MAC Baiana Bronze Bronzing Powder Review, Photos, Swatches
Baiana Bronze
MAC Baiana Bronze Bronzing Powder ($28.00 for 0.35 oz.) is a muted, medium brown with subtle, warm yellow undertones and a matte finish. It had sheer coverage even after I jabbed, pushed, and scraped off layers of product and pressed the product firmly against my skin–it didn’t matter whether I used fingertips or a brush (fingertips were worse as the texture was chalky and all the powder stuck to my finger and did not translate well onto my skin). It would have, effectively, had visibly no color payoff in just one layer (and per MAC’s most recent description of the powder, it is supposed to be sheer). The pigmentation problem seemed to be more the result of the texture as the product just didn’t adhere well to my skin.
I don’t know what happened to the texture of the powder; it was like clumpy, loose chalk that was a struggle to pickup, apply, and even to blend out. It looked splotch on my cheeks despite trying to fuss with and buff it out for minutes. It might be one of the worst powders I have tried. What little translated onto my skin seemed to wear for six and a half hours, but it was just hard to tell since it looked so awful from the start that any breakdown (like fading) was hard for me to determine.
The worst part is that the last time this released, it was gorgeous and smooth with great pigmentation.
Top Dupes
- ILIA Uptown (P, $34.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Bronzed (P, $28.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Coloured Raine Caramel Delight (P, $16.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Physicians Formula Endless Summer (P, $14.99) is more shimmery, brighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Tarte Crown (PiP, ) is cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Sun-soaked Strip (LE, $30.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Tarte Angle (PiP, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Tan #3 (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Estee Lauder Java Sun (LE, $65.00) is lighter, more muted (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty The Afternooner (Bronzer) (LE, ) is cooler (90% similar).
Ingredients
Too bad, I really like the color.
I was so hyped up that MAC had decided to release this bronzer again, as I missed out on it last summer. The initial preview swatches you showed didn’t portend just how horrible this would be in actual usage, though! What on Earth did MAC do to their perfect Baiana Bronze???? ?
Exactly. I LOVE the one that I already have and was looking forward to getting a backup but after this review, it is a pass. So sad.
??? possibly the worst product reviewed? Yikes!!!
I have bought MAC powders(the Troll edition) with the same “texture” and no matter how I scraped the surface they are too hard pressed to use. I got so scarred from them I haven’t bought another powder from MAC again!
The beauty powders are a hit and miss, the troll ones were terrible… I’ve loved other powders I bought from Mac though, just make sure you swatch in store before buying! 🙂
Thanks Ash! I bought the Troll powders online without swatching—big mistake! Definitely will not but blind again lol.
*buy?
MAC has a spotty track record of bronzers. I still don’t understand why the “same” shade/product can be so vastly different between releases.
Just curious but do you think if it was broken out of the pan, crushed into a powder again and then repressed with alcohol it might be easier to use? Don’t know, just a thought and If someone owns it already and didn’t want to return or just trash might be worth a try?
I don’t know if it was repressed it would be any better – if you used it loose, maybe it would be more pigmented, but I was scraping layers of product off (effectively making it a loose powder) and not having good luck using it.
Christine, I feel bad when you have to suffer with such terrible products, but man oh man there’s just something I love about your terrible reviews. You sound so absolutely fed up and sassy, I can just hear your frustration lol.
The one I swatched was super pigmented! And a little too pigmented so it was harder to blend than I like…I think you got a bad batch! ?
I had a similar problem with the mac atlantic blue eyeshadow. I couldn’t tranfer any product to my lids… total dud. I think maybe in some countries they use slightly different formulas for the same product, and that’s why some of us pick up the good stuff and some of us don’t? Just my 2 cents.