Neat and New to Me
Unlike my Unsung Heroes series, which features permanent collection products I’ve known and loved a long time, the Neat and New to Me series showcases permanent collection products that slipped under my radar for a while, but then I discovered them! — and now I think they’re neat and new to me.
Is this real life?
Am I dreaming?
Somebody pinch me, please, because I can’t tell if MAC Sheertone Blush in Pinch Me ($22 for a 0.21-oz. pan) really is as good as I think it might be.
It’s a medium-toned matte rosy brown coral in the MAC Blush family, and I wore it all weekend long on my trip to Napa with the girls. Not once did Jen or Cindy ask, “Are you ready yet?” or dramatically sigh/groan (code for “Karen, hurry up!”).
You see, they’re both very low-maintenance (their idea of putting on makeup for dinner involves lip balm), so I’m the odd duck, and they always give me crap about taking forever to get ready (the truth is, they’re totally right). Since I knew I wouldn’t be able to dilly-dally when getting ready on this trip, I packed products I knew I’d be able to use quickly — among them tinted moisturizer, under-eye concealer, mascara, brow filler, gloss and MAC Pinch Me Blush.
What makes Pinch Me such a good get-ready-quick blush?
Well, unlike MAC Gingerly and Coppertone, which both lean toward warm peach, Pinch Me’s rosy brown coral tones make it work better, I think, with a wider range of colors — pretty much any lip color I ever have with me in my purse — and despite being highly pigmented, it doesn’t take an Olympic-caliber wrist workout to blend. All it takes is one, or sometimes two, layers for all-day wear.
So I think it’s more versatile.
If you decide to take it for a spin, try applying it with a MAC Duo Fibre Face Brush, or something like it, instead of a standard blush brush. Pinch Me is so pigmented that you might go overboard with it if you aren’t careful.
Sometimes when I just grab whichever rand-o blush brush is within reach and use that to apply it, I end up looking like Lady Esmerelda, the animatronic fortune teller at the beach boardwalk arcade…
I think it’s easier to hold back on the amount of pigment I use when I use a Duo Fibre brush. Do yourself a solid, and grab a skunk brush to help this beautiful blush work its magic.
PRICE: $22
AVAILABILITY: Available now in the MAC permanent line online and at MAC stores and counters
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A- (pretty and pigmented, and pretty pigmented, but be careful which brush you use to apply it)
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I love Unsung Heroes, and Neat & New is a great twist. If I had to pick a couple “Neat & New” from MAC, I would say Texture eyeshadow (how did I go so long without it!!!) and Modesty lipstick :-). It’s so fun to discover something new that’s permanent and not LE!
Ah Pinch Me was my first blush purchase from MAC, it brings back good memories 🙂
This is so lovely! I’ve always admired Mac blushes, good to know they’re of good quality!
This one looks lovely. The pigmented part is what caught my attention. Translation: brown girl friendly. Totes love this series 🙂
You are just making my MAC list longer and longer lol! I already want a few of the new blushes but now I also want this one and the other blush you just discovered. They seem like great colors to add to my collection
Gorgeous blush. I love the soft pink glow. I”m all for low maintenance blushes!
i love Gingerly but was thinking of adding another Mac blush to my unnecessary collection lol. Was thinking Melba but now Pinch Me looks perfect! How would you say Pinch Me compares to Melba? I’m an NC35/NC40. Thanks!!
So gorgeous!
So pretty! I like this one a lot, looks great on your skin!
Lovely post 🙂
xx
It’s a very pretty blush and I’m glad to hear that it’s Jen and Cindy approved. 🙂 I have to admit that I’m worse than both of them because I even skip the lip balm sometimes. It comes off in no time when the eating/drinking begin. HAHA!
Love this series, because sometimes it’s so easy to forget that MAC has some great permanent items while chasing after their countless LEs!
I recently had a makeover at a counter and the MUA used one of the prolongwear blushes on me. It was so nice and I’d never consciouly seen it before. Ooops!
I love the color on your skin, I’d need to swatch it personally!
Sheertones are my favorite matte blush formulation! I wear Breath of Plum and Blushbaby a lot. This seems like a great new fall shade that I should try, hmm now to find a matchy matchy lipstick (not that I do that all the time but I like the ability).
Pinch Me is one of my favorites! I think I misplaced it during our last move though sadly. It looks gorgeous on you! I’m always taking notes on colors that work for you since I’m close to NC40 and similar to your complexion. I’ve been hearing you rave about Chanel JC Malice for such a long time and recently bought it. I absolutely LOVE it! And its my first JC blush! Thanks Karen.