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MAC Emanuel Ungaro Collection Review, Pictures, and Swatches

OVERALL, Ungaro is almost like a relief from the darker, more intense fall and winter launches we have been seeing lately. I suppose if I had to describe it in a word, I would say natural. I picked up both of the CCBs as well as Mineral eyeshadow (which I didn’t think would appeal to me).

What did you haul?

Individual product reviews and swatches…

Lipstick

  • Pure Rose is a cool, pale pink. It’s not too frosty, and it feels really creamy. I imagine it would be a bit sheer on the lips, but not overly so.
  • Freckletone is a creamy peachy-beige color–it would make a nice nude for warm skin tones for sure.

Lipglass

  • Pastel Emotion is a pretty creamy, milky pink with shimmer. It’s not something that stands out, but if you don’t have a nice, sheer pink, it’s not a bad choice.

See Thru Lip Colour

  • Not So Shy! is a wine-berry color that lightly stains lips. The color might look dark and intimidating in the tube, but it’s really not so bold once you apply it. I have this from a previous launch, and I never could get it to stain evenly for me. I asked the MA about application, and he advised using your finger to smooth it into lips.

Eyeshadow

  • Phloof! is a frosty white highlighter color — it’s not 100% white, it has a little beige in it, but mostly white. I find it is it generally too frosty on my skin tone, though I know others adore it for a highlighter. This is a permanent color, but in limited edition packaging.
  • Soft Flower didn’t really show up on me at all. Seriously, I really tried to get it to show up on my skin, but all you could see was the faintest pink tint. The color in the pot is a soft, pink — not too pastel, but not bright — and matte. Pretty, but even when I swatched it over Fresh Morning CCB as a base, it was tough to get it to show up.I was the first to swatch, too!
  • Lilac Touch was a subdued lavender with low shimmer (it’s a satin, afterall). It reminds me a bit of the lilacy color from Suite Array. The pay off is slightly better, and the color itself is nice. Reminds me a bit of Creme de Violet.
  • Mineral is a cool-toned brown with no real shimmer (satin, again) that you can distinguish. It reminds me a little of Mothbrown, actually, but not as pigmented/intense. (Not that Mothbrown was WHOA! in your face or anything!) I picked this one up, actually.

Cream Color Base

  • Fresh Morning is a white-pink color that isn’t eye-safe. I mention this because you might actually use it as an eye base, because of its lightness. Nevertheless, I could see this working as a nice natural skin highlighter for lighter tones and hopefully deeper ones, too. Got this one, too.
  • Crushed Bougainvillea is a pretty pink-wine color, almost a soft raspberry. It’s not as dark as it looks, but it still has good pigmentation. I think this would make a really lovely blush or lip stain. This completed my three-piece haul.

Beauty Powder

  • Flower Mist Dew is a very fine, soft powder that comes off a milky pink with very subtle shimmer. I personally found it a little chalky, and I didn’t feel like it would do anything for my skin tone. Perhaps on top of one of the CCBs? I wasn’t curious enough to buy to find out, though!

Other Items

  • Auto-de-blu Technakohl is a pretty, navy blue liner. I love the technakohl formula!
  • Mink Brown Brow Set for your brow filling needs if you’re this particular shade in eyebrow color! I have a colored brow set as well as clear, and I prefer clear and filling in with a shadow instead. Great for keeping brows in place!

70 Comments

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pquanda Avatar

Wow, the pigmentation is definitely nothing to write home about on any of these..I usually get SO excited about MAC launches but lately… wow. Didn’t get anything from suite array, cremesheen, cult of cherry (yeah, I know!), and only got 1 pig from overrich! So disappointed.. Dear MAC, No chunky glitter, bad, sheer payoff, predictable, dupe-able colours please!

Laura Avatar

I agree. The recent launches have been pretty sucky lately. I didn’t get anything from the previous collections mentioned. Maybe the Manish Aurora one will be better?

Michelle Avatar

I haven’t gotten anything from that last like five launches and it looks like this one will be a skip as well. I am waiting for the Little Darlings piggies! 🙂

L A S Avatar

Thanks for the review, I’ve been waiting for this all morning! seems like the new e/s aren’t very pigmented… booo. I’ve been wanting mineral since it was announced. I’m hoping it has decent color payoff.

I was considering the b/p, but ONLY if the shimmer was noticeable. My MA told me to use it as an all over face brightener since I’m NC15 — something I’m definately NOT in the market for. I want a shimmer powder for use as a cheekbone highlighter dangit! (guess I’ll wait till the sheer minerals launch for that.)

jami Avatar

i am a NC 15 too! you dont meet many of those! whenever i go into MAC they say that i am really pale and they never ever sell NC 15 cause it is soo light! lol!

Kate Avatar

Hi Christine, Since I’ve been really paring down purchases lately, I’m trying to decide between Pure Rose and Not So Shy. Could you possibly post a photo showing Not So Shy on the lips? Also, do you know if Pure Rose is a dupe for 2N? Thanks!

Christine Avatar

I’ll try, but I never use it because it makes my lips look like they’re blotchy and bleeding, LOL. Like it’s not a photo that would sell the product!

I don’t think it’s a dupe – it’s really light, more shimmery than the N lipsticks.

Courtney Avatar

Crushed Bougainvillea looks gorgeous, like it would definitely give you that, “I just took a nice jog” kind of blush – or “I just made out with the hottest guy ever” lips, haha!

Obviously, I want it.

Macaddict Avatar

Put on hold everything except eyeliner (already have), brow color, and mascara.
Was originally VERY excited about this launch. Still am, considereing that Christine’s skin is way darker than mine and that it will definitely show up much better on my pigmentation. That’s the problem with swatches: one never knows until trying it on your own skin/lips.
Tomorrow after work, I am going to go swatch 1st and then buy my own haul!

