MAC Art of Powder: In the Abstract Highlighter

MAC In the Abstract Highlighter ($38.00 for 0.31 oz.) is the last of three limited edition specially designed compacts from the Art of Powder Collection, which launches on September 29th, 2011 (North America) and October 2011 (International, at select locations). Like the other products, there is a good amount in the palette.

MAC describes the highlighter as a “soft pink base with yellow gold lines and lavender and mid-tone pink dots.” It’s mostly a very pale, barely-there pink-beige, especially once you’ve worn away the gold, which does not go all the way through. I have a video review we’ll have up later today, which will show that with more detail (along with the other two products). By just using a small eyeshadow brush, I was able to brush the gold away shortly–it’s thinner than the pink striping on the Optical Bronzer but has more of an effect on the product until it’s worn away.

You might find it works better as a finishing powder or an all-over highlighter because of its subtlety. It has a finely-milled texture that’s soft and silky against the skin. It wore for around eight hours on my cheek before it seemed to fade a bit. With the gold lines intact, it works nicely as a glowy highlighter on cheeks, and the warm gold shimmer translates more into a lovely sheen that’s not too much at all (and does not emphasize pores or imperfections on the skin). Once it is gone, it’s more like a finishing powder – the slightest sheen that’s barely visible. It has more of matte appearance at that point, which is why it can work as a finishing powder–at least on light to medium skin tones.

MAC In the Abstract Highlighter

MAC In the Abstract Highlighter

MAC In the Abstract Highlighter

MAC In the Abstract Highlighter

MAC In the Abstract Highlighter

MAC In the Abstract Highlighter

MAC In the Abstract Highlighter

MAC In the Abstract Highlighter

MAC In the Abstract Highlighter

MAC In the Abstract Highlighter