I Tested This €31 MAC Highlighter Against A €5.50 Dupe And Was Pretty Surprised With The Results

One thing I can’t resist splurging on come payday (or any time of the month, let’s be honest) is make-up. And while I love a good budget-friendly cosmetics dupe, they’re not always reliable.

Yes, I’ve been left pretty annoyed a few times after shelling out €€€ on a new product to find out that the own-brand pharmacy version will do just as good a job for a fifth of the price. But in the same vein, I’ve lost count of how much money I’ve wasted on cheap-ass bronzer/foundation/mascara that just didn’t live up to the real deal.

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So with that in mind, I decided to put two products to the test that were very similar on the surface but had a massive price difference – in this case MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Highlighting Powder, €31, and Catrice High Glow Mineral Highlighting Powder, €5.50.

Two mineral highlighting powders that promise to give your skin a dewy glow. But which one is the better product?

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish, €31, Brown Thomas

Before we even get to how it works, just take a look at that pearly sheen. How could I not buy it? The compact itself was difficult enough to open – I found I needed to lift it at the sweet spot to open it, which was a bit annoying given I’m usually in a rush in the mornings.

I applied the product with a fan brush to my cheekbones, cupid’s bow, inner corner of my eyes and the tip of my nose. It blended seamlessly, but I did need to apply it pretty heavily to get a noticeable finish. It really is more of a skin illuminator than a full on highlighter.

Once it was on though, it caught the light really well in pictures, and lasted fairly well throughout the day – especially on my cheekbones and nose.

Catrice High Glow Mineral Highlighting Powder, €5.50, Penneys and pharmacies nationwide

Another pearly glow that had me falling in love. The packaging doesn’t look quite as sturdy as MAC though – I reckon the lid would snap off if opened too forcefully.

The powder seemed more pigmented than MAC, so I didn’t apply it too heavily, with just a quick once-over and an extra swipe on the cheekbones for good luck. The immediate look was softly glowy, not sparkly, just as you would expect from a mineral product.

Twelve hours later, and I wished I had applied it more heavily, as the glow had completely faded except for a small amount on my cheekbones. Grrrr.

Conclusion

If I’m being honest, the products weren’t all that different. Yes, MAC had more wearability, but I had to use more product to get a proper glow, so it depends what you prefer in your highlighters.

After putting them head to head I personally prefer the MAC version, but if you’re stuck for cash you won’t find any issues with Catrice’s dupe, as long as you’re happy to re-apply once or twice during the day.

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