5 Shades of Aqua Eyeshadow

It’s hard to find a really awesome aqua eyeshadow, because aqua tends to be a lighter color–almost pastel–that they can be sheer and/or chalky (or just powdery). Sometimes they lean blue, other times they lean green.  I wouldn’t call this the best of aqua, because there are many more aqua shades I’ve swatched!

• Bare Escentuals Illusion is a pale aqua blue
• Inglot #345 is a pale aqua green
• MAC Aqua is an aqua green
• Milani Caribbean Sea is light-medium aqua blue
• Giorgio Armani Airy Jade is an ultra pale, frosted aqua blue

What’s your favorite aqua-hued eyeshadow?

MAC Eyeshadow Swatches – Teals & Blues

Here are several swatches of MAC eyeshadows from the green family (mostly permanent shades) that are now part of The Swatch Gallery.

• Newly Minted is a green-based teal with a matte finish. It had a Matte2 finish, but it was discontinued. Make Up For Ever #93 comes the closest–it’s a little brighter but has better color payoff.
• Shimmermoss is a blue-teal with a silvery sheen. It has a veluxe pearl finish. Milani Teal the Truth is similar in color but a touch darker, while
• Aquadisiac is a green-tinged aqua blue with a soft sheen. It has a lustre finish. Make Up For Ever #168 is the only dupe I could think of, but it’s much darker and not so much an aqua.
• Aqua is a soft aqua blue with a matte finish. It’s a little powdery and can look chalky on some complexions. Milani Caribbean Sea is similar in color, though a little darker and shimmery. Inglot #345 has a similar lightness but leans greener.
• Plumage is a blackened blue with just a hint of green. It has a matte finish. Inglot #340 is not quite as dark, but it is very similar in color and more pigmented.
• Prussian is a dark navy blue with a Matte2 finish. It has been discontinued. Make Up For Ever #60 is the closest shade I could think of, but it is much darker and not quite as blue.
• Deep Truth is a dark blue with a frost finish. This is a shade with a fair amount of dupes/cousins. Just to name a few: Make Up For Ever #308, Milani Blue My Mind, and Inglot #428.
• Freshwater is a bright, medium blue with a veluxe pearl finish. Inglot #426 is similar, a little darker. Make Up For Ever #167 is also similar but a bit darker.
• Blue Calm is a brightened, medium blue with a veluxe pearl finish. It is a PRO shade. It’s just a smidgen lighter than Freshwater (and thus is a smidgen lighter than the comparables listed for Freshwater).
• Electric Eel is a bright but darkened cyan blue with a satin finish. Inglot #371 is very similar. Urban Decay Electric is slightly less blue. Make Up For Ever #72 is darker.
• Sky Blue is a pale, pastel blue with a white sheen. It has a frost finish and was a PRO shade but is no longer available. Make Up For Ever #150 is very similar. Cle de Peau #112 is also similar but a little lighter.
• Winkle is a cornflower blue, almost periwinkle, with a satin finish. It is similar to Inglot #369.
• Moon’s Reflection is a purple-tinged blue with a silvery-white sheen. It has a veluxe pearl finish. The closest color I could think of was Inglot #429, which leans more on the purple side and has a brighter white sheen.
• Atlantic Blue is a deep, intense cobalt blue with a hint of indigo. It has a matte finish and is a PRO shade. Make Up For Ever #159 is similar but has less violet in it, while Inglot #388 is a little darker and has less blue.

MAC’s matte eyeshadows have a drier texture, and they often perform better in actual application than merely swatched on the arm.  Shades like Aqua, Plumage, and Prussian don’t always swatch perfectly but Plumage and Prussian work better when applied.  Aqua is a finicky shade that sometimes works but not consistently, and the product itself seems to be inconsistent–some pans are better than others.

Atlantic Blue is one of the best matte shades by MAC, because it’s so intense.  Shades like Deep Truth, Freshwater, and Electric Eel are classic blues–all three lovely in color payoff and texture.  Electric Eel has all the hallmarks of a matte but it has a satin finish, so it’s easier to work with.  Sky Blue can be tricky to work with, similar to Aqua’s issues.

It’s a shame that a shade like Newly Minted gets discontinued, though, because it’s not a shade you see often.  (Or, for the older MAC fans, Melody!)

The Glossover

	MAC Eyeshadow Swatches - Teals & Blues B+
	MAC does some really great blues, like Freshwater, Blue Calm, Deep Truth, and Electric Eel. Veluxe pearls are some of their smoothest and most pigmented shades, while mattes can be harder to work with.
	Product 8.5/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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MAC Newly Minted Eyeshadow

MAC Shimmermoss Eyeshadow

MAC Aquadisiac Eyeshadow

MAC Aqua Eyeshadow

MAC Plumage Eyeshadow

MAC Prussian Eyeshadow

MAC Deep Truth Eyeshadow

MAC Freshwater Eyeshadow

MAC Blue Calm Eyeshadow

MAC Electric Eel Eyeshadow

MAC Sky Blue Eyeshadow

MAC Winkle Eyeshadow

MAC Moon’s Reflection Eyeshadow

MAC Atlantic Blue Eyeshadow

MAC Fashion Flower: Eyeshadows

The collection features six shades of Eyeshadows (each $14.50 for 0.05 oz.) — three are limited edition, while three are available in the permanent range; though, all of the editions in this launch are imprinted with the flower design, while permanent editions will be normal. The six shades include: Aqua (aqua blue), Bows & Curtseys (metallic hunter green), Free to Be (bright true coral), Fresh Daisy (frosty white yellow), Groundcover (mid-tone warm grey), and Lucky Green (frosted mid-tone lime).

