Dupe or No Dupe?

Sorry, I couldn't help with the pun-intended title. AHAHAHA there I go again with the puns!
Okay, okay enough goofing around... If you haven't already guessed, today's post revolves around a dupe! I'm usually not one to fuss about dupes but since winning Tracy's (of Beauty Reflection) Christmas contest, I thought it would only be right to find a suitable dupe for the prize I won - which many many beauty junkies are still going crazy over. Maybe this includes you.
So what did I win? Answer: the highly coveted, lemming-worthy, yet unfortunately LIMITED EDITION - MAC Mineralize Skinfish in Stereo Rose!I read a few dupe alerts & comparisons for the MAC MSF in Stereo Rose but none ever convinced me & there's a good reason why. Stereo Rose is special and no matter how hard you try to convince yourself you've found a twin, there's nothing like Stereo Rose. Nothing. But me being me, I couldn't resist the temptations of trying just this one time.
It all happened when I took a day trip across the border last Sunday & stumbled into Rite Aid. I came across an unofficial Stereo Rose dupe by Wet n Wild and at $3.99, it wouldn't hurt to try. The drugstore, wallet-friendly dupe is supposedly Wet n Wild's Ultimate Minerals Bronzer in 167 Amber Glow. This is unavailable in Canada as far as I know (I've scoured Wal-Mart, Superstore, and Zellers but no luck on my side).

Without further adieu, photos in 3... 2.. 1!

Left-to-Right:
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Stereo Rose, Wet n Wild Ultimate Minerals Bronzer in 167 Amber Glow.

What a shame, right? Right from the get-go, I knew Amber Glow wasn't going to fare well against Stereo Rose. Stereo Rose is less brown & overall brighter. When swatched, Stereo Rose comes off as a bright orange but when blended on the cheeks, it's more of a soft orange-coral. Amber Rose on the other hand is a brown-orange with no hint of coral or peachy-ness to it.
If I blend both products, they are more suited as fraternal twins than identical. The shimmer Stereo Rose is more prominent but both Stereo Rose & Amber Glow impart a sweet glow with a hint of warmth to create that sun-kissed, summer-girl complexion! It can be overdone so watch those heavy hands. I'm warning you! Neither are bad in formula or pigmentation; excellently milled & pigmented in fact!
Cost wise, Wet n Wild wins at $3.99USD for 5 grams versus MAC at $28USD for 10 grams. Even when you buy two pots of Wet n Wild's Amber Glow, it still costs less than half of a fraction of a MAC MSF! However, Amber Glow isn't a perfect dupe so why bother? :(

It's quite obvious but to finish this comparison off I'll remind you again that we've got a "No Dupe".
Can I still recommend Wet n Wild Ultimate Bronzer in 167 Amber Glow? Nope.
Why? The shimmers. I'm more of a matte girl but when I'm lookin' for that glow within, I stick to highlighters & loose powders with very little shimmer to do the job. A bronzer or blush with shimmers already in it tend to accentuate my acne or problematic skin. Most people aren't born with the best skin so it's best to avoid overly shimmery products such as Amber Glow.

Hope this comparison was useful. Thanks for reading!