mac for iris apfel collection

Video Review: MAC for Iris Apfel Collection – First Impressions & Swatches

If you’re still trying to decide whether to partake in this launch, perhaps this video will be of some help!

MAC for Iris Apfel Nail Lacquers

MAC for Iris Apfel: Nail Lacquers

There are three limited edition shades of MAC Nail Lacquer ($15.00 for 0.34 fl. oz.) , which include: Oriele Orange (bright orange coral), Sandpiper (creamy pale stone beige), and Toco Toucan (bright blue-fuchsia).

• Oriele Orange is a rich reddened orange–it looks more orange on me at a lot of angles, but sometimes, it does look more fiery, redder, more of that orange-coral that MAC describes. It was a hard shade to photograph for some reason! It’s opaque in two coats and was easy to work with. Essie Meet Me at Sunset is redder. Essie Braziliant is closer. China Glaze Life Preserver is redder. MAC Scorcher is redder but similar.
• Sandpiper is a pale neutral ivory beige. I used two coats for swatches, but there was still visible nail line. This was thick and streaky; it also had a longer than average drying time. Zoya Minka is yellower and has shimmer. Chanel Beige Petale is kind of similar, but since it’s really sheer, hard to tell!
• Toco Toucan is a brightened, medium-dark fuchsia cream that’s nearly opaque in one coat, though I did two for swatches. Essie Super Bossa Nova is brighter and has more of an iridescence. Urban Decay Woodstock is more magenta. China Glaze 108 Degrees is a touch redder and has shimmer. Orly Fiesta is not quite as dark. Zoya Dana is similar but less blue-based.

MAC Nail Lacquers have worn well on me; I typically get a week of wear with minor tip wear but no chipping. The formula on Oriele Orange and Toco Toucan are lovely–really good consistency, not too thick or thin, and they are very pigmented. Sandpiper was harder to work with and really requires a deft hand to navigate the thicker, pooling consistency and the longer drying time as a result.

The Glossover

	MAC for Iris Apfel Nail Lacquers Review, Photos, Swatches B+
	Oriele Orange and Toco Toucan are more like A- polishes, while Sandpiper was the shade that brought down the overall score, because it was thick, almost goopy, and sheer.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5
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MAC Too Chic Beauty Powder

MAC for Iris Apfel: Too Chic Beauty Powder

MAC Too Chic Beauty Powder ($23.00 for 0.35 oz.) is a limited edition (but it is a repromote) shade for Iris Apfel. It’s described as a “soft peachy cream with fine shimmer.” It’s a pale, creamy ivory-beige with a golden shimmer-sheen. MAC Snowglobe is less golden. MAC Lightscapade is whiter. theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer is more golden.

While beauty powders are multi-tasking products, this particular shade will work as a highlighter on most complexions, though it may turn ashy on deeper complexions because of how light it is. I find it lightens my natural skin color, so it almost looks rather unnatural on my light-medium skin (NC25). The texture is extremely soft and finely-milled, so it feels lovely to the touch. There is a lot of shimmer in Too Chic, so it may be too much if you prefer a subtler finish. It does accentuate pores slightly, but it wears for around eight hours without looking faded.

The Glossover

LE	Too Chic A
	For lighter complexions, this will work nicely as a highlighter without being too golden. With the right brush, it can definitely work on more medium skin tones, but I worry it may turn ashy on deeper complexions.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 10/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4.5/5
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MAC Diamond Dove Eyeshadow

MAC for Iris Apfel: Eyeshadows

There are five limited edition shades of MAC Eyeshadow ($15.00 for 0.05 oz.) in the Iris Apfel collection: Diamond Dove (deep gray-brown), Early Bird (bright coral), Howzat (deep gray with silver sparkle), Robin’s Egg (mid-tone teal), and Silver Gull (blue-gray with sparkle).

• Diamond Dove is a dark brown with subtle cool undertones. It has good color payoff, but it is definitely a drier matte, so you may or may not like that type of texture (it’s more like most of MAC’s matte finishes–not at all like the Matte2 finish). This has a matte finish. Tarina Tarantino Wonderful is a slightly less gray brown in the palette. MAC Brun is grayer. MAC Copperplate is a bit lighter and much grayer. It’s a bit darker than MAC Double Feature 3.
• Early Bird is a medium coral-pink. This has a matte finish. The color payoff is good, but again, it is a drier matte, which you may love or hate. If you didn’t like working with MAC Free to Be (which is a bit darker but otherwise very similar), I doubt you’ll like this one. They’re both fairly dry. I actually found this to need more packing on the lid (I think to apply it to my inner third of the lid, I applied five or six times to get true-to-pan intensity). Inglot #361 is also similar.
• Howzat is a bluish gray with a sheen. This has a satin finish. I didn’t like it the first time it came out, nor the second, and I still think it’s subpar. The color payoff is terrible with a really dry, stiff texture that’s just not worth the effort. MAC Interior Life is similar but more matte.
• Robin’s Egg is a bluish-teal. This has a matte finish. This is the type of color that’s going to look bluer/greener depending on the colors you pair it with but your underlying skin tone will have an affect, too. For instance, warmer complexions will probably see this as more of a teal shade, while cooler complexions may find it turns bluer. The texture of this is different than the other matte eyeshadows–it’s much softer, not quite as soft as Matte2 finishes, but still softer and much easier to work with. It’s similar to MAC Double Feature 3 and Inglot #372.
• Silver Gull is a pale, neutral-toned gray with silver sparkle. This has a velvet finish. The base color has more of a matte finish, while the sparkle lies on top of the product, which does cause significant fall out (even just swatching, the sparkle doesn’t bind with the actual color). It’s also on the sheerer side and a bit powdery. Guerlain Les Ombres de Nuit has a slightly similar gray. Unfortunately, I couldn’t think of any other dupes.

