MAC Pret-a-Papier Collection: Eyeshadows Review, Photos, Swatches
It’s funny, despite five eyeshadows being launched in this collection, none of them really spoke to me. I also got more of a fall collection vibe off of them, even though we’re heading right into summer. To be honest, I don’t think any of these are really must-haves.
Gazette Gray had a lot of potential, but it’s just so sheer–would have been great if it had been a veluxe pearl finish! Cut to Fit is something that’s close enough to other shades I’ve seen before. Tissue Weight is pretty on its own, but you may already own something similar.
Eyeshadow ($14.50 U.S. / $17.50 CDN)
- Cut to Fit is a reddish copper-bronze with a frost finish. It reminds me of French Cuff from early last year, but it’s not as frosty and perhaps a little more darkness to this one. It also seems close to Twinks from the permanent line.
- Bamboo is a matte fleshy nude with a subtle orange undertone. It’s a permanent shade, but it’s nice to help diffuse color. On my NC25 skin tone, I find Bamboo is a bit orange/dark as a highlighter.
- Tissue Weight is a pink-toned fleshy beige with a frost finish. This is a pretty color, and it layers well over Coral Crepe paint pot. I think pinker skin tones may even like this as a highlighter, albeit it is a bit on the frostier side.
- Gazette Grey is a brownish-gray with gold and green-gold flecks of sparkle. It applies quite sheerly, so despite looking quite beautiful in the pan, it doesn’t translate on its own. You could try layering this over a darker base (like one of the Greasepaint Sticks from earlier in April) to bring out the flecks of shimmer in this.
- Memorabilia is a matte, red-toned purple with an almost gray cast to it. It’s an interesting shade, though I believe this is its second appearance. It’s not totally opaque, but it’s not sheer either, and it’s a very blendable matte.
See photos & swatches!
MAC Cut to Fit Eyeshadow
MAC Cut to Fit Eyeshadow
MAC Cut to Fit Eyeshadow
MAC Cut to Fit Eyeshadow
MAC Bamboo Eyeshadow
MAC Bamboo Eyeshadow
MAC Bamboo Eyeshadow
MAC Bamboo Eyeshadow
MAC Bamboo Eyeshadow
MAC Tissue Weight Eyeshadow
MAC Tissue Weight Eyeshadow
MAC Tissue Weight Eyeshadow
MAC Tissue Weight Eyeshadow
MAC Tissue Weight Eyeshadow
MAC Gazette Grey Eyeshadow
MAC Gazette Grey Eyeshadow
MAC Gazette Grey Eyeshadow
MAC Gazette Grey Eyeshadow
MAC Memorabilia Eyeshadow
MAC Memorabilia Eyeshadow
MAC Memorabilia Eyeshadow
MAC Eyeshadows: Cut to Fit, Bamboo, Tissue Weight, Gazette Grey, Memorabilia
MAC Eyeshadows: Cut to Fit, Bamboo, Tissue Weight
MAC Eyeshadows: Tissue Weight, Gazette Grey, Memorabilia
Thanks for doing this review – Christine I’d love to hear your comments on whether you think Cut to Fit is very similar to Antiqued or Coppering from the permanent line!
More like Twinks. It’s redder and lighter than Antiqued, and it’s not even close to Coppering, which is very red-orange.
Cut to fit is pretty, the rest of them just blah.
is it just me or does gazette grey look very green? :S haha
It’s a grayish-green-brown base with green-gold shimmer, so it changes depending on how the light catches the sparkle.
You’re right, they all to give me a “fall” vibe. Most of them are skips, but Tissue Weight is pretty!
Tissue Weight looks amazing!! Do you think it’s similar to anything in the permanent collection? If so, which??
The closest would probably be Gleam, but it’s not a great dupe for it.
Sooo pretty! I’m a sucker for eye shadows and everything looks promising with a little bit of work.
I agree that the colors on them own are more fall-ish than summer-y.
Totally getting Tissue Weight and Gazette Grey!
thanks for the review, christine!
i feel somewhat relieved none of these is standout…
on to the blushes….
Hey. I have a question, did this collection come in that cute paper packaging as on your past post about it? Here is a link to your past post about the Pret-a-Papier collection: http://tinyurl.com/282jlue
No, that is promotional packaging only — just for their photoshoot.
Man! That would have been so cool. I am still going to buy a few of these collection’s items, but I would have bought more if it came with that promotional packaging.
Is Tissue Weight similar to Grand Entrance?
It’s pinker, perhaps a little lighter, and the frosty sheen is a lot less.
MAC needs to stop churning out these mediocre collections. Thanks, Christine, for saving my wallet.
I think I’ll probably get Tissue Weight, that’s lovely. I like Memorabilia too, but I already have way too many purples.
I was so excited about the eyeshadows in this collection and now I’m sad. I think the only one I’ll be getting is the Gazette Grey if I do end up getting any.