Miss Fred Avatar

What’s funny is that I actually like this launch! I know it’s sort of lackluster, but I really like the non-eye products.

I’m thinking about getting the lip stain and the CCB. Should I get just the CCB and use it as a lipstain as well as a cheek stain? Or do you think that I should get both?

As always, thanks so much for the swatches!

Christine Avatar

I’d probably just get the CCB. But it probably doesn’t hold as well as the stain would in terms of longevity. I find that liquid-based stains don’t settle evenly on my lips. They look blotchy – like I’ve bitten my lips and they’re bleeding, LOL — NOT a good look. On the other hand, I like the CCB formula better on cheeks than using the liquid stain!

Danielle Avatar

I had to get the beauty powder- it was is my first. I wish MAC would release more of these. I want to start collecting them. Anyways, I also got mineral and lilac touch. They are really pretty. Still debating on pastel emotion b/c it is so sparkly. Maybe I could pass, but it almost LOOKS like a DAZZLEGLASS with its sparkle. :-0

Natalie Avatar

I picked up Mink Brown Brow Set. I had been using powder before and I actually think Mink Brown is easier to use-you dont need to use a shadow brush and it keeps your brows in place 🙂

Jennifer Avatar

Wow, I’m NC/NW 15 and these look too light even for my skin! The CCB’s look nice , though. I thought about the purple eyeshadow but I have a lot of them and this doesn’t stand out so much too me. Think I’ll pass.

michelle Avatar

How funny. I just saw this collection at Bloomies and was disappointed in the e/s.
I actually thought about checking your review and swatches first before deciding whether or not to get anything.

Freckletone is a nice nude and would be a change from getting the usual Lipglass. The SA said that Pure Rose and Freckletone would look good together. I tried it on my hand but wasn’t too amused. I guess esp because of my skin tone ( Classic Beige)

I saw Not So Shy and thought that it was dark but it’s nice to see it’s a stain. It’s considerable. 😛

As for Crushed Bougainvillea, I didn’t even notice that one. But now that you pointed that out, I might have to check it out. How do you apply it, with fingers vs. brush?

Christine Avatar

Aw! 🙂

Freckletone is definitely a good color — luckily always available at PRO stores if you absolutely need it.

For lips, I use a lip brush to get the product onto my lips, then my fingers to smduge it out. For face, I use the 187, 188, or 190.

niki Avatar

I got fresh morning hoping I will use it as base (SA knew this) and I realised I won’t be able to :(. I am nc 25 – any tips what to use it and how to use it as higlighter (application techniques) will be greatly apresiated!

Danielle Avatar

Thanks for the reviews everyone! My Mac pro store has really been pissing me off lately… I called them up the week before 9.25 to see if they got this collection in early and they tell me no…come in next week… So I arrive on 9.25 and they tell me…ohh well it’s coming out today but only for the launch party that is tonight…ughh…not very happy….I live a good train ride away….So I check in this week and still it hasn’t been launched because supposedly it all sold out at the launch party….so now I’ve said the hell with them lol… Here is the kicker, I asked about them getting Manish Arora early yesterday and I’m told, no it’s all sold out….try next week… Has anyone else had experiences like this?

Christine Avatar

That really sucks, Danielle! How unfortunate 🙁 Did you tell them that you lived far away? Sometimes they can be nice and let you purchase anyway 🙂

I know the NYC PRO store (my friend checked) sold through their Manish stuff from a professional party. I was like, wow!

Danielle Avatar

Actually the NYC PRO store is the one that I’m talking about lol…. I don’t think I said that I live kinda far away…

I usually have no troubles or issues when I go there, it’s just been these past few weeks. I actually always enjoy my visits there but lately it seems that the artists have attitudes….

I’m not a person that expects the best client services whether you are going to a retail store or a restaurant, I just ask that you be nice and friendly. I don’t mind if the kitchen messed up my meal and didn’t cook my burger well enough, I just ask that it be fixed and that you have a smile on your face… Same thing with MAC….If something is sold out, no problem, just be nice about it and don’t have an attitude because I’m asking you about a product that you have been asked about a lot lately…

Danielle Avatar

Okie dokes….finally got to check out Ungaro while passing Saks today… I found the CCB to be disappointing, to me atleast…but I can see how others may love them. They just aren’t colors that I go for…no biggie…I’m actually grateful that I didn’t find anything that I must have lol…Here’s hoping that Manish is everything we want it to be 🙂

sophia Avatar

The colours look pretty but too light for everyday use. I mean, the model looks really nice and natural, but that’s cos of all the lighting and effects going on. Honestly in real life, these colours arent going to show up that well, nothing to do with the quality or colour payoff.

I am waiting for the Creme Sheen collection to come here (in sg) and also the Manish Aura (sp?) collection too.

Cristina Avatar

the colors where so pretty in the pots i picked 1 of each up but i’ll be honest trying to get tht color on my eyes was a challenge. I mnaged to get the pink shadow to show up by really digging my brush in the pot and going over and over it on my lid. Finally some color a very pritty one i might add. i want to send in some picks of what i came up with how do i send them in for a guest pick??
thanks
LOVE U TEMPLTALIA keep up the amazing work i look to you before i buy anything cosmetic. =)

rocketqueen Avatar

I get all the colors to show but then I’m like a NC10-15! I’ve got Lilac touch, the lip stain (which performs beautifully – I haven’t tried the previous one), Crushed Bougainvillea (don’t you just love that name?) and the Pure Rose lipstick this far. I find that any lipstick just stays put if I use Not so Shy as a base! Especially the amplified ones!

I wasn’t too keen on the BPB. Looks… dull on me. It looks so pretty in the packaging but I’m not getting that one! Might get Mineral though!

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