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MAC To the Beach Collection - Golden & Refined Golden Bronzer Review, Photos, & Swatches

MAC To the Beach Collection
MAC Golden Bronzing Powder

MAC To the Beach Collection – Golden & Refined Golden Bronzer Review, Photos, & Swatches

Here are both bronzers in their faux-glowing glory!  Keep in mind that both of these shades are permanent and available all year ’round–just in typical black packaging.

  • Golden is a lightened beige-tan with subtle gold shimmer.  On my arm, which is around NC20, it barely shows up once it’s blended out.  I think for our fairer friends, this could work as a subtle, no-fuss bronzer.  For darker beauties, not so much.
  • Refined Golden is a dirty brown with a very fine golden shimmer strewn through the powder that’s barely noticeable when used. I don’t find it turns orange-y at all, so I like it for a bronzing option. It’s dark enough to work on light to medium dark complexions, but it’s not so dark that it will look drastic on lighter skin tones.

MAC To the Beach Collection
MAC Golden Bronzing Powder

MAC To the Beach Collection
MAC Golden Bronzing Powder

MAC To the Beach Collection
MAC Refined Golden Bronzer

MAC To the Beach Collection
MAC Refined Golden Bronzer

MAC To the Beach Collection
MAC Refined Golden Bronzer

MAC Refined Golden Bronzing Powder
MAC Refined Golden Bronzing Powder

MAC To the Beach Collection
MAC Golden Bronzing Powder

Refined Golden provided as a press sample; Golden purchased by Temptalia.

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47 Comments

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Gina Avatar

Can I ask why?……I assumed Golden might have been better since it was lighter. Why would you recommend Refined Golden more so than Golden?

sasvia Avatar

which do you think would suit an NC 37-40 skin for bronzer? i like refined golden but the shimmer is not as subtle as golden.. and do you think they look like nars laguna? thanks!

Lauraaa Avatar

in germany the collection came out today and I looooooveee the golden bronzer! you were right it works for lighter skin tones 🙂

jen Avatar

Hi Christine. I use the bronzer in “bronze” from mac. I’m NC40 and when i asked the mac SA what bronzer would be most like laguna (which i also use and Love!) she recommmended bronze.
I’ve always wondered what the difference was with that and refined golden, no one seems to ever mention the bronze shade?
Can you help me out understand the differences and if i would benefit from getting refinded golden too? I love bronzers, have worn them every day for years, love to get new ones, appreciate some shimmer as i have dry skin and can pull it off where matte ones would only look dirty on me and find most of them out there are too light for me (like all the fun too faced ones that are pretty but useless for me).
Thanks

Liz Avatar

I’m probably going to get a tan this summer. I usually dont use foundation when I’m tan. But still want some kind of cover up. Will either of these be a good substitution?
thanks

Kaattiiee Avatar

Hi, i want a really light bronzer that does not show very much, that looks very natural. i am fair and use the foundation NW20 so should I go for golden or refined golden?

Mariah Avatar

I’ve been using Refined Golden for years and I’m around NC40. I want to try Nars Laguna, do you think that would work on me? More for all over color than contouring.

DannyVe Avatar

i suggest you try Nars Casino, im NC35 and it works great for our skin tones, because Laguna is more sligthly and we have to  put on more than once, for  a good shade.

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