MAC Marine Life Dupes — Sorry, Keep Looking

When I think of dupes, I think of something that is pretty close to it — I’m talking 90% or closer — not just similar. There are plenty of similar shades to Marine Life; after all, it’s really just a vibrant coral-red with minimal shimmer in it. NARS Deep Throat and MAC Foolish Me come the closest, though the texture of Deep Throat is obviously different and Foolish Me is a little more orange. It’s not quite as red/orange and intense as Marine Life, but it’s the closest I found of the many shades I do own that were in the running.

• MAC Ripe Peach (Limited Edition) is lighter, more peach-coral than vibrant red-based coral. Verdict: not really a dupe, maybe a cousin.
• Benefit CORALista is a pinker, less distinctly coral version with a significant amount of shimmer in comparison. Verdict: not a dupe, but a good friend.
• MAC Instant Chic (Limited Edition) is much softer pink-coral with a bit of peachiness to it. It has a more powdery look and feel, but it’s so, so subtle. Marine Life is like Instant Chic if it took steroids for a year. Verdict: similar color but so, so much lighter–like a fruit picked too early.
• MAC Hipness is much pinker in comparison to Marine Life. It’s not quite as intense, and it doesn’t have the strength of the redness that Marine Life as. Hipness is a less shimmery, pinker version of CORALista, though. Verdict: not a dupe, too pink.
• Illamasqua Hussy is similar in its intensity, but it’s definitely pinker. It’s a more pigmented, matte version of Hipness/CORALista. Verdict: not a dupe, too pink.
• NARS Super Orgasm is a peachy-pink concoction that pulls a noticeable gold sheen. It has a lot more shimmer (and even Orgasm, which I don’t own, would still be pretty shimmery in comparison). Verdict: not a dupe, too peach, not pink/red enough.
• MAC Springsheen is very similar to Super Orgasm–it’s that same mix of peach and pink with a gold shimmer-sheen. Verdict: not a dupe, too peach and shimmery.
• NARS Deep Throat is a pinker version of Super Orgasm/Orgasm, and it’s probably the closest to Marine Life, but it’s still not quite as red or as intense–plus it has the sheen/shimmer that Marine Life definitely doesn’t have. Verdict: almost a dupe, like sisters.
• MAC Dainty is a sheer peach-coral with a smidgen of pink in it. It’s way too sheer and light to be a great dupe for Marine Life. Verdict: not a dupe, too light and peach.
• MAC Foolish Me is everything that Marine Life is, except a little more orange.  The two are very similar, both in finish and color, but Foolish Me does run a little on the orange side.  Plus, it’s discontinued, so that sucks. (I thought about this one originally, but it looks so orange in the pan… just swatched it at the last second, and yep, they are indeed surprisingly close.)  Verdict:  similar, like fraternal twins.

I don’t own Fleur Power or Style, but I did swatches here last year, and by referencing those, I can tell you Style is most definitely not a dupe — too orange/peach. Fleur Power comes a little closer, but it seems a bit pinker in comparison to Marine Life.

See swatches…

Ripe Peach | Marine Life | CORALista (Benefit) | Instant Chic

Marine Life | CORALista (Benefit) | Instant Chic | Hipness | Marine Life

Instant Chic | Hipness | Marine Life | Hussy (Illamasqua)

Marine Life | Hussy (Illamasqua) | Super Orgasm (NARS) | Marine Life | Springsheen

Marine Life | Springsheen | Deep Throat (NARS) | Dainty

Foolish Me | Marine Life

12 Must-Have MAC Blushes

About the Temptalia Must-Haves Series

A series of posts showcasing must-have products from MAC Cosmetics’ permanent line of products. Selections are based on quality, universality, uniqueness amongst the line, and the like. Limited edition shades are deliberately excluded to make buying easier. Readers’ comments act as a supplement to these lists of their favorites and must-haves. You can find the entire series here.

Powder Blushes

• Well Dressed blush is a confection of cool, baby pink with a satiny smooth texture. I love to wear this shade (even with my warmer coloring) with cooler toned looks, especially with cool purples or smoky eyes.
• Dollymix blush is a bolder, brighter dirty pink with a light shimmer. This is one of those blushes that makes the cheeks really stand out and become a focal point.
• Margin blush is a dirty peach with a little bit of berriness to it. It’s an incredibly flattering color on a variety of skintones, and it is, by far, one of my favorite everyday blushes.
• Plum Foolery is a dirty plum-berry shade with slight shimmer. The pigmentation is amazing, and the color is incredibly versatile.

See eight more must-have MAC blushes!

