23 Comments

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Vee Avatar

I like how many holiday collections usually involve more glam looks for going out to parties – smokey eyes and red lips & so on. And usually the packaging is fun, which is always a lovely bonus when it’s a brand/product that you always like! Palettes, kits & etc can make great gifts for those on your list that love cosmetics and can sometimes offer deal, too.

KyaLyn Avatar

I love all the colors you can get in one palette, but they’re also hard to find an place for them in my bathroom as they’re usually odd sizes. I also don’t like the fact that many end up being inferior products from the normal line.

Macaddict Avatar

Same here KyaLyn! That’s why I don’t buy them anymore. I never use them because I find that the pigmentation is different (WAY INFERIOR TO THEIR REGULAR PRODUCTS). Also, I like to pick and choose individual colors that I like rather than ending up with a collection of colors I’ll never use but that I got stuck buying a quad/quint/etc just to get 1 or 2 other colors that weren’t sold separate.
In my opinion, palettes are a rip off.

KyaLyn Avatar

I try to avoid the ones where I only like/need 1 or 2 colors. Its just not worth it and there’s usually dupes out there somewhere as singles.
I’m a little OCD so the fact that they are different sizes really frustrates me.

MACPixie55 Avatar

Love and Hate. Love that they’re super cute and affordable. Hate that they’re reasonably priced at the time of year where I really CAN’T buy for myself.

Nicole Avatar

I hate holiday collections, because it’s nearly always the same. The packaging might be funkier or cooler, but thats not a purchase creteria. I like it simple, pure and clear.

DevilishDoll Avatar

I love that you can get 6 eyeshadows for a pretty good price. I usually go for the cool palettes, I have Royal Assets, and the cool pigments from this year. I love all of the colors. I have nothing bad to say about holiday collections.

kaoru Avatar

It depends on the brand whether I like the Holiday collections, or not. NARS, for instance, I like. You can pick and choose what you want from the collection. Palettes… well, in general, I don’t really like them. Maybe a quad, but even then that’s pushing it. There’s always a color that I don’t really like in them, and it feels like a waste. MAC’s mini collections, though, are great. If I don’t like the color (as long as it’s only 1), I buy the set anyway, and give that one away.

Kristie Avatar

I will not purchase any of MACS holiday palettes again after Royal Assets. The product they filled the 6 pans with were as poorly textured, as if I went to the drug store. I will not purchase the brush sets because they are also inferior. I like the pigments though! Its fun and more reasonable for me to get the smaller versions..

samaya Avatar

i like the collections, coz they are affordable and make good gfts..especially the value pack ones..
i don’t like the palattes that have all lip color, blushes n e/s in tiny compartments…they just mess up later..many atimes one or two stuff is good, rest all is just not my taste….

Dawn Avatar

I usually love holiday collections because they are, for the most part, things that I havent seen or have. But this year I was a little disappointed in MAC because they put out the same brush sets as last year; the lip glasses were mostly permanent colors; the lipsticks werent really exciting in my opinion. But I do love my Warm Pigment set and my Warm Pallet. Still on the fence about getting the Cool Eyes pallet.

The Dior Blue eye pallet is really beautiful but i cant afford it 🙁

Vivian Avatar

I hate the fact that they jack up palette’s price when economy is in a slump while the product itself remains the same or even less than before. I like the fact that palette is a good way of trying out colors from a brand I never thought about buying. Oh, I also hate how lots of high ends give out foam applicators again (and regular items too) – I’d rather have a mini hair brush.

Ruth Avatar

I’m fairly pleased with the Holiday Collections this year. I bought from Chanel, Guerlain, Lancome, MAC, Fusion Beauty, Calvin Klein, Bare Escentuals and Estee Lauder, so I did pretty good !

Erin Avatar

I haven’t bought any holiday collections this year because of what so many other readers said — the quality is inferior. I thought about buying MAC Smokey Eyes, but I’d rather seek out similar permanent shadows even if the shades aren’t exactly the same.

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