MAC Baiana Bronze & Refined Golden Bronzing Powders Reviews, Photos, Swatches
Baiana Bronze
MAC Baiana Bronze Bronzing Powder ($27.00 for 0.35 oz.) is a muted, medium-dark brown with subtle, rosy undertones and a matte finish. It was intensely pigmented with a really smooth, silky consistency that wasn’t dusty or powdery. The bronzer applied evenly to the skin, and it was easy to diffuse and blend out along the edges. Though it is a more pigmented bronzer, I felt like using a light hand with it (or a less dense brush) made sheerer coverage achievable without having to spend eons buffing and blending down the color. It wore well for eight and a half hours on me.
MAC Bronzing Powders are supposed to have “sheer coverage” and give a “natural finish” with “sun-kissed” color. Unfortunately, there was nothing sheer about this shade! If you prefer greater color payoff in your bronzer, I think you’ll be happy with this one, but if you want the sheer coverage as described, I would look elsewhere.
Top Dupes
- Tarte Crown (PiP, ) is cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Sun-soaked Strip (LE, $30.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Estee Lauder Java Sun (LE, $65.00) is lighter, more muted (90% similar).
- Tarte Angle (PiP, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Tan #3 (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Bronzed (P, $28.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- ILIA Uptown (P, $34.00) is more shimmery, warmer (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).
- NARS Casino (LE, $40.00) is cooler (95% similar).
Ingredients
Baiana Bronze
LELimited Edition. $28.00.
Refined Golden
MAC Refined Golden Bronzing Powder ($27.00 for 0.35 oz.) is a medium, golden brown with warm, reddish undertones and flecks of gold sparkle over a matte finish. The consistency was slightly drier with bits of product that clumped together as I ran a dense brush over the pan’s surface. It ended up being more blendable on the skin, in practice, and did not appear dry on the skin. It had medium coverage, which I found buildable to semi-opaque coverage with two to three layers. This shade stayed on well for eight hours before fading on me. You can also find this color in the permanent range (without the special packaging).
Top Dupes
- Tom Ford Beauty Gold Dust (P, $110.00) is more muted, cooler (95% similar).
- Guerlain #03 (P, $53.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- bareMinerals Warmth (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Terra (P, $110.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Gold Dust (P, $68.00) is better quality (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Gorgeous Glowing Beauty #4 (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Guerlain Moyen Brunettes (05) (LE, $75.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Clinique Bronze Glow (P, $27.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Bronzed (P, $28.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- MAC Firebrush (LE, $28.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
Holy pigmentation, Batman! Baiana really does have great color pay-off.
It does!
Baiana Bronze is lusciously rich, and real looking in its effect! Great way for all us in the lt.-medium to caramel brown ranges to fake a tan even though we likely don’t need to! ?
I didn’t like Refined Golden in its past releases, and I still don’t. Not a fan of glittery bronzers or yellowish ones either.?
I expect Baiana Bronze to do well!
For bronzers, I do prefer sheer as can be because I’m white as can be!
Makes sense!
I am not very fair but, I still prefer sheer bronzers. I feel they give a nice soft and subtle effect 😀
Ditto. These wouldn’t work for me.