Today’s post is a really exciting one for me because I finally picked up the MAC Cosmetics Glow Play blushes. I’ve been so intrigued by these since their launch last year, but for whatever reason, I didn’t think the shades looked nice on my skin when I swatched them in stores. I’ve been seeing them mentioned more often lately and figured I’d give them another go – well, either the store lighting was wonky or my preferences changed (or both) because I’m so pleased to have picked them up!
These blushes retail for $30 and contain 7.3 g of product each. I went in headfirst and purchased the following shades:
- That’s Peachy – light peach
- Cheer Up – peachy pink
- So Natural – golden beige
- Grand – petal pink
- Blush, Please – neutral light mauve
PACKAGING
The Glow Play blushes come in a clear plastic compact with the MAC logo printed across the lid and have a standard compact closure. The product information (including the shade name) is listed on the bottom of the compact via a sticker. Upon opening the compact for the first time, there is a clear domed plastic piece that rests directly on top of the product, which I believe is just meant to protect the product during transport and can be discarded.
FORMULA
MAC describes these blushes as having an “innovative, ultra-smooth, cushiony” formula that creates a “flawlessly radiant look” and providing “foolproof, sheer-to-medium buildable” color on the cheeks. I truly have to agree with all of that! In addition, these blushes have a spongey, buildable, almost pliable texture. When you press on the product, it appears to slightly expand but then subsequently contracts when you lift up. It’s one of those formulations where you can immediately see imprints but feels slightly different to me than other, similar products (à la Colourpop Super Shock blushes). Just a note here: A couple of mine came damaged, either visibly so upon initially opening the compact (due to the pieces coming off when lifting the domed plastic piece) or shortly afterwards (where upon swatching the product, the top layer was separated from the layer underneath). However, because of the pliable texture, they were easily “pushed” back into place with no further issues. I don’t say this to mean that you should expect/accept a damaged product – 3/5 of mine were still perfectly fine – but rather that there isn’t much involved in repressing it if needed.
The most interesting part of experiencing these is that when you feel the product, it appears to be slightly emollient. However, almost as soon as it touches my skin, it seems to quickly transform from that spongey, cloud-like texture to a more traditional (if slightly creamier) powder.
Swatches from top to bottom:
- That’s Peachy
- Cheer Up
- So Natural
- Grand
- Blush, Please
I’ve tried these with fingers and a brush, and both work perfectly well – to the point that I don’t even have a preference of application method! Brushes can often be more convenient for me, but fingers will give a bit more opacity with this product. Either way, there wasn’t a difference in ease of application in terms of either blending or base product compatibility.
The buildable nature of this formula is also something I really appreciate. The ability to easily adjust the amount of pigmentation brought more dimension to my face in a really natural way, as I could comfortably build on just the apples while seamlessly transitioning to a more sheer application on the backs of my cheeks nearer to my bronzer.
Lastly, these really look so incredibly natural on the skin – it was honestly not easily discernible whether or not I had blush on my cheeks. The finish imparts the most subtle radiance (without having shimmer or sparkle), so that you don’t really look dewy as much as you look like you’ve just been drinking your fair share of water. It’s such a beautiful, effortless look.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you love the way that cream products look on the skin but you need a bit more staying power, I think these are your Goldilocks product. The creamy, bouncy texture allows for it to meld with your skin before quickly transforming to a powder-like feel (but not finish) so that it sets a bit more. I could see this being universally loved by skin types across the spectrum. It’s definitely risen to the top of my list for an easy, fuss-free blush that looks like skin.
Have you tried the MAC Glow Play blushes? Are you familiar with any formulas that compare? I’d love to hear your thoughts!