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MAC Tropical Taboo Mineralize Skinfinishes Review, Photos, Swatches

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Tropical Taboo Mineralize Skinfinishes

MAC Tropical Taboo Collection’s Mineralize Skinfinishes ($30.00 for 0.24 oz.) come in five shades: Adored, Gold Deposit (permanent), Lust, Rio, and Soft & Gentle (permanent). Except for Gold Deposit, the Mineralize Skinfinishes are on the lighter end of the spectrum, so for the majority of complexions, they’ll work more as highlighters than blushers or bronzers.  The textures of all five were less powdery than the blushes from this collection.  Gold Deposit was the only one that had a slightly sparkly/less smooth texture.  In my experience, MAC’s Mineralize cheek products don’t last as long as their regular powder blushes do.  I’ve only tested one of the five, and I’m in the process of testing Lust and Rio at this very moment and will update accordingly.  I expect to test the remaining two (which are permanent) tomorrow.  Overall, I think if you normally love and use Mineralize Skinfinishes as highlighters, one of the new shades is worth checking out, but the reality is they’re very similar to each other – each one slightly darker from Adored to Lust to Rio (Rio being the “darkest”).

Adored is described as a “coral with light beige pearl.” It’s a soft, pink-peach with a frosted, champagne shimmer-sheen. This shade is going to work best as a subtle blusher and highlighter on fair skin and then as a subtle highlighter on medium and darker complexions. It is true-to-pan in color, but the texture is soft and finely-milled to the point where it does tend to sheer out as it is applied, rather than build-up. This shade lasted for six hours, and it was noticeably faded after seven hours. On my normal-to-dry skin, it slightly emphasized pores but not too noticeably. MAC Lust is more shimmered and darker. NARS Sex Appeal is matte. MAC Stay By Me is more matte. MAC Light Year is darker, warmer. MAC Keep It Loose is darker. MAC Shell Pearl is slightly pinker, darker. See comparison swatches.

Gold Deposit is described as a “soft reflective golden bronze.” It’s a warm, orange-copper with a golden-copper sparkle and shimmer. The finish on this shade is more metallic, and the texture is a little sparkly, so it’s not as smooth as it could be. It was very pigmented. I will be testing this shade for wear tomorrow. Physicians Formula Light Bronzer is more orange. Urban Decay Baked is slightly less orange, browner. MAC Center of the Universe is similar. MAC Glorify is browner, darker, as is Estee Lauder Topaz Chameleon. See comparison swatches. This shade is part of the permanent range.

Lust is described as a “pale pink with cranberry pearl.” It’s a dirty, warm-toned pink with a frosted, slightly metallic, sheen. The color payoff was good, with the color getting to the same color as seen in the pan, and as a result, it is on the lighter side so medium and deeper complexions may find this acts more as a highlighter than much of a blusher. Because it does have a higher sheen in its finish, it did somewhat emphasize pores and skin texture. I will be testing this one today. MAC Rio is pinker, less beige/brown. Tom Ford Frantic Pink is pinker. Milani Dolce Pink is slightly pinker. MAC Legendary is less shimmery. MAC Born to Love is similar, slightly darker. MAC Definitely Defined is more beige. Bobbi Brown Peony is a touch pinker. See comparison swatches.

Rio is described as a “bronze with bright pink pearl.” It’s a medium pink with a soft, frosted finish and warm undertones. It had good color payoff with true-to-pan color that was soft, finely-milled, and blendable. On my medium complexion, it added subtle pink color and sheen, so for fairer complexions I could see it working as a highlighter and blush more so than on deeper complexions. I will be testing this shade for wear today. Tom Ford Frantic Pink is less shimmery, darker. Milani Dolce Pink is warmer. MAC Stunner is slightly pinker. MAC Easy Manner is less shimmery. See comparison swatches.

Soft & Gentle is described as a “gilded peach bronze.” It’s a warm-toned, champagne beige with a frosted sheen. It had true-to-pan in color, though it is a lighter shade, so on all but very fair skin tones, it act primarily as a highlighter.  It only emphasized my pores/natural skin texture very slightly. bareMinerals The Love Affair is more beige. MAC How Beautiful is darker, browner. MAC Whisper of Gilt is more golden/yellow. NARS Nico is less shimmery, more beige, lighter. See comparison swatches.

P.S. — Nordstrom has these listed for $29.

Adored

LELimited Edition. $34.00.
B
B
8.5
Product
9.5
Pigmentation
8.5
Texture
6.5
Longevity
4.5
Application
83%
Total

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

63 Comments

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Bee Avatar

Christine…. do these MSF’s enhance enlarged pores? I want to get some in my collection but I have large pores & i’m worried they’ll enhance them!

