Not Quite as Tempting as Touted

MAC Taste Temptation Eyeshadow Quad ($40.00 for 0.20 oz.) includes four shades: Look at the Eyes (light violet), Stay Sultry (deep navy), Naval (navy blue), and Carbon (intense black).  It’s a limited edition palette that will launch with Taste Temptation, due for release in-stores on December 13th.

Look at the Eyes is a pale lilac with a frosted finish. It has decent color payoff, though when I used it, I really packed it on to get it to show up. It was the best performing shade out of the four. MAC Creative Whim is similar–a bit purpler. MAC Silverwear is lighter. OCC Datura is more iridescent, brighter.

Stay Sultry is a blackened purple with a bluish shimmer. It’s supposed to have a satin finish. It had a stiff, dry texture when I attempted to swatch it, and it performed similarly on the lid. Giorgio Armani Green Jacquard is purpler. MAC Indian Ink is also purpler, but it is similar. MAC Spellcaster is a touch redder.

Naval is an indigo blue; there’s just this purplish tint that keeps it from being as blue as it seems. It seemed even less blue when I was working with it on the eye. It looks like a matte, though it is listed as a velvet finish on the label. OCC Technoir is brighter, bluer. NARS Self Portrait 3 is lighter. Tom Ford Cobalt Rush is shimmery. NARS Self Portrait 1 is more vibrant. This shade is part of the permanent (PRO) range.

Carbon is a matte black. It has sheer color payoff with a stiff, dry texture that makes blending difficult. It’s part of the permanent range, and it’s been repromoted more than a few times recently. Shades like Wet ‘n’ Wild Drinking a Glass of Shine, NARS Self Portrait 2, Milani Pitch Black, and other black eyeshadows are all similar. Matte black is a basic enough color, so it’s really about finding the texture and richness of black that you like best. Carbon is a softer black (I’d describe it as a medium black).

The best part of the quad was inviting one to use the set of four shades together. It’s a very dark set of colors, aside from the one light one, so it was interesting trying to come up with something that used all four. The best shade was Look at the Eyes, which was softer than the other three, and it proved to have the most color payoff. You might say to yourself, “But it looks pigmented in the how-to,” but since the images are static, let me tell you that in order to develop the intensity of the crease color (Naval), I put brush to pan five times. Then, three times a piece for all three shades I used on the lid (Stay Sultry, Look at the Eyes, Carbon). In comparison, for a good eyeshadow, once is usually enough.  I’ve been wearing all four eyeshadows over a primer as well as on bare lids–and you absolutely need a primer to get decent color payoff–for the past six hours, and everything looks good thus far. If I experience any fading/creasing, I’ll update the post later tonight to reflect that.

I don’t think you should have to work this hard, period; more budget-friendly brands have put out higher quality products and have proven that you don’t need to spend a lot to get pigment-packed eyeshadow.  There’s absolutely no reason why a higher-end brand like MAC should put out dry, stiff eyeshadows with chalky, uneven color payoff.  For a similar (but these are not exact dupes!) composition by MAC with higher quality shades from their permanent range, try Beautiful Iris, Indian Ink, Atlantic Blue (for a brighter blue) or Contrast (slightly darker), and Typographic (or your preferred matte black).

The Glossover

	Taste Temptation D
	I don't think you should have to work this hard, period; more budget-friendly brands have put out higher quality products and have proven that you don't need to spend a lot to get pigment-packed eyeshadow. There's absolutely no reason why a higher-end brand like MAC should put out dry, stiff eyeshadows with chalky, uneven color payoff.
	Product 6/10 Pigmentation 6/10 Texture 6/10 Longevity 8.5/10 Application 3/5
	Where to Buy
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MAC Taste Temptation Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Taste Temptation Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Taste Temptation Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Look at the Eyes Eyeshadow

MAC Stay Sultry Eyeshadow

MAC Naval Eyeshadow

MAC Carbon Eyeshadow

MAC Taste Temptation Eyeshadow Quad

How to Wear MAC In the Gallery Eyeshadow Quad

MAC’s In the Gallery Eyeshadow Quad (see review, swatches, and photos here) is a purple-themed eyeshadow palette. The quad contains these shades: Lightfall (dusty, gray-lilac); Look at the Eyes (iridescent silver-purple); In the Gallery (eggplant); and Private Viewing (dark burgundy-wine).

