MAC Hot Sensation Beauty Powder Review, Photos, Swatches
MAC Hot Sensation Beauty Powder
MAC Hot Sensation Beauty Powder ($26.00 for 0.35 oz.) is described as a “sheer pale peach highlighter.” It’s a very light white-beige with a satin finish. Cle de Peau Delicate Pink (14) (P, $55.00) and Cle de Peau Pastel (11) (P, $55.00) are both more shimmery. NARS Highlight (P) is similar. Chanel Jardin de Camelias (LE, $80.00) is warmer. MAC Forever Marilyn (LE, $28.00) is darker, pinker. Natural Beauty (LE, $30.00) is darker, peachier. See comparison swatches / view dupes.
It doesn’t have much of a sheen, so it is a very subtle highlighter, and on me, it tends to look chalky/ashy because it is more lightening than highlighting on my skin tone. It would be a better for fairer complexions than mine. If you prefer more shimmery highlighters, you’ll want to look elsewhere. The consistency is very silky and finely-milled, so it’s soft without being powdery and applies to skin easily. It worked better to set concealer, though it is still on the light side for me, but for light or fairer skin tones, it may work well for brightening certain areas of the face without adding a lot of shimmer or metallic sheen. It seemed to last about seven and a half hours on me when I wore it dusted on cheek bones, down the bridge of the nose, and lightly across the forehead. Beauty Powders are more of a multi-purpose product, though this one is described as highlighter, but they’re often marketed as highlighters, finishing powders, or blushes (when they provide more color).
Hot Sensation
LELimited Edition. $22.00.
MAC Hot Sensation Beauty Powder
MAC Hot Sensation Beauty Powder
MAC Hot Sensation Beauty Powder
MAC Hot Sensation Beauty Powder
MAC Hot Sensation Beauty Powder
MAC Hot Sensation Beauty Powder
MAC Hot Sensation Beauty Powder
MAC Hot Sensation Beauty Powder (your right cheek bone, nose, right forehead;
on your left is natural finish of my foundation!)
Pretty! When I saw your first post on the collection I wanted it all. Now, I’m wondering (after all the shopping I did for Black Friday). Nice but I’m not sure it isn’t highly dupable (I’m they type who already has a red eyeshadow though I’m not sure I have this matte red but likely have the rest). Can’t wait to see your reviews before deciding. Great idea on MACs part.
Glad you liked the theme!
Hi Christine, how does this compare to the MAC Forever Marilyn Beauty Powder?
Hey Hillary,
Forever Marilyn appears a little darker and pinker!
I wish they had made it in a more “one shade suits all” kind of color given how good the texture and quality is.
I’d love to see MAC release a Beauty Powder that isn’t ultra pale, because I swear, I haven’t seen a more “colored” option in years.
Me too! I’m always super jealous when they’re released because I’m never able to enjoy them. Here’s to hoping the next one is suitable for people with as little more color
Comparing these in the swatch gallery (which is crazy helpful BTW – total walletsaver) it looks like this is lighter and maybe more pink?? than the Maleficent powder from this year. Would you say that’s true? I’m trying to decide if I have that one… do I really need this one? I use the Maleficent one to set concealer on me and I liked it enough to buy a backup but sometimes it CAN be a little too dark on me. If the textures are the same I might check this one out (just thinking out loud).
Then again, if there is no discount offered to PRO members (like there isn’t for the Nasty Gal lipsticks and about half the other LE collections in the past 6 months), I don’t imagine I will bother.
I do think this is lighter than Natural Beauty! It’s also not as warm-toned!
I can’t wait till it launches on MAC.ca (only way I’m getting it) to replace that horrible Golden bronzer in my Alluring Aquatic compact. lol
I can fit a Mineralize Skin finish int hose compact but only after you use it a bit because it will touch the mirror. (There is a differenof 4mm in the pan well depth)
Good idea!!!
It really adds so much luminosity to your skin!
Glad ya liked it!
That lip color!!!
…aaaaand I just realized that I own it and it’s one of my most used lippies. No wonder why I liked it on you so much, LOL! I guess I’m an early morning space cadet .
Haha! 😉
I like the sound of this but I’m not sure what I would use it for, even though I am very fair. I don’t need another subtle highlighter. It sounds like it would be good for setting under eye concealer… but I don’t wear under eye concealer! How do you think it would work as a finishing powder? I’m not sure it’s luminous enough. Are there any MAC beauty powders you would recommend as a finishing powder?
It could work as a finishing powder, though it depends on what foundation you’re using, as it mattifies more than adds that finishing touch (for me) unless you have a particularly matte finish foundation. I don’t think MAC has any permanent Beauty Powders.
I wish it had more color or sheen to it…but I’m pretty pale so it might show up better on me anyway. Guess I’ll find out since I had already ordered it lol.
