What makes the MAC High-Light Powders so special?
If you’re looking for a flexible powder that can be worn on a wide range of skin tones, the new MAC High-Light Powders ($25) got yo back.
According to MAC Senior Artist Fatima Thomas, “Every skin tone, from your fairest porcelain girl to your ebony girl, can use one of these powders if not both.”
Embossed with a raised honey comb pattern (soo pretty!), these limited edition pressed powders will add a dreamy touch of pearly glow to your skin.
Both new shades — Honey Light (a light peachy gold with shimmer) and Golden Nectar (a muted, golden tan with shimmer) — go on sale next month as part of MAC’s Naked Honey collection (don’t miss Christine’s breakdown of the collection over at Temptalia.com).
At first I thought both of the powders were just straight up highlighters, but it turns out they’re more than meets the eye!
Fatima has some suggestions on ways to put them to use…
Fair-skinned beauties: Wear MAC High-Light Powder as a bronzer
A lot of bronzers have orange undertones that can look muddy on super pale skin.
“If you’ve ever seen somebody that’s really fair using an orangey bronzer,” says Fatima, “you know what a hot mess that can turn out to be.”
Fatima thinks pale beauties should try using the MAC Naked Honey High-Light Powders as bronzers to add dimension to their skin and to sculpt the face.
Unlike other bronzers, both the Honey Light and Golden Nectar colors have olive undertones, which look natural on even the lightest shades of skin.
Brush recommendation: MAC 168
When applying the MAC Naked Honey High-Light Powders as a bronzer, Fatima likes the MAC 168 Large Angled Contour Brush ($32). With soft bristles and a slightly angled brush head, it effortlessly hugs the contours of the cheeks.
Application tips
Dust the High-Light Powder along the hair line, back behind the ears and then along the lower jaw line. To finish, sculpt the cheek bones by first placing the brush next to the ear and then sweeping it along the curve beneath the apple of the cheek.
Medium-to-dark-skinned cuties: Wear MAC High-Light Powder as a highlighter
For girls with darker skin tones, Fatima likes using MAC High-Light Powder as a highlighter to brighten the skin, enhance bone structure and to create a sculpted look.
Brush recommendation: MAC 224 or 225
She recommends either the MAC 224 Tapered Blending Brush ($28) or the MAC 225 Tapered Blending Brush ($36). Both have soft fibers and fluffy brush heads, making them great for the precise application of sheer layers of color.
Application tips
Try applying High-Light Powder on the skin where light would naturally bounce/reflect off the face.
- Lips: Pat a bit of High-Light Powder atop the divot in the upper lip for a sexy, pouty look.
- Nose: Apply High-Light Powder to the bridge of the nose, and avoid applying highlighters of any kind to the ball or the tip of the nose. That’s a sure fire way to make a nose look greasy.
- Eyes: A layer of High-Light Powder applied to the browbone, and then applied between the eyes and inside the inner corners of the eyes brightens and opens ’em up.
- Cheeks: Sweep High-Light Powder on top of the cheek bones for a sculpted and look and to lift the cheeks.
One last note on brushes: When it comes to applying the High-Light Powders, less is more.
“Most people I find are heavy handed when they’re doing their own makeup,” says Fatima. “They tend to pick up way too much product, and then they over-apply and don’t blend.”
Fatima suggests applying these powders with very soft, fluffy brush heads like the MAC 168, 224 and 225, which deposit very little color, helping you avoid the over-application trap.
“You have to work really hard to overload these brushes. They allow you to get a softer, blended effect with less effort.”
The more I hear about MAC Naked Honey, the more I can’t wait for June 11! What do you think so far?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Elena says
May 29th, 2009 at 3:16 pmThanks for the tips, Karen! I can’t wait to hear more about this collection. The only purchase I’ve made so far this year from a collection has been a lip balm pot from Hello Kitty. Nothing else has inspired or worked for me, so I’m hoping Naked Honey will.
Thanks for your suggestion for Nymphette lipgloss a few weeks back for my Back to Mac. That shade actually barely showed on me, but I remembered how you mentioned previously that Lychee Luxe is your fave, and I picked it up instead. I really like how it looks and how original the color is. Thanks again. 🙂
Karen says
May 29th, 2009 at 10:25 pmHi Elena,
I’m glad to hear that you like Lychee Luxe. Would you believe that my mom introduced me to that color? 🙂
Do you own MAC Mahogany lip pencil? Lychee Luxe looks great layered on top of it.
Caitlin says
May 29th, 2009 at 5:15 pmIt sounds so delicious I’d be afraid I’d try to lick anything I got from the collection. And is it weird, but lately I’ve thought the term “hot mess” is hilarious? Maybe cus I heard it on VH1’s Charm School…
Karen says
May 29th, 2009 at 10:26 pmHi Caitlin,
Yeah, it’s a funny turn of words. I’ve been saying it for a few years now, so when I hear other people say it I crack up.
Zdubb says
May 29th, 2009 at 7:03 pmI can’t wait until this drops… I’m definitely picking up the Golden Nectar!
Zdubb´s last blog post..Poker Face
Karen says
May 29th, 2009 at 10:28 pmHi Zdubb,
I am really looking forward to this collection too. I can’t wait to smell the perfumes. 🙂
Elle says
May 29th, 2009 at 7:14 pmUgh. I’m getting everything from this collection. I love any makeup product that has the word “honey”.
Karen says
May 29th, 2009 at 10:29 pmHi Elle,
LOL, oh, I know that feeling well. Are you looking forward to the body products?
Tania says
May 29th, 2009 at 7:57 pmKaren,
I dunno about this collection. I tend to wear more color and I don’t really like shelling out that much loot for a little bottle of body stuff. I just bought the Caress Bodywash with the exfoliating stuff in it and love the smell and you get like a huge bottle for 4 bucks. I’m more excited about the Babycakes with lipgloss/lipbalm type lippies and tinted moisturizer. Yeah!
Love the banner with tabs surveying the wheat field..very kansas me likey!! Did you and El Hub like Shaun of the Dead??
Karen says
May 29th, 2009 at 10:30 pmHi Tania,
Four bucks for a huge bottle ain’t bad. What scent did you get?
Yah, Shaun of the Dead! I ended up really enjoying it! Have you seen it?
Sarah says
May 29th, 2009 at 11:32 pmLookin forward for Golden Nectar 😉
looks fun!
Elena says
May 30th, 2009 at 12:02 amThat’s awesome. 🙂 Did your mom ever go with you to makeup counters? Mine rarely did when I lived at home, but she gives me the best advice, despite never wearing any makeup herself. Fortunately, she’s (mostly) past the stage of talking me out of wearing makeup. I think she surrendered hope when I told her I was reading beauty blogs.
I’ll check out the mahogany liner for layering. 🙂 That’s a combination I definitely wouldn’t have thought up on my own!
Rachel says
May 30th, 2009 at 7:28 amCaitlin, I luv the term “hot mess” 🙂
Meream says
May 30th, 2009 at 9:51 amOhh I am glad that you included tips for dark-skinned girls. THank you so much.
Crystal G. says
May 30th, 2009 at 10:01 amThanks for sharing this, Karen. Fatima is awesome!
Jaime says
June 1st, 2009 at 8:32 amI must have these! They are beautiful!