MAC Pro Longwear Blush

We have been looking at fall collections the past two days and now we are looking at a new favorite color product of mine, the MAC Pro Longwear.  The first time that I used a blush product from this company was several years ago with the collection A Rose Romance and I wasn't a big fan of the product as it had little pigmentation.  I found out later through beauty blog reviews that Beauty Powder can be used as a blush but is more often recommended as a highlighting powder.  So this product wasn't made to be pigmented the way that a normal blush is so I can give it a pass.  Technically then...I have never tried a true blush product from MAC.

I was playing around at the counter a few days ago and was trying a few shades from the permanent collection (as MAC has some big seasonal collections that will be released a bit later on this month and then next month) and stumbled upon the racks of blush.  I decided that I was going to try the Pro Longwear Blush formula first and then would go back later on and try the regular blush formula.  I purchased two shades from the Pro Longwear Blush line that night and wanted to try that one out first since I have seen less of these products in the limited edition collection and therefore know less about the product itself. 

I was most interested as to how this product is different from the regular Blush product, the regular Blush has a bigger shade range and is the one that I am seeing limited edition shades of and never this products.  I was assuming that since Pro Longwear is in their "Pro" line, this formula should have higher pigmentation and be of higher quality than the regular formula.  We will see if this is true...

The MAC website states the following in a description of the product, "A lightweight blush with extreme colour perfection and non-fading, eight-hour wear. Ultra fine, silky powder glides on and blends easily to provide a moist, flawless, natural finish or with layering, a brighter, more dramatic look."

I love this formula and wish that it was available in more shades!  It is very similar to the Illamasqua formula that I have been raving about for a few years now.  I barely have to dip my brush into the product and I have enough to do both cheeks and sometimes add a bit extra with a second dip.  Both shades that I have spread easily and are very silky to the touch.  The formula is very pigmented and lasts all day (even when working out and being outside in the heat) and I can agree that Pro products are better quality and constructed better than other MAC products.

This product is available in a few shades, of which I bought two of the pink shades.

- I'm A Lover - pink
- Fleeting Romance - coral
- Make You Mine - dirty salmon
- Rosy Outlook - bright yellow-pink (Semi-Matte)
- Baby Don't Go - light cool beige (Semi-Matte)
- Stay By Me - light peach coral (Semi-Matte)
- Stay Pretty - light bright blue pink (Semi-Matte)
- Blush All Day - light dirty rose beige (Semi-Matte)
- Whole Lotta Love - light blue pink (Semi-Matte)
- Eternal Sun - warm brown (Semi-Matte)
- Stubborn - mid-tone rose plum (Semi-Matte)

I bought I'm A Lover and Whole Lotta Love and I would like to purchase Rosy Outlook and Stay Pretty (both of which were out of stock at my counter).  I'm A Lover is a more pale pink shade (very similar to Illamasqua Katie) and this one has a medium pigmentation and matte finish.  This one will look the nicest when my skin is pale and I will put it away for a few weeks until my self tan has faded away and I am going back to fall and winter makeup looks.  Whole Lotta Love is my favorite of the shades and this one is a bright pink with lots of pigmentation, this one I can wear with a self tan or with pale skin and this one will quickly be elevated to high status in my traincase.

I mentioned above that there are two shades that I didn't see at the counter and now want to order.  The rest of the shades that I saw at the counter appeared more warm in the containers.  In fact, Whole Lotta Love appeared almost a coral shade in the container but then appeared much more of a bubblegum pink when used on the cheek.  I will have to test some of the more warm pinks on my hands when I visit the counters and see how they appear on the skin.  In the meantime, I will be checking back for the other two pinks that I want and might end up ordering online if I don't see them soon.

photo courtesy of MAC