I like Cut to Fit but I have something that is similar to that. I may get that shade if I see it the CCO. Tissue Weight looks like a pretty but Gazette Gray and Memorabilia really disappointed me! I had high hopes for those 2. Oh well on the plus side none of these eyeshadows say BUY ME! which saves me some money
christine! thank you for these! would you say tissue weight was similar to grand entrance?
It’s a little pinker, perhaps lighter, and definitely not as frosty. Similar, but not 100% the same.
I am so happy! I can totally SKIP these 5 eyeshadows! Score! I bet they’ll pop up at our local CCOs in NO TIME
How does Memorabilia compare to Indian Ink and Poison Pen?
Very similar — probably a bit redder.
I got Memorabilia last week and I love it. All the other shadows are a skip for me.
Great review!! Might pass though as the colors seem a bit disjointed. I think I own non-MAC dupes for two of these: Lancome eyeshadow Vue for Tissue Weight and Smashbox’s Rapture for Gazette Grey.
OMG! Ok, totally saves me $ because none of these wow me! I’m kinda sad but at the same time my wallet is happy!
Tissue Weight reminds me of Shore Leave
Christine,
thanks for the swatches
do you think tissue weight is very similar to Jest from permanent line?
No, Jest is a lot peachier, I believe…
Thanks a lot:)
Thanks Christine!
I’ll be picking up Tissue Weight and Memorabilia. I’m so saddened by Gazette Grey – not falling for another sheer e/s!!
I do not have Twinks but have been meaning to pick it up. Would you says Twinks or Cut to Fit??
Twinks!
Thanks
You rock!!!!
This collection sounded pretty nice, in theory.. I had high hopes for the shadows. The rest of the collection was ‘meh’ to me, as I’m not into corals and browns.
Memorabilia looks easily dupeable. Off the top of your head, can you think of any dupes for it that MAC already offers?
Gazette grey sounded gorgeous. I may still have to play with it in store before I decide against it. I really don’t have any colours like it.
I must say, I know this collection isn’t super bright but I love almost everything in it! I knew I would though, but, as many eyeshadow as I have, I don’t have these colors…same with the other stuff…I think I just recently realized how well corals worked on me…I can’t wait to get my stash! =) Thanks for the review and pictures Christine!
Hi! Is tissue weight similar to grand entrance? I’m dying to find a color that is like grand entrance!
I’d say it’s a smidgen pinker and not nearly as frosty.
I was thinking about getting cut to fit, but i already have twinks. So its not necessarY??
I also think cut to fit looks like glamour check from the starflash collection which i already have. So please let me know if i should get it :S
Yes, it’s definitely similar!
IMO, not necessary.
Thanks Christine! You are so awesome!
christine, why are you so great?
Me? Great?!
Thanks!
Memorabilia must of been released before because I saw it in my local CCO today it seems pretty close to Poison Pen which I love
Yep, it was released with the Originals collection back in 2008.
Fantastic job swatching everything Christine! I can’t believe you purchased every single item in the collection!
I’ve been doing it since Dame Edna in December 2008
Occasionally I’ll get samples from MAC but not usually (and definitely not all of it most of the time — I think two or three times…).
I was pretty excited for Cut to Fit, but now that you’ve compared it to Twinks I’m not so sure.. Between the two which do you think is nicer?
Also, do you think Tissue Weight is similar to Grand Entrance from Starflash or anything in the permanent line? It’s pretty but I don’t need it if it’s really similar.
Thanks!
I like Twinks more!
Tissue Weight is like a pinker, less frosty version of Grand Entrance!
Thank you! I just realized people already asked the same things I did!
sorry!
No worries
well these eye shadows are pretty, but they are not that exciting.
I think memorabilia will be the only thing i pick up from this collection
thanks for the swatches christine!
what do you think of gazette?? it looks lovely in the pot
but do you think its a must???
It looks great in the pan, but it’s pretty sheer on, so no, not a must IMO!
too bad
but thank you for your honesty 
Great swatches! how close is ‘cut to fit’ e/s to glamour check e/s from starflash collection?thanks a ton
Very similar!
How is tissue weight compared to hey? Thanks for the swatches
It’s pink-toned, while Hey is more golden/champagne.
I’m hesitant to buy Cut to Fit…I want it but I don’t. Same thing with Memorabilia. Which do you think is worth buying if you HAD to choose between the two?
Do you have anything like either? I’d probably go with the one that I had the least similar shades to
How does Tissue Weight compare to Gleam?
Also, did you notice any of the gold fleck fall out with Gazette Grey?
Thanks!
Pinker!
There wasn’t too much when I tried it. It was so sheer, it felt like nothing was going on, LOL.
Memorabilia e/s is the only one tempting me, and I have it already from Originals collection (was that 2007?). It is little too warm of a purple for me to reach for often, but I try to work it in. Poison Pen was also from that collection, –it has less red, more true purple, and is also greyed/dustied so it isn’t overly bright.
