MAC To the Beach Collection – Golden & Refined Golden Bronzer Review, Photos, & Swatches

Here are both bronzers in their faux-glowing glory!  Keep in mind that both of these shades are permanent and available all year ’round–just in typical black packaging.

• Golden is a lightened beige-tan with subtle gold shimmer.  On my arm, which is around NC20, it barely shows up once it’s blended out.  I think for our fairer friends, this could work as a subtle, no-fuss bronzer.  For darker beauties, not so much.
• Refined Golden is a dirty brown with a very fine golden shimmer strewn through the powder that’s barely noticeable when used. I don’t find it turns orange-y at all, so I like it for a bronzing option. It’s dark enough to work on light to medium dark complexions, but it’s not so dark that it will look drastic on lighter skin tones.

See more photos & swatches!

MAC Golden Bronzing Powder

MAC Golden Bronzing Powder

MAC Refined Golden Bronzer

MAC Refined Golden Bronzer

MAC Refined Golden Bronzer

MAC Refined Golden Bronzing Powder

MAC Golden Bronzing Powder

Refined Golden provided as a press sample; Golden purchased by Temptalia.

Please do not repost these images without permission! If you want to share, please link back to this post! Thank you

MAC To the Beach Collection — Hipness & Refined Golden Swatches & Photos

I reviewed these originally with the sneak peek from last week. I’m re-posting what I said about both in this post, but the photos are of the products in the limited edition packaging.

• Hipness Blush is a soft pink with a hint of coral with a smooth finish–very satiny, not shimmery. It was originally released with the Fafi and MAC collaboration.  Hipness is pinker–less orange–and more pigmented than Instant Chic from Pret-a-Papier.  Hipness is much pinker and lighter than Marine-Life high-light powder.
• Refined Golden Bronzer is a dirty brown with a very fine golden shimmer strewn through the powder that’s barely noticeable when used. I don’t find it turns orange-y at all, so I like it for a bronzing option. It’s dark enough to work on light to medium dark complexions, but it’s not so dark that it will look drastic on lighter skin tones. This is a permanent product, but I have it because it was released with Style Warriors. (Which also released Solar Riche as the second bronzer in that collection, whereas To the Beach features Golden, also a permanent bronzing shade.)

See more photos & swatches!

MAC Hipness Blush

MAC Hipness Blush

MAC Hipness Blush

MAC Refined Golden Bronzer

MAC Refined Golden Bronzer

MAC Refined Golden Bronzer

Hipness / Refined Golden

MAC to the Beach Sneak Peek!  I mean… Faux Peek!

I might not be able to give you a true-and-blue sneak peek, but here’s a faux peek instead. MAC’s To the Beach Collection includes several repromoted/permanent shades, and since I do own a few of those, here are photos and swatches of those products. Just to be clear, none of the products shown are in the limited edition packaging of the actual collection. I don’t own Golden Bronzer or Rosemary & Thyme Eyeliner, but both of these are also permanent shades.

Please know that if I haven’t posted swatches or photos, it’s because I don’t have the products–sometimes I get press samples early, but many times I purchase the products myself when they’re available for sale.   Trust me, I wouldn’t hold back from you!

• Hipness Blush is a soft pink with a hint of coral with a smooth finish–very satiny, not shimmery. It was originally released with the Fafi and MAC collaboration.
• Refined Golden Bronzer is a dirty brown with a very fine golden shimmer strewn through the powder that’s barely noticeable when used. I don’t find it turns orange-y at all, so I like it for a bronzing option. It’s dark enough to work on light to medium dark complexions, but it’s not so dark that it will look drastic on lighter skin tones. This is a permanent product, but I have it because it was released with Style Warriors. (Which also released Solar Riche as the second bronzer in that collection, whereas To the Beach features Golden, also a permanent bronzing shade.)
• Shimmermoss Eyeshadow is a darkened aqua-teal with a frosty sheen. It’s part of MAC’s permanent line, and it’s definitely one of my favorite eyeshadows, too. It’s a shade I think everyone who loves colors and MAC should own. If you depot your products or don’t care about the special packaging, you can snag it in pan form and save a few bucks.
• Humid Eyeshadow is a darkened green with a yellow undertone and slight golden sheen. Like Shimmermoss, it’s a permanent shade, but it’s a classic shade, too. It’s soft, smooth, and has great color pay off. Humid is a must for green fiend like myself!
• Thrills Lipstick is a stunning combination of red-rose and amber-bronze shimmer/frost. It’s a shade you just don’t see often. The only shade that comes close is nearly three times the price–La Prairie’s Rose Bronze (but that’s much pinker, rosier; same effect, but the base color is stronger). This originally launched with Rushmetal, way back in 2007. I don’t even have to see anything else from To the Beach to tell you this is a must-have from it, though. It’s AMAZING!
• Pink Rebel Lustre Drops is a slightly pink-toned peach highlighter. Lustre Drops are, essentially, liquid highlighters. You can use them on your cheeks, brows, decolletage… whatever. You can mix it in with your foundation or moisturizer for an all-over sheen. Naturally, this one suits those with pinker undertones, but it can easily work with warmer complexions as well.  Lustre Drops debuted in Style Warriors last year.
• Sun Rush Lustre Drops is a golden peach highlighter. This one is definitely more suitable for those with warmer undertones, but if used sheerly (which is really the best way to use these anyway), it’s not so warm that it would turn orange on cooler undertones.

