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MAC Chen Man Love & Water Collection: Nail Lacquers Review, Photos, Swatches

Thursday, February 23rd, 2012

MAC Nail Lacquer
MAC Breezy Blue Nail & Pinkly Fresh Nail Lacquers

MAC Chen Man Love & Water Collection: Nail Lacquers

There are two MAC Nail Lacquers ($16.00 for 0.30 fl. oz.) in the new Love & Water Collection, and they include: Breezy Blue (dark blue) and Pinkly Fresh (mid-tone blue pink).

Breezy Blue is a deep purple-tinted navy blue with a cream finish. I applied two coats (and three coats on the middle finger), but I wasn’t able to get complete opacity. Illamasqua Force is similar but a little lighter. shu uemura Bleu Splendor is darker. Deborah Lippmann I Know What Boys Like is very similar. The formula was watery and thin, so three coats is really necessary in order to eliminate visible nail line.

Pinkly Fresh is a subtly blue-based pastel pink with a cream finish. Essie French Affair is very similar, perhaps a touch lighter. The formula is so, so thick on this one. The first coat was incredibly streaky, and only when I applied a really thick second coat was I able to get a streak-free result. Because of the thicker consistency, drying time seemed longer than average. I used two coats for swatches, though the second coat was deliberately thick, and it was opaque.

I’m not keen on the formula on either of these. At this price point, the formula really needs to be immaculate or else the color out of this world to justify it. How many blue and pink creams are there on the market?

P.S. — Apologies in advance:  I’m super sick, and when I’m under the weather, my hands tend to get really dry, so they are rather tired-looking in these photos!  

Where to Buy: MAC Cosmetics, $16 each (March 1st)

The Glossover

C

Both shades had a problematic formula, so I would pass on these, because the colors are not unique enough to justify the extra patience, coats, etc. to make these work at this price point.

Product

7/10

Pigmentation

8.5/10

Texture

6/10

Longevity

9/10

Application

3/5

Packaging

4/5

See more photos & swatches!

MAC Nail Lacquer
MAC Breezy Blue Nail & Pinkly Fresh Nail Lacquers

MAC Breezy Blue Nail Lacquer
MAC Breezy Blue Nail Lacquer

MAC Breezy Blue Nail Lacquer
MAC Breezy Blue Nail Lacquer

MAC Breezy Blue Nail Lacquer
MAC Breezy Blue Nail Lacquer

MAC Breezy Blue Nail Lacquer
MAC Breezy Blue Nail Lacquer

MAC Pinkly Fresh Nail Lacquer
MAC Pinkly Fresh Nail Lacquer

MAC Pinkly Fresh Nail Lacquer
MAC Pinkly Fresh Nail Lacquer

MAC Pinkly Fresh Nail Lacquer
MAC Pinkly Fresh Nail Lacquer

MAC Pinkly Fresh Nail Lacquer
MAC Pinkly Fresh Nail Lacquer

Product & Review FAQ

Where can I purchase it? How much is it?

MAC Cosmetics, $16 each (March 1st).

Is it limited edition?

Yes.

Any dupes?

See individual shade review! :)

Discussion and debate are highly encouraged, and we expect community members to participate respectfully. When asking a question, please check the FAQ section (above) for information about purchasing, price, dupes, and the like. If you have general feedback or need technical support, please contact us.

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Does anyone know how the pink compares to opi's pink friday (from the Nicki Minaj collection)?

You are right! how many pinks and blues we have in the market. I hope you feel better soon and get pink & plump!!

Love the blue color! but at that cost, no ways I am going to spend this much!

I swear, the shot of the bottles, the pink is noticeably watery. But it then applied thick for you, so it reminds me of a Revlon Fast Dry I had once with a contradictory consistency! (Nothing against Revlon polishes in general, but the Fast Dry formula has...issues.) It seems like MAC's really phoning it in on the nail polish shades on top of everything else. If you're not going to try, why bother?

Girl, I would have never known you were sick if you didn't put up that disclaimer. Wishing you a speedy recovery so I can haz more things to gaga over. Also, can't wait for an adorable Mellan pic tomorrow! Take care of yourself, we need you.

I love the look of the pink one but I'm sure there are plenty of dupes out there :)

$16?!!? SIXTEEN DOLLARS?! I swear they raise their polish prices EVERY release. And their formula is known for being the worst. I can direct you to a nice Wet N Wild shade that's identical to that pink. SMH.

China Glaze First mate looks like it might be a dupe for Breezy Blue! Maybe a tad bit darker

I'm sorry to hear you're sick! Way to go for being a trooper, haha. I hope you feel much better very soon. :)

Thank you! Not much choice, unfortunately, lol!

The colors are pretty.. but I'd rather buy an OPI because of the quality.

:-( Get well soon Christine!!! As to the polishes..buh buh..i've given up already....

Thanks, Ana! I'm about to throw in the towel too!

You're hands actually look lovely! These are nice shades but I agree not worth the trouble. I will check out the dupes you've listed though, thank you! I hope you're feeling better soon Christine!

They're so painfully dry! Ahh, I don't usually suffer from cracked skin on my hands, and I so hate it :( Thank you! I was feeling rather awful earlier this week, especially yesterday, but today seems to be the turning point thankfully!

Breezy Blue is lovely, but it reminds me of OPI Dating a Royal and the latter is cheaper and applies opaque.

Pure Ice - French Kiss($2 Walmart) might be a dupe for Breezy Blue

I'm so sick of this overflow of MAC collections. One could have a very busy blogging life just by exclusively posting and testing the zillion of collections MAC launches every year.

Oh so sad! I've about given up on MAC polish. These colors while not unique are so super pretty and really seem to go with the collection. It's such a disappointment. I did my nails with Style Clan the other day (Tarten Tale) and it was the same thing, thin, streaky and almost impossible to get really good coverage without doing umpteen coats.

The blue is pretty but not amazing, and MAC nail polishes are never worth the money! I hope you feel better soon Christine! You work too hard!

Thank you, Heather! Today was finally the point where I felt better and not worse!

Isn't that one of the best feelings? The overwhelming relief, lol. Glad to hear the worst has already passed, Christine! Take it easy (:

Poor Christine, still doing swatches when you're sick? No apologies necessary! That being said, MAC has given me no reason to pay $16 for their polishes. My collector mania can't override all the negatives here. Funny thing is, I remember when MAC polishe were innovative and well formulated. Apparently they don't.

Would Breezy Blue be a good dupe for the blue Beyoncé has been wearing lately? (Unsure of what the shade is)

I have no idea what polish she is wearing - sorry, I don't follow celebrities :(

I think it's Nails Inc Baker Street.

Oh man, these are disappointing. What gives, MAC? lol. Thanks for swatches. Get well soon! ;)

Sorry to hear you're sick :( hope you feel better by the weekend!!

I remember when MAC nail polishes were 10 bucks....16 dollars, really??

For real. i'd hit the "like" button on this if i could x10000000. the price is getting out of hand

All dupes are listed in the post! :)