MAC Pink Swoon Blush ($22.00 for 0.21 oz.) is described as a “soft yellow baby-pink.” It’s a slightly brightened, medium bubblegum pink with blue undertones and a matte finish. I’m not getting a yellow tone to this at all, and the description for the pan version of this is “soft candy pink,” which seems more on the mark. The texture is soft, smooth, blendable, and just lightly powdery but that seems to be the good type of powdery–the kind where it helps with blending and doesn’t look dry on the skin. It had good color payoff and lasted for eight hours. It seemed a little lighter but more pigmented than the pan version I bought recently, but I do find that MAC’s matte/satin blushes tend to darken depending on the natural oils on the skin, so my arm may be more or less dry at a given moment (I don’t apply moisturizer or anything right before swatching, just natural occurring changes in the skin!). This is part of the permanent range. ColourPop Above & Beyond (LE, $12.00) is darker (95% similar). Urban Decay Native Blush (-, ) is lighter (95% similar). ColourPop Flower Power (LE, $12.00) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar). Urban Decay Going Native (Blush) (PiP, ) is more muted (95% similar). ColourPop Noodle (DC, $12.00) is warmer (95% similar). theBalm Down Boy (P, $21.00) is less shimmery, darker, more muted (95% similar). ColourPop Mochi (DC, $8.00) is more muted (95% similar). Milani Delizioso Pink (10) (DC, $7.99) is more shimmery, brighter (90% similar). MAC You've Got Me Feeling (LE, $24.00) is lighter (90% similar). MAC Pure Femininity (LE, $24.00) is darker (90% similar). Tarte Surreal (LE, $29.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar). ColourPop My Type (LE, $12.00) is darker (90% similar). KIKO 110 Bright Pink (P, $12.00) is lighter (90% similar). Too Faced Strobeberry (Blush) (PiP, ) is more shimmery, more muted (90% similar). MAC I'm the One (LE, $24.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar). Tom Ford Beauty Pink Ombre (LE, $55.00) is more muted, warmer (90% similar). MAC Bubbles, Please (P, $29.00) is lighter (90% similar). Make Up For Ever #210 HD Blush (DC, $26.00) is warmer, glossier (90% similar). Lethal Cosmetics Bloom (P, $15.50) is more shimmery, more muted, warmer (90% similar). NYX Flamingo (DC, $5.00) is cooler (90% similar). Top 20 dupes listed, see the rest. See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

MAC This Could Be Fun Blush ($22.00 for 0.21 oz.) is described as a “soft violet-purple.” It’s a bright, orchid purple with cool undertones and a satiny finish. It isn’t too shimmery, but the finish has a soft sheen to it that makes the skin look natural. It had good color payoff with a fairly soft, blendable consistency, but it did take a little extra work to diffuse the edges. On me, the blush wore strongly for eight and a half hours. Surratt Beauty Se Pomponner (P, $32.00) is brighter (95% similar). Make Up For Ever B216 (P, $23.00) is lighter (95% similar). ColourPop Homie (DC, $8.00) is less shimmery, lighter (95% similar). Sephora I'm Shocked (09) (P, $14.00) is brighter (90% similar). MAC Bright Pink (P, $16.00) is brighter (90% similar). MAC Undercover Heroine (LE, $24.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar). ColourPop Pie (DC, $8.00) is less shimmery, brighter (95% similar). MAC Heavenly (LE, $22.00) is brighter, glossier (90% similar). MAC Saucy Miss (P, $16.00) is lighter, brighter, cooler (90% similar). NARS Coeur Battant (P, $30.00) is less shimmery, warmer (85% similar). LORAC Unashamed (LE, ) is lighter (85% similar). Sephora I'm Quite Tipsy (08) (P, $14.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar). NARS Starscape (LE, $30.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

MAC Let’s Be Friends Blush ($22.00 for 0.21 oz.) is described as a “blue hot-pink.” It’s a bold, bright, medium fuchsia-pink with cool undertones and a satin sheen. It had mostly opaque coverage with a fairly soft, smooth consistency that wasn’t too firm or too soft in the pan. It blended out readily and didn’t take a lot of work to sheer out/diffuse along the edges, but it is a deeper, brighter shade, so if you want to adjust coverage without having to buff it out, try a fan brush for application. The color wore well for eight and a half hours. Kevyn Aucoin Grapevine #2 (PiP, ) is warmer (95% similar). Make Up For Ever B218 (P, $23.00) is darker (95% similar). Clinique Berry Pop (03) (P, $21.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar). Anastasia Basically (PiP, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar). MAC Bred for Beauty (LE, ) is less shimmery (95% similar). Too Faced Plumagranate (Blush) (PiP, ) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar). MAC Rhubarb (P, $24.00) is darker (90% similar). Sephora Hey Jealousy (17) (P, $14.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar). Sephora I'm Quite Tipsy (08) (P, $14.00) is more muted (90% similar). MAC Rosy Does It (LE, $30.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar). Tom Ford Beauty Cool (Winter 2016) Blush (LE, $60.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar). ColourPop Pegacorn (DC, $8.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar). ColourPop Seed U Later (DC, $12.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar). ColourPop More, Please (LE, $8.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar). ColourPop Tuned In (P, $8.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar). Viseart Rose #3 (PiP, ) is cooler (90% similar). Milani Love Potion (07) (P, $8.99) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar). MAC Full Fuchsia (P, $24.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar). Makeup Geek Rendezvous (P, $10.00) is darker, more muted (90% similar). Salt New York Blackberry (P, $16.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar). Top 20 dupes listed, see the rest. See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

MAC’s Powder Blush formula is supposed to be easy to apply, long-wearing, and have “fantastic colour.” It’s hard to generalize for MAC’s blush formula, because it varies a lot from shade to shade, even within different types of finishes! Some of them are very good, others are so-so, and a few are complete misses. The more frosted/shimmery shades tend to have the softest and smoothest textures and are easier to apply and blend out on the skin, while more satin and matte shades can sometimes be powdery, firm, or stiff, which makes blending more challenging. The wear is typically between six and nine hours but closer to seven to eight hours on average.

MAC Pink Swoon Blush

MAC Pink Swoon Blush

MAC Pink Swoon Blush

MAC Pink Swoon Blush

MAC Pink Swoon Blush

MAC Pink Swoon Blush

MAC This Could Be Fun Blush

MAC This Could Be Fun Blush

MAC This Could Be Fun Blush

MAC This Could Be Fun Blush

MAC This Could Be Fun Blush

MAC This Could Be Fun Blush

MAC Let’s Be Friends Blush

MAC Let’s Be Friends Blush

MAC Let’s Be Friends Blush

MAC Let’s Be Friends Blush

MAC Let’s Be Friends Blush

MAC Let’s Be Friends Blush