MAC Softly Does It/Tight and Tawny QuikTrik Stick Review, Photos, Swatches
Softly Does It/Tight and Tawny
MAC Softly Does It/Tight and Tawny Studio QuikTrik Stick ($32.00 for 0.42 oz.) is comprised of a sheer, shimmery silvery rose shade (best for highlighting) and muted, mid-tone brown with subtle, warmer undertones (best for bronzing or contouring).
The QuikTrik Stick is a double-ended, cream-based stick that’s supposed to work for highlighting, contouring, bronzing, or blushing. It is supposed to have buildable, blendable color and can be worn over bare skin or foundation. One side is more shimmery, while the other is darker and more natural (but still has a sheen from the creamier consistency) in finish. In general, the formula applies well to bare skin or over liquid foundation, as it is very emollient, blendable, and easy to spread across the skin, but I notice that it seemed to break up my foundation a bit after six hours of wear. The pigmentation was semi-sheer, buildable up to semi-opaque coverage.
The downside to the formula is that both shades remained lightly tacky with a moderately dewy finish, and, unsurprisingly, the wear time was shorter at six hours. I get better wear (an extra hour or two) if I lightly pat translucent powder on top or pair with a similarly-hued powder blush. The finish is lovely if you like a dewier finish–they reminded me of the type of products I’d reach for in the summer to pat over bare skin.
Softly Does It/Tight and Tawny
LELimited Edition. $32.00.
Get a shade-by-shade breakdown of this duo, along with individual photos and swatches…
Softly Does It
Softly Does It is a light, soft, silvery rose with a pearly sheen. This was one of the sheerest shades throughout the shade range, not just in the duo, and it did not build up from its sheer coverage. The texture seemed to be a little less emollient, so it wasn’t as easily spread across the skin, which made it better over bare skin or lightly applied foundation rather than over medium coverage (or a matte finish) foundation.
I felt like it disturbed the underlying base product too much. The best way I found to apply it over a medium coverage foundation was to lightly press the product onto the high planes of the face and use the edge of the fingertip to lightly sweep downward (but pick one direction). As a highlighter, it wore well for just over six hours on me before looking patchy and had moved a bit on the skin.
Top Dupes
- Make Up For Ever #01 (P, $39.00) is more shimmery, lighter, more pigmented (90% similar).
- Kosas Longitude Zero (High Intensity) (Highlighter) (PiP, ) is warmer (90% similar).
- Makeup Revolution Peach Lights (P, $6.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- L'Oreal Ice (P, $12.99) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Algenist Rose (PiP, $38.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild Desert Explorations (LE, $2.99) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Laura Mercier Devotion (P, $45.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- The Estee Edit 1st Light (LE, ) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Giorgio Armani No. 07 (P, $62.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- LORAC Moonlight (P, $23.00) is more shimmery, lighter, more pigmented (90% similar).
Softly Does It
LELimited Edition.
Tight and Tawny
Tight and Tawny is a muted, mid-tone brown with subtle, warmer undertones and a natural finish. It had less obvious shimmer, but it still had a dewier finish on the skin that stayed a touch tacky/emollient throughout its wear. I think the color will work for bronzing and adding warmth to the skin, but I liked it as a contour, too, as it is not too warm (but it likely too warm to be an ideal contour for cooler skin tones). The cream was emollient without being too thin or slippery, so it sat well on the skin, spread easily, and lasted seven hours on me (better than some shades in the range).
Top Dupes
- By Terry Tropical Sunset #4 (LE, ) is lighter, less glossy (90% similar).
- MAC Earthnut (LE, ) is warmer (90% similar).
- Burberry Earthy (P, $42.00) is less glossy (90% similar).
- Burberry Dark Earthy (P, $42.00) is cooler, less glossy (85% similar).
- MAC I'm Not Blushing (Bottom) (LE, ) is cooler (85% similar).
- MAC Semi-Sweet (LE, ) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- MAC Pure Sculpture (LE, $20.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- Bobbi Brown Sunkissed (P, $36.00) is lighter, less pigmented (80% similar).
- Flower Beauty Cinnamon (P, $9.99).
- ColourPop Roosevelt (P, $8.00).
- ColourPop Kiss Kiss (P, $7.00).
- ColourPop Instant Crush (P, $7.00).
Not my colors, but I will keep an eye out for the other ones
Here’s hoping one of the others will work for ya, Katherine!
Not the best score, but, idk, this appeals to me. I like the colors. Highlighter and contour in one stick, something you can carry around and (I assume) reapply easily. It doesn’t seem all that revolutionary but yet, I can’t really think of any similar 2-in-1 cream products, can you, Christine? Nars cut their cream duos I think.
There aren’t too many out there! They are kind of like the Multiples, though the texture is totally different!
I’m in love with the concept – anything that is travel-friendly like this is one of my favourite things to stock up on!
I agree!
I wish these weren’t so emollient and slippery! I cannot imagine these not melting off my cheeks while being out and about waiting on buses. This one actually had promising shades for quickie highlight & contour use. Oh well.
I hear ya, Nancy! They might be really good for dry skinned folks, though… I’d love to hear more reviews!
Darn, it looked like a good combo for pale folks.
It would be!
I like the concept and the shades, but it would be better if the quality was there.
I wish they wore longer!
Hmmm . The concept/ design resemble Dior’s bronze/contour stick exactly.
Thanks for letting me know, Pamyla!
Hi Christine,
I am not quite sure if there’s a way for me to find your reviews in order from highest to lowest grade etc, but I will just ask you anyway!
I am just finishing up my very first highlighter in trial size, yay, and was wondering what would you recommend for highlighter(s)? This will be for an everyday use. I am between the light and medium skin tone with warm undertones.
I’ve reached my limit on reading about each brand on the net and it’s a headache. Your input will be greatly valued as this maybe the highlighter I will be using for 5 years! Haha who can finish a full size highlighter anyway>.<
Thanks in advance <3
Hi Irish!
Sort of! If you are looking for a specific shade, your best bet is to search for it via the Swatch Gallery and then sort results by editor’s highest rated! 🙂 (You can do that with whatever color cosmetic, including adding things like a certain price range, that it’s permanent, etc,.)
Are there any highlighters you’re leaning toward yet? What is your price point?
Nope, sticking with my first choice, Tomato & Miss Cupcake 🙂
Good call!
Rats! I was hoping this duo might work for me. And Softly Does It is very pretty. But it seems like it would be a total pain in the neck to use, since I always wear a medium or full coverage base. And Tight and Tawny (anyone besides me having trouble with that name?) is just too warm for me 🙁