Round-up: MAC is Beauty Collection Overview & Thoughts
MAC is Beauty is collection that launches March 26th now March 30th online (North America) and in select stores on April 2nd (North America) with select international stores to receive sometime in April 2015. It’s a massive collection with twelve lipsticks, sixteen fluidlines, five eyeshadows, four lipglosses, three nail lacquers, three brushes, two face powders, and an eyeliner. There are some shades and pieces that I didn’t have for you to review, and I’ll definitely do my best to buy them when the collection launches–I just can’t guarantee it since sometimes collections sell out so quickly.
Eight of the lipsticks had a Lustre finish, which is my least favorite finish MAC does from experience; I don’t have issues with it simply being a sheerer finish, I have issues with it for being drying, prone to unevenness/settling into lip lines, and being very short-wearing. It also strikes me as wholly unnecessary to launch eight of them in a single launch, as they often look similar applied (four of them are in the “warm peach/beige” family).
The Fluidline formula can be really great for wear, but they don’t always apply as nicely as you might want. I have found very thin angle brushes (263, not the 266!) and very thin eyeliner brushes work the best. The more pearly or glittery shades tend to perform less well compared to more matte/cream shades. The majority of the shades have been previously released, whether permanent as usual or as a limited edition shade in the past, but note that they’re now called “Pro Longwear Fluidline,” rather than just Fluidline. This appears similar to how MAC relaunched their Paint Pot formula (which is now called Pro Longwear Paint Pot). I couldn’t really distinguish differences between the original and “new.” At most, the updated formula might have a little more slip with some shades. If you already have the original, I don’t think it’s necessary to rush out and grab the new formula in the same shade. The sixteen shades featured in this launch will also be added to the permanent range.
The only product that really caught my eye was Blue Peep Fluidline as it is a more unusual eyeliner shade. Make Me Gorgeous Lipstick was definitely pretty, but it’s dupable enough that it wasn’t as interesting to me. It was good to see Pearl Blossom Beauty Powder get repromoted, but I wish the texture was better.
Report Card
- Blitz & Glitz Fluidline (A)
- Blue Peep Fluidline (A)
- Make Me Gorgeous Lipstick (A)
- Blacktrack Fluidline (A-)
- Lowlights Fluidline (A-)
- Silly Lipstick (A-)
- Brassy Fluidline (B+)
- Bouffant Eyeshadow (B+)
- Diva-ish Lipstick (B+)
- Macroviolet Fluidline (B+)
- Pearl Blossom Beauty Powder (B+)
- Reel Sexy Lipstick (B+)
- Alpha Girl Beauty Powder (B)
- Call the Hairdresser! Lipstick (B)
- Real Redhead Lipstick (B-)
- French Twist Lipstick (C+)
- Ivy Fluidline (C+)
- Pure Vanity Lipstick (C+)
- Siahi Fluidline (C+)
- Silverstroke Fluidline (C+)
- Catty Lipstick (C)
- Highlights Lipstick (C)
- Notice Me Lipstick (C)
- Real Doll Lipstick (C)
- Yogurt Eyeshadow (C-)
- Copperthorn Fluidline (D+)
I think I will skip the collection!
It had so much potential!
Out of recent MAC releases, I like this one the best. It has the most wearable shades with some pops of color which is appropriate for the upcoming summer. My favorites are Reel Sexy lipstick and Yoghurt blush.
Glad you liked it!
I like 2 of the fluidlines but I know they dry up so fast, I doubt I’d purchase it!
Oh, that’s a bummer!
I thought this was going to be a big haul for me but I think I just want the face brush and a fluidline or two. Maybe a lipstick but the swatches haven’t convinced me so far. This would have been an epic collection without all those lustres
Imagine if they weren’t Lustres… lol!
I just love these infographics you’ve been doing lately. They are awesome!
Thanks, Lauren!
I think it’s a good collection, there are still some nice lipsticks there. And the Blue Peep is just too unique to pass!
Yay!
If you can get those other fluidlines that are coming out, I would love to see them reviewed! (If you have time, of course! I know there’s never enough time!) 😉
Thank you for all these reviews Christine! I enjoy reading every single day, I always look forward to them!!
Hopefully!
I really like these round-ups. I am crossing these collections though. I have no idea how you are keeping all these things straight! So, total, 11 fluidlines in this and the P.T collection right? But Blue peep is in both collections? is that right?
My apologies on all the questions. But, I am thinking the bulk of my purchase is going to be fluidlines. Are they able to be made into a smokey ,smudge look or pretty much just a crisp line?
There are 16 in MAC is Beauty, 3 in MAC x Philip Treacy – but only 1 of the 3 in Philip Treacy is different – so 17 in total available on March 26th. The 16 in MAC is Beauty are permanent (which makes Royal Wink, from Philip Treacy, the LE one).
