MAC Step Bright Up (Medium/Deep) Extra Dimension Skinfinish Trio Review & Swatches
Step Bright Up (Medium/Deep)
MAC Step Bright Up (Medium/Deep) Extra Dimension Skinfinish Trio ($39.50 for 0.31 oz.) is a new, limited edition trio of warm-toned highlighters that were mostly opaque to opaque in coverage, blendable, and long-wearing. They performed consistently with past Extra Dimension Skinfinishes.
They have a gel-powder hybrid formula, which means the powders can feel almost “stiff” to those who haven’t tried this type of formula, but they work well with moderately-dense, slightly more rounded brushes and deliver particularly seamless powder on skin such that they look almost cream-like as a result.
Ingredients
Step Bright Up (Medium/Deep)
LELimited Edition. $39.50.
Overt Trickery
Overt Trickery is a medium, rosy copper with moderate, warm undertones and a smooth, luminous finish. The texture was slightly firmer to the touch, as expected for the type of formula, but picked up readily with a moderately-dense brush and deposited even color that blended out with little effort. It had mostly opaque, buildable pigmentation that wore well for eight and a half hours before fading visibly.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Tom Ford Beauty Peachlight (Bottom) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Lancome Rose Twinkle #2 (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (95% similar).
- Urban Decay PSA (LE, $26.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Becca Smoky Quartz (LE, $38.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Superb (P, $42.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Soleil Bloom (LE, $80.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Reflects Gilt (Bottom) (LE, ) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Tarte NYE (LE, $28.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Charleston (LE, $7.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- NARS Rêve Salé III (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$42.00/0.31 oz. - $135.48 Per Ounce
The Extra Dimension Skinfinish formula is supposed to give “the perfect glow to the skin” with a “creamy powder formula” that wears for “10 hours.” It’s a powder highlighter that I’d describe as a moderate to intense highlighter, and they come in varying hues with some that might work as highlighting blushes/bronzers are on some skin tones and true highlighters on other skin tones. In general, the formula is very pigmented, blendable, and wears around eight to nine hours on me.
Browse all of our MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, C12-20 Acid Peg-8 Ester, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Squalane, Glycerin, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dicalcium Phosphate, Polysorbate 80, 1,2-Hexanediol, Silica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Caprylyl Glycol, [+/- Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Carmine (Ci 75470), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140)]
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.
Overt Trickery
LELimited Edition. $42.00.
Where the Magic Happens
Where the Magic Happens is a darker gold with warmer undertones and a metallic sheen. It had rich color payoff paired with a moderately-dense, smooth texture that wasn’t powdery but still picked up well with a brush and blended out with ease. It lasted nicely for eight and a half hours before fading noticeably.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Huda Beauty Barbados (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- ColourPop Boss (P, $10.00) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Natasha Denona Bronze (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- UOMA Beauty Zamunda Sun (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Too Faced You Light Up My Life (P, $30.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Pecan Swiller (LE, $42.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Flesh Beauty Rise (P, $28.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Becca Sunstone (LE, $38.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Royal Gold (P, $9.00) is more shimmery, brighter (85% similar).
- Anastasia Sunray (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (80% similar).
Formula Overview
$42.00/0.31 oz. - $135.48 Per Ounce
The Extra Dimension Skinfinish formula is supposed to give “the perfect glow to the skin” with a “creamy powder formula” that wears for “10 hours.” It’s a powder highlighter that I’d describe as a moderate to intense highlighter, and they come in varying hues with some that might work as highlighting blushes/bronzers are on some skin tones and true highlighters on other skin tones. In general, the formula is very pigmented, blendable, and wears around eight to nine hours on me.
Browse all of our MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, C12-20 Acid Peg-8 Ester, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Squalane, Glycerin, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dicalcium Phosphate, Polysorbate 80, 1,2-Hexanediol, Silica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Caprylyl Glycol, [+/- Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Carmine (Ci 75470), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140)]
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.
Where the Magic Happens
LELimited Edition. $42.00.
In on the Secret
In on the Secret is a rich, medium-dark copper with strong, warm orange undertones and lighter copper shimmer throughout. It had a luminous finish that was glowing without emphasizing my skin’s natural texture. The highlighter had rich color payoff in a single layer, which was paired with a moderately-dense, slightly firmer consistency, though it wasn’t stiff to difficult to blend out. It stayed on well for nine hours before fading a bit.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Natasha Denona Bronze (PiP, $38.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Sydney Grace Sequoia (LE, $9.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- MAC Paradise (PiP, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Huda Beauty Helios (P, $55.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Milani Glowing (P, $10.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Chanel Cuivre Dore (897) (LE, $120.00) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
- MAC Miel de Azhar (LE, $42.00) is less shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Persona Del Mar (P, $24.00) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Salt New York Gold (P, $16.00) is darker, cooler (95% similar).
- Anastasia Desert (P, $22.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (95% similar).
Formula Overview
$42.00/0.31 oz. - $135.48 Per Ounce
The Extra Dimension Skinfinish formula is supposed to give “the perfect glow to the skin” with a “creamy powder formula” that wears for “10 hours.” It’s a powder highlighter that I’d describe as a moderate to intense highlighter, and they come in varying hues with some that might work as highlighting blushes/bronzers are on some skin tones and true highlighters on other skin tones. In general, the formula is very pigmented, blendable, and wears around eight to nine hours on me.
Browse all of our MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, C12-20 Acid Peg-8 Ester, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Squalane, Glycerin, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dicalcium Phosphate, Polysorbate 80, 1,2-Hexanediol, Silica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Caprylyl Glycol, [+/- Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Carmine (Ci 75470), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140)]
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.
This has two shades that I totally love: Overt Trickery and In On The Secret! Might go for this instead of the swirled one. Not 100% until I catch a ride to the store downtown.
OK – these products from MAC are much, much better. Really pretty shades.
I have so many highlighters… however I panned the entire face palette from last year in literally 2 months. I may have to try this one
Oh there are beautiful!
Pretty on you, but a little too light-bulb shinny for me.