• Inner Lid: Lightfall
• Outer Lid: Look at the Eyes
• Crease: In the Gallery
• Brow: Lightfall
• Cheek: The Perfect Cheek
• Lip: Hold the Pose, On Display

See more combinations…

• Inner Lid: Lightfall
• Outer Lid: Look at the Eyes
• Crease: Private Viewing
• Brow: Lightfall
• Cheek: The Perfect Cheek
• Lip: Front Lit, Personal Taste

• Inner Lid: Lightfall
• Outer Lid: In the Gallery
• Crease: Private Viewing
• Brow: Lightfall
• Cheek: The Perfect Cheek
• Lip: Lovin’ It, Personal Taste

• Inner Lid: In the Gallery
• Outer Lid: Look at the Eyes
• Crease: Private Viewing
• Brow: Lightfall
• Cheek: The Perfect Cheek
• Lip: High Strung, Young Thing

• Inner Lid: Look at the Eyes
• Outer Lid: In the Gallery
• Crease: Private Viewing
• Brow: Lightfall
• Cheek: The Perfect Cheek
• Lip: Front Lit, On Display

MAC Makeup Art Cosmetics Collection — In the Gallery Eyeshadow Quad

As envisioned by Richard Phillips, three eyeshadow quads were developed for the upcoming MAC Makeup Art Cosmetics Collection. This post will focus on In the Gallery Eyeshadow Quad!

Private Viewing Eyeshadow Quad ($36.00)

• Lightfall is an extremely sheer, satiny pale pink with lavender. If you have anything beyond a pale skin tone, this color is going to take work to show up. I couldn’t use a brush or a finger to swatch–I had to use a sponge-tip applicator and really dig into the color and layer it over five times to get the color to show up as it does in the swatch below. I was not pleased to say the least! Over a base, I imagine a little less work would be necessary, but that’s true for every color.
• Look at the Eyes is a shimmery silvery-puprle with light silver-pink shimmer. It has a frost finish, but it doesn’t appear overly frosty. This reminded me a bit of Beautiful Iris eyeshadow.
• In the Gallery is a matte eggplant-purple–reminded me a bit of Fig. 1 eyeshadow, though it’s not ultra pigmented and can be a bit chalky when applying.
• Private Viewing is a plummy, red-brown. It is also matte, like In the Gallery, but it doesn’t feel as chalky. It could be smoother–more like Matte2s, IMO. This felt like a more purple Sketch eyeshadow to me.

This is a true purple quad–every color is tinted with it. I like the way the colors match each other, and I think you can get several different color combinations out of this quad. I’ve always been a fan of MAC’s quad packaging, because you get the ease and slimness of palettes, but you can see through the lid, too, which is always nice if you’re guilty of owning a few too many quads like myself! It’s not the most original set of shades, but they work well together. Because the two matte eyeshadows do have some drag, and Lightfall requires far too many layers to show up, I wouldn’t put this on my must-have list.

• Product: 6/10
• Value: 8/10
• Ease of Use: 7/10
• Packaging: 9/10

Recommendation: If you’re all about purple eyeshadows, you should certainly check this quad out, since it is ALL about purples! Just make sure you have a good eyeshadow base if you become an owner of one of these, because the shadows don’t work so well without one.

Availability: MACCosmetics.com (August 20th), MAC stores

See up-close photos and swatches…

Lightfall

Look at the Eyes

In the Gallery

Private Viewing

Lightfall, Look at the Eyes, In the Gallery, Private Viewing

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