M∙A∙C Stereo Rose Mineralize Skin Finish - Why the Fuss?

You would have thought M∙A∙C's Stereo Rose Mineralize Skin Finish was the last blusher on earth! It sold out faster than a comet streaking through the universe. The build-up to its introduction with the In the Groove Collection made a lot of women - myself included - order it the minute it was available. Of course, those who had pre-ordered it were the first to get their hands on it (not counting the bloggers and others who received Stereo Rose gratis). At the stores, if you hadn't pre-ordered, you were out of luck. The M∙A∙C store at Tysons had a line at the door when they opened the day In the Groove "went live." On M∙A∙C's Web site, where I ordered mine, Stereo Rose sold out in a few hours.

When I ordered, I got it - or I thought I had. My confirmation e-mail listed it. My order came without it. It was then that I started reviewing my e-mails and found that M∙A∙C had sent one telling me that it was backordered and that I would receive it in about two weeks. I didn't believe it. I was sure that was a nice way of saying, "You snooze, you lose. We'll apologize later." Turns out I was wrong. Last week, a box carrying Stereo Rose arrived on a Friday afternoon. I was amazed.

My first reaction when I saw it was that it was misnamed. It didn't appear to be rose. It looked coral. I looked at it for awhile, trying to decide whether to put it on eBay. Finally, I decided to try it, making it eligible only as a slightly used gift to one of my friends if I didn't like it. The verdict? I like it - it's pretty, but I just don't understand the fuss! Why was Stereo Rose so special? For that matter, other than its beauty with that pretty seahorse design, what attracted people to the Marine Life compact? The color of Marine Life was harshly coral - not an easy shade for many women to wear. I'm now convinced that the media and bloggers whip up a kind of M∙A∙C hysteria, creating demand that exceeds the supply of M∙A∙C's often limited-edition, here-today-gone-tomorrow introductions.

I really like Mineralize Skin Finish (and Mineralize Blush). The sheer, slightly shimmering ("sheen" is a good descriptor), and long-lasting color are great features. I have a few shades that are gorgeous. My favorite is Blonde (introduced early in 2009), a warm pink that warms my skin without too much peach. Stereo Rose is pretty; it's just a bit too peachy for my face. That doesn't mean it won't look fabulous on thousands of women. It's pretty. I just don't understand the fuss.

Here are some photos to show you two things: 1) how incredibly sheer Mineralize Skin Finish is, giving you control to build as much color as you desire, and 2) Stereo Rose compared to Blonde to give you a reference point so that you can see the peach/coral in the shade. Most of the bloggers who swatched Stereo Rose applied it very heavily - or wet. I applied it on my arm a bit heavier than I might have on my face, but not radically heavy. On my arm above, Blonde is on the left; Stereo Rose is on the right.

To the right are closer shots of each. Stereo Rose is above Blonde. Check out the heaviest application (brush dump, if you can see it) of Stereo Rose in the top right-hand corner of the photo where it's not blended well. Now, look at Blonde and see how much pink it carries.

Which should be named "rose"? Stereo Rose should have been named Stereo Coral, or Coral Crazy. How 'bout Coral Hysteria?

Anyhow, I was glad to get it. I'll use it, but probably not often. It's not the best shade for my fair, cool skin. I hope that my order didn't deprive someone who would look fabulous in it - someone who was dejected because she didn't get it. I feel a bit silly for joining the lemmings. Fortunately, it wasn't expensive. M∙A∙C's cosmetics are very reasonably priced. Next time, I'll remember the lessons that titles don't count and the hysteria may be just that - hysteria.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty