MAC Aloha Crushed Metallic Pigment Stack Review, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 19:00:53 +0000

MAC Aloha Crushed Metallic Pigment Stack

MAC Vera: Aloha Crushed Metallic Pigment Stack

MAC Aloha Crushed Metallic Pigment Stack ($34.00 for 0.42 oz.) has four shades: Aloha (dirty cocoa brown), Campfire (rich copper), Lantern Light (metallic gold/bronze), and Shifting Sands (metallic champagne).

Aloha is a medium-dark bronze with almost neutral undertones; it’s not quite your typical warm bronze, but it doesn’t seem like a genuine cool-toned brown either. This one had a really smooth, soft texture that was easy to work with and apply. MAC Seasonally Cool is similar but more red-toned. Make Up For Ever #15 has a warmer base. Bare Escentuals A-Ha is similar.
Campfire is a warm copper with a golden copper sheen. This shade also had a soft, smooth feel that made application easy. It’s a lot like MAC Amber Lights, theBalm Meep Meep, Make Up For Ever #12, and so on and so forth. This is a shade that we see often.
Lantern Light is a yellowed gold-shimmered copper-orange. It looks darker in the pot, but the gold sheen really lightens the color when swatched. It’s similar to Bare Escentuals Louder with a weaker golden sheen.
Shifting Sands is a soft champagne beige with a metallic sheen. It’s similar to MAC Summer Haze. Make Up For Ever #13 is cooler-toned. Urban Decay Sin is pinker.

You can read a more in-depth review of the formula itself here. As more of a high-level summary, these are supposed to have lots of color payoff with a strong metallic finish that is crease-resistant and long-wearing. Technique is key to using these successfully, as you really need to crush the bits and bobs of pigment before applying it. By doing this, you’ll achieve smoother textures and longer wear without fall out.

This set was much easier to work with than Butterfly Party, because the textures are finer, softer, so they apply smoothly even without ensuring proper crushing technique! It is very warm-toned, like the Call Me Bubbles quad, so it may not be as flattering on cooler complexions as it is on warmer ones–which is not to say cooler complexions could not rock it.