MAC Show Gold Extra Dimension Skinfinish Review, Photos, Swatches
Show Gold
MAC Show Gold Extra Dimension Skinfinish ($33.00 for 0.31 oz.) is a light, yellowed peach base with shimmer that shifts from pink to golden peach with a more sparkling, metallic finish.
The Extra Dimension Skinfinish formula now features four, permanent shades, and the formula is supposed to be a highlighter that “lasts up to ten hours” with “prismatic reflections.” Show Gold was the most sparkly of the four new, permanent highlighters that were released–it had noticeable sparkle and was both more visible on as well as felt by touch in the pan. The texture was drier and looser in feel, though it did not feel too soft or actually loose in the pan overall. It blended out well on the skin and had medium, buildable coverage. It wore well for eight hours on me before I noticed fading, but it was very subtle applied with a highlighting brush, as I think the shimmer was larger and so there was less of an all-over sheen compared to the other shades.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Star Brite (P, $10.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Too Faced Starlight (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Felicity (LE, $10.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Kaja Twinkle Lights (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Frosty (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- ColourPop Everybody's Got a Weakness (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Smashbox Prismatic Petal (LE, $39.00) is darker (85% similar).
- MAC Last Dance (P, $18.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Tarte Moonlight (PiP, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- JD Glow Beyunce (P, $16.50) is less shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$42.00/0.31 oz. - $135.48 Per Ounce
The Extra Dimension Skinfinish formula is supposed to give “the perfect glow to the skin” with a “creamy powder formula” that wears for “10 hours.” It’s a powder highlighter that I’d describe as a moderate to intense highlighter, and they come in varying hues with some that might work as highlighting blushes/bronzers are on some skin tones and true highlighters on other skin tones. In general, the formula is very pigmented, blendable, and wears around eight to nine hours on me.
Browse all of our MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, C12-20 Acid Peg-8 Ester, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Squalane, Glycerin, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dicalcium Phosphate, Polysorbate 80, 1,2-Hexanediol, Silica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Caprylyl Glycol, [+/- Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Carmine (Ci 75470), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140)]
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
How would you say this compares to UD Afterglow Highlighter in Fireball? Is the shift more prominent/less prominent?
I think Fireball Afterglow shows up better on more skin tones, and the shift is more noticeable but it is less shimmery.
This seems paler in comparison, I was considering getting Fireball but it’s more of a blush on me. 😉
It’s interesting how Show Gold seems more pink and Beaming Blush seems more gold.
I find that Beaming Blush flashes more noticeably from pinker to golder in person but Show Gold is less shifty in person!
I’m not feeling this one, and I don’t know why? Perhaps because I figure it would just get “lost” on my skintone? I just cannot seem to pinpoint why.?
I could see that! I feel like it appears more tinted in person but is still very subtle.
Interesting. I agree with what Katherine said. I was thinking of getting Beaming Blush but in light of your swatches I may be happier with Show Gold.
Also – love your new site design!
Thank you, Michele! 🙂
Aww, these overall did not rate as high as I’d hoped. I guess it’s for the better – I originally thought I’d just cave and get the whole lineup, but now I’m calming down (ha) and thinking maybe just Soft Frost. Well, Beaming Blush might find its way into my cart, too…
I wanted it to be better! It’s not bad, but not quite as good as the first two I reviewed!
I’m having so much fun scrolling through the photos on the new site layout! When I get to the ultra-zoomed in photo of the pan…. oh that’s my happy place. I love macro shots of products. So shiny!
Woohoo! 😀
I have it too. And I like it. It’s quite subtle and that’s good for me.
Yay!
Not as impressed as I was with the others.
Same here, Erin!
I went back and forth at the counter a hundred times, and felt so bad for the girl helping me, because I really confused her haha… on my hand, beaming blush seemed wayy more peachy gold, while this one seemed peachy gold at first, with a much more obvious pink shift/pink sparkles… eventually I ended up getting Show Gold, but I’m already second guessing myself!
Since the swatches looked almost the same (but reversed, if that makes sense), I couldn’t figure out which would look less warm/yellow on my fair skin. My main reason for thinking I chose wrong is that I love the sheen of beaming blush, as opposed to the full sparkles of show gold. agghh!!
I did make one decision easily tho, and that was to get the white/purple one!! 🙂 I was even surprised by how much I liked double gleam even tho it’s comparatively a by more “normal” haha