MAC Diamonds Cream Colour Base ($22.00 for 0.17 oz.) is described as a “golden shimmer cream [with a Frost finish].” It’s a warm-toned champagne-beige with champagne shimmer and a lightly frosted, metallic finish. Urban Decay Glint is more frosted, powder, and a touch pinker. bareMinerals The Love Affair is a powder but similar. See comparison swatches.

It has a creamy, emollient consistency that applies easily to the skin and can be blended beautifully. The finish is more metallic than it is a barely-there glow, so take your preferences into consideration. The nature of the Cream Colour Base is that they tend to look wet and never fully set without a powder to help, so it definitely gives a sheen, shine, and glow–with some shimmer. The effect is a glimmering sheen that doesn’t add a lot of color, but on very pale skin, I could see it adding subtle warmth in addition to the sheen. It seemed to just barely emphasize pores when I patted it on my cheek bones. It can also be used to highlight the brow bone, inner corner of the eye, bridge of the nose, cupid’s bow, collarbones, and so on.  Pigmentation on the Cream Colour Base just seems to depend on the shade, as the paler, more pearly shades are generally touted as highlighters, which would lend themselves to sheerer coverage, which is more in line with Diamonds‘ color payoff (semi-sheer but sheers out readily as it is so emollient).

It wears well for about six hours on me, and then it starts to make everything in the area look oily rather than dewy or glow-y.  I can see a lot of people really enjoying this product, but it doesn’t dry down, so based on my experience, it’s a product that is better for special occasions or shorter trips out rather than a go-to, everyday product–unless, of course, you set it with a powder, which should make it last longer.  Also, this is a bit larger than the standard CCB (0.17 oz. vs. 0.12 oz.).

The RiRi Hearts MAC (Fall Edition) launches in MAC stores on September 26th, online September 30th, and everywhere else October 3rd (including international).

MAC Diamonds Cream Colour Base

MAC Diamonds Cream Colour Base

MAC Diamonds Cream Colour Base

MAC Diamonds Cream Colour Base

MAC Diamonds Cream Colour Base

MAC Diamonds Cream Colour Base

MAC Diamonds Cream Colour Base (Bad Girl Gone Good Blush Beneath)

MAC Diamonds Cream Colour Base (Hibiscus Kiss Blush/Bronzer Beneath)