• Aqua is a bluish aqua with a matte finish. This is a permanent shade but I felt like it was a little less pigmented here than my permanent pan.
• Bows & Curtseys is a blackened forest green with bluish shimmer. It looks nearly black when swatched on my arm with the green being hinted at as the color plays with light. When I wore it in a look (albeit with a sheer green base), it seemed to pull out the forest green more. This has a satin finish.
• Free to Be is a medium-dark coral-red with a matte finish. This is a permanent shade, but I felt like it was a little less pigmented here than my permanent pan.
• Fresh Daisy is a very bright white with only a hint of warmth. It has a frost finish, but it really looks rather metallic. I tried to wear it as a highlighter, but it’s too frosted and stark on me–I imagine it would be more appropriate on someone with a lighter skin tone. It is, however, very pigmented.
• Groundcover is a matte, taupe-ish brown gray. It is nicely pigmented but lacks the buttery texture that makes mattes easier to use.
• Lucky Green is a bright, chartreuse-shimmered grass green with strong yellow undertones. It has a veluxe pearl finish. This is a permanent shade. It’s one of my favorite colors, because it is so pigmented and soft.

The Glossover

	MAC Fashion Flower Eyeshadows Swatches, Photos, Review B+
	I took an average of each eyeshadow to get actual scores for each characteristic, so while shades like Fresh Daisy and Lucky Green are much better than shades like Aqua and Free to Be, it rounds out to the scores seen here. I'd recommend reading through the individual review for each shade!
	Product 8.5/10 Pigmentation 8.5/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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MAC Aqua Eyeshadow

MAC Aqua Eyeshadow

MAC Aqua Eyeshadow

MAC Aqua Eyeshadow

MAC Bows & Curtseys Eyeshadow

MAC Bows & Curtseys Eyeshadow

MAC Bows & Curtseys Eyeshadow

MAC Bows & Curtseys Eyeshadow

MAC Free to Be Eyeshadow

MAC Free to Be Eyeshadow

MAC Free to Be Eyeshadow

MAC Free to Be Eyeshadow

MAC Fresh Daisy Eyeshadow

MAC Fresh Daisy Eyeshadow

MAC Fresh Daisy Eyeshadow

MAC Fresh Daisy Eyeshadow

MAC Groundcover Eyeshadow

MAC Groundcover Eyeshadow

MAC Groundcover Eyeshadow

MAC Groundcover Eyeshadow

MAC Lucky Green Eyeshadow

MAC Lucky Green Eyeshadow

MAC Lucky Green Eyeshadow

MAC Lucky Green Eyeshadow

MAC Aqua Eyeshadow

Aqua, Bows & Curtseys, Free to Be, Fresh Daisy, Groundcover, Lucky Green

Aqua, Bows & Curtseys, Free to Be

Fresh Daisy, Groundcover, Lucky Green

MAC Dare to Wear: Eyeshadows, Part 1

There are twelve brightly colored eyeshadows releasing with MAC’s Dare to Wear Collection, which is Lady Gaga “inspired.” This is a collection that will appeal to some and hold absolutely zero appeal to others. Not only are the shades on the brighter side, the majority of them have a matte finish.

The collection also has a lot of permanent shades, so check your stash before you run over to the store–and if you’re near a store, keep in mind you can purchase the permanent shades in palette form. The permanent shades are Free to Be, Lime, and Aqua, with Free to Be available at all freestanding stores and the latter two only at PRO stores.

• Louder, Please is a pinked red with a matte finish. This shade was quite pigmented and required very little fussing to get a nice layer of smooth, rich color. This is the closest to red I’ve seen from MAC (but it is not a true red, to be clear).
• Free to Be is a pinky coral with a matte finish. It has some pigmentation, but it can be a rather difficult shade to really punch up. This is a permanent shade.
• Going Bananas is a soft, medium yellow with a frosty finish. It has a nice level of pigmentation, and it’s a particularly flattering yellow because it doesn’t run too bright or full-on yellow. This is a repromote.
• Sassy Grass is a medium-dark grass green with a matte finish. I thought it might resemble Wondergrass (limited edition, released with C-Shock), but it’s much darker and a wee bit greener.
• Lime is a muted, medium-dark chartreuse green with slight yellow undertones and a matte finish. This was probably one of the harder shades to work with out of the twelve; it’s a bit stiff and takes some layering. This is a permanent PRO shade.
• Aqua is a bright pastel aqua-blue with a matte finish. This is one of the more powdery matte shades by MAC, and it can be layered to get a nice level of color intensity, but it may look chalky on some complexions. This is a permanent PRO shade.

