Swatches: MAC Colorful Eyeshadows Photos & Swatches
Here’s a quick look at swatches of all of the current, permanent more colorful shades of MAC Eyeshadows ($6.00 for 0.05 oz. pans) — hopefully this helps some of you who have thought about picking up more singles with the price drop. If you missed it, here are swatches of the neutral shades. (You can also view swatches all permanent shades of MAC Eyeshadows here in the Swatch Gallery, which will include shades found in their permanent, pre-made palettes.)
MAC Colorful Eyeshadows
MAC Antiqued Eyeshadow
MAC Antiqued Eyeshadow
MAC Coppering Eyeshadow
MAC Coppering Eyeshadow
MAC Red Brick Eyeshadow
MAC Red Brick Eyeshadow
MAC Coral Eyeshadow
MAC Coral Eyeshadow
MAC Paradisco Eyeshadow
MAC Paradisco Eyeshadow
MAC Expensive Pink Eyeshadow
MAC Expensive Pink Eyeshadow
MAC Mythology Eyeshadow
MAC Mythology Eyeshadow
MAC Gleam Eyeshadow
MAC Gleam Eyeshadow
MAC Motif Eyeshadow
MAC Motif Eyeshadow
MAC Amber Lights Eyeshadow
MAC Amber Lights Eyeshadow
MAC Honey Lust Eyeshadow
MAC Honey Lust Eyeshadow
MAC Goldmine Eyeshadow
MAC Goldmine Eyeshadow
MAC Gorgeous Gold Eyeshadow
MAC Gorgeous Gold Eyeshadow
MAC Nylon Eyeshadow
MAC Nylon Eyeshadow
MAC Chrome Yellow Eyeshadow
MAC Chrome Yellow Eyeshadow
MAC Passionate Eyeshadow
MAC Passionate Eyeshadow
MAC Sushi Flower Eyeshadow
MAC Sushi Flower Eyeshadow
MAC Da Bling Eyeshadow
MAC Da Bling Eyeshadow
MAC Pink Venus Eyeshadow
MAC Pink Venus Eyeshadow
MAC Sweet Lust Eyeshadow
MAC Sweet Lust Eyeshadow
MAC Yogurt Eyeshadow
MAC Yogurt Eyeshadow
MAC Swish Eyeshadow
MAC Swish Eyeshadow
MAC Pink Freeze Eyeshadow
MAC Pink Freeze Eyeshadow
MAC Beautymarked Eyeshadow
MAC Beautymarked Eyeshadow
MAC Sketch Eyeshadow
MAC Sketch Eyeshadow
MAC Deep Damson Eyeshadow
MAC Deep Damson Eyeshadow
MAC Cranberry Eyeshadow
MAC Cranberry Eyeshadow
MAC Star Violet Eyeshadow
MAC Star Violet Eyeshadow
MAC Girlie Eyeshadow
MAC Girlie Eyeshadow
MAC Trax Eyeshadow
MAC Trax Eyeshadow
MAC Fig. 1 Eyeshadow
MAC Fig. 1 Eyeshadow
MAC Nocturnelle Eyeshadow
MAC Nocturnelle Eyeshadow
MAC Plum Dressing Eyeshadow
MAC Plum Dressing Eyeshadow
MAC Vibrant Grape Eyeshadow
MAC Vibrant Grape Eyeshadow
MAC Stars 'n' Rockets Eyeshadow
MAC Stars 'n' Rockets Eyeshadow
MAC Shadowy Lady Eyeshadow
MAC Shadowy Lady Eyeshadow
MAC Indian Ink Eyeshadow
MAC Indian Ink Eyeshadow
MAC Satellite Dreams Eyeshadow
MAC Satellite Dreams Eyeshadow
MAC Parfait Amour Eyeshadow
MAC Parfait Amour Eyeshadow
MAC Beautiful Iris Eyeshadow
MAC Beautiful Iris Eyeshadow
MAC Greensmoke Eyeshadow
MAC Greensmoke Eyeshadow
MAC Sumptuous Olive Eyeshadow
MAC Sumptuous Olive Eyeshadow
MAC Club Eyeshadow
MAC Club Eyeshadow
MAC Humid Eyeshadow
MAC Humid Eyeshadow
MAC Swimming Eyeshadow
MAC Swimming Eyeshadow
MAC Lime Eyeshadow
MAC Lime Eyeshadow
MAC Lucky Green Eyeshadow
MAC Lucky Green Eyeshadow
MAC Sour Lemon Eyeshadow
MAC Sour Lemon Eyeshadow
MAC Bottle Green Eyeshadow
MAC Bottle Green Eyeshadow
MAC Steamy Eyeshadow
MAC Steamy Eyeshadow
MAC Kelly Eyeshadow
MAC Kelly Eyeshadow
MAC Aqua Eyeshadow
MAC Aqua Eyeshadow
MAC Plumage Eyeshadow
MAC Plumage Eyeshadow
MAC Tilt Eyeshadow
MAC Tilt Eyeshadow
MAC Contrast Eyeshadow
MAC Contrast Eyeshadow
MAC Naval Eyeshadow
MAC Naval Eyeshadow
