MAC Halcyon Days Face Kit ($44.00 for 0.45 oz.) includes four Cream Colour Bases and one Blot Powder/Pressed. I am totally baffled by the inclusion of the Blot Powder, given that it is in shade “Medium Dark,” which will obviously not suit many skin tones. Why not a powder highlighter instead? Two of the Cream Colour Bases (Tint and Root) are part of the permanent range. If you’re unfamiliar with the Cream Colour Base formula, it’s pretty much a versatile cream-based product that can be sheer, buildable, creamy, or shimmery and can be used on the eyes, lips, or face (some shades have restricted usages). They can be used alone or over products (including powder) and are supposed to last for eight hours on face and body (with “lasting wear for hours on eyes”).

Medium Dark is a light-medium beige with a matte finish. It is similar to the color of my forearm, but it is lighter than face. The product itself is really, really chalky and looks powdery on my normal-to-dry skin. I’m not oily, so it was hard to determine if it was really helping combat that, but it seemed to extend the wear of my base by an hour or two.

Wished I Stayed is described as a “light cream pearl.” It’s a golden beige with warm undertones and a frosted sheen. It had semi-sheer, buildable coverage with a lightweight, creamy consistency that glided on and blended out well. As a cheek highlighter, it lasted for seven hours on me. Stila Sending My Love Highlighter (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar). Smashbox Shimmer (LE, ) is less shimmery (90% similar). Becca Opal (P, $38.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar). NARS Hot Sand (P, $30.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar). bareMinerals The Brilliant Sunset (LE, $26.00) is less shimmery, lighter (85% similar). Becca Opal (P, $41.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar). Natasha Denona Moonstone (59M) (PiP, $29.00) is warmer (85% similar). MAC Highlighter (LE, $34.00) is less shimmery, darker (85% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

Tint is described as a “soft peachy brown with shimmer.” It’s a muted, medium brown with warm, rosy undertones and a soft pearl shimmer. It had semi-opaque to opaque coverage, though the creamy, emollient consistency makes it easy to apply less or really diffuse it for sheerer coverage. The color lasted for seven and a half hours as a blush. LORAC Pink Bronze (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery (95% similar). Chanel Golden Sun (280) (P, $45.00) is lighter, cooler, less glossy (90% similar). Chanel Accent (84) (LE, $45.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar). NARS Hard to Get (DC, $25.00) is darker (85% similar). Becca Hot Cocoa (LE, ) is darker (85% similar). MAC Love Joy (P, $29.00) is less shimmery, darker (85% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

Every Time You Go is described as a “creamy peachy pink.” It’s a light-medium pink with warm undertones and a creamy finish. It had semi-sheer to opaque pigmentation with a creamy, light-medium thick consistency–thicker than the other two–and has no shimmer. It blended out well on the skin and wore for seven and a half hours as a blush. Guerlain Ors et Merveilles #7 (LE, ) is darker, less glossy (90% similar). NYX Apricot (DC, $5.00) is less glossy (90% similar). Gucci Beauty Coral Flower (DC, $49.00) is darker, less glossy (90% similar). Too Faced Pink Suede (PiP, $16.00) is less shimmery, less glossy (90% similar). Chanel Angelique (190) (DC, $45.00) is warmer, less glossy (90% similar). NABLA Cosmetics Snowberry (P, $8.00) is more shimmery, lighter, less glossy (90% similar). ColourPop Holiday (P, $8.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar). Too Faced Stardust (LE, ) is darker, less glossy (90% similar). Make Up For Ever #215 HD Blush (DC, $26.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar). Sydney Grace Laughter (P, $5.25) is less shimmery, lighter, less glossy (85% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

Root is described as a “red taupey brown with shimmer.” It’s a dark, taupe brown with strong, gray shimmer with a warmer undertone. The more opaque it is applied, the grayer it appears, but the more it is sheered out, the browner it looks. It had semi-sheer to opaque pigmentation with a lightweight, emollient texture that glided and blended well on the skin without becoming patchy. This shade lasted for seven and a half hours on my cheeks. MAC Pressed Amber (LE, $29.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar). Chanel Notorious (LE, $45.00) is less shimmery, cooler (85% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

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MAC Halcyon Days Face Kit

MAC Halcyon Days Face Kit

MAC Halcyon Days Face Kit

MAC Halcyon Days Face Kit

MAC Halcyon Days Face Kit

MAC Halcyon Days Face Kit

MAC Medium Dark Blot Pressed Powder

MAC Medium Dark Blot Pressed Powder

MAC Wished I Stayed Cream Colour Base

MAC Wished I Stayed Cream Colour Base

MAC Wished I Stayed Cream Colour Base

MAC Tint Cream Colour Base

MAC Tint Cream Colour Base

MAC Tint Cream Colour Base

MAC Every Time You Go Cream Colour Base

MAC Every Time You Go Cream Colour Base

MAC Every Time You Go Cream Colour Base

MAC Root Cream Colour Base

MAC Root Cream Colour Base

MAC Root Cream Colour Base