MAC Wash & Dry: Freshen Up High-Light Powder

Tomorrow, MAC will release their first major summer colour collection, Wash & Dry, in stores. It is inspired by retro laundromats and old-school detergent packaging: "The suds are rising and the gossip is flowing with this breezy bronzing collection inspired by bright, fresh hues perfect for a full spin or just a quick tumble." The collection includes a total of 44 products, of which 20 are new and limited edition, three are re-promotes, 15 are existing permanent, and six are new and will be added to the permanent range. Wash & Dry will see the launch of one new and limited edition High-Light Powder, which "features a unique gradation of three shades in one pan" to provide a "well polished [look] with a sheer veil of colour that blends effortlessly into the skin." Each High-Light Powder comes in a special edition round clear-lidded compact featuring a "gradated colour wave that shifts from crisp turquoise through vivid orange to lemon yellow," as well as matching secondary cardstock packaging. It contains 9 grams of product, and retails for $41.

Freshen Up
Freshen Up

Freshen Up is made up of a gradation of three shades: a light soft butter yellow to a medium Creamsicle peach to a medium-dark vibrant persimmon in a satin finish with a soft shimmer-sheen. It has a golden overspray that will fade with use. When blended together, it creates a medium soft peachy tangerine with a soft golden sheen. This is a new and limited edition product. It has a lightweight, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is brighter than Peaches, more orange than Style, brighter and more orange than Tenderling, darker and brighter than Stay By Me Pro Longwear Blush, and darker and more orange than New Romance Mineralize Blush.

Freshen Up will undoubtedly be the star of this collection. It has a beautiful soft, silky, finely-milled texture and great pigmentation. It's not on the same epic status level as the Marine Life High-Light Powder (a.k.a. the seahorse powder) from 2010's To The Beach collection, but it has the same idea. On fair to medium skintones, it will add a glowy wash of soft peach to the cheeks that can be built up to blush status or blended out to be a highlight or skin finisher, but it will be used more as a soft highlight on dark to deep dark skintones. Sadly, as with Marine Life, the gold on top is just an overspray so it will fade with a few uses, but the powder itself still leaves a soft shimmer-sheen that leaves the skin looking softly illuminated (versus high-metallic shine). If there's one must-have item from this collection, it is this. So if you had your eyes on it, you better be stalking counters first thing in the morning because it will be sold out fast.