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: Mutiny pigment (aqua-blue), Surreal eyeshadow (light silvery-blue), Shimmermoss eyeshadow (teal), Freshwater eyeshadow (blue), Deep Truth (dark blue), Nylon eyeshadow (white gold highlighter), Urban Decay Electric 24/7 Liner (blue), Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Sunbasque (dirty peach)
• Lips: Antiquitease lipstick (copper brown), Nymphette lipglass (pink with gold)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Mutiny = Delft (closest dupe!); Antiquitease = Jist

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Mutiny pigment all over the lid as the base with the 249. On the inner-to-middle lid, apply Surreal eyeshadow using the 239. Apply Freshwater to the outher lid with the 239. Darken the outer lid using Deep Truth eyeshadow and drag into crease using the 239. Sweep Nylon underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with UD Electric 24/7 Liner on lower lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Sunbasque blush using the 129. Apply Antiquitease lipstick to lips, and then top with Nymphette lipglass for color and shine.

Check out more photos!

I used Blonde’s Gold pigment (LE) on lid, Femme-fi eyeshadow (LE) on inner lid, Romp eyeshadow on middle of lid, Cumulus eyeshadow (LE) on outer lid and crease, Satin Taupe eyeshadow on outer crease, Femme-fi eyeshadow (LE) above crease and on brow, Graphblack technakohl on lower lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. I wore Sunbasque blush on cheeks with Dior Amber Diamond SkinShimmer to highlight. I had Wild ‘Bout You lipstick (LE) with Totally It! lipglass (LE) on my lips.

** These are recommendations for dupes based on permanent colors available — may not necessarily be identical; they are the closest I can think of!

Blonde’s Gold = Tan; Femme-fi = Shroom; Wild ‘Bout You = New York Apple; Totally It = Pink Poodle

FYI, when I spoke to SCP PRO, the MA said the Neon pigments are NOT eye-safe except the green one. Well, “not recommended.” I asked if the MA had any idea why (I assumed it was the red dye), and she said it was because a lot of people have reactions to the red dye which is in like four of them? so yeah. I did order all six today from the Texas North Park PRO store, because Vegas/SCP don’t have the yellow one, and SF & LA don’t have them at all!

I used Gold Dusk pigment (LE) on lid, Warm Chill eyeshadow (LE) on inner lid, Parrot+Big T eyeshadows (both LE) in place of Cool Heat eyeshadow (LE) on middle of lid, Blue Flame eyeshadow (LE) on middle of lid, Climate Blue eyeshadow (LE) on outer lid and crease, Warm Chill eyeshadow (LE) above crease, Femme-fi eyeshadow (LE) on brow, Greenplay liquidlast liner on upper lash line, Overgrown eyeshadow (LE) over Greenplay, Feline kohl power (LE) on lower lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. I had Sunbasque blush on cheeks with Dior Amber Diamond SkinShimmer to highlight. I wore High 90s slimshine (LE) with Tartlette lipglass (LE) on my lips.

** These are recommendations for dupes based on permanent colors available — may not necessarily be identical; they are the closest I can think of!

Gold Dusk = White Gold + Golden Lemon; Warm Chill = Juxt (closest permanent); Parrot = Sea Me + Shimmermoss; Big T = Electric Eel + Shimmermoss (different texture); Blue Flame = Deep Truth + Freshwater; Femme-fi = Shroom; Overgrown = Bitter; Feline = Graphblack; High 90s = Skew

By the way, can I just say how much I love discovering new lip combinations? Seriously. If only it was my job in life!

I used Cash Flow paint pot (LE) on lid, Femme-fi eyeshadow (LE) on inner lid, Nylon eyeshadow on middle of lid, Bronze eyeshadow on outer lid and above outer crease, Woodwinked eyeshadow on outer crease, Evening Aura eyeshadow (LE) above inner crease, Ricepaper eyeshadow on brow bone to highlight, Molten Sol liquidlast liner (LE) on upper lash line, Feline kohl power (LE) on lower lash line, Femme-fi eyeshadow (LE) on lower lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. I had Lillicent blushcreme stippled on cheeks with Sunbasque blush overlaid and Dior SkinShimmer in Amber Diamond to highlight. I wore Sci Fi Delity lipstick (LE) with Pink Grapefruit lipglass (LE) and Red Romp lipglass (LE).

** These are recommendations for dupes based on permanent colors available — may not necessarily be identical; they are the closest I can think of!

Cash Flow = Patina; Femme-fi = Shroom; Evening Aura = Juiced + Nylon; Molten Sol = Copper Sparkle (wet); Feline = Graphblack; Sci Fi Delity = New York Apple (blotted); Pink Grapefruit = Lychee Luxe; Red Romp = Venetian + Russian Red

I used Soft Ochre paint pot on lid, Femme-fi eyeshadow (LE) inner lid, Nylon eyeshadow on middle of lid, Bronze eyeshadow on outer lid and crease, Femme-fi eyeshadow (LE) on brow and above crease, Graphblack technakohl on lower lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. I had Lilicent blushcreme with Sunbasque blush on cheeks. I wore Tiger Tiger lipstick (LE) with Supreme lipglass (LE) and Real Desire (LE) lipglass on my lips.

** These are recommendations for dupes based on permanent colors available — may not necessarily be identical; they are the closest I can think of!

Femme-fi = Shroom; Tiger Tiger = Brew; Supreme = Chai; Real Desire = Greed