MAC Pink Tea Blush

MAC Pink Tea Blush ($20.00 for 0.21 oz.) is described as a “neutral beige pink” with a satin finish. These blushes are really interesting, just because they tend to swatch and apply darker on the skin than they look in the pan. As I write this post, I’m staring at the swatch on my forearm going, “Really?” In the pot, it looks exactly as described: pale, neutral pink–almost looks a little gray–but swatched it takes on a light-medium pink with a hint of berry hue. It loses the neutrality and grayness entirely! It is crazy how different it appears swatched as well as when applied to cheeks. On cheeks, it looks a little more neutral as a result of not being terribly pigmented.

Illamasqua Chased is a bit similar, though cooler-toned. Chanel Tweed Fuchsia is a little lighter and more shimmery. Bobbi Brown Pretty Pink is a bit yellower. NYX English Rose is cooler-toned. And yes, it does bear a resemblance to Lovecloud, which is a little warmer (and on, Pink Tea is softer, more neutral). Also, while it seemed like it might be similar to also-releasing (in Reel Sexy) Pink Cult, they’re not quite–Pink Cult actually retains the grayish, slightly neutral quality that you see in the pan when swatched, and it’s much more pigmented. Pink Cult swatches more true-to-pan, so if you saw this shade and wanted something more like the pan, you may want to hold out for Pink Cult. Not entirely different but not quite the same.

Pink Tea had the sheerest coverage out of the whole bunch; it took some layering to build it up enough so you could see it in the photograph. I think on pale complexions, it could easily become a go-to everyday/natural blusher, but on medium to deep skin tones, it’s just not going to do much. The texture is dry but soft, and blending isn’t difficult, but partially, it’s a result of how little color gets deposited on the skin! I really thought I was going to fall in love with this one, but the way it changed colors on me conflicted with my expectations.  Have you ever had that happen?

I’ve tested numerous MAC blushes in the past, and overall, they hold up between seven and eight hours. Out of this particular launch, I only specifically tested Full of Joy (which stayed true to the average) but hope to try a couple more shades. If there are any discrepancies, I’ll be sure to update the review to reflect that.

MAC Pink Tea Blush

MAC Pink Tea Blush

MAC Pink Tea Blush

MAC Pink Tea Blush

MAC Pink Tea Blush

MAC Pink Tea Blush (left)