MAC Cosmetics is my go-to brand for blush, so I had to check out their new talc-free Skinfinish Colourstruck Blush formula. They have released two finishes, matte and radiant, and I got one of each to try. In the radiant finish, I have CB96, and in the matte finish, I have Cheeky Chili. For reference, I have a medium-dark skin tone (NARS Tahoe/Estee Lauder 4W4 (pre-2026 formula) with an olive undertone. So, keep that in mind as you consider how these shades look on me. In the pictures, I don’t have bronzer or highlighter on, so you can just see the blushes.

While I love both shades I picked, I’m more impressed with the radiant shade CB96. I do have a preference for a satin finish, so that doesn’t surprise me. CB96 doesn’t accentuate texture any more than anything with sheen will, and it builds and blends a bit more easily than the matte formula. It is normal for something with shimmer to blend more easily than a matte finish, so nothing out of the ordinary.

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**MAC Skinfinish Colourstruck Blush CB96, $34

**MAC Cosmetics

	$ Sale Price $ 34.00 Regular Price
MAC – Skinfinish Colourstruck Blush

**Bloomingdale’s

	$ Sale Price $ 34.00 Regular Price
MAC Skinfinish Colourstruck Blush

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**MAC Skinfinish Colourstruck Blush Cheeky Chili, $34

**MAC Cosmetics

	$ Sale Price $ 34.00 Regular Price
MAC – Skinfinish Colourstruck Blush

**Bloomingdale’s

	$ Sale Price $ 34.00 Regular Price
MAC Skinfinish Colourstruck Blush

The Skinifish Colourstruck formula is pigmented enough, but not as pigmented as the old formula with talc. I don’t think the matte finish looks quite as healthy on the skin, but I might just be being overly picky since I love the original formula so much. I do need to set my foundation before using these, though; they can grip onto foundation pretty easily, although they do blend out eventually. The old formula is more forgiving for me over unset foundation somehow. I haven’t had any longevity issues; they wear well, and I can see the full color for the 8 to 10 hours I typically wear foundation. The size is smaller (4.5g vs 6g), and the compact is flatter rather than domed. It feels sturdy enough, but since it is smaller, my first reaction was that it felt a little cheap or like a mini version.

I’ve seen some people complain about kick-up with the formula, and I didn’t have that issue. I mostly use the Sonia G Fundamental Classic Cheek and Soft Cheek natural hair brushes, though, so maybe that helped keep the powder from being disturbed too much. The only synthetic brush I’ve used the formula with so far is the **Sigma F11 Soft Sculpt Brush ($36), but I still didn’t have any noticeable kick-up.

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**MAC Skinfinish Colourstruck Blush CB96 and Cheeky Chili Comparisons

The MUFE, old MAC, and Pat McGrath are also matte formulas. But beyond that, there are no formula dupes here. I just wanted to give you some context for the shades; these were the closest I had to compare them to. MUFE has a looser press than these, so it is more pigmented and quicker to apply (unless you like a light or softer application). The Pat McGrath is more pigmented, but some of mine have a harder press like the old MAC formula (Divine Rose III, Electric Bloom), and others are looser, and I have to be more careful with (Paradise Venus, Lovestruck). Although my Electric Bloom is newer, it may become more similar to Paradise Venus and Lovestruck as the design wears off. But that hasn’t been the case for Divine Rose III, so who knows? 😆

For me, MAC still dominates the blush category. The shade selection is amazing; there are about 5 others I could have bought to try. The formula, while less pigmented and more buildable than before, is still great. I enjoy this formula, and I’d recommend it. The MAC Skinfinish Colourstruck Blushes are $34, and available at **Bloomingdale’s, ** MAC Cosmetics, Macy’s, Nordstrom, and **Ulta.

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Thanks for reading! If you’ve tried the new MAC blushes, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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If you’d like to check out more of my content, here are some places to start. 

• Blush Index
• Brands A-Z
• Bronzer & Highlighter Index
• Brush Index
• Concealer Ranking
• Eyeshadow Index
• Foundation Round-Up
• Lipstick Index
• Makeup Storage and Organization Ideas
• My Favorite Makeup
• Powder Round-Up

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