MAC Light Star-Dipped Face Compact Review & Swatches
Light
MAC Light Star-Dipped Face Compact ($42.50 for 0.48 oz.) is a new, limited edition quad that features two blushes and two highlighters, all of which are in the Extra Dimension formula. All four shades had semi-opaque (or greater) pigmentation, had smooth, denser consistencies, and applied and blended out beautifully on my skin.
The key to working with this formula is understanding that they tend to be a bit denser, firmer, so they work better with a moderate hand and moderately dense brushes to pick up product evenly. The result is a powder that melts into the skin and never looks powdery or caked on.
The Extra Dimension formula is marketed as having 10-hour wear, and while these had good wear–eight to nine hours–they weren’t quite full 10-hour wear, but there was certainly some product left at the 10-hour mark.
Ingredients
Light
LELimited Edition. $42.50.
Dipped in Stars
Dipped in Stars is a brighter, medium pink with subtle, warm undertones and a luminous sheen. It had opaque pigmentation with a smooth, moderately dense consistency. This type of formula pairs better with a moderately dense blush (a typical blush brush with a moderate hand should work fine) over anything really feathery as it has a firmer press.
The trade-off with the firmness is that the powder itself applies almost effortlessly and blends the color as it is applied; it wasn’t stiff or difficult to pick up or to blend out, though. The powder looks “melted” on for a seamless, luminous finish. It wore well for eight and a half hours before fading noticeably on me.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Laura Geller Rosewater (P, $26.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Bobbi Brown Maui (P, $38.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Clinique Rose Quartz Pop (04) (P, $26.50) is less shimmery, more muted (90% similar).
- Tarte Culture (LE, $29.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Black Opal Nectar (P, $8.95) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Dollymix (P, $24.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Pat McGrath Nymphette (P, $38.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- MAC Counterpoint (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Perfect Bronze (Left) (LE, $29.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Becca Camellia (DC, $34.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$31.00/0.14 oz. - $221.43 Per Ounce
The Extra Dimension Blush formula is supposed to have “long-wearing colour with prismatic reflections” that wears for “10 hours.” The formula is typically very pigmented with a soft, smooth texture that’s firmer in the pan but not difficult to use–I had no issues grabbing color with even my softest brushes–and has no dustiness or powderiness in the pan. The blushes are usually blendable with a luminous glow on the cheeks that did not emphasize my skin’s natural texture. With MAC’s newly-added permanent shades, the wear time has ranged from eight to ten hours.
Browse all of our MAC Extra Dimension Blush swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, C12-20 Acid Peg-8 Ester, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Squalane, Glycerin, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dicalcium Phosphate, Silica, Tin Oxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Polysorbate 80, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, [+/- Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Carmine (Ci 75470), Chromium Hydroxide Green (Ci 77289), Chromium Oxide Greens (Ci 77288), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Ferric Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Red 6 (Ci 15850), Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), Red 28 Lake (Ci 45410), Red 30 Lake (Ci 73360), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140), Yellow 6 Lake (Ci 15985)]
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Dipped in Stars
LELimited Edition. $31.00.
Sippin' on Stars
Sippin’ on Stars is a soft, medium coral with warm, orange undertones and a luminous finish. It had excellent color payoff paired with a smooth, dense consistency that wasn’t too firmly pressed that it became difficult to pick up with a brush but it didn’t have any powderiness to contend with.
The blush applied evenly to bare skin and blended out seamlessly along the edges without emphasizing my skin’s natural texture. It stayed on well for nine hours before fading a bit on my skin.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Chanel Voyage de Chanel (LE, $70.00) is less shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
- NARS Vu (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (95% similar).
- Tarte Beat (-, ) is less shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
- MAC New Romance (P, $29.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Hourglass Infinite Flush (LE, $40.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Tarte Seek (LE, $29.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Essence Shimmery Rose (P, $5.99) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Hourglass Luminous Glow (LE, $40.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Makeup Geek Romance (DC, $9.99) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- NARS Make You Mine (LE, $30.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$31.00/0.14 oz. - $221.43 Per Ounce
The Extra Dimension Blush formula is supposed to have “long-wearing colour with prismatic reflections” that wears for “10 hours.” The formula is typically very pigmented with a soft, smooth texture that’s firmer in the pan but not difficult to use–I had no issues grabbing color with even my softest brushes–and has no dustiness or powderiness in the pan. The blushes are usually blendable with a luminous glow on the cheeks that did not emphasize my skin’s natural texture. With MAC’s newly-added permanent shades, the wear time has ranged from eight to ten hours.
Browse all of our MAC Extra Dimension Blush swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, C12-20 Acid Peg-8 Ester, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Squalane, Glycerin, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dicalcium Phosphate, Silica, Tin Oxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Polysorbate 80, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, [+/- Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Carmine (Ci 75470), Chromium Hydroxide Green (Ci 77289), Chromium Oxide Greens (Ci 77288), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Ferric Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Red 6 (Ci 15850), Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), Red 28 Lake (Ci 45410), Red 30 Lake (Ci 73360), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140), Yellow 6 Lake (Ci 15985)]
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Look Using this Product
Sippin' on Stars
LELimited Edition. $31.00.
Show Gold
Show Gold has an almost translucent, yellowy-peach base with flecks of gold-to-pink shifting sparkle. It has a more sparkling finish, so you’ll want to be someone who likes some sparkle and glitter in their highlights to enjoy the finish to its fullest.