They’re not very smudgeable, IMO. It’s possible, but they dry down fast.
Ok. Thanks for clearing that up!
Thank you so much for such a comprehensive review of the MAC Collections.
Overall, I think the quality has been lacking in many of their products, which most of them are very dupable with other products that are cheaper and better.
Secondly a lot of their products seem very similar to those they have already released in the past. Eg red, pink and nude lipsticks.
Yes I agree with you Christine, the potential was there.
There are a number of repromotes here and then the usual similar-to-something-from-years-past (hard to be totally original!).
This is such a great post, I always love seeing what your opinion on products are
Happy to share!
How were the polishes? Dying to see and hear!
Sorry, I don’t have the polishes.
I may get some of the fluidlines, I really like Blitz & Glitz, I also really like the silver one. I find it so pretty.
I like how Blitz & Glitz has a little extra something to it.
I find myself really loving your round up posts. With the impending litany of MAC releases, cutting through all the marketing noise, your posts are helping me to seriously pare down my want list; which turns out to be quite small.
Thank you, Wendy! I try 🙂
Blue Peep stands out for me.
I like that one!
I like Make Me Gorgeous and Reel Sexy, but they just seem a bit too dupable. I wanted to love more of the lipsticks, but they just didn’t seem to turn out. Oh well!
More money for the next MAC collection… and we know there will be many more 😉
I always appreciate your roundups Christine and the new setup presentation works really well to capture the gist of your overview in an eye catching, user friendly way. Hmm, looks like I will be giving most of this collection a skip. I’d consider the Make Me Gorgeous Lipstick if I didn’t already have so many shades like it. 🙂
It is a lovely lipstick, but like you said, SO dupable!
I just don’t understand why they have come out with so many lustres recently! I want good lipsticks! There’s a couple lipsticks in here I like with Call the Hairdresser and Reel Sexy. Kind of on the fence about Silly, not sure if I need it. But I guess I’ll save some money! Don’t know what I would do if I wanted everything hah
LOL! That’s true. Imagine if you wanted ALL TWELVE. How would you narrow it down?!
when will it available online? Is March 26th or March 31st? coz i saw from other site posted March 31st online .
I edited the post above with the date as soon as I received the info!
Dear Christine,
I love your blog and been following for years. You are the best blogger ever 🙂
Thank you,
Tania
Thank you, Tania!
So I am waiting on the collection to release today and its still not posted online!? The other 2 that were set to release today hit online but not Mac is Beauty. Weird. I am going to be staring at the website now until it releases LOL
MAC moved the date to 3/30! I updated this post as soon as I found out (3PM PST today).
Yes I saw the revision this morning! I literally was online every 5 mins to make sure I didn’t miss the collection ha ha!
do you know if it will hit Nordstrom earlier? Or on the same date (April2nd)
Sorry, all the info I have is posted!
why are they always changing their release dates!?!? drives me crazy
Wasn’t sure where to write this. I hope this is the right place. macs website has silly lipstick. Macys, bloomingdales, & dillards have beauty shoppe lipstick! they don’t have silly. do you know if it’s the same color? Of course they don’t give a color discription. Thanks for your help.
I really don’t know! 🙁
I Actually think the Copperthorn Fluidline is one of the most beautiful pieces in this collection!!! I can understand your problem with it because It’s probably not a very good fluid line, in that it probably won’t apply as a regular liner, however, I put it on several girls today on the lid as a shadow or under the eye as a cream shadow/liner and it was BEAUTIFUL!!! Like the most gorgeous shimmer, its unreal! Everyone was asking them what they were wearing! Especially if you have lighter eyes, like blue or green, (especially Blue) or Darker brown eyes and you want the yellow or gold in them to pop, give this a try! The orangey gold color is fantastic.
I tried using it as an eyeshadow, actually, but I didn’t like it 🙁 What did you use to apply it?
Did you review the Shade and Looking Good fluidlines in this collection later on? Just wondering, I honestly will not purchase quite a few products until I read your reviews. If I am able to swatch in the store, that only tells me so much cuz I’m sure as heck not putting testers on my face. Plus I find it hard to find other good reviews on blogs. Like one fluidline you said was patchy they said was good. Well ok, the swatch you had I saw wasn’t opaque so did they go over theirs a couple times? Some are too nice or just don’t say anything different than the last review. Sometimes I just don’t trust myself to test instore because I’m not always a good judge. I’ve tested shadows thinking they are nice and soft and pigmented and they end up being powdery and not wanting to stick to my eye or blend well. Anyway, thanks for all you do!
I haven’t, unfortunately! I didn’t get them yet, but I should have them soon!
Do you know which items from this collection are permanent?
http://www.temptalia.com/mac-is-beauty-for-spring-2015
Thanks. I was hoping the lipsticks were per.manent so my splurge isn’t too big ;o