MAC Cobalt Eyeshadow
MAC Cobalt Eyeshadow
MAC Atlantic Blue Eyeshadow
MAC Atlantic Blue Eyeshadow
MAC Deep Truth Eyeshadow
MAC Deep Truth Eyeshadow
MAC Freshwater Eyeshadow
MAC Freshwater Eyeshadow
MAC Moon's Reflection Eyeshadow
MAC Moon's Reflection Eyeshadow
MAC Electric Eel Eyeshadow
MAC Electric Eel Eyeshadow
MAC Scene Eyeshadow
MAC Scene Eyeshadow
MAC Print Eyeshadow
MAC Print Eyeshadow
MAC Typographic Eyeshadow
MAC Typographic Eyeshadow
MAC Silver Ring Eyeshadow
MAC Silver Ring Eyeshadow
MAC Black Tied Eyeshadow
MAC Black Tied Eyeshadow
MAC Carbon Eyeshadow
So what I’m seeing is that I should deal with my frustration about the color payoff of Mythology by buying Expensive Pink. 😀
Not buying these anyway (sticking with cruelty free)…but what in the world is wrong with Carbon?!
Carbon literally ONLY works over primer. MAC DC’d their best black, Nehru, and sadly didn’t improve Carbon to take Nehru’s place! Smdh!
Lovely. And it makes you remember why MAC is MAC, and not be driven by the LE releases. What a superb reference, esp. to bring with you, shopping, or to enable online shopping. Great that you explained the price decrease; that actually was not clear on MAC.com, at least by sorting. Seeing a whole rainbow of colors is mood lifting for me. S/t if I feel depressed, I look at the huge Inglot rainbow spread. Seriously. Now everyone can plug the holes in their stash with ease, see which MAC iterations perform better (looking at you, MUG grays) and which may be subpar. MAC has so many true, outstanding classics……and then there’s Carbon. S/t I think Carbon is a f/y gesture at the world. Take THAT for a lending black, yoyos! Actually, Carbon is inexplicable. And pretty inexcusable. Thanks for these great sets. And for using big MUFE. had only seen pix w/ MUFE/Sephora sized pans. Wish MUFE had some AS in this footprint. That’s their only drawback, taking up so much room.
It doesn’t seem like we’re getting a reduction in the UK, but I really hope we do, sounds like a great deal – I even have an empty mac quad lying around from when I accidentally ordered two!
Also lol at that carbon. What even.
Thanks for this post! It’s awesome! I noticed that Aquadisiac isn’t on the MAC website, has it been discontinued?
Thanks!!!
Yes, it was discontinued.
Very depressing. Aquadisiac was my favorite lighter turquoise, Nehru my all-time favorite black e/s, Folie my favorite super-rich chocolatey brown. BooHoo!!! And no emotions on this asinine Moto phone!!! :'(
A MAC artist emailed me this AM and said all the remaining Matte2s are going soon, too 🙁
WHAT?!?!? It’s their best formula!!!! I’ll buy all of them.
Of course they would d/c their best mattes!
Oh NO!!! I don’t know what MAC is thinking. Their BEST matte formula? Gone? I’m stockpiling! This is just insanity on their part….
Hi!
thank you for swatches, this is really helpful (also big like for showing rating in swatch gallery)
I plan to build my eyeshadow collection from scratch and i would like fo pick best ones from each color/finish category. First I would like to pick best performing eyeshadows from cheaper brands (MAC, MUG..) and only if i cannot find for example great qually matte dark yellow than move to more expencive ones.
