MAC Riveting Collection: Overall Review, Thoughts, & Round-up

Note: This hits stores today

OVERALL, Riveting is an interesting collection, but I don’t think it’s necessarily a must-have kind of collection. It’s definitely going to appeal to some, while others will skip it because it’s not as wearable as other collections have been in the past. I think with Spring Colour Forecast just launching, that might be where more are going to put their money, rather than Riveting. Luckily, Riveting is a small and easy-to-swallow collection, unlike Spring Colour Forecast, which would make even the most seasoned MAC addict’s head spin!

I think with the mix of shades in this collection, it’s hard to make recommendations. I found that the product with the highest quality (e.g. good pigmentation, nice feel, etc.) was Show Orchid Lipstick (but it’s PRO, though I think everyone needs to own it… and dance around at home, if you don’t want to rock it to the grocery store!). The blushes are both pigmented, but I think it really depends on if you prefer your blushes intensely pigmented or not (I don’t, actually–I like medium intensity!).

Bubbles and Metal Maven lipsticks are funky shades, good for layering, but it just depends if you’re willing to mix it or if you want something you can wear alone, too. Lipglasses are both cute but pretty dupe-able. The only product that didn’t thrill me, in terms of quality, was the matte nail lacquer. Just not on par with other brands’ matte releases. I’d go OPI or Zoya instead. Studded was the only one I’d consider!

P.S. – Remember, Riveting launches in-stores  next Thursday, the 18th.  It’ll probably pop online either Monday or Tuesday.  (Likely Tuesday, given the Monday holiday.)

Reviews, Photos, Swatches

• Blushes
  
• Lipglasses
  
• Lipsticks
  
• Nail Lacquers

What are your must-haves? What are you skipping?

MAC Riveting Collection: Nail Lacquer Review, Photos, Swatches

Finally, there are three matte-finish nail polishes. They are: Wham, Bam, Glam (officially described as a matte cool dark taupe), Studded (officially described as a matte true silver with pearl), and Black Enough? (officially described as a matte black).

Surprisingly, it feels like MAC was late to the party on this. They do, normally, seem to be fairly timely with their trend-based products. The formula on these is too thick for my taste–they’re almost kind of goopy. You might need to thin these polishes down a bit to make them easier to use. Even though matte nails are kind of cool, I do find they accent any flaws you have in your nails (like I have some vertical ridges/lines on mine, shh). Like other matte lacquers, these dry incredibly fast, which is probably my favorite aspect of matte polishes in general!

Nail Lacquer ($12.00 U.S. / $14.50 CDN)

• Wham, Bam, Glam is a dark taupe with a matte finish. Read the second paragraph in the post about texture/feel–it’s consistent across all three shades. Two coats to get a fairly even look and feel.
• Studded is a silver shimmered gray with a matte finish, but it looks almost foiled or metallic, because of the shimmer. I liked this one out of the three, because it applied the best and looked the nicest afterward. It was still a bit thick in the formula, though. Two coats to get a fairly even look and feel.
• Black Enough? is a rich matte black. Again, the formula was thick and the matte formula has a tendency to showcase imperfections in my nails. Two coats to get a fairly even look and feel.

Are you still feeling the matte look?

See more photos & swatches!

MAC Wham, Bam, Glam Nail Lacquer

MAC Studded Nail Lacquer

MAC Black Enough? Nail Lacquer

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MAC Riveting Collection: Blush Review, Photos, Swatches

Two blushes are included in the Riveting Collection: Full Fuchsia (officially described as a very bright iridescent fuchsia) and Dirty Plum (officialy described as a deep plum). MAC lists both of these as permanent shades at PRO stores, but they’ll be limited edition at counters and stores while this collection is out. I heard that Dirty Plum was recently discontinued, though, so you might want to snatch it up anyway, if it’s your kind of shade…

Blush ($18.50 U.S. / $22.00 CDN)

• Full Fuchsia is a vibrant deep fuchsia. It’s not ultra hot pink, but it’s nearly there. It’s just not quite as blindingly fuchsia as Show Orchid Lipstick is. It can be built up to very intense and bright, but even used lightly, it’s still a more intense blush than most. Think like a fuchsia version of Dollymix.
• Dirty Plum is a dark, slightly muted plum. Like Full Fuchsia, it can easily be layered and intensified to its true in-the-pan color. Used lightly, you can get a softer color. This one reminded me a bit of Vintage Grape blush ombre from Spring Colour Forecast (at least, when used lightly–when used heavily, there are stronger purple tones in this one).

Have you been waiting for some pigmented blushes? Or are they too pigmented for you?

See more photos & swatches!

