To be honest, I was seriously deliberating on whether or not to write this review – not because I am hesitant about this product (in fact, this might be the best thing I bought this entire holiday season) but because I just can’t catch the product in a photo properly! I have tried videos, multiple different lights and swatching techniques… nothing. Even the official image doesn’t do it justice, in my opinion.
Instead I am just writing this review to let you know about this product and my thoughts on it. I have my own swatches down below, but also check out Temptalia’s swatch – which is the only almost accurate one I have found.
So this is the MAC Cosmetics Holiday 2018 release from the Pretty Little Things collection – the Extra Dimension Skinfinish in the shade Snowflushed. This is especially popular as it’s been coined a dupe for last year’s limited edition Stylishly Merry eyeshadow (except in a highlighter form, of course) – it was sold out in most stores, if not all! When my local store finally had a restock, I managed to get my hands on this before it even went out on shelves – and I have no regrets.
As of right now, it is restocked online – so jump on quick!
This highlighter retails for AUD$54 at MAC Cosmetics – which is their standard price. It is also available in two shades for the holidays (Snowflushed and Oh Darling) but their Extra Dimension Skinfinishes are actually available with eight shades in the permanent range too.
Product Description
The Extra Dimension Skinfinishes are described as a liquid-powder highlighter with “liquid-powder highlighter, with prismatic reflections, is designed to sculpt and highlight your face, leaving a luminous, well-defined finish. The creamy powder formula lasts up to ten hours.” They usually come with a flat pan design, but this one is extra special because it is part of their Shiny Pretty Things collection. This is “pressed with a holiday bow imprint and specially designed in shiny pretty metallicized packaging.+
This highlighter is the shade Snowflushed, described as a metallic bronze pink. It is essentially a duochrome highlight, shifting form a bronze-gold to pink, with a super bright and shimmery finish.
It also has for main claims:
- Long-wearing, 10 hours
- Non-acnegenic
- Dermatologist tested
- Ophthalmologist tested
- For all skin types
Packaging
This highlight comes in limited edition packaging and it is seriously pretty and impressive. I like that it isn’t over the top, but rather expresses the concept of ‘shiny pretty things’ in a very modern and simple manner.
The unit carton is a metallic silver with a texture print that looks like silver wrapping paper. It also has the MAC Cosmetics logo over an orange ribbon design and, aside from the changes in the print, is essentially the same as the original packaging. Similarly, the compact also has that same sleek design with the rounded edges, but now have a metallic silver chrome finish. It does gather fingerprints but is easy to clean, and I like that the packaging isn’t ornate. It looks very festive but still trendy, fashionable and elegant.
The more ‘pretty’ part comes with the pan design. This has a unique 3D ribbon design, with the wrapping paper texture beneath it. Overall, it looks very impressive and actually shows off the duochrome reflect of the product well. This would be a really exciting Christmas gift (for someone else or yourself – I’m not judging) – the issue would be that it’s too pretty to dip my darn brush in!
Formula & Application
I tried my best to capture the reflect in the pan because it wasn’t showing up properly in photographed swatches. The reflect is really true on application and gives such a blinding and unique finish! The formula is very intense, soft and blendable – it would be best suited for someone who likes bright highlights because it’s actually difficult to get a more lighthanded, natural application of this.
The application is fast and easy – it picks up well on my brush and only a small amount is needed. You can build up the intensity, but it really isn’t necessary. The formula blends out well on my skin and looks really flattering (as a note, I have a light Asian skintone, neutral with some slight warm undertones) with no strange gold streak. It’s very impressive and eye-catching in real life, it just doesn’t translate in photo at all.
As I previously mentioned, this is definitely my favourite holiday purchase of this year! I love the formula, I love the colour and I love the packaging – in fact, I still have it in the box packaging on my vanity because I’m scared of tattering the pretty chrome finish. This is such a unique shade and I hope that MAC Cosmetics will release more of these duochrome highlighters in the future: a whole collection, please?
Jump onto the website to get a hold of the Snowflushed Highlighter before it disappears! Just like the eyeshadow from last year (which I didn’t buy because I no longer purchase single shadows), this is a limited edition holiday release and will be gone soon! If you do miss out though, don’t worry because the Extra Dimension Skinfinish is part of their permanent range and you still have eight other shades to choose from!
Tell me your favourite Holiday purchase of this year down below. We’ve had a lot of things get released in a very short time period so I didn’t manage to get everything I wanted, but my wallet thanks me for it.