It was either 2008 or 2007, but thinking about it, Dame Edna was 2008 so I think Originals was 2007…
I like cut to fit with bamboo and black liner I can already imagine this would look great.
Hi Christine. Does Tissue Weight resemble any of the permanent collection eyeshadow?
Gleam would be the closest, but it has more warmth to it.
Thanks Christine. You rock!
Always happy to help, Ember!
do you think that tissue weight is similiar to grand entrance at all?
oh nevermind! I just saw that you already answered my question. lol! sorry, I’m just dying to find something similiar to grand entrance!!!
It’s a smidgen pinker and not as frosty!
I have green eyes and I think Cut To Fit will compliment them.
I like the look of Tissue Weight too, would you say it’s comparable to Hush e/s?
Thanks!
It’s cooler, pinker, more silvery-white.
Wow, Cut to Fit is sooo pretty! But I own French Cuff, Twinks, Glamour Check – I think I’m going to have to say no this one. (and this time not only say no and then end up buying it weeks later lol)
Do You happen to know about some similar colours? Ego is much pinker and cooler, right? 
Tissue weight seems like something I’d really like as a soft wash all over the lid – these pastel shades really work well for me – but I don’t know if i can justify another colour that doesn’t really look very different from any other light pinkish shade.
Oh, never mind, I see you’ve already listed many similar shades – I should’ve suspected others have already asked.
Ego is similar, but I think I’d say it’s definitely cooler, like you said!
I’m still somewhat tempted by Gazette Grey… I’ll have to check it against my skin today and figure out if I could do anything useful with it.
Does CTF compare to Time & Space from the Neo SciFi collection? It sort of looks like it in the photos.
It’s a little redder, I’d say — similar but still redder/more copper.
Honestly, Cut to Fit is the only one that sparks my interest.
Tissue weight please!
Oh yeah and I forgot to say the gazette gray looks really close to the eyeshadow in the Hello Kitty packaging called Lucky Tom it seems a little grayer than taupe but still really similar.
How does Gazette Grey compare to Print and Knight Divine?
Not at all, IMO.
Hey, Christine!:) Another poster mentioned that Tissue Weight reminded her of Shore Leave. Do you think they’re similar? Tissue Weight was the only one of these I wanted, but I already have Shore Leave. You think it’s still worth picking up?
Hmm, I don’t know if I still have Shore Leave, so going off past swatches, I’d say this is a little pinker, but they’re similar.
the swatches of all the five colors look much like NARS “pleasures of Paris” at the very first sight!!!!
I really wanted Gazette Gray when I first heard about it, but for some reason it reminds me of Greenstroke (which I already own)?? Is it just me?
Like a way sheerer, subpar version of Greenstroke, LOL.
Hi, stupid me…I actually meant Greensmoke, duh. Sorry! Greenstroke rocks too though.
Oops – I meant GreenSMOKE, not Greenstroke, lol!
It’s sad the last 2 grey e/s that MAC has released have been so sheer. Bough Grey looked super super sheer when I swatched it and now this grey is sheer too? Weak! Gazette Grey was the only thing I was looking forward to in this collection.
You found Bough Grey sheer? I’m not saying it’s an in your face colour, but it shows up very decently on me without having to work too much. I am very fair though. Wish I could give any handy tips, but I really didn’t have to do any tricks for it to work on me.
Maybe if You used some greenish or silverish base? Or even something neutral underneath (for exc. shroom)? Hope it will work for You eventually, it’s an interesting shade!
Hi Christine! Thanks for working so hard to get the color swatches for us to see before the collection hit the stores today. You are awesome!!!
With pleasure, Dallas!
Thanks for the great swatches!
Do you know how Gazette Gray compares to MAC’s Smoke & Diamonds or Stila’s Diamond Lil?
Nah, they’re not really alike, IMO! Gazette Grey is much more gray, not so taupe, has a green cast.
Hi! I REALLY love the idea/color of the Gazette Grey eyeshadow, but if it’s so sheer I won’t be able to use it. Do you know if there’s anything similiar on the beauty market? I really need something like this!
Not that I know of!
Thanks for the swatches and the review Christine!
Is Cut to Fit anywhere close to Aztec Brick from Quad 4 in Spring Colour Forecast? That was the only shade I wanted from the quad but couldn’t afford the whole palette
IMO, it’s not — it’s way more red!
How similar is Cut To Fit to Mythology? I really love Mythology…I just don’t like the fall out.
Similar, but it’s not as copper, I’d say…
Hi Christine,
would you say that Cut to Fit is similar to Rich and Earthy from Notoriety quad of last year?
thank you and good luck on your exam
)
Kind of — a little more copper.
Thanks!
Hi christine,
How would you compare cut to fit eyeshadow with the coppery eyeshadow in the spiced chocolate quad (i think its the one called brash)?
Thx
It’s not quite as coppery – not as dark or fiery. A little rosier!