MAC Dirty Plum Blush

MAC Full Fuchsia Blush

MAC Dirty Plum Blush

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MAC Riveting Collection: Lipglass Review, Photos, Swatches

Lucky for your pocketbook, there are only two lipglasses to take a look at from MAC’s Riveting Collection: Rock Out (officially described as a light icy silver with pearl) and True Babe (officially described as a creamy mid-tone bright blue pink). I don’t think neither are must-haves in the sense that unless you’re drawn to one of these and you don’t have something similar at home, you don’t absolutely have to have these too.

• Official collection details/promotional imagery: MAC Riveting Collection.

Lipglass ($14.00 U.S. / $16.50 CDN)

• Rock Out is a sheer, silver shimmered gloss with a very sheer, kind of whitish-silver color base. I didn’t find it all that wearable on its own, personally. It reminded me of an older limited edition lipglass–Lightning–as well as more recently released She-Zam dazzleglass (from holiday ’09). Obviously, since it’s a lipglass, it has a totally different texture and feel than a dazzleglass–it’s thicker, stickier, cheaper (and you get more), and lasts longer (because it’s stickier).
• True Babe is a creamy, rich bright pink with cool blue undertones. It’s like a cooler, more fuchsia version of Pink Poodle lipglass. I can’t think of any immediate dupes off the top of my head, but I know MAC has released quite a few hot pink lipglasses in the past few years. What’s nice about this one is that the coverage is nice and opaque, and despite its creamy look, it doesn’t settle into lip lines as much (and is not noticeable from normal viewing distance–aka, not 10x magnification of my lips!).

What do you think? Either of these for you?

See more photos, swatches, & lip swatches!

Lipglasses: Rock Out, True Babe

Lipglasses: Rock Out, True Babe

Lipglasses: Rock Out, True Babe

MAC Rock Out Lipglass

MAC Rock Out Lipglass

MAC True Babe Lipglass

MAC True Babe Lipglass

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MAC Riveting Collection: Lipstick Review, Photos, Swatches

I know, Riveting is like… what? I’m not even done with Spring Colour Forecast. Well, don’t rest on your laurels, because Riveting debuts the 18th (next Thursday), while Tabloid Beauty launches the 25th (but don’t worry, it’s all repromotes…), and then you have Too Fabulous, which launches on March 4th. But let me just tell you, if you’re a mineralize blush fan and you like things that look pretty, Too Fabulous is *totally* up your alley.

Riveting contains four lipsticks–two are ones we’ve seen before. Bubbles (repromote–last seen in Sugarsweet, I believe) and Show Orchid (PRO), as well as two new one: Metal Maven and Riveting.

• Official collection details/promotional imagery: MAC Riveting Collection.

Lipstick ($14.00 U.S. / $16.50 CDN)

Bubbles is an iridescent, frosty sheer warmed up silvery-white. It has a glaze finish, so it’s smoother than a frost (and doesn’t catch every imperfection on your lip in the light), but it has a frostier look. Bubbles is probably not designed to really wear alone, but more to layer underneath a lipglass. Try it with True Babe on top (will show you later this week).

Metal Maven is a metallic-frosty light silver. It’s more opaque than Bubbles, and it is distinctly silver (whereas Bubbles reads more like whitish with a tinge of silver/metallic-ness). Again, unless you want to rock a metallic silver lip (then layer with Rock Out lipglass!), more to layer with than to wear alone. Try it with True Babe on top (will show you later on this week).

Riveting is a very brownish-gray with a plummy touch to it. It’s a glaze lipstick and looks and feels more like a glaze than Bubbles. It actually has a surprising amount of coverage, going on nearly opaque on my lips. This isn’t quite a vampy shade, because it doesn’t hold the boldness of it, but it’s still dark even though it’s muted.

Show Orchid is a retina-burning bright fuchsia with fuchsia-purple sheen and rich, full coverage color. I love the amplified finish (one of my personal favorite finishes), too. This is available year-round at PRO stores, and MAC finds a way to make it show up on the consumer website once or twice a year. Always a fun choice!

What are your favorites? Which would you wear? TELL ME you’re going to get Show Orchid!

See more photos, swatches, & lip swatches!

Bubbles, Metal Maven

Riveting, Show Orchid

MAC Bubbles Lipstick

MAC Bubbles Lipstick

MAC Metal Maven Lipstick

MAC Metal Maven Lipstick

MAC Riveting Lipstick

MAC Riveting Lipstick

MAC Show Orchid Lipstick

MAC Show Orchid Lipstick

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MAC Riveting Collection: Sneak Peek

Review and swatches coming soon…