Keep me posted on how it works out for you, Shana! I’m curious how it will work for lighter skin tones.
Im dissapointed, I thought it was like a soft luminous highlighter like the Kevin aucoin celestial.. Oh well money saved
Wayyyyyy less shimmery for sure.
I actually really like the look of this! I’m on my way to the mall in a bit, so I’ll definitely swatch this. Since my attempt to nab UD Vice LTD was a complete bust, it’s actually within the budget!
Sorry to hear you missed Vice LTD! I checked 1-2am and didn’t see it, but at 4:30 or so (PST), I could add it to bag.
That was about the time I gave up… I kept refreshing the page, but it showed “Out of Stock”. When I woke up at 7 PST, I had just gotten an email notification, but after I followed the link, it showed I could ” Add to Bag”, but when I clicked, it showed ” this item not available”. The email had literall just been sent within a minute, but still… It looks like UD is playing the “Hype Game”, which is really sad-they’re a strong enough brand when it comes to reputation, sales, & quality, so I don’t see why they feel a need to sink to that level. As far as I’m concerned, they just lost a loyal, longtime customer…
Oh, and I passed on this-I also wanted to grab the matte red shadow, but it was the *one* item in the collection my local Macy’s didn’t get, LOL! I ended up with a few goodies from ULTA, though!
Reminds me of Marilyn Monroe beauty powder.
There is some similarity!
Definitely buying this, it looks perfect for me! Thank you for reviewing this Christine, I’m a big Beauty Powder fan so I was really excited for this.
No prob, Carrie!
This looks like the PERFECT highlighting powder for the forehead/bridge of the nose/undereye area…except, it doesn’t look like it has much pigmentation. Do you think this would actually show up on fair skin, or would it just blend in?
I think it would show up on fair skin in the sense that it would highlight that area – subtly, of course.
Oh I think I need this. Originally I thought I may pick up a lipstick from the collection but this just shot to the top of the list. I love this type of subtle highlighter like product. I’m light to medium so I think it would “show up” ok. 🙂
Enjoy!!
Hmmm, I’d have to swatch it.
Let me know what you think once you do!
The left side of your face actually looks nicer – more “lit from within” than the side with the beauty powder. I only have one Beauty Powder (Oh So Fair) and I really have no idea what to do with it.
Yeah, it seems like it is better for someone who is naturally oilier or who prefers very matte skin with a barely-there-sheen.
A little too subtle for my tastes. I wish it had just a hint of shimmer.
Same!
Although it looks nice, and I’m fair, I still think I’m going to order another Lightscapade from MAC. I was looking to try something new 🙂
Aww! Maybe next collection.
Way too light for me 🙁
I hear ya 🙁
Oh how I love my Mac beauty powders! But, does this seem chalky at all to you, Christine?
I don’t think the product itself is chalky, but it is really light so if you have darker skin, it might look chalky nonetheless.
Do you think this is too chalky to be an all-over or T-zone powder for a very fair girl (Bobbi Brown shade 00 Alabaster)?
If you’re Alabaster, I think you’ll be fine!
Such a beauty! Wow! I got the eyeshadows only, though I was drawn towards this, now I’m wishing I had added this as well! It sounds/seems so beautiful! 😀 Thank you for reviewing it! 😀 Do you think it is at all like MAC Lightscapade or the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal Light? 😛 Does anybody extremely fair colored have this swatched somewhere? Ahh… could be an HG multipurpose product for me! 😛
Nah, it is a lot less shimmery/nuanced than either.
Dang it. This was what I had my eye on from this collection too :/ If it looks ashy on you, imagine how itll look on me LOL. Not brown people friendly. Oh well. Still a beautiful color 🙂
🙁 I really wish they’d go back to make these more pearlescent.
Given how pale this is (hooray for vampires!) if I were a MAC person, I’d be checking this out for a finishing powder. As much as I celebrate things that are actually made to suit *pale pale* people (surprisingly uncommon in base products), if this is supposed to be a ‘suit all’ product, they kinda missed the mark. This is going to look ashy on a lot of people, I fear!
I think it’s probably best as a finishing powder!
I’m a NW20 and got this yesterday… it’s perfect for setting undereye concealer on me! It also gives a nice soft-focus finish as a finishing powder, though I wouldn’t apply it to my whole face. Shimmery highlighters like Lightscapade emphasize crepey texture near my eyes, so this is more usable for me. Might have to get a backup of this one!
Yay!!
I’m am considering getting this powder or the hourglass ambient light powder in dim light or maybe another color, I’m not looking for something super shimmery. I am very fair so maybe something to give an all over subtle glow. Maybe something I can use on my entire face, what do you recommend.
Ambient Lighting Powders are better, IMO!