These MAC Prep+Prime Highlighter Pens should really Be Called PERK+Prime! miracle workers

Ta-da! using the MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter pens ($26 each) to “pep up” my under-eyes
I’m guessing that by now you’re all getting tired of hearing me bang on about how tired I am.

But really, it’s a vicious cycle. I recently read a meme on Facebook (don’t judge me) while scrolling through my feed during the wee hours of sleeplessness with a fussy baby that read, “Parenting is the constant battle between going to bed to catch up on some sleep or staying awake to finally get some alone time.”

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L-O-L, is that ever true!

Hopefully for this tired mama, MAC’s new $26 Prep+Prime Highlighter click pens can help. They’re supposed to “effectively [bring] a soft, sheer wash of colour to skin.”

But first, can we briefly pause to appreciate the shimmering — dare I say sexy? — packaging? I’m in love with these boxes and tubes…

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বিড়াল এবং মেকআপ sweatshirt ??

$ 42.

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The MAC Prep + Prime Highlighters in all their glittery packaged glory!
Out of focus (on purpose) because I love the tiny shimmers in the packaging!
Available in nine shades (including two correctors in peach and rose) to suit a wide range of skin tones, the Prep+Prime Highlighters are MAC’s answer to YSL’s eponymous Touche Eclat Stylo. Creamy and easy to apply thanks to the gentle brush head from which the product is dispensed, these highlighters do dry down quickly and oxidize slightly to a somewhat deeper tone than I’d expect based on the swatches.

Although the two shades on the right are just too deep for my complexion, any of the first three on the left would suit my skin tone, depending on what I want and need. The one called Light, for instance, is a classic highlighting concealer, while medium would be better suited to cancel out the blue tones under my eyes.

MAC Prep + Prime Highlighters (L-R): Light, Medium, medium Plus, Dark, Dark Deep

In true tired-working-mom-yet-adamant-makeup-lover fashion, I was bitten by the urge to play with makeup just after bedtime on Wednesday.

“Bedtime shmedtime,” I thought to myself and decided that there would be no better time to test the illuminating powers of MAC’s Prep+Prime Highlighters.

The makeup you see below in the first shot is true, un-touched-up 14-hour makeup after parenting and a long day at work. While I’m generally pleased with how it held up, I wouldn’t be so thrilled with the evident signs of fatigue in my under-eye area if I chose to go out for a date night with my husband.

MAC Prep+Prime Highlighter in Light to the rescue! A few pats of this illuminating concealer under my eyes and around my nose, and a quick re-powder, and my makeup looked new again.

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And I’ll let you in on a little secret… After loyally using YSL’s Touche Eclat for years, I think I may like MAC’s rendition better!

You caught me yawning! My makeup looks about as tired as I feel after a long day at work and an early morning with two kiddos.
In action, topping off my lived-in makeup with a little bit of glow!
I can’t say enough about these MAC Prep+Prime Highlighters. I’ve already given two of them to fellow tired mom pals who are always looking for purse-friendly pick-me-ups, and I will most certainly be repurchasing Light once it’s clicked its last click.

Do you have a go-to “quick fix” for your makeup after a long day?