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MAC Dare to Wear: Eyeshadows Review, Photos, Swatches (Part 1)

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows

MAC Dare to Wear: Eyeshadows, Part 1

There are twelve brightly colored eyeshadows releasing with MAC’s Dare to Wear Collection, which is Lady Gaga “inspired.” This is a collection that will appeal to some and hold absolutely zero appeal to others. Not only are the shades on the brighter side, the majority of them have a matte finish.

The collection also has a lot of permanent shades, so check your stash before you run over to the store–and if you’re near a store, keep in mind you can purchase the permanent shades in palette form. The permanent shades are Free to Be, Lime, and Aqua, with Free to Be available at all freestanding stores and the latter two only at PRO stores.

  • Louder, Please is a pinked red with a matte finish. This shade was quite pigmented and required very little fussing to get a nice layer of smooth, rich color. This is the closest to red I’ve seen from MAC (but it is not a true red, to be clear).
  • Free to Be is a pinky coral with a matte finish. It has some pigmentation, but it can be a rather difficult shade to really punch up. This is a permanent shade.
  • Going Bananas is a soft, medium yellow with a frosty finish. It has a nice level of pigmentation, and it’s a particularly flattering yellow because it doesn’t run too bright or full-on yellow. This is a repromote.
  • Sassy Grass is a medium-dark grass green with a matte finish. I thought it might resemble Wondergrass (limited edition, released with C-Shock), but it’s much darker and a wee bit greener.
  • Lime is a muted, medium-dark chartreuse green with slight yellow undertones and a matte finish. This was probably one of the harder shades to work with out of the twelve; it’s a bit stiff and takes some layering. This is a permanent PRO shade.
  • Aqua is a bright pastel aqua-blue with a matte finish. This is one of the more powdery matte shades by MAC, and it can be layered to get a nice level of color intensity, but it may look chalky on some complexions. This is a permanent PRO shade.

Temptalia’s Recommendations

  • Must-Haves: Going Bananas, Sassy Grass
  • Nice-to-Haves: Louder, Please, Free to Be, Aqua
  • Skip: Lime

Recommendations by Skin Tone

  • Light: Free to Be, Going Bananas, Lime, Aqua
  • Medium: Louder, Please, Going Bananas, Sassy Grass, Lime
  • Dark: Louder, Please, Going Bananas, Sassy Grass, Lime, Aqua

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Louder, Please Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Louder, Please Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Louder, Please Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Free to Be Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Free to Be Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Free to Be Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Going Bananas Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Going Bananas Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Going Bananas Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Sassy Grass Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Sassy Grass Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Sassy Grass Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Lime Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Lime Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Lime Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Aqua Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Aqua Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Aqua Eyeshadow

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Eyeshadow: Louder, Please, Free to Be, Going Bananas, Sassy Grass, Lime, Aqua

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Eyeshadow: Louder, Please, Free to Be, Going Bananas

MAC Dare to Wear Eyeshadows
MAC Eyeshadow: Sassy Grass, Lime, Aqua

137 Comments

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Comments on this post are closed.
shontay Avatar

I was hesitant to buy Aqua b/c I thought it would be chalky, but I will pick it up tomorrow. Christine, how does Going bananas compare to Goldmine?

Xtina Avatar

Hey, one more: how does it compare to “bright sunshine”? I bought bright sunshine as a dupe for going bananas, but I’ve never actually seen going bananas in person.

lily Avatar

i love sassy grass!!! Christine do you think Post Haste is anything like Louder Please? i have PH and don’t want to get LP if they are the same.

Casey Avatar

LOVE this collection! How does Aqua compare to the blue shade in the “Lighten the Mood” Mineralize eyeshadow from the In The Groove collection??

Hanna Avatar

Thank you so much Christine!
I always relay on you swatches since I have to order all my MAC online.
I was wondering if Sassy Green is comparable to Bio Green?

Jenn Avatar

Hmm, I really don’t see how this collection is Lady Gaga inspired– maybe I’m missing something here. But I was expecting for something like Parrot to be released in this collection. Is there anything similar here?

baby in a corner Avatar

The photography looks really pretty here! I think the other 6 shadows in section too are nicer overall, I’ve been longing for Atlantic blue for a while but i’m trying to be good. maybe now! I am a fan of mattes in general so its nice to see these new additions.

loulouthi Avatar

hi christine i am a big fan of your page and find your recommendations have always worked well for me!

what do you think of louder, please vs. passionate? and..when you review the next 6 e/s what about zingy vs. electric eel and nocturnelle vs shockaholic, also crazy cool vs. beautiful iris.

i don’t have any of those permanent shades and am looking to build up my bright colours, so am interested in knowing not only how close the colours are but whether the permanent or LE shade is overall better quality, pigmentation, blendability etc

thanks!!

