The worst part about getting captured by makeup supervillians is the diabolical beauty limits they always to place on their captives. Only one highlighting product per person? You gotta be kidding me.
But being forced to pare down doesn’t have to be horrendous — not with MAC Iridescent Powder/Loose in Golden Bronze in the mix.
It lets you get your shimmer on in a multitude of ways, which is important, not only when you’re being subjugated by makeup supervillains, but pretty much any time, because variety, like the crushed red pepper chili flakes I’ve been putting on my food, is the spice of life. 🙂
With more of a pearly shimmer than a glitter like whoa!, Golden Bronze is one of the best kept secrets in MAC’s permanent line.
I first heard about it a few weeks ago from MAC Pro Artist Keri B, who couldn’t stop singing its praises.
First chance I got, I stopped by my favorite MAC counter (in the Nordstrom at Corte Madera) to take a closer look, and even the artists there had nothing but good things to say about it. “A little goes a long way,” and “It’s really easy to blend.” Golden Bronze was always popping up at MAC Pro training classes and photo shoots, they said.
Um, sold!
I’ve been wearing it a lot lately, also up to Napa yesterday, and I can’t believe it took me all this time to finally get a jar. I think it really gets along well with my warm skin tone, and I love that there are just so many different ways it can be worn. Ways like…
Applying it as a standard highlighter
For a lazy, sun-dappled glow like, “Look at me! I’ve spent my entire day getting massages and eating grapes by the pool,” I like to pat Golden Bronze on my upper cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose, on my cupid’s bow and in the middle of my chin with the MAC 224 Tapered Blending Brush, which has just the right precision for this kind of thing.
Mixing it with foundation
And for an airbrushed look with a golden sheen, I’ve been adding a dash of Golden Bronze to my MAC Studio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation, and then buffing the mixture on my skin with the MAC 182 Buffer Brush.
It’s just a little something extra — a slight dewy sheen — and that’s one of the best things about Golden Bronze, how you can mix it in with so many different things!
Adding it to body oils and moisturizers (tinted ones and regular face moisturizers, too)
The next time you don an outfit where you show some skin, try sprinkling a little Golden Bronze into your favorite moisturizer, and apply that to your legs, arms and shoulders. It’ll give you a gorgeous golden glow.
Running low on lotion? No problem. Just buff Golden Bronze directly on to your skin. I like to use something like the MAC 182 Buffer Brush — something big and fluffy.
I love the way it makes my shoulders glow (super pretty when you’re wearing an off-the-shoulder shirt or tube top).
If you haven’t given Golden Bronze a try, add it to your MAC Must Investigate list, especially if you have warm-toned skin and tend to tan in spring and summer.
OOH! I think Golden Bronze looks fan-frickin’-tastic with a tan. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
The MAC Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorite products from MAC’s permanent collection
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Iridescent Powder/Loose in Golden Bronze
- MAC Unsung Heroes: C-Thru Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Loud & Lovely Cremesheen Glass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Breezy Sheertone Shimmer Blush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Care Blends Essential Oils, Grapefruit + Chamomile
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Modesty Cremesheen Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Double Dare Cremesheen Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Sandy B Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Club Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Uniform Technakohl Liner
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Red Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Tempting Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Phloof Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Crème in Your Coffee Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Paramount Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Mocha Blush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Oh Baby Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Mulch Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: The Cremestick Liners
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Sable Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Soft Ochre Paint Pot
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Ricepaper Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: This Cremesheen Glass Is a Veritable Deelight
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Lipglass in Spite
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Impassioned Lipstick (and Watermelon)
- MAC Unsung Heroes: This Lip Pencil Is In Synch
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Soba Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Bombshell Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Sunbasque Sheertone Shimmer Blush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Clear Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Humid Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Naked Lunch Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Russian Red Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Syrup Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Blushbaby Blush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Pink Poodle Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Fresh Flare Pro Longwear Eye Shadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Viva Glam V Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Viva Glam VI Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Prep + Prime Vibrancy Eye Primer
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Right Image Cremesheen Glass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Bamboo Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Speak Louder Cremesheen Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Sweet Satisfaction Pro Longwear Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Lady Danger Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Ruby Woo Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Retrospeck Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Twig Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Party Line Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Melon Pigment
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Sumptuous Olive Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Vex Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Costa Chic Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Fast Response Eye Cream
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Strobe Cream
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Blot Powder/Pressed
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Subculture Lip Pencil
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Soft Brown Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Hero: Woodwinked Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Hero: Powersurge Eye Kohl
- MAC Unsung Heroes: All That Glitters Eyeshadow Is Not Just Another Gold
- MAC Unsung Heroes: The Technakohl Liners
- MAC Unsung Hero: Groundwork Paint Pot
- MAC Unsung Hero: Nymphette Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Viva Glam V
- MAC Unsung Hero: Blacktrack Fluidline
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Lychee Luxe Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Hero: Gorgeous Gold Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Hero: Patina Eyeshadow
I’m around NC37/40 so I think this’ll work up a natural glow on me, will check it out on my next trip to MAC for sure! I’m so into highlighters these days!
