MAC Eyeshadow Swatches – Burgundy & Brown
Friday, July 1st, 2011

MAC Sketch Eyeshadow
MAC Eyeshadow Swatches – Burgundy & Brown
I’m trying to get these up sooner rather than later so that I can be sure to include permanent MAC dupes when and where possible, as it’s the most requested brand when someone is looking for a dupe. MAC Eyeshadows ($14.50 for 0.05 oz.) are so numerous, and the amount of browns and neutrals the brand has is insane.
- Sketch is a dark burgundy brown with a velvet finish.
- Deep Damson is a dark burgundy brown with red undertones and a matte finish. It’s slightly richer in color with a stronger red undertone than Sketch, but ultimately, it’s a much better formula to work with. This is a PRO shade.
- Star Violet is a frosted, medium-dark burgundy brown with a veluxe pearl finish.
- Embark is a rich, intense brown with a red undertone. It has a matte finish.
- Shale is a dirty plum-gray with a satin finish (though it feels more like a frost or veluxe pearl than it does a satin–the sheen is too frosted).
- Brown Down is a dark, chocolate brown with subtle warm undertones and a veluxe finish. It has this grayish cast to it that makes it not quite your typical brown.
- Twinks is a medium-dark, golden brown with bronzed shimmer. It has a veluxe pearl finish. MAC describes it as a deep plum with pearl, but it’s very brown on me–at most, a hint of plum.
- Sable is a medium-dark, bronzy brown with a tinge of plum. It’s very similar in color to Twinks, but their finishes make them look different.
- Antiqued is a rich, coppery brown with a veluxe pearl finish.
- Swiss Chocolate is a warm, medium-dark brown with a matte finish.
- Brown Script is a warm, red-toned, medium brown with a Matte2 finish.
- Texture is a warmed-up, light-medium brown with a yellowness and a velvet finish. It is a bit like Inglot #357.
A lot of the shades featured in this post are really lovely to work with. Sketch is the only so-so shade; it can be temperamental and not always blend out with ease, which makes Deep Damson a much better choice if one has access to a PRO store/willingness to purchase via phone. Shale is a shade that often looks just a bit different, because skin tone often shifts it to gray, plum, mauve, or even brown. I’m a big fan of Twinks, Sable, Antiqued, and Brown Script–all rich and smooth formulas.
See more swatches!
How does Handwritten compare to Sketch? I know it's softer and more blendable. But what is the difference in color?
You know, it's funny really.. Swiss Chocolate swatched like that really does *look* like chocolate. Melted chocolate to me, actually. Haha. Sorry - I'm easily amused when I'm so tired. :)
I absolutely love Sable and Antiqued! And Handwritten is my go to outer v colour and lower lash colour.
Sketch is my most loved MAC e\s <333 U can use it as a liner \ lid color and a VERY beautiful crease color . it is #1 in my smoky looks =D
I think it's very interesting how our skintones make us see colors differently. Most of these colors pull very red on me. Swiss Chocolate for instance which looks like a pretty regular brown on you looks so so red on me (close to the way brown script looks on you) that it makes me look sick . Brown Down on the other hand is a very warm brown on me and I can't see a grey cast at all in the pan nor swatched on my skin.
...on your arm makes me realize how different colors look on you than on me. Even swatched on my arm, my skin will make any brown look red.
I have about half of these on my list to get, but I keep searching around online for dupes... certainly wouldn't want to pay $14.50 for an eyeshadow and find that there is a much cheaper dupe elsewhere. But still, they are so pretty! I love the way Shale looks on you, I certainly hope that it would look like that on me if I swatched it.
Oh - I'm surprised not to see Mulch in with the others. I haven't purchased Sable or Bronze because Mulch seems so close to both of those shades that you can't really see much of a difference when they're on your eye (at least I can't see much, esp. once they are blended out). My daughter talked me into getting Mulch and I'm glad I listened.
Weird - my Shale looks more purple/lavender than the swatch and I'd never think of grouping it with browns - I think of it as more in the purple family (or grey).
thank you, I've been waiting for this post. I love brown eyeshadows and needed more to pick up from MAC, but I didn't know which ones to get. i really like swiss chocolate.
You read my mind! I've just started shopping around for a deep brown shadow and your swatches really helped! I'll be getting Embark this weekend! Thanks for taking the time to do the swatches!
I would have loved to get Brown Script, I think it could be a good crease color with oranges and reds. I got Antiqued instead :)
Man, I love Twinks. I want to do more with it, but summer is here and I don't really do smokey eyes during this season. I know I'll think of some way to use it!
Try it smudged just under your lower lash and keep the top lid nude. twinks or antiqued look gorg this way :)
Hmmm I wonder how close Deep Damson compares to the pigment Burnt Burgundy... Thanks for the swatches!
I would like to know also! I've been looking for burnt burgundy piggie for so long, and hope this is the exact dupe of the shade.












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