Jacquelyn Avatar

I cannot wait to place an order on Going Bananas and do overnight shipping to get it the next day! I’m also going to hit up my MAC store tomorrow to B2M for Zingy and Sassy Grass along to purchase Crazy Cool, Shock-A-Holic, and Louder, Please. I plan to get Aqua, Sky Blue, and Lime in pan form for a CP since I don’t have access to a PRO store. I’m also going to get Free To Be and Winkle in pan form as well. I have Atlantic Blue e/s and I have not yet swatched it since it’s so gorgeous!

ms_micia Avatar

Oh my gosh! these colors excite me in ways u cant understand! I think wats the point of being a makeup artist if u cant play with colors. So bring’em on! All of’em!

Leliforever Avatar

Exactly! I wear only neutrals! They would just sit there.the only one that I like is free to be but again not that much that it’s worth running and buying it…

Christine is it easy to blend being a matte?

Jami Avatar

Eeoooo they pictures you took of the side by side and in a circle are so pretty!!!!! But I’m a little upset they didn’t add an orange. But they do have 5 different blues……

Ruby Avatar

OMG i need sassy grass is there another color u would say that is similiar to it? the color pay off seems to be intense i want them ALL but have enough for one which would u recommend?

Devin Avatar

These pictures are gorgeous!! I haven’t gotten anything from a Mac collection in a long time! This collection has my name on it, especially that green!!!! I have been looking for a green that color for a loooong time!

How would you say louder please compares to post haste and passionate?

Vonvon Avatar

I go Bananas when I see Going Bananas! That’s a pretty shade of yellow! Definitely getting this shade!

As for the rest of the shades…….they are so pretty and colorful and bright!!!

aradhana Avatar

christine
just wondering why lime is on your skip list (i assume because you mentioned it’s hard to work with), yet recommended for dark skintones? (i’m asking because i’m trying to decide whether it’s worth getting…i’m trying to be very ‘concise’ with my purchases from this collection…so i’m skipping all the pro/perm shadows, and so far considering going bananas, sassyfrass and aqua. (lime is on the fence, and louder please i thought might be a little like poste haste?)

Christine Avatar

Recommendations by skin tone are based primarily on color only 🙂

Aqua and Lime are both permanent PRO shades (you said skipping all, so I got confused – not sure if you meant just the other ones!). Louder Please is a lot brighter and redder than Posthaste, which is definitely more of a dark pink.

aradhana Avatar

oh yes, i think i have myself confused as well 😉
hmm well maybe i will just go for louder, bananas and sassyfrass then!
i think sassyfrass is probably the only one i am absolutely sure of.
i really like how the green/aqua looks on the promo pic, but it’s not like my skin is anywhere close to that anyway…oh and i guess i’m not a blonde bombshell either…

Boogiepimp Avatar

Hmmm..Sassy Grass looks a lot like Landescape Green pigment / chromaline (PRO). How do you think it compares, Christine? It seems like SG is a tad brighter.

sherri Avatar

is it me or do these look exactly like some of the mac pigments. going bananas look like the gold dusk pigment, sassy grass looks like the landscape pigment, lime looks like the the true chartreuse pigment and aqua looks like the clear sky blue pigment.

Christine Avatar

Going Bananas is a lot yellower than Gold Dusk. Aqua is too green to be a dupe for Clear Sky Blue – which is exactly light blue.

Landscape Green is a little darker than Sassy Grass, and Lime is a little greener/darker than True Chartreuse, but those comparisons are closer than the other two.

Vita Avatar

On a whim this morning I ordered Aqua because it was really the only one I liked. I have NC45 skin, will this look chalky on me you think? Perhaps I can use it as a pop of color on my bottom lash line or something…

Tiffany Avatar

I love Going Bananas and Sassy Grass, but I’m going to stick to wearing brights on my lips only. I don’t think I could pull those off, or find anywhere to wear them!

