MAC Au Nature & Breaking Ground Cream Colour Bases Reviews, Photos, Swatches
MAC Au Nature Cream Colour Base
MAC Artificially Wild features two new, limited edition shades of MAC Cream Colour Base ($21.00 for 0.12 oz.). Shell is also being repromoted (but it is part of the permanent range). For those unfamiliar with Cream Colour Bases (also known as CCBs), they’re described as a “versatile and multi-purpose” product that can be “applied directly to bare skin, or layered over foundation, moisturizer, or powder.” You can “apply with a brush, sponge, or fingers.” The color payoff ranges “from a light veil to highly dramatic, depending on method of application.”
I struggled a lot with these, because both shades felt even more emollient–almost greasy–than most CCBs. When I wore then on the eyes, I kept having to pat the CCBs back into place, but they would just pull right into the creases within a few minutes and remained very emollient. I tried applying eyeshadows on top to set, but it creased within a few hours. Then, I tried to wear each shade as a contour color, which worked better but they had to be dabbed on as they were very emollient and would sheer out very easily. Normally, I don’t have so much trouble working with CCBs, and though they don’t wear long on their own, setting usually keeps them in place for a more reasonable length of time–but it didn’t seem to be the case with these two. The best results I had were from dabbing the more shimmery shade on the brow bone or along the tops of cheek bones, as it seemed to last a bit longer and didn’t slide as noticeably.
MAC Au Nature Cream Colour Base ($21.00 for 0.12 oz.) is described as a “dirty mustard olive.” It’s a dirty, yellowed green with warm, olive brown undertones and a satiny sheen. This shade had semi-opaque color coverage that was more buildable. It lasted six hours on cheeks. Divergent Intrepid Moss (LE) is a powder, more shimmery, browner. MAC A Harvest of Greens #3 (P, $21.00) is darker, more shimmery, powder. MAC Sumptuous Olive (P, $15.00) is a powder, greener, less yellow. See comparison swatches / view dupes.
MAC Breaking Ground Cream Colour Base ($21.00 for 0.12 oz.) is described as a “light iridescent mauve.” It’s a cool-toned, medium-dark taupe with a purple/gray leaning. It had a more frosted finish, which applied semi-opaque at most but naturally wanted to apply sheer. This one was even more prone to sliding around, and I couldn’t get the color to build much more than semi-opaque. It lasted for five hours on the face. MAC Ebony Blend #3 (LE) is darker, powder. Dior Golden Snow #4 (LE) is powder. MAC Phresh Out #4 (LE) is darker, powder, warmer. MAC Parlor Smoke (LE, $15.00) is darker, powder, less shimmery. MAC Dangerous Cuvee (P, $18.50) is more shimmery. See comparison swatches / view dupes.
Au Nature
LELimited Edition. $21.00.
Breaking Ground
LELimited Edition. $21.00.
See more photos & swatches!
MAC Au Nature Cream Colour Base
MAC Au Nature Cream Colour Base
MAC Au Nature Cream Colour Base
MAC Au Nature Cream Colour Base
MAC Breaking Ground (lid) / Au Nature (outer lid/crease) Cream Colour Base
Giorgio Armani #3 Eyes to Kill Liquid Liner
MAC Breaking Ground (lid) / Au Nature (outer lid/crease) Cream Colour Base
Giorgio Armani #3 Eyes to Kill Liquid Liner
MAC Breaking Ground (left) / Au Nature (right) Cream Colour Base as a contour
MAC Au Nature Cream Colour Base as a contour
MAC Breaking Ground Cream Colour Base
MAC Breaking Ground Cream Colour Base
MAC Breaking Ground Cream Colour Base
MAC Breaking Ground Cream Colour Base
MAC Breaking Ground Cream Colour Base as a contour
Your eyes are stunning Christine! It’s like they have a cheetah print.
Anyways, you managed to make an awesome look with bad products as usual.
Thank you, Cel!
I gotta admit, I love that lip combo on you! Thanks for photographing the two together.
I’m really disappointed in these cream colour bases. I was excited about that purple taupey Breaking Ground. They do photograph well and look beautifully glossy on your lids, but I get how that can translate into a slippery mess on your lids. I wonder if they work better with a powder shadow on top. I never wear cream bases (dammit I keep typing basis) without a powder shadow on top.
I tried with eyeshadow, and it just… sigh. I think you’d have to do a real powdered base or maybe a Paint Pot, then the CCB, then powder on top. I tried using them as an eyeshadow base as well as dusting translucent powder (to maintain their color), but nah.
thanks for this helpful info.. I’m going to pass.. they sound like more work than they are worth to me.