These are some of the better single eyeshadows I’ve seen from MAC since Surf Baby (which was an exceptional set!). I think what will sway you is simply how you prefer your matte finishes–if you like them drier, more consistent with most of MAC’s matte range, you’ll like these. If you prefer softer, denser, almost buttery mattes, these are not like those. In my experience, drier mattes perform just as well as more buttery ones once you apply them, but it’s in a quick swatch that you might find the major discrepancy. I wore Early Bird, Robin’s Egg, and Silver Gull to test out the wear of these, and I did have fall out issues with Silver Gull (which also required packing of color to get it to show). Robin’s Egg is the easiest to work with, because it’s soft and very pigmented–so you don’t need a lot of it, and you can easily blend it out, too.

The Glossover

	MAC for Iris Apfel Eyeshadows Review, Photos, Swatches B+
	If you like them drier, more consistent with most of MAC's matte range, you'll like these. If you prefer softer, denser, almost buttery mattes, these are not like those. In my experience, drier mattes perform just as well as more buttery ones once you apply them, but it's in a quick swatch that you might find the major discrepancy. I do not recommend Silver Gull for it has fall out and pigmentation issues.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5
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MAC Flamingo Lipstick

MAC for Iris Apfel: Lipsticks

There are four limited edition (and one permanent) shades of MAC Lipstick ($14.50 for 0.10 oz.) in the Iris Apfel collection: Flamingo (light milky bright coral), Morange (loudmouth orange), Party Parrot (bright red-pink), Pink Pigeon (bright cleanest pink), and Scarlet Ibis (bright orange-red).

• Flamingo is a pink with a hint of coral that yields semi-opaque color coverage, which is more coverage than your average lustre finish gives. It has that natural-looking sheen that you’d expect from a lustre as well. This has a lustre finish. It’s lighter than MAC Blossom Culture. It’s less intense but close in hue compared to MAC Ever Hip. It’s similar to Guerlain Rose Desir.
• Morange is a bright, medium orange with a subtle sheen to the finish and opaque color coverage. This has an amplified creme finish and is part of the permanent range. It’s similar to oranges like MAC Good to Go, MAC Neon Orange, and Illamasqua Flare.
• Party Parrot is a neon medium-dark pink with a natural matte finish and opaque color coverage. This has a matte finish. VS Be Mine is less intense. Lancome Posh Pink is not quite as bright. OCC Queen is redder. MAC Scandelicious is similar but glossier. MAC Full Fuchsia is bluer-based. Tom Ford Pure Pink is a bit pinker.
• Pink Pigeon is a bright magenta pink with a natural matte finish. It has opaque color coverage. This has a matte finish. Milani Rose Hip is brighter and pinker, MAC Florida is lighter, MAC Show Orchid is slightly pinker, MAC Candy Yum Yum is purpler and brighter, NARS Schiap is pinker, and MAC Love Forever is not as bright.
• Scarlet Ibis is a reddened orange with a natural matte finish and full color coverage. This has a matte finish. It’s a little redder compared to Givenchy Candide Tangerine. It is similar to Giorgio Armani #405 with a matte finish. Estee Lauder Wild Fire is a touch lighter. Dolce & Gabbana Sheer is similar but a touch brighter.

MAC lipsticks come in a variety of finishes, so the color payoff, texture, and wear can vary based on the finish alone. In this collection, we have mostly mattes. The matte formula on these is comfortable to wear without being drying; I actually would have pegged them as amplified cremes or satins, because they didn’t cling like some of MAC’s original matte finishes do (think Ruby Woo; none of these are similar in texture). Lustres tend to wear off quickly and dry out my lips, so they’re not my favorite finish. Amplified cremes are really opaque, creamy, and comfortable to wear. Because of the intensity of the pigmentation in these shades (except Flamingo), these will wear longer and have a tendency to stain. I’ve worn Morange for six hours in the past, and I tested out Scarlet Ibis for wear, and it wore for six hours and left a bit of a stain. MAC lipsticks are vanilla-scented but taste-free.

The Glossover

	MAC for Iris Apfel Lipsticks Review, Photos, Swatches A
	These are really nice matte finishes--they're not dry or difficult to apply! If you love your lipstick bright and opaque, you'll probably enjoy these offerings from MAC for winter/spring.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 9.5/10 Longevity 9.5/10 Application 4.5/5
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