Hi Corallista,
This should work perfectly for you, then! I hope you like it.
Lovely! Have to check it out!
These days, I’m hooked on “Watt’s Up”-pretty perfection!
Hi Musical,
That’s a good highlighter! I like that for the upper cheekbones. 🙂
What other Benefit products are your musts? I can’t live without their Creaseless Cream in Skinny Jeans, Coralista Blush and Sugar Cookie lipstick.
Right on, Karen! It’s like instant glow!
I love Dandelion as an all over powder, it works best with my skin tone applied this way, especially when i am on the tan side (which, in SoCal is most of the year!)
Coralista is ah-mazingly pretty! One of the best blushes, EVER!
Imust try “Sugar Cookie”-i love golden-ish nudes
Dandelion is cool. It has a softness to it that I like a lot.
Oh, definitely check out Sugar Cookie. Whenever I travel I always, ALWAYS take it with me. It’s just one of those colors that looks great with almost every makeup look, and it’s easy enough to apply without a mirror.
I didn’t know you were in So Cal! Do you like living there? I visited Newport Beach last year and liked it!
Yes! I love SoCal (Santa Monica is FUN!)-but at heart i am still attached to Boston :). Ever visited? You should ;).
I visit the yay area from time to time, and love it every time!
I’ve never been to Boston but have always, always wanted to go. If I do make it there you’ll have to let me know where to shop and eat, LOL!
Oh yes, I will (give you a loooong list of place to see/shop/eat at.)
Karen, do you ever hang out at Samovar in SF (the one in Yerba Buena garden)-i really love that place! Perfect to get some chai and noms and enjoy some sunshine, after some shopping :).
So pretty! I’ve always been a little scared to mix shimmer with my foundations because I have very oily skin–but you’re making me rethink that decision! I bet this looks lovely with your lovely vacation tan!
Hi Becca,
I hear ya. I think it really depends on the shimmer. This is more of a subtle sheen rather than a straight up glitter, so it doesn’t create that oily look. 🙂
I’m warm-toned and I tan! Sounds like something I’ll have to check out very soon! Love some beautiful shimmer in summer (actually, I love some beautiful shimmer all-year-round)!
Hi Sunny,
You’d love this then!
Oh thats so gorgeous – I want! Im thinking of mixing some with my Studio Fix Fluid.
Hi Nina,
YES! The MUA I was chatting with said it’s really pretty mixed in w/Studio Fix too. 🙂
Do you have a kabuki brush around for application?
I have several kabuki brushes that will work w/ this. Im ordering this. 😛
Awesome sauce!!!
I just know you will love it. Plus, at $23 it’s pretty affordable for the amount you get. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of it.
Hope you had a really great Tuesday. Mine was good! We just got back from the farmer’s market, and now I have a bunch of delicious fruit to eat for the next few days. Cherries, apricots and white nectarines, YUMMO!
Ohhh I love summer fruit — were going to the nearby farmers market thats open on Thursdays (its like a roving farmers market thats in a different place everyday) … I need to stock up on frut and veggies since we seem to be going through those a lot!
Ordered. Done and done. LOL! 😀
Hi Nina,
We’re lucky enough to have a few farmer’s markets throughout the week too. They usually have food vendors along with the fruit/veggies/etc., so we grab some dinner and then do our shopping. Summer fruit is THE BEST so I usually hit up those stands first, although I do like going to the Asian produce vendor to get all the veggies that I can’t get at TJ’s (long beans, etc.).
I think you’ll like the powder. There’s also another version of the color called Silver Dusk that’s great too. I’ll unsung hero it in a few!
Have a great Wednesday! Are you having a good work week so far? I hope so!
So pretty on you! Is there another option for us fair skinned girls? Something that does the same thing, but in a lighter color?
Hi Stef Smith,
Yes, there’s another shade called Silver Dusk. I’ll have it up in the Unsung Heroes series shortly. 🙂
I have this! Timely post, I was just thinking of chucking it out. I haven’t worn it since a wedding circa 2008. *is old*
I used to wear it on my clavicle and shoulders to give a strapless dress some glow. I like the idea of using it in lotion and on face however. Never occurred to me!
Rock on Karen!
Hi Indoorkitty,
LOL, I got married in 2006…I must be ancient.
So, let me know how your experiments go. I think you will love this on the upper cheekbones! Do you have a brush like the MAC 224? I tried a bunch of them and that one was the best for highlighting in that area.
I am usually nc20 I wonder if this will still look ok on lighter skin tones? It had such a gorgeous shimmer!
Hi Glamorous Mama,
I think you could easily pull this off. I kinda built it up in the swatch so the color would show clearly, but if you applied it sparingly you could rock this.
I’ve actually never thought of these tricks, awesome idea!
You’re welcome, Tina! Have a great week. 🙂
I think I have this gem in my collection. Thanks for shedding some light on its multiple uses.