MAC Full of Joy Blush Review, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:00:03 +0000

MAC Full of Joy Blush

MAC Full of Joy Blush

MAC Full of Joy Blush ($20.00 for 0.21 oz.) is described as a “lavender” with a frost finish. It’s a pale, lilac-tinted pink with strong blue undertones and a satiny sheen. I wouldn’t classify it as a frost really–it’s not shimmery enough to be frosted. It has, perhaps, more of a sheen than your average satin finish blush, though. The most comparable shade I could think of was NARS Gaiety, which has a very blue base, but it’s a darker pink–this is much lighter, more spring-like. MAC Azalea Blossom is also darker, a bit purpler, too. Make Up For Ever Smooth Talker is similar in lightness but is pinker with blue undertones but lacks the lilac tint.

Despite being labeled a frost, the finish appears more luminous against the skin; it does not accentuate pores or skin imperfections. There’s a soft sheen that reflects light without being metallic. There’s a good amount of color pigmentation in this shade, though I would describe the payoff as buildable overall. You can apply a sheer layer without a fuss, but you can do a heavier application without having to apply ten layers (I just swirled my brush in the compact a bit for a heavier look). On my warmer skin tone, it’s not particularly flattering, but with a vampier lip or smoky eye, it could work. I see this working beautifully on cool-toned complexions, probably on the lighter end of the spectrum.

The texture is soft but not dense; it has the feel of a lot of MAC’s matte eyeshadows and blushes. A little dry, and while soft, not so soft that there’s a lot of excess powder kicked up when your brush touches the surface. It does blend well despite the seemingly dry texture (but not so dry it’s chalky or that it drags and skips). I had no problems applying the blushes from Tres Cheek with either the 129 or 116 brushes (I prefer the latter, as the bristles are softer).

With eleven different blushes launching (over three collections) at once, I can’t test the wear for each individual shade. Yesterday, I tested this shade (Full of Joy) on one cheek with Glorify Extra Dimension Highlighter on the other. Today, I hope to do another split test involving one shade from Tres Cheek and another highlighter. This shade wore for seven hours well, and after eight, it looked a little faded, but it held up fairly well overall. MAC blushes, generally, wear between seven and eight hours on me; their mineralize products tend to wear away a little faster, but their powder products, like this blush, wear better.