• Ambering Rose blush is deep, lightly sihmmered rose shade. It works really well to accentuate cheekbones and color, especially with more neutral eyes.
• Springsheen blush is a light, coral-peach shimmer shade that works extremely well on warm tones, but it is light enough to be worn by cooler skintones, too. I love this shade for just a little bit of color on cheeks without overdoing it.
• Sunbasque blush is a dirty peach-bronze shade that just shimmers in the sun. It’s kind of like a bronzer, but it has a bit more color in it.

Blushcremes

• Posey is a creamy, soft rosy pink. I love to wear Posey during the summer and layer it with a powder blush or highlighter for long lasting cheek color.
• Lilicent is a coral-y, peachy shade with warm undertones. It’s very creamy and easily blended on cheeks for a natural look.

Mineralize Blushes

• Dainty mineralize blush is a sheer and soft light pink shade with gold shimmer. This is a great blush for barey-there color.
• Gentle mineralize blush offers a soft, raspberry shade with gold shimmer laced through it. Absolutely stunning in color!
• Warm Soul mineralize blush is a peachy color with a little bit of dirty red to it. It has gold shimmer flecked in the color, and it works really to brighten skin.

What are your favorite MAC blushes?

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Soft Ochre paint pot (creamy neutral base), Lightsweep shaping powder (PRO) (soft nude), Sculpt sculpting powder (PRO) (soft taupe), Soft Focus shaping powder (PRO) (soft yellow nude), Urban Decay Bourbon 24/7 Liner (warm brown), Too Faced Lash Injection Pin Point mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Dainty mineralize blush (soft peachy pink)
• Lips: Burnin’ lipstick (dark purple), Ms. Fizz dazzleglass (shimmery fuchsia-purple)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Dainty = Peachykeen; Burnin’ = Cyber; Ms. Fizz = Venetian

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Soft Ochre paint pot all over the lid as the base with the 249. Apply Lightsweep shaping powder all over lid with the 239. Gently apply Sculpt sculpting powder into the crease with the 239 to define and add shadow. Sweep Soft Focus shaping powder underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Urban Decay Bourbon 24/7 Liner on lower lash line, and Too Faced Lash Injection Pin Point mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Dainty using the 129. Apply Burnin’ lipstick to lips, and then top with Ms. Fizz dazzleglass for color and shine.

Check out more photos!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Stila Gold Glow Trio, Stila Bronze Smudge Pot, Urban Decay Honey 24/7 Liner, MAC Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: MAC Dainty mineralize blush (soft peachy pink)
• Lips: MAC Lightly Ripe lipstick (deeper pink), Cult of Cherry lipglass (red shimmer)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Dainty = Fleur Power; Lightly Ripe = Syrup; Cult of Cherry = Russian Red

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Soft Ochre paint pot all over the lid as the base with the 249. On the inner-to-middle lid, apply the lighest shadow of the Stila trio using the 239. Apply the coppery color of the Stila trio to the middle of the lid. Darken the outer lid using the darkest color of the Stila trio and drag into crease using the 239. Sweep the lighest color of the Stila trio underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Urban Decay Honey 24/7 Liner on lower lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Dainty using the 129. Apply Lightly Ripe lipstick to lips, and then top with Cult of Cherry lipglass for color and shine.

If you were using MAC’s Dainty Mineralize Blush?, what look would you create with it? What shadows would you use? What would you use on cheeks? Anything added to the lips?

Create a look using whatever you want, as long as you include Dainty! Feel free to share links to photos of your look(s) using it in the comments.

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Soft Ochre paint pot (creamy neutral base), Next To Nothing eyeshadow (cool neutral), Tempting eyeshadow (bronze brown), Dark Edge eyeshadow (cool dark brown), Ricepaper eyeshadow (soft neutral highlighter), Orpheus kohl power (black gold), Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Dainty mineralize blush (soft peachy pink)
• Lips: So Scarlet lipstick (deep red), Jampacked lipglass (dark berry)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Next to Nothing = Shroom; Dark Edge = Smut; Orpheus = Buried Treasure; Dainty = Peachykeen; So Scarlet = New York Apple; Jampacked = Desire

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Soft Ochre paint pot all over the lid as the base with the 249. Apply Next to Nothing eyeshadow all over the lid using the 239. Apply Apply Tempting eyeshadow on outer lid and into crease with the 239. Darken the outer crease using Dark Edge eyeshadow using the 239. Sweep Ricepaper underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Orpheus kohl power on lower lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Dainty using the 129. Apply So Scarlet lipstick to lips, and then top with Jampacked lipglass for color and shine.

Here is the “experiment” portion! First two are with Bing mattene and Jampacked lipglass. The last two are with Clinique’s Red-y to Wear and MAC’s Boundless 3D glass.

And when all was said and done…

Had to tone the lips down