For Summer 2011, MAC’s fabulous Surf, Baby! Collection included their new and limited edition Skinsheen Bronzer Sticks. Available in three shades, these are similar in concept to NARS’ Multiples, which are essentially a crème face product in tube form, or in this case, bronzer sticks. All swatches are shown in two formats – applied straight and blended out, as well as in both direct sunlight and shaded light, to give you the most accurate depiction of the true shades.
The three limited edition Skinsheen Bronzer Stick shades are (from left to right): Billionaire Bronze, Tan-Tint and Gilty Bronze.
‘Tan-Tint’ is easily the lightest hue of the three, as well as the shade which will be most suited to fairer complexions, due to its rosy undertones.
‘Billionaire Bronze’ is definitely the deepest shade of the set, with an orangey leaning cast, making it more suitable for medium to darker complexions, or anyone wishing to simulate a deeper tanned look.
‘Gilty Bronze’ seems to be a perfect mix of the other two shades in this set, but with the inclusion of delicate shimmer to add a subtle glow and a little more “oomph” to the overall finish.
Believing that ‘Gilty Bronze’ was close to NARS’ ‘Laguna’ Multiple (reviewed here), I decided to compare the two, but the only qualities they share is the format they come in, as well as the addition of shimmer. Both bronzers have 0.5 oz/14g of product, but the NARS is US $39.00 compared to US $29.50 for the MAC – a hefty price difference. I found the NARS to be less pigmented, which could either work for or against your needs; on the plus side, you can achieve a much more subtle look with ‘Laguna’ as it sheers out easier. I also noticed that the formula glided better on the skin as well, making it simple to apply it straight from the tube and then blended with your fingers. ‘Gilty Bronze’ in comparison, is highly pigmented so you use significantly less product, and due to its drier consistency, definitely needs to be applied with a brush for proper blending. Lastly, ‘Laguna’ seems to bear more shimmer, although it does come off as sparcely spaced, due to its sheerer formula, compared to the denser but less shimmer of ‘Gilty Bronze’. Swatches above: the two inner shades are ‘Gilty Bronze’, while the two outer shades are ‘Laguna’.
I decided to also include ‘Weekend’ Creme Bronzer from MAC’s To The Beach Collection of last year (Summer 2010), to round off my crème bronzer review. The swatches above are shown in the following order, and from left to right: Laguna (NARS), Gilty Bronze, Billionaire Bronze, Tan-Tint, Weekend. The differences between last year’s crème bronzer and this year’s incarnations, is that ‘Weekend’ seems to bear a similar formula to that of the NARS, meaning it has more slip and glides easier on the skin and is somewhat moisturizing as well, but does not have the same staying power as the Skinsheens do. In colour, it also appears to be the more sheer sister to ‘Tan-Tint’, but with ‘Gilty Bronze’s’ shimmer.
As previously mentioned, in order to get the most believable look with the Skinsheen formula, I found that using MAC’s #190 foundation brush, worked the best. This is a medium handled brush, with soft, flexible bristles that enable you to achieve a smooth and flawless finish with such ease…one of my all-time favourite brushes to use!
Final thoughts: If the success of how quickly MAC’s Skinsheen Bronzer Sticks sold at the counter and online is anything to go buy, something tells me that they just might become a part of the permanent lineup. The pros of this product: so highly pigmented, that very little really does go a long way. They also appear to be very long-wearing (I easily got about 8 hours worth before I noticed any fading) and price-wise, especially compared to NARS’, you certainly get more bang for your buck. The cons: drier formula which also dries fairly quickly, so you need to work fast to achieve a smooth blended look, and only available in these three shades (but they can be blended for a custom look). Even though these are all limited edition products, they can still be found online and at most MAC counters…but you’d better hurry!
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