That’s pretty much how I feel, unfortunately! 🙁
ooooh and a sneak peek of one of the GA liners.. LOVE IT~
I was considering grabbing Au Nature but I think I’m going to skip. I love the texture of my Diamonds CCB so I don’t think I’d like this creamier texture. It sounds like too much work lol
I think it’s easier to get away with a more emollient texture in something like Diamonds as well!
oh noo…. au nature looks like, dare I say it, baby poo. it really is a very dirty olive brown isnt it! way too yellow. I wouldn’t call it a glamorous colour :/ what were they thinking?!
These types of colors can work well on other skin tones 🙂
Some days I feel sorry for the international crowd that doesn’t read english, the ones with different alphabets, that might not understand D ratings….because you manage to make the D rated products look just wonderful. Too bad this review is pretty much an english caveat emptor. at least most countries have english as their foreign language to learn. Seriously, if i were unable to read this, i’d be loading the MAC cart. You certainly know how to showcase products… and show the less effective ones to their best advantage.
You are really sweet, KJH! At least it is true that many know English (or at least some).
Yeah, not feeling these, especially Au Nature. But you have sold me on the Icon + Explicit combo. I guess this is the first time I feel compelled to really shop a collection.
Icon + Explicit is so, so amazing.
I know you gave it a D but these photos of you are beautiful!
Thank you for saving me money . Lol
No prob!
Boo, what a miss. A base that creases, really?
CCBs are an interesting product, because half the time, I’m never sure how one uses them (beyond editorial) since they are shorter-wearing, though some last for six-ish hours.
Bummer about the creasing 🙁 I like how Breaking Ground looks in the swatch.
I was really surprised that there was no way to really keep ’em on!
I have to tell you. I’m gad that Breaking Ground sucks. I wanted it and was tempted to buy it but now I’ve saved some money 🙂
lol!
I’m still curious but I don’t like thought of these being so sheer. I adore my CCBs! I use darker shades to greese up eyeliner so it looks slept in and Nude is a perfect “barely there” foundation on me 😉 I probably use these most on the lips though. They’re so lightweight that they add almost no weight to a lip look but alter the color very well – I just brush a tiny amount over a lipstick. It’s fun to see what happens cause you usually can’t quite tell until you’ve done it.
I usually like the formula (just in general, for the dewy quality), even if they’re a shorter-wearing product. I thought I would be obsessed with Breaking Ground!
Do you think you’ll get either?
I’m still on the fence… I don’t think these will sell out as quickly as the other products tho so I’ll probably hit up a store to test them out first…
Will be curious if you end up trying… you are my guru for products that don’t work 😉
ICK, no thanks.
Breaking Ground is sooooo pretty in the pan!
It’s a shame, because Breaking Gground is a really pretty colour 🙁 I do kind of love the overall look you did though – it looks very cool and ‘wearable fantasy’ somehow! 😀
It is such a cool color!
Well, for me I’m not all that surprised. This is kind of how a lot of ccb products are for me as I do have oily skin. I have hush and I use it as a highlight and brighter colored ones as cream blushes. When seeing this collection considering I come from the #1 deer hunting state (Wisconsin) I thought oh, is that camo makeup, lol! I don’t hunt myself, but am at least the 4th or 5th generation in the tradition and that is the color and consistency of some of that stuff. Kind of like Halloween makeup…lol. But this probably doesn’t have that weird smell. Anyway, props to MAC for stepping outside the box. I didnt thinkthats what they were really going for, but If I were to smear paint on my face before entering the woods, this would be one of them.
High fashion camo!
Ive never used a CCB, not going to start with either of these, that’s for sure. That said, Breaking ground is very pretty.
I think the best ones are often the highlighter-hued ones. They seem more forgiving!
Rats! I was looking forward to these. Oh well, more money saved for the Christmas haul ( lol).
Yay for money saved ;D
It’s a shame about Breaking Ground; it’s a very pretty color. I think Au Nature is a hideous color, but at least it’s not a common one.
I was surprised that it was less versatile when I worked with it!
MAC Breaking Ground Cream Colour Base looked so promising but the swatch is so awful! You managed to make it look good though!
Thank you!
You look like a frickin’ model here! So peeeety.
Aw, thanks Kat!
Wow, those colors look amazing on you. You really rock this look, too bad the products aren’t great.
Thank you, Ellie!