Availability: May 27th, 2010 in-store, May 24th or 25th for online; Unveiling parties on May 18th at select locations

Let’s get a list going of unveilings happening around the country on May 18th…  Comment if you know of any stores that are

• MAC @ El Segundo, El Segundo, CA
• MAC @ Hillsdale Mall, San Mateo, CA
• MAC @ Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
• MAC @ Bridgeport Village, Portland, OR
• MAC @ Uptown, Albuquerque, NM
• MAC @ The Parks, Arlington, TX
• MAC @ The Domain, Austin, TX
• MAC @ Nordstrom Stone Briar Mall, Dallas, TX (5/22)
• MAC @ Hennepin, Minneapolis, MN
• MAC @ King of Prussia, PA
• MAC @ Natick, Natick, MA
• MAC @ Smithaven Mall, Lake Grove, NY
• MAC @ Montague, Brooklyn, NY
• MAC @ 125th Street, Harlem, NY
• MAC @ Columbus, NYC, NY
• MAC @ Gardens, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
• MAC @ Kingsway, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
• MAC @ Robson, Vancouver, Canada
• MAC @ Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada

See more photos & swatches!

MAC Hipness Blush

MAC Refined Golden Bronzer

MAC Shimmermoss Eyeshadow

MAC Humid Eyeshadow

MAC Thrills Lipstick

MAC Lustre Drops: Pink Rebel, Sun Rush

Hipness Blush / Refined Golden Bronzer

Shimmermoss, Humid Eyeshadows

Thrills Lipstick

Thrills Lipstick

Thrills Lipstick

MAC Lustre Drops: Sun Rush

MAC Pink Rebel, Sun Rush Lustre Drops

MAC Pink Rebel Lustre Drops

St. Patricks Day Makeup: Green-a-palooza!

Happy St. Patricks Day! Here’s a wicked-to-the-bone green look for ya! What’s everyone doing to celebrate?  Oh, by the way?  Glitter doesn’t show up nearly as fun in the photos as it was in person.  I put the glitter on my lashes, lower lash line, and upper lash line and it reflected so prettily… I was like, “OOH!!” but then I was cropping the photos to post and was less ooh-ahh about it.

Mellan also wanted to wish you good day…

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Urban Decay Primer Potion (eyeshadow base), MAC True Chartreuse Pigment (matte chartreuse), MAC Sunny Spot Eyeshadow (satin chartreuse), Urban Decay Graffiti Eyeshadow (bright grass green), Urban Decay Chronic EyeshadowMAC Gorgeous Gold Eyeshadow (matte light green), (green-gold), Urban Decay Acid Rain Liquid Liner (chatreuse), Urban Decay Mullet Glitter Eye Liner (green), Urban Decay Graffiti 24/7 Liner (green), MAC Plushlash Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Setting Powder
• Cheeks: MAC Refined Golden Bronzer (bronzer), Dior Amber Diamond Skin Shimmer (bronze highlighter)
• Lips: MAC Crosswires Lipstick (coral), MAC Instant Gold Lustreglass (gold shimmer)
• Brushes: 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 116 (dense blush brush), 165 (tapered blush brush)
• Substitutes: N/A

For eyes, start by applying Primer Potion as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. With the 239 and water-based mixing medium (or water), apply True Chartreuse pigment all over the lid area. Using the 239, apply Sunny Spot eyeshadow on the middle of the eyelid. Next, apply Chronic eyeshadow on the inner third of the eyelid and lightly blend with the middle. Darken the outer third of the lid with Graffiti eyeshadow with the 239, gently brushing it into the lower crease. Lightly blend Graffiti eyeshadow, with the 239, into the crease. Lightly tap and brush Sunny Spot eyeshadow directly above the crease to soften. To finish the eyeshadow look, sweep Gorgeous Gold eyeshadow as a highlighter on the brow bone. On the upper lash line, apply Acid Rain liquid liner and then overlay with Mullet glitter eyeliner for sparkle. Bring everything together by applying Graffiti eyeliner on the lower lash line and Sunny Spot eyeshadow lightly patted below the lower lash line with the 219 brush then overlay with Mullet glitter eyeliner. Finish by sweeping lashes with Plushlash mascara.

For cheeks, apply Refined Golden bronzer to the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116. Highlight cheekbones with Amber Diamond skin shimmer with the 165.

For lips, apply Crosswires lipstick first, and then layer Instant Gold lustreglass for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!