Temptalia’s Recommendations

• Must-Haves: Going Bananas, Sassy Grass
• Nice-to-Haves: Louder, Please, Free to Be, Aqua
• Skip: Lime

Recommendations by Skin Tone

• Light: Free to Be, Going Bananas, Lime, Aqua
• Medium: Louder, Please, Going Bananas, Sassy Grass, Lime
• Dark: Louder, Please, Going Bananas, Sassy Grass, Lime, Aqua

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MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows

MAC Louder, Please Eyeshadow

MAC Louder, Please Eyeshadow

MAC Louder, Please Eyeshadow

MAC Free to Be Eyeshadow

MAC Free to Be Eyeshadow

MAC Free to Be Eyeshadow

MAC Going Bananas Eyeshadow

MAC Going Bananas Eyeshadow

MAC Going Bananas Eyeshadow

MAC Sassy Grass Eyeshadow

MAC Sassy Grass Eyeshadow

MAC Sassy Grass Eyeshadow

MAC Lime Eyeshadow

MAC Lime Eyeshadow

MAC Lime Eyeshadow

MAC Aqua Eyeshadow

MAC Aqua Eyeshadow

MAC Aqua Eyeshadow

MAC Eyeshadow: Louder, Please, Free to Be, Going Bananas, Sassy Grass, Lime, Aqua

MAC Eyeshadow: Louder, Please, Free to Be, Going Bananas

MAC Eyeshadow: Sassy Grass, Lime, Aqua

Video Makeup Tutorial: MAC Dare to Wear Blues

Here’s a video tutorial of this blue look I did yesterday!   I hope you enjoy it!

I keep forgetting to mention in a video as a fun fact, so I’m at least going to write it here since I am remembering…

FUN FACT: I don’t plan the look!  I usually have an idea of what I want (e.g. I want to do a blue look, or use X product, or do green and blue or brown and gold), but I don’t have anything picked out yet.  What you see in the video is me doing the look for the first time – I don’t even do one eye before the other. I do them both simultaneously (but we edit out when I do the other eye, since I’m out of the frame anyway). This is why you’ll often see me give suggestions or modifications, based on how it turns out

You will need the following…

• Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (neutral eyeshadow base), MAC Aqua Eyeshadow (pale aqua-green), MAC Winkle Eyeshadow (periwinkle), MAC Atlantic Blue Eyeshadow (deep blue with violet), MAC Shroom Eyeshadow, MAC Royal Wink Fluidline (royal blue), Make Up For Ever #15L Aqua Eyes Liner (periwinkle), MAC Plushlash Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: Estee Lauder Peach Nuance Blush (peachy pink)
• Lips: MAC Beachbound Lipstick (peachy-melon), Le Metier de Beaute Manhattan Lip Gloss (sheer beige), MAC Lychee Luxe Lipglass (coral)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Beachbound = Melon pigment

MAC Dare to Wear Look:  Aqua, Winkle, & Atlantic Blue

MAC Dare to Wear may be eons away (okay, a couple of months), but given the amount of repromotes/permanent shades in the collection, I got a little inspired to create a look out of the ones I do already own. I went with a shimmery highlighter, rather than a matte one, because matte highlighters have a tendency to photograph poorly (they always look chalky, even if you can barely see them in real life). Well, it’s probably I just haven’t mastered the art of photographing matte brow highlighters… Anyway!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (neutral eyeshadow base), MAC Aqua Eyeshadow (pale aqua-green), MAC Winkle Eyeshadow (periwinkle), MAC Atlantic Blue Eyeshadow (deep blue with violet), MAC Shroom Eyeshadow, MAC Royal Wink Fluidline (royal blue), Make Up For Ever #15L Aqua Eyes Liner (periwinkle), MAC Plushlash Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: Estee Lauder Peach Nuance Blush (peachy pink)
• Lips: MAC Beachbound Lipstick (peachy-melon), Le Metier de Beaute Manhattan Lip Gloss (sheer beige), MAC Lychee Luxe Lipglass (coral)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Beachbound = Melon pigment

For eyes, start by applying Smudgeproof as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply Aqua eyeshadow on the inner third of the lid and pull upwards along the inner crease. Lightly blend Winkle eyeshadow on the outer two-thirds of the lid with the 239. Next, apply Atlantic Blue eyeshadow into the crease with the 226, lightly blending onto the outer lid. Blend Shroom eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying #15L aqua eyes dipped in Royal Wink fluidline on the lower lash line, and then lightly dust Aqua eyeshadow underneath with the 219. Finish by sweeping lashes with Plushlash mascara.

For cheeks, apply Peach Nuance blush very lightly on the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply Beachbound lipstick first, and then layer Manhattan lipgloss to lighten, and the finally add just a touch of Lychee Luxe lipglass for a complementing lip.

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