5 Beautiful Rich Purple Eyeshadows

Purple can be a tricky shade. There’s just something about purple products that often lack in pigmentation, but these are five that don’t disappoint!

1. Make Up For Ever #92
2. Inglot #439
3. Urban Decay Delinquent
4. MAC Violet
5. MAC Plush

What’s your favorite rich purple eyeshadow?

MAC Fall Colour: Pigments

MAC Fall Colour Pigments ($20.00 for 0.15 oz.) include four limited edition shades and one permanent repromote in the MAC Fall Colour Collection, which debuts in North America on September 29th, 2011 and will roll out internationally in October. These include: Blue Storm (rich metallic blue), Emerald Dusk (deep yellow blue with white pearl), Golden Olive (high frosted green-gold), Magenta Madness (intense neon blue-pink), Neo-Orange (intense neon salmon), Starless Night (deep black purple with light purple pearl), Tan (muted pinky brown bronze), and Violet (vivid bright violet purple).

• Blue Storm is a dark navy blue with a purplish tint and silver sparkle. It gets a little darker and more cohesive when used damp as compared to dry. This shade has come out before, and yet I don’t have the original version (I’m at an utter loss as to why). It is similar to Givenchy Lune Mordoree. It’s not as dark as MAC Later.
• Emerald Dusk is grayish blue with green-teal shimmer. When dry, it has a dustier look to it with less sheen, while when used damp, a silvery metallic sheen comes to the forefront. The color is similar to Urban Decay Hijack and Bare Escentuals Vapor.
• Golden Olive is a medium grassy green with a hint of olive but mostly golden shimmer and sheen. This (along with Violet) were some of my very first pigments. I looked through the gallery but didn’t feel anything was very similar (and I couldn’t think of anything).
• Magenta Madness is a neon fuchsia pink. It reads more fuchsia than magenta to me, though I wouldn’t debate you on that ’til the death. This shade is not to be used in the eye area per MAC’s safety insert. Inglot #362 is pinker, while Make Up For Ever #75 is closer but darker. MAC’s Neon pigments take a fair amount of work, and I can see why they’re a pro product. It’s better mixed with other base products (e.g. creams, mixing mediums, etc.) than applied straight to the skin. It has a matte finish, so it ends up looking chalky just swatched dry. The texture is silky soft–very finely milled–but it means it can look patchy when applied damp.
• Neo-Orange is just shy of being a full neon orange. It looks rather dusty and softened when applied dry to the skin. This shade is not to be used in the eye area per MAC’s safety insert. The texture and issues with this shade are the same as Magenta Madness (see above). Make Up For Ever #5 is very close but in an easier format.
• Starless Night is a violet purple over a blackened-purple base with silver and blue sparkle. It does well applied dry (binds together nicely) but takes on a more cohesive look when used damp. It’s similar to MAC Imaginary, if it were over a black base. It also reminds me of a purpler MAC Later.
• Tan is a warm, red-toned medium brown with a gilded champagne shimmer-sheen. It looks more metallic when it is used damp. Wet ‘n’ Wild Comfort Zone and Urban Decay Blaze are similar.
• Violet is a softened violet purple with subtle red undertones and a frosted finish. Like Golden Olive, it was one of my first MAC products. Urban Decay Delinquent is darker. Urban Decay Ecstasy is less red-toned. Inglot #441 is more intense.

I have a soft spot for pigments, personally, as they were the product that made me fall in love with makeup. I prefer them with MAC’s Water-Based Mixing Medium (or 1/3 glycerin + 2/3 water for a DIY version) and have often used them as an eyeshadow base. There are only two new shades here and one more that is a repromote (so perhaps new to some); the rest of the shades are available permanently (Magenta Madness and Neo-Orange only at PRO stores, though currently available online to all!).

If you like pigments, the three new/limited edition shades (Blue Storm, Emerald Dusk, and Starless Night) are good and the latter two are reminiscent of the texture and formula of the Alice + Olivia pigments. The two neon shades (Magenta Madness and Neo-Orange) require more patience and likely better mixed with mediums/bases than alone. Pigments are technically multi-purpose products, which means you can use them on eyes, cheeks, lips, hair, nails, body, etc. (though some shades have safety restrictions). If you’re wondering where one might use the two non-eye safe shades, think cheeks or lips!

