MAC Gold FX Hyper Real Foundation Review & Swatches
Gold FX
MAC Gold FX Hyper Real Foundation ($31.00 for 1.00 oz.) is a pale, white gold with warm, yellow undertones and a luminous sheen. On lighter skin tones, this could be easily worn on its own, though on my complexion (light to light-medium), it would work best paired with a blush or bronzer as I could see the white base coming through on my cheeks (lightening them). It had sheer, buildable pigmentation, as described, and could be layered easily and did not emphasize my skin’s natural texture or pick up my complexion products when I tried it on top. The liquid highlighter had a thin, watery consistency that spread and mixed easily but wasn’t too runny that it became difficult to get precision application. It wore well for eight and a half hours on me.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- MAC Let It Rock (LE, $34.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- ColourPop Ur Glowing (LE, $12.00) is more shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
- Burberry Metallic Pearl No. 1 (LE, $35.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Nudelight (Top) (PiP, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Persona Laguna (P, $24.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Sleek MakeUP Subsolar (PiP, ) is cooler (90% similar).
- Laura Mercier Translucent (P, $38.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Sephora Stardust (01) (P, $14.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Too Faced Warm Glow (Left) (PiP, ) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Soleil Neige (Highlighter) (LE, ) is less shimmery, glossier (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$31.00/1 oz. - $31.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be a "weightless liquid highlighter" that has a "refined high-pearl finish" that wears for "eight hours." It can be "layer[ed] under foundation" or applied "over foundation as a highlighter." The consistency was smooth, thin, and had a touch of slip to keep it from feeling like water but was still easily mixed into foundation and moisturizer, applied on its own all-over the skin (like a primer), or dabbed on top of high points of the face to highlight. The latter I liked using fingertips or putting a touch on the back of my hand and swirling a synthetic brush in, then tapping onto the high points and using the edge of the bristles to diffuse the highlighter onto my skin.
It had semi-sheer, buildable coverage, depending on how much was used and how it was applied. It added noticeable luminosity when layered under foundation or mixed with foundation (assuming one did not layer a full coverage, matte formula on top!). They had a very skin-like luminosity--natural, glowing, but not overtly shimmery and definitely didn't emphasize my skin's natural texture. The formula dried down in 10-15 seconds and stayed on well for eight to nine hours on me (when worn as a standalone highlighter).
Browse all of our MAC Hyper Real Foundation swatches.
Ingredients
Do you find the look and texture of these much different than the shimmery MAC strobe liquids? How so?
These are significantly more shimmery and pigmented. These are supposed to be intense, Strobe is designed to be subtle!
Pale liquid gold! With an A grade! Doesn’t get much better than that, does it? Ah, but I cannot justify getting this, because I’ve got at least 3 dupes. ?
I know…it’s been screaming out my name for a while lol. I have a drawer full of highlighters too but this one looks so good it’s very hard to pass up!
If this was permanent I would have gone for it. I really like the shade! ?
Nice. If I went without foundation (or didn’t already have a highlighter for my body), I’d probably get this.
weird that they call it a foundation. pretty sure that would confuse the average consumer
That’s what I’m wondering, too…
Hi Christine,
Thank you for the reviews! I am trying to decide between the Violet FX and this Gold FX–the Violet FX got a perfect 100. I am just wondering between the two, if you just use it all over, which one has more of a white base? I read the Gold FX review you gave here has noted that but not the Violet one. It’s so hard to decide because they both reviewed so well! 🙂 I am more inclined towards the Gold because my skintone is NC15 and am concerned the Violet might not go well with my yellow undertone but both shades look equally good on you so it’s such a tough call! 😀
Hello! I work for Mac and truly disliked this stuff.. Perhaps you have a better application technique or tips to apply.. I found it runny, slightly burns some people , shows texture.. I have experimented and mixed it with foundations as well, it eats the foundation and shrinks it in a way… Looks ok overtop but has to be specific to your tone and light handed pressure helps.. What did you use to apply Christine!? Fingers, sponge, certain type of brush?….
Hi Sana,
I haven’t had any issues with it shrinking or eating my foundation! I use a synthetic brush to apply my foundation – I’ve used the Hyper Real highlighters mixed in with the foundation (then dotted and blended as normal on my face) as well as just a dab of foundation and the liquid highlighter on my cheeks, forehead, chin, and nose and then blended everything together. No special technique as I didn’t have issues so there was no trial & error!
Have you tried the CoverFX enhancing drops? I wonder how it compares, I didn’t see it in the dupe list so wasn’t sure if it was a comparable product?
Different products – Cover FX Enhancing Drops are much more intense.
I love this foundation as foundation!! I used white gold all over my face and then went back in with rose gold to warm up areas I wanted warmed and then went in with bronze to contour and shape and warm. I honestly liked this better than the “normal” foundations I have. Violet was great, too, but I have been doing warmer looks.
So they are not too shimmery for you to be used as a foundation?
I did exactly that, too, Katie! Used white gold allover, warmed up areas with rose gold, and then used the bronze fx to contour. I liked the look better than any foundation I have ever used! I thought I was being crazy or my eyes were deceiving me. Great to hear that someone else picked up on this application as well. I really love these foundations. They can be used as Foundation for real. They’re not just strange highlighters. And I love the thick glass bottles they come in. A perfect size dollop seems to always come out. I’ve been using an old school big, natural hair MAC paddle foundation brush.
Hi, Christine. Lookin’ amazeballs as usual. I am thinking of buying this foundation, but can’t decide on the color. I am too NC20/25, and should I buy gold or rose gold or violet? Or should I opt for another liquid highlighter? What do you think of Cover FX, Abh and Nars liquid highlighters? Thank you. I am mostly looking for something to wear under my foundation that will give that awesome dewy, glowy, healthy skin look. Thank you sooo much in advance.