MAC No Shame Glow Play Blush Review & Swatches
No Shame
MAC No Shame Glow Play Blush ($30.00 for 0.25 oz.) is a medium-dark pink with subtle, warm undertones and a satin finish. It had sheer coverage applied with a brush, which was buildable to semi-sheer coverage, while it had more medium to semi-opaque coverage when applied with fingertips.
The texture was smooth to the touch with more of a cream-powder feel where I could press on the surface and leave an indent behind, but it was thin and more powder-like once it came into contact with my skin. The texture was a bit thinner and I felt like brushes were harder to use as they just didn’t pick up color very well. For someone who is very fair, that might work just fine, but on my skin tone, I felt like I had to apply three or four layers to get visible coverage.
The color applied fairly evenly and blended out without a lot of effort, though I had to take more care when patting it over liquid foundation to avoid it lifting the base off (slightly). It wore well for eight hours before fading noticeably on me.
MAC Glow Play Blushes launch February 6th and will be available in 11 shades; see the collection information here.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Iconic London Power Pink (P, $27.00) is less shimmery, lighter, glossier (90% similar).
- Tarte Decked Out (LE, $29.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Kosas 8th Muse (Blush) (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Digital Baddie (LE, $8.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Buxom Ibiza (P, $22.00) is darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Bundled Up (LE, $12.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Dior Miss (047) (P, $48.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Buxom Havana (P, $22.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Mini Me (P, $8.00) is less shimmery, glossier (90% similar).
- NARS Exposed (LE, $30.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$30.00/0.25 oz. - $120.00 Per Ounce
The new, limited edition formula is supposed to have "eight-hour, fade-free wear" with an "ultra-blendable" formula that has "sheer" but buildable coverage with a "gel-cream texture" that is "bouncy." It's gel-to-powder blush that has a lightly emollient, slightly sponge-like quality to it--more like a smoother, more emollient clay-like texture to me--that feels more like powder as soon as it comes into contact with my skin.
The pigmentation was definitely more sheer to semi-sheer, buildable to medium to semi-opaque coverage with some of the deeper/darker hues in the range having more coverage and better building capabilities. I preferred using fingertips for application as I felt it was easier to faster to apply, though fingertips will yield slightly higher coverage compared to a brush. The formula applied well--most of the time--over bare skin as well as over base products like liquid foundation without lifting it up. They wore eight hours before starting to show signs of fading.
Browse all of our MAC Glow Play Blush swatches.
Ingredients
Loving the phosphorescent pink in the pan! But I’m also glad that it doesn’t apply quite that level of bright neon pink on the cheeks, though. Question is; if you had a difficult time getting it to look impactful on your cheeks, I’m wondering how it would work on my wintertime color of MAC NC35 or Fenty 260?
Ooooh, this one’s absolutely lovely – it looks pretty bright in the pan and as though it would look a bit over the top but applied, it’s a beautiful and subtle pink. I think I like this even better than the paler pink you reviewed the other day. It’s going on my wish list.
Super pretty shade! It looks a bit patchy in the right-hand swatch, though. I apply blush with a very light hand and would worry about it looking like this. But it looks smooth and beautiful on your face, Christine. 🙂
Do you have a preferred brush to apply these blushes? I’m wondering if my elf stipple brush will work well.
Please read “Formula Overview!”
Still not The One
This color is me. I will be getting this. I really don’t need it, but I kinda do need it. I will need it. Yes; I will be getting this little guy. Love, love the color.
This looks so neon in the pan, I raised my eyebrows. It looks very pretty on you, though! What a great shade.
Very helpful. The details about how you got it to apply etc. answer all the questions I had with this type of product. It looks great on
I like this color even though I still feel cheated the formula is totally that old bouncy cheek thing that they had like 15 years ago (another commentator called it in the initial post). Probs won’t be picking it up though. It seems like shelf life would be a concern with this type of blush, plus general cleanliness and getting dinged up certainly detract from them over time. They don’t stay pretty.