Cozy Up with Tenderly Warm

MAC Tenderly Warm Crushed Metallic Pigments Set ($32.50 for 0.40 oz.) consists of four shades: Darling Coquette (soft beige frost), Silk Stocking (beige), Rose Light (rose with copper sparkle), and Ever Elegant (copper frost).

Darling Coquette is a soft, darkened beige with a frosted, metallic finish. When applied dry, it has decent pigmentation, and when applied damp, it binds together better and has more payoff. Tarina Tarantino Fantastical is warmer. Urban Decay Juju is a touch darker. Urban Decay Sellout is lighter. MAC Love Connection is slightly rosy. Urban Decay Sin is pinker.

Silk Stocking is a toned-down golden beige with a metallic sheen. This shade is fairly chunky and very metallic. It had so-so payoff when used dry and much better pigmentation when used damp. MAC Retrospeck is a touch darker. Chanel Apprence is similar. Dior Fairy Golds is comparable. Urban Decay Echo Beach is darker.

Rose Light is a light-medium rosy pink with a frosted, metallic finish. The color payoff was good both dry and wet without much change between the two–the metallic finish is more apparent when it is used damp. This shade was promoted previously in February. Urban Decay Bordello is darker, more mauve-hued. MAC Love Power is similar. MAC Da Bling is darker.

Ever Elegant is a rich coppery brown with a soft, metallic sheen. This is the least shimmery/metallic shade of the four. It is also very pigmented both dry and wet–it’s a little deeper when applied damp. Estee Lauder Violet Underground is a bit more red-toned. Tom Ford Illicit is a bit darker and is a cream product. Make Up For Ever #14 is darker. MAC Antiqued is a touch less red. theBalm Racy Kacy is similar.

This was the best set of the three, because there was better pigmentation across the board, and none of the shades had fall out problems.  When I used the four together, it still made my lids look very wrinkled/crepe-y, though.  Ever Elegant looked the best applied, as it wasn’t too frosted/metallic and lacked the really chunky texture that worsens the effect.  All four shades wore for eight hours without fading or creasing (without a primer/base).

The Glossover

	MAC Tenderly Warm Crushed Metallic Pigments Set Review, Photos, Swatches B+
	Using these can be tricky and getting them to smooth out and look flattering on the lids is another challenge. The chunky, almost gritty textures, really don't help this product shine.
	Product 8.5/10 Pigmentation 9.5/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 3.5/5
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MAC Tenderly Warm Crushed Metallic Pigments Set

MAC Tenderly Warm Crushed Metallic Pigments Set

MAC Tenderly Warm Crushed Metallic Pigments Set

MAC Darling Coquette Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Darling Coquette Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Darling Coquette Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Darling Coquette Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Darling Coquette Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Silk Stocking Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Silk Stocking Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Silk Stocking Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Silk Stocking Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Silk Stocking Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Rose Light Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Rose Light Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Rose Light Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Rose Light Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Rose Light Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Ever Elegant Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Ever Elegant Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Ever Elegant Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Ever Elegant Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Ever Elegant Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Tenderly Warm Crushed Metallic Pigments Set

MAC Vera: Strawberry Patch Crushed Metallic Pigment Stack

MAC Strawberry Patch Crushed Metallic Pigment Stack ($34.00 for 0.21 oz.) has four shades: Moon Rose (bright dark pink), Rose Light (metallic yellow pink), Star Crystal (pink champagne), and Strawberry Patch (light blue pink).

• Moon Rose is a bright medium-dark pink. There’s a subtle red base to it, so it does not turn fuchsia. Urban Decay Woodstock is brighter and cooler toned. MAC Bright Fuchsia is redder and brighter. Inglot #450 is a bit more burgundy.
• Rose Light is a light-medium rose pink with yellow undertones. It looks very different from the pot–it almost looks like a coral in the pot. Definitely a shade you have to swatch! Inglot #399 is fairly similar. Giorgio Armani Sweet Fire is less pink.  This shade is a repromote from holiday.
• Star Crystal is a peach-tinted white. It’s a bit darker compared to MAC Pearl. MAC Snow Season is darker. Urban Decay Midnight 15 is cooler-toned.
• Strawberry Patch is a light-medium pink with lilac shimmer-sheen. This was really, really chunky and harder to work with compared to the other three shades in the stack. Urban Decay Hot Pants is a bit similar though the finish is very different. MAC Swish is not as blue-based.

You can read a more in-depth review of the formula itself here. As more of a high-level summary, these are supposed to have lots of color payoff with a strong metallic finish that is crease-resistant and long-wearing. Technique is key to using these successfully, as you really need to crush the bits and bobs of pigment before applying it. By doing this, you’ll achieve smoother textures and longer wear without fall out.

Strawberry Patch was the only shade that was difficult to work with; it had a rather chunky texture that was difficult to crush well, so it certainly requires more patience.  The other three shades were easier to use, though, as they were finer and softer, so they would apply smoother without a lot of attention to technique.

