Lightsweep.
No, it’s not the name of a Transformer or an evil supervillain (far as I know), but it is a very appropriate name for this highlighting face powder.
Whenever I wear Lightsweep (I don’t know why, but that name cracks me up!), I do kind of feel like I’m being illuminated by soft beams of light.
Really flattering light — not hard or harsh streaks of noonday desert sun.
I’ve been wearing it as a highlighter and an under-eye concealer a lot over the past month, all thanks to Mr. White…which is to say that I’ve been marathoning Breaking Bad lately, and Lightsweep has saved me after quite a few late nights (seriously, Mr. White could REALLY use a life coach!).
After waking up bleary-eyed, I’d put on my face paint and use Lightsweep to set my concealer. Then it’s, “Hello, bright eyes!” Just like a Jetoy Choo Choo Cat (my latest obsession).
Lightsweep, like the fictitious supervillain I just invented, is one of those secret squirrel MAC products that can be tough to find, but it’s SO worth tracking down.
Like the other Shaping Powders ($16.50 each), it’s a MAC Pro product, so it isn’t carried at regular MAC counters. It lives at MAC Pro Stores and online.
So what is it exactly?
This: a warm-toned, finely-milled face powder with a whisper of barely-there shimmer. It highlights skin with a delicate sheen — none of that greasy or oily-looking business you get with some highlighting powders. You can also use to set under-eye concealer, and brighten the under-eye area without going over the top.
At first glance in its pan, you might be like, “Wha? Really now, Karen? I don’t get it,” and your heart may not be thumping like it does when RyGos wears a striped tank top.
I feel ya…but wait! Pat it under your eyes, on top of your regular concealer (I usually pair it with MAC Pro Longwear), and I think you’ll understand.
I like to take into the “triangle” area…
No, not the one by Bermuda. 🙂 I’m referring to the triangle area under my lashes that runs along the side of my nose, from the tip of one nostril out to the outer corner of the eye on the same side.
Give that a try, and then step back from the mirror. Take a good look, and you should see a soft, diffused, natural-looking highlight under your eyes. Oh, so glowy.
As if that wasn’t enough, Lightsweep doesn’t settle into my fine lines or appear heavy or caked-on (the grains are very fine), and it doesn’t dry out my combination skin. Once applied, it stays put, too. No need to touch up for the rest the day.
If you have dark under-eye circles or more mature skin and are looking for brightening products that don’t emphasize pores or fine lines, Lightsweep is a fantastic product to have in your makeup bag.
By the way, the Shaping Powders come in other shades, too, if you’re interested. If your skin is lighter than NC42, check out Emphasize and Accentuate, and if you’re a darker diva, peep Warm Light and Soft Focus.
The Shaping Powders come in a regular MAC pan, so you’ll want to keep them safe in a palette. I keep mine in a MAC Pro Palette/Large ($8), with a $2 Pro Palette Blush X6 Insert. Each one holds six pans.
My latest cat lady obsession: Jetoy Choo Choo Cats!
How cute are these kitties?!
SO CUTE!
I’m all sorts of obsessed with these Jetoy Choo Choo Cats. From what I gather, Jetoy is a Korean brand, and the Choo Choo Cats are all over the place over there — on postcards, calendars, stickers, office supplies, etc.
They haven’t been that easy to find in the U.S., but I have spotted a few on amazon.com.
I’m thinking of ordering a daily planner — ya know, to help Tabs get organized. 🙂
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: Texture Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Saddle Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Cork Eye Shadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Fleur Power Blush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Swiss Chocolate Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Costa Riche Eye Kohl
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Extra Dimension Eye Shadow in Havana
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Chicory Lip Pencil
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Smoked Almond Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Half ‘n Half Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Chili Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Coffee Eye Pencil
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Mineralize Skinfinish in Global Glow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Extra Dimension Eye Shadow in Havana
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour in Burnt Spice
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Mineralize Foundation/Loose
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Giddy Lustre Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Amorous Alloy Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Texture Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Prep + Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Swiss Chocolate Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Saddle Eyeshadow
- Unsung Heroes: MAC In Extra Dimension Waterproof Mascara
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Minted Eye Kohl
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Take the Plunge Technakohl Liner
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Cork Eye Shadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: 221 Mini Tapered Blending Brush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Matchmaster Shade Intelligence Compact
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Oh My Mocha Eye Shadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Pro Longwear Waterproof Colour Stick in Lilacked
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Satin Taupe Eye Shadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: High Tea Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Blooz Eye Kohl
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Fleur Power Blush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Layin’ Low Paint Pot
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Constructivist Paint Pot
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Prep + Prime Fix+
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Persistence Matte Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadow in Brownluxe
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Costa Riche Eye Kohl
- MAC Unsung Heroes: The Studio Chromagraphic Pencils
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Brun Eye Shadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Staunchly Stylish Pro Longwear Lip Pencil
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Warm Soul Mineralize Blush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Reflects Antique Gold Glitter
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Style Blush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Shaping Powder in Lightsweep
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Painterly
