I know this post is long overdue, since the Mac To The Beach collection came out more than a year ago, but I would still like to share some pictures with you guys because they are simply irresistible.
The Mac Marine Life High-Light Powder is embossed with a seahorse and seaweed pattern. The gold overspray is what makes this compact look so lavishing and too pretty to touch; however, after 1 or 2 swipes, it's gone and the compact doesn't look so attractive anymore. By the way, the overspray didn't change the color of the product. It just made it look more shimmery.
I don't know why Mac calls it a "highlight powder" because when I mix the dark coral and light pink color together, it's too dark for me to use as a highlight, and when I use the light pink color alone to apply on top of my cheekbones, it just looks shimmery. It doesn't give me a nice glow or sheen that other highlighters give me. So, I basically use Marine Life as a blush.
With Flash
When swatched on my arm, Marine Life and Mac Surf, Baby! My Paradise (without gold overlay) are definitely not dupes. My Paradise (review & swatches) leans more towards the coral side with a hint of a reddish undertone, while Marine Life has a much stronger pink undertone to it. I would describe the color as a bright pink with a fuschia undertone when swatched heavily. When applied onto the face, Marine Life is pinkier compared to My Paradise (with gold overlay), which looks more coral with a hint of orange.
Indoor Lighting near Window
As for Burberry Blossom No.05 (review & swatches), it looks lighter and it's not as vibrant as Marine Life when swatched. (I find it interesting that when I swatch Blossom next to the other 2 blushes, it doesn't look as coral as when I swatch it next to Burberry Rose No.03: review & swatches). However, Marine Life and Blossom look quite similar when applied side by side on the face, except that Marine Life has a little more pink tone to it, but the difference is barely noticeable. They both look semi-matte indoors, but shimmery under direct sunlight. (They may not look like dupes in the swatch pictures because I swatched Marine Life with a heavy hand, but when applied side by side on the face, I would consider them dupes.)
Direct Sunlight
As for application, I need to use a fluffy brush, like my Sonia Kashuk Blusher brush (review) and a light hand when I apply Marine Life because if I go overboard, it becomes to difficult to blend out (even if I use my setting powder to blend it out). Also, when I over apply it, the color looks strongly pink, which looks REALLY unflattering on my complexion. It only looks good when I use a light hand. For reference, I'm a Mac NC30/35, Dior Forever 021 mixed with 031, MUFE HD 127 and L'oreal True Match W4.
Indoor Lighting with Shade
If you're lucky, you can still find Marine Life at a CCO. It's unfortunate that the gorgeous gold overspray doesn't go all the way through the pan. This might be something to lust after if you're a collector and don't plan on using it.
Note: It retails $26 for 10g.
Do you have Marine Life?
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