The Glossover

	MAC Strawberry Patch Crushed Metallic Pigment Stack Review, Photos, Swatches B+
	Strawberry Patch was the only shade that was difficult to work with; it had a rather chunky texture that was difficult to crush well, so it certainly requires more patience. The other three shades were easier to use, though, as they were finer and softer, so they would apply smoother without a lot of attention to technique.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 9.5/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5
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MAC Strawberry Patch Crushed Metallic Pigment Stack

MAC Strawberry Patch Crushed Metallic Pigment Stack

MAC Moon Rose Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Moon Rose Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Moon Rose Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Rose Light Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Rose Light Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Rose Light Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Star Crystal Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Star Crystal Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Star Crystal Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Strawberry Patch Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Strawberry Patch Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Strawberry Patch Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Dazzlesphere Smoky Berry Crushed Metallic Pigment Kit

MAC’s Dazzlesphere Collection will debut in-stores on November 10th, and the first I’m reviewing is MAC Smoky Berry Crushed Metallic Pigment Kit ($32.50 for 0.40 oz.) contains four shades: Pearl (pearl), Rose Light (rose), Spicy Smoke (dark strawberry), and Roasted Chestnut (deep chocolate with gold pearl). It took a bit of digging, but I found the official description from when these were originally released, and they’re described as having “intense colour payoff” with “medium coverage” and “highly reflective metallic sparkle.” They are “creamy, crease-resistant, [and] long-wearing.”

• Pearl is a warm, frosted white. It looks very peach in the pot, but it’s white when applied. I actually thought I had swatched things out of order but lo and behold, it really is that drastic of a difference. The high frost element of these seems to translate into lighter-than-pot shades overall. Pearl was less pigmented than it should be, especially when used dry; you really need to pack on the product to get better color payoff dry. When used damp, it’s better and the metallic finish is brought to the forefront, though there is still an underlying sheerness. It’s warmer and smoother than MAC Forgery.
• Rose Light is a softened rose pink with a metallic, frosted finish. It seems a little lighter and much smoother than Rose pigment. It’s a bit pinker than the base color of Urban Decay Midnight Cowboy. Inglot #399 is darker, as is Giorgio Armani #7. It applies decently dry, but it performs best when applied wet.
• Spicy Smoke is an orange-red with a soft, frosted finish. It’s less metallic than the previous two shades. The red gets pulled out more when it is applied damp, while it is more orange when applied dry. It’s a touch redder than Milani I Heart You. MAC Coppering is similar – a bit more metallic in finish.
• Roasted Chestnut is a dark chocolate brown with bronzy sparkle and shimmer. This one needs to be pressed and “crushed,” because it is one of the chunkier pigments of the four. It holds together nicely once it’s been applied, though. It has opaque color when applied dry, though it is softer and less intense than when it is applied damp. The dry color is a bit like MAC Buckwheat, while Laura Mercier Cedar compares favorably to the color it is when applied damp.

I wore this set as a look (used all of the shades except Rose Light) without a base on one eye and with a base (MAC Mixing Medium) on the other (double-duty testing!). I applied Pearl and Spicy Smoke with a dampened brush, while I applied Roasted Chestnut dry into the crease. I’m pleased to report that I didn’t have any fall out while I wore the look; there was some minor fall out from Roasted Chestnut being used dry during initial application, but I did not find lots of sparkle and shimmer underneath my eye hours later. On the eye without a base, it looked only slightly faded eight hours later as it did when I first applied the shades (with a base, it was fine). The real trick is really pressing the pigment against the lid so it combines and binds together. I recommend using a firmer brush like the 242.

The consistency varies, though they tend to be a little chunky, with some (like Roasted Chestnut) being very chunky in the pot, while some are finer (like Spicy Smoke). Generally, the finishes are extremely frosted, metallic-like, and add a lot of oomph to a look–but they may be better when mixed and matched with other finishes (like mattes) for more textural contrast as all of these at once can almost look heavy on the eye.  I’m not particularly keen on the packaging; it’s a cute concept–the stackable jars–but they’re messy.

P.S. — It’s interesting how grams/ounces work; each stack of two is labeled as 6g/0.21 oz., while the bottom of the outer packaging said 12g/0.40 oz.. According to a Google conversion from 12g to ounces, it was 0.423 oz. I’m not sure why the math is a little off here.

The Glossover

	MAC Smoky Berry Crushed Metallic Pigment Kit Review, Photos, Swatches B+
	For those used to working with loose colors and not minding some of the inherent mess in this type of product, they're nice overall. You get plenty of product in each pot, and they wear well without a base and have decent to great pigmentation (depending if you use it dry/wet).
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5
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MAC Smoky Berry Crushed Metallic Pigment Kit

MAC Smoky Berry Crushed Metallic Pigment Kit

MAC Smoky Berry Crushed Metallic Pigment Kit

MAC Pearl Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Pearl Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Pearl Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Rose Light Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Rose Light Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Rose Light Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Spicy Smoke Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Spicy Smoke Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Spicy Smoke Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Roasted Chestnut Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Roasted Chestnut Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC Roasted Chestnut Crushed Metallic Pigment

Pearl, Spicy Smoke, Roasted Chestnut