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Era Eye Shadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Bronze Eye Shadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Honey Lust Eye Shadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Sun Rush Lustre Drops
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Nice Buzz Plushglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: 33 Lash
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Shale Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Harmony Blush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Careblends Pressed Powder
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Fulfilled Plushglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Bamboom Paint
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Sublime Nature Paint
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Face and Body Foundation
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Prunella Eye Kohl
- MAC Unsung Heroes: The 239 Eye Shader Brush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Greensmoke Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Ample Pink Plushglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Indianwood Paint Pot
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Bare Study Paint Pot
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Rubenesque Paint Pot
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Tarnish Eye Kohl
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Big Baby Plushglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Kohl Power Pencil Liner in Feline
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Format Blush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Ambering Rose Blush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Iridescent Powder/Loose in Silver Dusk
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Iridescent Powder/Loose in Golden Bronze
- MAC Unsung Heroes: C-Thru Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Fresh Flare Pro Longwear Eye Shadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Viva Glam V Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Loud & Lovely Cremesheen Glass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Viva Glam VI Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Breezy Sheertone Shimmer Blush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Care Blends Essential Oils, Grapefruit + Chamomile
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Prep + Prime Vibrancy Eye Primer
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Right Image Cremesheen Glass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Modesty Cremesheen Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Double Dare Cremesheen Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Bamboo Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Speak Louder Cremesheen Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Sandy B Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Club Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Uniform Technakohl Liner
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Sweet Satisfaction Pro Longwear Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Red Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Lady Danger Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Tempting Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Ruby Woo Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Retrospeck Eyeshadow
It does look like a nice setting powder for concealer. Your makeup looks flawless! I may have to check out these shaping powders!
It is an Unsung Hero and I can see how someone might not be impressed with it just by swatching it but after you apply it to your face then the magic begins. I am really happy I bought it after your reccomendation.
Oh, that does look nice. Definitely something I could look into in the future.
Great post. I am going to try this lightsweep, looks like magic. mywhiteT.com
I’ve been eyeing these powders as well as the ones for contouring. I feel like my face lacks shape, and some subtle highlighting and contouring can hopefully do the trick for me.
Do you know if there’s a way to buy an empty compact pan for this? I know you can get a pro pan palette that would hold it, but the way my makeup is set up right now I’d do best just having it alone. I think I’ll probably end up with Accentuate and not lightsweep, but they’re all gorgeous. And half the price of one of the hourglass ones!
You look so pretty!
That Cat with the Pearl Earring – wonderful! Such a cute, funny picture. 🙂
It looks like a nice highlighter! (Although I don’t use powders much this time of year, so dehydrated right now!)
but OMG those cats!
Karen, speaking of highlighting products, I was lucky enough to win a hard to come by Cream Color Base from RiRi Woo a couple of months ago. I was thrilled to win, but since I received the product, I’m not sure how to use it. Is it a highlighting products, or should it be used as an all-over base under foundation? I’ve been flummoxed by it. I guess I should just try it different ways, but I am a highlighter novice. thanks for any help!:)
Do you have any recommendations for a pinky coral MAC blush? I don’t have any MAC counters in my area and can’t trust the colors I see online. I’m also looking for a peachy nude color, if you have any recommendations. Thanks Karen!
Hi! Long time lurker, first time commenter here. I ended up replacing a lot of my makeup over the holidays, since one of my New Year’s resolutions is to try to look more pulled together every day. I splurged on the Hourglass Dim Light compact (Sephora was out of the special compact with three colors in there) and the marketing got to me since I’m an amateur photographer as well. My question is, how are you supposed to use it? I picked Dim Light because it was matte and I didn’t want a bunch of micro-glitter on my face (I just stopped wearing Nars Orgasm because my husband would play the ‘sparkle game’ at night after I washed my face whenever he found a fleck of glitter). Granted, I realize there are a lot of different ways to wear something, but are the Hourglass and Mac powders supposed to go all over your face or just in certain spots?
I know this was an old comment but thought I would just reply to say that you can use these powders any way you like. They are good to set undereye, as a subtle highlighter on cheeks, down nose and on brow bone or dusted all over the face. The effect is subtle and hard to overdo. They just seem to soften your look especially if you use matte powders or foundation. I’ve learned from just trying it out.
Beautiful post <3
You just HAD to go and find another Cat Lady obsession thing for me to crave… drool over… obsess about… didn’t you?! 😀
(btw… my El Hub doesn’t know it yet, but he’s totes getting me one of the sweet little cosmetic bags for my Valentine’s prezzie, lol.)
I just bought the Lightsweep Shaping Powder yesterday then came online to find reviews and came across your old post. Its probably very similar to the Hourglass Dim Light (which I have in the palette of 3) but the girl brushed it under my eyes and I just loved it so I bought it on the spot! Can’t wait to play with it more. I’m NC35 and it works on my skin tone for reference.