throughout the day. Blush Guilt seemed to last (I was judging how glowy the area looked) for seven hours well but was mostly faded after nine hours. Bronzed Amber wore slightly better and was visible well into the eighth hour but was half-gone by nine hours. I think Bronzed Amber is more versatile, as it can add some color/definition (it’s not too warm-toned and not an orange-toned bronzer) as well as a sheen.
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
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I think Bronzed Amber is more versatile, as it can add some color/definition (it's not too warm-toned and not an orange-toned bronzer) as well as a sheen.
Product
9/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
10/10
Longevity
8.5/10
Application
5/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
Tom Ford Fire Lust Skin Illuminator ($65.00 for 0.68 fl. oz.) is described as a “shimmering, peach-pink.” It’s a warm-toned, golden-shimmered coral-orange with a pearly sheen. This is an illuminator, not a blush, so if you’re more in the market for something with substantial coloring to work as a blush, try perusing the coral swatch gallery.
The formula is designed to mimic “the look of skin bathed in summer evening light.” And you’ll have to track it down in-store to find it, because it sold out online nearly instantly. The Skin Illuminator can be applied all over, mixed with foundation, or as a spot highlighter “under or over makeup.” The consistency is lightweight, naturally dewy, and thin. When I wore it all-over, it lasted all day long with whatever foundation I was wearing (it didn’t seem to reduce my foundation’s wear time or how it looked at the end of the day). As a spot highlighter, it gave me a dewy finish wherever it was applied for eight hours.
I, personally, think it works best mixed with foundation or moisturizer. I’ve been wearing Giorgio Armani’s Maestro foundation a lot, and it doesn’t work well mixed with this (I think it has too much of a velvety texture from the silicones in it), but I loved it mixed with my tinted moisturizer or a more traditional liquid foundation like Make Up For Ever HD. If you want to wear it all-over and plan to still wear foundation, I recommend mixing the two together during application, because then the foundation doesn’t cover it. There’s a very subtle radiance that’s your-skin-but-better that doesn’t read shimmer, glitter, or pearl. Applied as a spot highlighter it does create a glowy, dewy sheen, but it’s virtually colorless against my skin tone so it would be something better suited for really pale complexions.
The Beauty Look Book has a great comparison of this against NARS’ Orgasm Illuminator (which I don’t have), which seems to be pinker overall (but it is also $30.00 for 1.1 oz.), so it might be a more affordable (and accessible) alternative.
This is an illuminator, not a blush, so if you're more in the market for something with substantial coloring to work as a blush, try perusing the coral swatch gallery. It adds a lovely dewy sheen or all-over glow if mixed with your moisturizer/foundation. It's something I'd wear most often with tinted moisturizer or a foundation that was too matte.
Product
9.5/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
9/10
Longevity
9/10
Application
5/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Saks, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman -- sold out online!
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
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