23 5 / 2011
M.A.C MAGICALLY COOL LIQUID POWDER
A silky, feather-light powder, formulated with 70% water, dusts on to the skin as a cooling mist to set and enhance the look of any foundation. Beyond sheer: light-reflecting and translucent. A virtually invisible way to add luminosity and a soft radiant glow to the skin.
It’s back! The MAC Magically Cool Liquid Powder is a re-launch from the 2010 Venomous Villains collection, and now it’s here for good. As part of the permanent range, I can definitely see it becoming a popular cult product because it’s just so unique compared to other powders on the market!
I purchased the Magically Cool Liquid Powder in Truth & Light, described by MAC as a ‘sheer shimmer that reflects silver and pink’ for $68 at Smith & Caughey’s, after a MAC Techniques session that cost $120 redeemable on products. The other shades are Honey Rose, a ‘sheer rosy beige with multi-dimensional shimmer’ and Cajun, a ‘sheer bronze shimmer that reflects gold’.
The first time I applied it, it surprised me - even though ‘liquid’ is in the name, I didn’t truly expect it to feel like liquid! But when I swirled it on with my Artiste Retractable Blush Brush (I’ve also used it with MAC Duo Fibre Brush), I initially thought I’d accidentally gotten my brush wet, until I realised it was the powder itself - it literally feels like water on your skin. So the formulation of this powder is definitely incredibly unique and I can see it as being this product’s main selling point.
In terms of actually using it, you already know it feels amazing - very cool; very refreshing and light. It’s definitely a joy to apply! However, I’m not sure it’s 100% necessary to stay as part of my daily routine and if I would re-purchase it. That’s because it feels refreshing when applied, which is the most obvious difference from other powders, but the refreshing feel doesn’t stay. Perhaps it is only my combination skin type, but it doesn’t do much to nourish my dry areas, such as my cheeks. I do love that it subtly evens out my overall skin tone, which means it’d be perfect for no make-up days - I’d probably recommend pairing it with a SPF tinted moisturiser with a layer of the Magically Cool Liquid Powder on top! It’s also a great way to set make-up if your make-up is prone to fading throughout the day.
I’d also agree with its claim to add luminosity and a soft, radiant glow to skin - the finish is beautiful! To bring out more of your skin’s natural luminosity, I’d recommend a daily gentle exfoliating cleanser/scrub, and used with this powder, it’ll create the perfect, natural-looking complexion. Be careful not to apply too much, though - in areas where I over-applied, it caked (only slightly), even with primer on.
Overall I’d recommend this product for those looking for a powder application that feels amazing and is lightweight and softly luminous - not heavy. However I wouldn’t recommend it as an essential or necessity if you already own a finishing powder that works for you. For me, I would’ve still preferred a powder that provided a little more coverage or warms my skin tone, so perhaps next time if I do re-purchase, Cajun would be a better choice over Truth & Light!
Here is a printscreen of the product shade from MAC’s website (currently under the “What’s New” section, and a photo of the real product.
(It’s normally hard to get this amount out but I think it’s a result of being carried around in my bag!) 
Apart from this product, after my MAC Techniques session I made up the rest of the $120 on the new Nail Lacquer in Ice Cream Cake ($26) from the MAC Quite Cute collection that just hit stores in New Zealand, and a pair of MAC 1 Lashes ($26) - a pair of natural length, dense lashes; so not extra long but extra voluminous. I will also be reviewing MAC Mineralize Blush in Giggly from the new Quite Cute collection ($56), which I purchased as a birthday gift for a friend who is thankfully willing to let me borrow it for reviewing!
Nail Lacquer in Ice Cream Cake and Mineralize Blush in Giggly from the Quite Cute collection
MAC 1 Lash