There wa a subtle shift that’s noticeable in person, and it became more noticeable when layered with slightly deeper blush hues. The texture felt smooth to the touch, firm without being stiff in the pan, and blended out with ease on my skin. It lasted well for nine hours on me with slight sparkle migration over time.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Star Brite (P, $10.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Too Faced Starlight (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Felicity (LE, $10.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Kaja Twinkle Lights (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Frosty (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- ColourPop Everybody's Got a Weakness (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Smashbox Prismatic Petal (LE, $39.00) is darker (85% similar).
- MAC Last Dance (P, $18.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty Showstopper (81) (LE, $49.00) is less shimmery, darker (85% similar).
- Too Faced Warm Glow (Right) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$44.00/0.31 oz. - $141.94 Per Ounce
The Extra Dimension Skinfinish formula is supposed to give “the perfect glow to the skin” with a “creamy powder formula” that wears for “10 hours.” It’s a powder highlighter that I’d describe as a moderate to intense highlighter, and they come in varying hues with some that might work as highlighting blushes/bronzers are on some skin tones and true highlighters on other skin tones. In general, the formula is very pigmented, blendable, and wears around eight to nine hours on me.
Browse all of our MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, C12-20 Acid Peg-8 Ester, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Squalane, Glycerin, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dicalcium Phosphate, Polysorbate 80, 1,2-Hexanediol, Silica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Caprylyl Glycol, [+/- Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Carmine (Ci 75470), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140)]
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Show Gold
PPermanent. $44.00.
Hi-Sequincy
Hi-Sequincy is a bright, white gold with subtle, peachy-gold shimmer and a luminous sheen. The highlighter had opaque color coverage in a single layer, which was easy to dial down a the firmer texture made it easier to just use a lighter hand to pick up less product if desired.
The consistency felt smooth to the touch, more firmly-pressed in the pan so there was no powderiness, but it picked up well dry brushes and applied evenly to bare skin. The highlighter blended out beautifully along the edges and didn’t emphasize my skin’s natural texture. It wore nicely for eight and a half hours on me before fading a bit.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Stole the Show (P, $10.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Makeup Geek Psychedelic (P, $20.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Milk Makeup White (LE, $30.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Persona Laguna (P, $24.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Chanel Camelia de Plumes (LE, $76.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Burberry Metallic Pearl No. 1 (LE, $35.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Anastasia Pink Diamond (P, $34.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- OFRA Glazed Donut (P, $29.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty Worth the Wait (LE, $49.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Burberry Silver Shimmer (LE, $68.00) is more shimmery, more muted (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$44.00/0.31 oz. - $141.94 Per Ounce
The Extra Dimension Skinfinish formula is supposed to give “the perfect glow to the skin” with a “creamy powder formula” that wears for “10 hours.” It’s a powder highlighter that I’d describe as a moderate to intense highlighter, and they come in varying hues with some that might work as highlighting blushes/bronzers are on some skin tones and true highlighters on other skin tones. In general, the formula is very pigmented, blendable, and wears around eight to nine hours on me.
Browse all of our MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, C12-20 Acid Peg-8 Ester, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Squalane, Glycerin, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dicalcium Phosphate, Polysorbate 80, 1,2-Hexanediol, Silica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Caprylyl Glycol, [+/- Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Carmine (Ci 75470), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140)]
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Love this…the surface treatment and that formula. This is a great gift..good score, variation, perfect for light skintones. I had forgotten how exquisite Show Gold is.
It’s nice to see something from the MAC holiday collection get such a good rating. This is very pretty and very tempting and I would use every shade, but I already have more cheek products than I need. (But that has never stopped me before…)
I’m feeling a bit of obsession coming over me. This might be mine by tomorrow!
This is a very pretty palette and if I weren’t leaning towards the Hourglass palettes I would definitely be snapping this up. I don’t think the shades are anything special but the Extra Dimension formula is one that works beautifully and which I find personally very pretty on the skin. It is one of only a few “stars” left in the MAC line up.
This is beautiful! I ordered it straight away so I’m delighted it has scored high after seeing the lipsticks do so badly!
Such a beautiful blush and highlighter combination! If I can get Hi-Sequincy to apply as sheer as Ofra Glazed Donut, then I could use every single shade in this quad. I do know that I have similar blush shades, but both highlighters are very unique looking.
A stunning blush/highlighter quad – these are shades that I would possibly use. Just beautiful and MAC at its best.
I want this so much!!
Yes I am waffling on this one, hum…….can’t decide, waiting for the review on the other quad then decide…..lol, I always want Christine’s review first…….?
It’s a very pretty palette that I picked up a few days after the collection launched. Thinking of getting one for my niece. I noticed that MAC Holiday continues to repromote shades previously released in their holiday kits, like Show Gold, Oh Darling, Whisper of Gilt.
I bought this and the deeper version but don’t want to use them because the design is so pretty….so I bought a backup of both??????
Nice to see a good review come out of this collection. I think the palette is beautiful and show gold is marvellous. I’m not a coral kinda gal myself so passing.
Got this one and I love it. I’m fair with yellow undertones. I have many MAC blushes, but none of the extra dimension except I think Dainty is. So these are colors I don’t have and I think they look great on. Nicely pigmented, complimentary colors, and they go on nicely and not sparkly. I’m not 20 so I don’t do sparkly. The highlights are flattering, too. I love a face palette, like the Becca Malika I really enjoy, and this is another one that’s fairly priced. These look great on, Christine.
Lovely and pretty! Don’t need it thought ut again, glad it rated well! Hope this means MAC is back!
I got this and it is sooo beautiful! I love it when MAC delivers, because when they deliver, they really deliver!!