According to MAC, pigments “[contain] ingredients to help [them] adhere to the skin … easy to blend and long-lasting.” The way I review products is much, much more transparent to you as well as me (I have over fifty different characteristics I look at, though not all apply to each product). Nowadays, I try to be careful to read exactly how a brand describes their product/formula, because then I know what it’s supposed to do and then can review based on that. As much as I may like pigments, and I’m so used to using them with mixing medium, it’s almost mind-boggling to use them over bare skin!  I’m also surprised MAC doesn’t mention using these wet/damp or with a mixing medium.

The majority of colors do not apply intensely if you use them dry over bare skin. If you dampen the brush with even water, you’ll get a much better result. I also find that if I just use them damp over bare skin, they tend to fade a little (on me) after eight hours or so with minor creasing. I have no trouble with creasing or fading even after twelve hours if I use mixing medium instead of water. I have no problems with wear (whether dry or damp) if I use it over an eyeshadow primer.

The Glossover

	MAC Fall Colour Pigments Swatches, Photos, Reviews B
	What I like about pigments is that they feel like a more finished product than a lot of loose color products do--it doesn't just feel like mica but there is more to it, which is what helps it bind together and wear better.
	Product 8/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 9.5/10 Longevity 8/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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MAC Blue Storm Pigment

MAC Blue Storm Pigment

MAC Blue Storm Pigment

MAC Emerald Dusk Pigment

MAC Emerald Dusk Pigment

MAC Emerald Dusk Pigment

MAC Golden Olive Pigment

MAC Golden Olive Pigment

MAC Golden Olive Pigment

MAC Magenta Madness Pigment

MAC Magenta Madness Pigment

MAC Magenta Madness Pigment

MAC Neo-Orange Pigment

MAC Neo-Orange Pigment

MAC Neo-Orange Pigment

MAC Starless Night Pigment

MAC Starless Night Pigment

MAC Starless Night Pigment

MAC Tan Pigment

MAC Tan Pigment

MAC Tan Pigment

MAC Violet Pigment

MAC Violet Pigment

MAC Violet Pigment

MAC Stylishly Yours: Pigments

There are four shades of MAC Pigments ($19.50 for 0.15 oz.), three are new and limited edition: Follow Your Fancy (bright coral with small pearl particle), Madly Personal (bright pink), and New Fixation (bright fuchsia red with soft pearl); along with one repromote: Violet (vivid bright violet purple), which is permanent.  I’m still working on figuring out what (if any) safety information accompanies these, as none of my pigments had safety inserts inside their boxes.

I must have been under a rock for the past year, but MAC now prints safety information on the back of the pigment box itself. There were no safety warnings for Follow Your Fancy or New Fixation.  Madly Personal had a warning that it is not for use in the lip area.  Go figure – the pink isn’t safe on lips!?!

• Follow Your Fancy is a rusted orange with subtle redness and a frosted sheen.  Nicely pigmented, and it’s actually really fun to see, because I can’t remember such a rusty color in pigment form coming out.  This is new and limited edition.
• Madly Personal is a medium-dark fuchsia pink with a pearly sheen.  It is less cool-toned than Brash & Bold, but the two are close.  It’s a darker, less frosty version of Fuchsia, too.  This is new and limited edition.
• New Fixation is a medium-dark pinky-red with pearly sheen.  I don’t own it, but it may be similar to Basic Red, except the finish is different and this seems like a less true red.  This is new and limited edition.
• Violet is a shimmering violet purple with a frosted sheen.  This is permanent.

All four of the pigments were really smooth and pigmented.  I also loved that MAC used more of a pearly sheen as a finish than a full-on frost finish – it adds more variety to the pigment range (even though these are limited, except Violet).

MAC Stylishly Yours Collection is a limited edition launch (official information and photos here) that is set to launch in-stores on December 26th in North America, January 2011 for international MAC locations. The approximate launch date for online is December 24th.

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

• Product: 29/30
• Value: 9/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: I’ve always been a fan of MAC’s pigments; you get plenty of them, need very little, and they are pigmented and easy enough to work with.