Krissy Avatar

Thank you so much for posting these! Do you feel adored go well with caramel brown/toffee skin tones? I was thinking of getting that one and rio?

dayna Avatar

Am I the only one who feels like these are just really shimmery? Thank you Christine!! I was planning on buying 3 of these but I don’t feel a need to spend $30 for shimmer on my cheeks. & I usually LOVE M.A.C MSF’s.

furandlace Avatar

I agree. These look SO frosty…I already have Stereo Rose which I regret getting so much. It’s just way too frosty and can even look scaly if layered. The only one that doesn’t look too bad to me here is Adored.

Anna Avatar

As always, Christine, you bring beauty blogging to a new level with your timely swatches and professionalism. Thank you! I don’t make a MAC purchase without checking your swatches first.

Tiara Avatar

Thanks so much for the lovely swatches. I love looking at your swatches as i put my skin tone closest to yours. Would you say that the end colour for Rio would be dependent on how much pink there is in the pan? I’m swaying more towards this MSF but am concerned about the darker shade not suiting if there is less pink.

fabiola Avatar

Lust and rio are amazing. I went to my mac counter today and saw them and swatched them, and rio and lust are gorgeous. That along with simmer blush.

Kelly Avatar

Christine, thanks so much for always working your but off to get the pics and swatches up as soon as possible so we all know what we want! I just ordered Rio! Glad it wasn’t sold out yet!

april Avatar

are any of these very close to Light Year or Star Wonder? I know you’re working on that part, but figured I’d toss this in real quick!

KK Avatar

Lust or Rio????? Hv I gone mad? I have Bobbi Brown shimmer bricks which I rarely use n I wanna pick more shimmery stuff for my oily face!! Someone slap me pls!

Kathleen Avatar

I thought I wanted Lust, but Adored and Rio are so pretty as well. I wonder which of these are closest to the Extra Dimension split-pan skinfinishes? (Not a question, just speculating.) I bought Definitely Defined, and I love it. I would probably buy just one of these skinfinishes, so I’m not looking at Gold Deposit or Soft & Gentle, although each of those is complementary in it’s own way. I’m regretting only getting one mineralized eyeshadow from the Heavenly Creatures collection!!

Blondie Avatar

Adored looks so pretty! I’ll definitely try to get my hands on it.
I have Soft And Gentle for years and it’s such a beautiful colour, one of my fav highlighters ever.

Becca @ The Beauty Sample Avatar

Geez Christine, how do you do it?!! I previously had no intention/interest in buying anything from this collection, and most of all NOT any of these! I have too large of pores and too oily of skin to really wear this all over my cheeks. BUT gosh are Lust and Rio beautiful!! 😛

stacey Avatar

Ha Ha. Has MAC gone mad? $30.00 for .24oz. When I purchase Stereo Rose..it was .32oz fo $29.00 and that went done from originally .35oz. Price goes up and the amount goes down. The U.S. dollar is sinking into the bottom of the ocean. I’m going to spend my money of Addiction brand cosmetics from Japan….

Anne-Laure Avatar

I find the LE shades so beautiful… and I’ve been raving since months on all the LE skinfinishes, unfortunately all those I could have ordered were way too much on the golden side!
I’m looking for a cool toned blush, for my medium-fair skin prone to redness, I already wear Benefits’ Coralista wich is the wermest shade i can stand on my cheeks, and MAC’s Blushbaby that I bought to have at least one cool toned blush to match my purple-ish wardrobe
But blushbaby happens to be too warm for some of those pinks and lilacs I wear, so I was wondering if Lust or Rio could possibly work.
What do you think, Christine, of Rio compared to Blushbaby? Is it really cooler toned?
I also agree with many girls over here, the shimmery disco-ball-cheeks finish of these MSFs frightens me a little, thats why I’ve never commited to buy one in the previous collections…

abigailod Avatar

Love all the shades on you, Christine! I had a love-hate relationship with Gold Deposit (which is now at a happier home at my sister’s), but it looks great on you! Love!! Did you use your favorite 116 on all these? Do you think Adored is less shimmery than Light Year?

Christine Avatar

I used the 159 for some, 116 for some, and 129 – with all these cheek products, I basically end up using any and all blush brushes I own, lol!

I think it’s slightly less shimmery but not by a lot, because I remember Light Year not being super metallic.

Lisa Avatar

Thanks for your hard work in swatching all of these, Christine! I was wondering how does Adored compare to Amber Glow? I already have Amber Glow lol.

beck Avatar

i tried rio lust and adore today, passed on all 3, while they look awesome in the pan, and pigmentation was great, they were just to garish micro- glittery for me.

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