MAC Springsheen Powder Blush Review, Photos, Swatches
Springsheen
MAC Springsheen Powder Blush ($24.00 for 0.21 oz.) is a medium, pink-coral with golden shimmer. It had medium, buildable pigmentation–and it was listed as “Sheertone Shimmer” for its official finish–but it was easy to apply two to three layers and get near-opaque coverage. The texture was smooth to the touch, dense and a little on the firmer side, though I didn’t have any issues picking up product with a standard blush brush and moderate hand. The finish was noticeably shimmery but did not emphasize my skin’s natural texture. It wore well for eight and a half hours on me before it started to fade noticeably.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Too Faced Peachy Keen (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- YSL Passionnee (6) (P, $47.00) is less shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- MAC Sweet Vision (LE, $28.00) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
- Tarte Glisten (P, $29.00) is darker (95% similar).
- NABLA Cosmetics Truth (P, $26.00) is warmer (95% similar).
- Stellar Beauty Flare (P, $25.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild Pearlescent Pink (P, $2.99) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Petal Power (P, $29.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- theBalm Hot Mama (P, $21.00) is darker, warmer (95% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Pink Sand (LE, $68.00) is lighter, glossier (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$24.00/0.21 oz. - $114.29 Per Ounce
Per the brand, the formula is supposed to "provide fantastic colour with ease and consistency" that "applies evenly, adheres lightly to skin." There are five distinct finishes within the range: Frost ("iridescent, lightly shimmering color"), Matte ("flat, matte finish... builds well"), Satin ("adds subtle highlights to the skin"), Sheertone ("sheer-on micro-refined powder ... that goes on faint"), and Sheertone Shimmer ("just enough shimmer to make light dance on your cheeks"). Their permanent blushes are available in compact form as well as pan-only (the latter will be cheaper).
The following overview has been updated to reflect the most current iteration of the brand's permanent range (whether or not there's been any official change) as I repurchased the majority of the permanent shades as of June 2018. I make a point to say that because I felt that the textures of several shades, particularly the frost finish shades, was noticeably different; they were much smoother and had more slip but were less shimmery/frosted (on average) and seemed to be a bit weaker in pigmentation (but still buildable). Some of the mattes felt like I've encountered in the past (a little drier, pigmented, and fairly blendable), while some felt more velvety and finely-milled.
MAC has a solid blush range but some shades are harder than others to blend out or diffuse, and as it does for most formulas (from any brand), it really comes down to some shades falling shy of expectations. The matte finish had a tendency to darken on my skin within five minutes of application; for most shades, I would recommend applying over a powdered face and/or avoiding applying on still-drying complexion products to make blending the easiest. The matte shades seemed to be semi-opaque to opaque, buildable, and long-wearing (about eight hours).
Only a few of the shades in the permanent range seemed to be particularly frosted/metallic on the skin; most shades that had shimmer appeared more softly luminous or pearlescent on the skin to the point where there was little sheen/reflection captured by my camera (I did a double take for a few and re-did swatches only to find the same finish captured yet again!). The Sheertone Shimmer performed most consistently with this: very subtle sheen, more "my skin but better" with having a slightly more noticeable sheen than matte. There were a few shades that had a strong sheen on the skin (like Peachykeen), though. The Frost finish just seemed to have stronger, larger shimmer in it, but the effect on the skin ranged being subtle to moderate. The same was true with Satin--some were more satin-like and some seemed more like a Frost (like Modern Mandarin).
Most shades were blendable, while pigmentation varied from sheer to opaque depending on the shade, but most had decent, builable coverage. The textures were firmer than the average powder blush of current times, but they don't have excess product kicked up in the pan at all. The wear ranged between seven and nine hours with deeper, intense mattes (like Fever or Film Noir) lasted longer.
Browse all of our MAC Powder Blush swatches.
Ingredients
Talc, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Zinc Stearate, Isostearyl Neopentanoate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol. May Contain: Silica, Mica, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, 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 Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Red 6 (CI 15850), Red 6 Lake (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.
Such a pretty blush. Really brightens my NC30/35 skin.
I totally agree!
This is my favourite summer blush ever ! Nars orgasm is also a dupe ?
Yep! NARS Orgasm is definitely close!
Thank you for reviewing the MAC permanent blushes.
My pleasure, KJH!
I have Springsheen in my small make-up collection and I choose it because I consider a shimmery coral/peach a `must` blush along with a pinky-mauve.
I personally don’t see any pink in Springsheen, it looks bronzy peach on me (light-medium complexion, yellow undertone; I’m slightly lighter and more yellow than Christine).
The Springsheen I own is quite stiff in the pan, but easy to pick up with both fluffy and more dense face brushes. It has a light to medium pigmentation (sometimes if I use a light hand I can barely see it on my face), but one can build it to full opacity; I do agree it’s a very buildable blush than can be used both by light and tan complexions.
The shimmer isn’t fine (let’s say it’s a medium shimmer, not huge particles like in a glitter) and I can see those shimmery particles on the skin; but again, I agree with Christine, it didn’t emphasize texture or pores.
I’m surprised that it isn’t pinkish on you (at least… even swatched). I could see it getting less pink if blended out/applied sheer, though, over warmer skin tones.
I was referring to the way it looks swatched on my complexion. It often happens to me that some blushes or eyeshadow look different once applied on my skin. I don’t know if they oxidize differently or it’s just the contrast with my complexion/undertones.
Gotcha! 🙂
Now I could be wrong, but if I’m remembering correctly, Karen @ Makeup & Beauty Blog loves Blushbaby and also Springsheen. If so, then I do know that this would look great on me, too. I’m a few shades lighter than Karen, but darker than you. This could be a fabulous addition to the blush palette I’m trying to create!
Springsheen is very NARS Orgasm-esque and all its dupes across brands. I bet you have something quite close, honestly!
Yes, you are absolutely correct! I just checked my “Vanity” feature and saw that I own 2 dupes, MAC Sweet Vision and Nars Orgasm itself!
How I just love this blush! I wore it all summer.
Very nice! Do you pair it with any highlighter/bronzer or wear it on its own mostly?
It was very pretty on my skin (NC10) but the one I finished didn’t last as long as yours. I was more at seven hours before it started to fade (on bare skin or fully prepped skin), that’s why I didn’t repurchased it.
Do you know if MAC reformulated this blush ?
They haven’t announced a reformulation!
I’ll test it the next time I visit a MAC corner, maybe they made small adjustments in the formulation (or maybe I had a bad batch)