AVAILABILITY: MAC Cosmetics on December 26th (U.S. stores), January 2011 (International)

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MAC Pigments: Follow Your Fancy, Madly Personal, New Fixation, Violet

MAC Pigments: Follow Your Fancy, Madly Personal, New Fixation, Violet

MAC Pigments: Follow Your Fancy, Madly Personal, New Fixation, Violet

MAC Pigments: Follow Your Fancy, Madly Personal, New Fixation, Violet

MAC Pigments: Follow Your Fancy, Madly Personal, New Fixation, Violet

MAC Pigments: Follow Your Fancy, Madly Personal

MAC Pigments: New Fixation, Violet

MAC Pigments: Follow Your Fancy, Madly Personal, New Fixation, Violet

8 Must-Have MAC (Consumer) Pigments

About the Temptalia Must-Haves Series
A series of posts showcasing must-have products from MAC Cosmetics’ permanent line of products. Selections are based on quality, universality, uniqueness amongst the line, and the like. Limited edition shades are deliberately excluded to make buying easier. Readers’ comments act as a supplement to these lists of their favorites and must-haves. You can find the entire series here.

Old Gold pigment is a stunning combination of yellowed green and green-gold mixed together. It’s an interesting mix of green and gold with a little bit of brown. This is a particularly good pigment for those with warmer tones in their skin.

Teal pigment is exactly as it is named — teal. It’s pigmented, smooth, and looks rich on eyes.

Golden Lemon pigment is a bright pop of yellow gold with lots of frost in its finish. It’s not necessarily a product for those who don’t love shimmer/frost in their eye products, but it is one of the best bases to use for gold, orange, and red eyeshadows.

Golden Olive pigment is a gorgeous soft, olive green. It’s smooth in texture, rich in color pay off, and feels soft. If you wear green eyeshdaow often, tihs is an absolute must.

See four more must-have pigments!

Melon pigment is a sunny, peachy-pink combination that can be worn alone, as a base, or to highlight.

Pink Opal pigment is perfect for highlighting and accenting the face, lips, or eyes. It’s one of the most versatile pigment shades, and definitely a favorite of mine.

Violet pigment is a beautiful shade of rich, medium-to-dark purple. It’s not too cool, not too warm–almost neutral–so it is great for all skin tones. Like the other pigments on this list, the product is pigmented and smooth to the touch.]

Vanilla or Naked pigments are superb highlighter/neutral shades to have in your pigment collection. Vanilla tends to work better on cooler skin tones, while Naked works on all skin tones, but it can lean just a touch warm.

Note: This list only considers consumer pigments, so it does not include PRO-only pigments. (There is a separate list for PRO-only pigments.)

What are your favorite pigments?

Oh! Oh!  I would like to say that the lips I used in this look are far brighter than I’d normally pair with this bold of an eye.  I really wanted to do *some* lip combo using the Dame Edna products, thus you have it  You can also blot down the lipstick so it’s more of a stain before you put the gloss over it to make it less in-your-face.

What are you all doing for New Year’s Eve?! I ask today, because I know there are several international readers, so I’m sure your NYE is coming up just a lil’ faster than mine

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Violet pigment (violet base), Dame’s Desire eyeshadow (light purple), Royal Tour eyeshadow (medium purple with fuchsia), Climate Blue eyeshadow (blue-purple), Femme-fi eyeshadow (highlighter), Urban Decay Lust 24/7 Liner (purple), (Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Don’t Be Shy blush (cool pink)
• Lips: Gladiola lipstick (purple-fuchsia), Hot Frost lipglass (medium pink)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Dame’s Desire = Beautiful Iris; Royal Tour = Satellite Dreams; Climate Blue = Contrast; Femme-fi = Shroom; Don’t Be Shy = Well Dressed; Gladiola = Up the Amp + Girl About Town; Hot Frost = Cultured

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Violet pigment all over the lid as the base with the 249. On the inner lid, apply Dame’s Desire eyeshadow using the 239. Apply Royal Tour eyeshadow to the middle of the lid. Darken the outer lid using Climate Blue packed on and drag into crease using the 239. Darken crease with Climate Blue eyeshadow using the 239. Sweep Femme-fi underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Urban Decay Lust 24/7 Liner on lower lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Don’t Be Shy blush using the 129. Apply Gladiola lipstick to lips, and then top with Hot Frost lipglass for color and shine.

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