Sara Avatar

aw man i loooove sassy grass! it looks so beautiful but i know that i coiuldnt pull it off since im even paler than nw15. can you please use sassy green in a future look christine?

KARYNA Avatar

HMMM I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO BUY LOUDER PLEASE GOING BANANAS SHOCK A HOLIC BUT THEM I WENT TO MY MAC STORE AND SWATCH THEM AND I DIDNT LIKE THEM JUST LIME AND SHOCK A HOLIC LOOK VERY PRETTY BUT HMM I GUESS I WAITED FOR NOTHING ILL SAVE MY MONEY ON THE VENOMOUS VILLIANS BETTER….

xMissxAndristx Avatar

Sassy Grass is sorely tempting my to break my 100% UD streak. I down own any cosmetics that aren’t Urban Decay. But that is the perfect shade of green. I’m frackin obsessed with green.

kali Avatar

Do you think Aqua would look weird on me (I have warm medium skin with yellow/olive undertones?) I think it would but I’ve just always adored this color!

Hannah Avatar

Hey, just wondering how the red sugarpill colour would compare to louder, please…texture wise and colour wise and is it really neccesary to have both?
just want to say…love your site and i think its the only thing stopping me from going broke 🙂 i plan out EVERYTHING i buy from mac (and now branching out into other brands thanks to you) around it and just wanted to say thanks really x

Hannah Avatar

oh, and the same for shockaholic and poison plum, and can i get electric eel another time and will it be a sufficient dupe for zingy for me not to regret it colour wise, and which one do you think is easier to work with?

Neenaj Avatar

Hi Christine,
Thanks so much for posting these! I’ve already ordered Going Bananas (on your pre-release recommendation) and Shockaholic because I’ve been looking for a good purple with red undertones.

Seeing these swatches, I LOVE the look of Louder, please – I don’t think I’ve seen anything else like it. But, I’m an NW15 (even in the summer).

Here’s my question: Could I pull this off? Not just “to da’ club” either 😉 But on a Saturday afternoon? Please be honest.
What in the world would I pair it with?

Christine Avatar

Louder, Please could be lovely paired with soft pinks or golds or even browns (like perhaps a bronze). Depends on how tame your Saturday afternoon is, I suppose — you can wear it without it being ultra bright or “club” like, but it IS a brighter shade, so it won’t be absolutely neutral either.

ShockingBlue Avatar

I’m glad you commented on Free To Be being difficult to punch up, as I’ve been trying since Liberty of London to wear it and can’t find/don’t have too many shades that would pair with it :/

Claudia Avatar

Does Louder, Please have the red ingredient that irritates eyes? The one thats in the red eyeshadows.

Also, would going bananas pair well with sweet and punchy? I bought sweet and punchy and i’m finding a hard time finding shadows that would go well with it. I know humid looks gorgeous with sweet and punchy so I was wondering if SnP+humid+goingbananas would look good?

Thank you C!

dolce aria Avatar

So not fair. I’m drooling. And I don’t think i can afford to buy any of these! Maybe i’ll see if i can talk the boyfriend into picking up my christmas gift early. Waaah! That red is SO pretty, and i have an obsession with red eyeshadow!

Angela Avatar

I have a quick question. I am trying my hardest not to spend all my money. How does sassy grass compare to UD Graffiti besides it being not matte?

Annie S Avatar

how does louder please compare with passionate?…. I was gunna get it but then I saw it in stores and it looked IDENTICAL to passionate in my opinion… i didnt swatch side by side so I cant be one hundred percent

Makaela Avatar

I ordered Going Bananas. I’m not thinking “what am I going to wear with it?!” .. Anyone have any ideas what to pair it with besides tropical type looks with blues and greens?

Lucy Avatar

What would you pair with going bananas? I have it and it seems like a good lid color for a neutral look, but I’m not entirely sure what should go with it.

Gabriela Avatar

Hi, I’m from Mexico and I love this page.

Do you think that Aqua shade is comparable with Haunting, ’cause in my country is to hard to get some pro color. Thanks

Marcela Avatar

Hi Christine! I’m a MACaholic and I looove your website. I’ve been waiting forever for a “Crayola-green” matte eyeshadow, and Sassy Grass is amazing! Thanks for the swatches!

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