MAC Wash & Dry: Powder Blushes

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 two shades of powder blush. They come in special edition round clear-lidded compacts featuring a "gradated colour wave that shifts from crisp turquoise through vivid orange to lemon yellow," as well as matching secondary cardstock packaging. Each blush contains 6 grams of product, and retails for $29.

Crisp Whites and Hipness
Crisp Whites and Hipness

Crisp Whites is a light-medium muted peach-orange with a soft sheen in a Satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, 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 lighter and more muted than Peaches, much lighter and less brown than Sincere, lighter and more yellow than Melba, more orange than Tenderling and Stay By Me Pro Longwear Blush, and more orange and less shimmery than New Romance Mineralize Blush.

Hipness is a medium vibrant warm pink-coral with a soft sheen in a Frost finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2008's Fafi for MAC collection, and is limited edition. It has a soft, 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 warmer than Fleur Power, more pink than Pinch Me, brighter and less frosted than Peachykeen, lighter and more pink than Fleeting Romance Pro Longwear Blush.

Both of these shades have soft, silky textures that go on incredibly smoothly and with full colour pay-off. Crisp Whites does look light in the pan and in swatches, but it does oxidize on the skin to make it appear darker and brighter, so it will show up well on fair to medium skintones, but start to look ashy on medium-dark complexions. Hipness will work beautifully on everyone as a cheerful pop of colour (brighter on lighter skintones, softer on darker skintones), though it has to be noted that this variation of Hipness is darker and pinker than previous versions (Fafi in 2008 and To The Beach in 2010). So if you have the older versions of Hipness, you might wanna check this one out anyway because it's actually quite different. (Though on that note, if you were after the original variation of Hipness because you missed out previously, you might be disappointed.) Both shades have a soft, satiny sheen that will keep the skin from looking too matte or powdery, but it's not shimmery or illuminating by any means, so they won't emphasize skin texture (or make you look sweaty or oily in the summer heat). After last year's incredible Alluring Aquatic collection, there's not a whole lot from this anniversary launch that really excites me, but these blushes and the High-Light Powder (so, basically, the cheek products) are definitely worth checking out.