I know you are super busy, and new/limited collections have higher priority, i was just interested if there is possibility that you will review/rate eyeshadows that are in swatch gallery but not rated (mac and inglot esp.) in lets say next 1-2 years. Are you planning review them once or i shouldnt wait a either decide from swatches/pass?
thanks again, your website/database is incredibly helpful for building collections and i trust your opinion a lot. (no spare money on poorly performing products :))
As I scrolled down, it was “meh”, “meh”, “nice”, “nice”…and then Carbon. I actually LOLed.
Oh, Carbon. I will never stop laughing at swatches of you.
To myself, as I clicked on the comments section: “There are going to be so many hilarious carbon comments!: 😉
Good to have seen this so I don’t pick up carbon by mistake!
Where is your swatch of Brun?
In the neutral post that I posted earlier and is linked above 🙂 http://www.temptalia.com/mac-neutral-eyeshadows-photos-swatches
This is just for the more colorful shades in the palette. There are over 100+, so it is a lot to load in one page to have them all in one post, so they are split between the more neutral-hued shades and colorful shades.
ahhhhh… thanks!
I always laugh when I see Carbon. On the other hand, scrolling through, I’m seeing some hidden gems I may have overlooked!
Thank you. I’ve been ordering a few since the price decrease and this is really helpful. I think I’m the only person that uses carbon, wet as a liner. LOL at the swatch.
Thank you so much, I’m going to see your Dupe List 😉
What palettes are you storing them in? I need to get new palettes and want to be able to put the most shadows in.
Linda – Christine said in the first post, the one with the light and neutral shadows. It’s a palette from MUFE (Make Up For Ever).
I am pretty sure that is the Make Up For Ever XL metal palette.
I love Plumage, Red Brick, and Deep Damson. My single of Carbon isn’t quite so bad lol!
Dear MAC,
Why would you majorly downsize the phenomenal Matte2 range yet keep Carbon (and the Lustres for that matter)? WHY???
Carbon didn’t used to be this way. Back when they made these in two sizes, I had the large sized Carbon and it was fantastic. I panned that sucker big time. WTF did they do?
The big eyeshadows were so cool. I had a brown one called Symmetry.
A number of the color ones don’t look so great, but I see a few greens and teals that look interesting. And they need to DC Carbon ASAP! Who in their right mind would buy that, even for $6??? I don’t want it, even if they give it to me for free
Thanks again, Christine! I’ve bookmarked both posts for future reference. They’re very helpful.
Bye-bye wallet!!! I have to get: Coppering, Da Being, Passionate, Nylon, Vibrant Grape, and either Electric Eel or Freshwater (to use with CP Rhinestone for something replicating the blue Guo Pei MAC palette from fall). Possibly Paradisco too!
Looking at these (and the earlier palette) is (gee, I hope this doesn’t sound too unbalanced) like looking at beloved friends! Seeing so many old faves, some of which I’ve abandoned a bit in favour of new friends, has me wanting to head up to my bathroom and put on eye makeup, take it off, put on different eye makeup, take it off… I’d forgotten how lovely Steamy is. I bought it years ago to be a dupe for a LE shadow in a Too Faced palette but I loved it even more than the shadow I was trying to dupe. But I’ve not use it in a while and now, with the coming of Spring, this might just be the perfect time to bust it out.
Bitter and Honesty are still listed on the MAC website as being part of the permanent line but I don’t see either one listed in either of your posts. I was looking in the pro pan shadow section. ???
Christine! You absolutely ROCK! This is such a big help to those of us who already have large collections. It is perfect for figuring out what is missing and what not to duplicate! <3<3<3
so glad MAC just dropped their prices because now you’ve made me ‘need’ quite a few.
That Carbon swatch though is just so so sad…I don’t understand why they won’t reformulate that color.
This just reminds me how much their quality varies! Some are stunning and perfect and others aren’t even up to drugstore standards!
I see a few I want here and in the neutrals. I don’t much care for MAC but sometimes, tracking down dupes is more difficult (and periodically, it comes with extra shades I don’t really want because it’s in a palette! >_< ). Are these at Pro stores only or at the regular stores? I'm sure we HAVE a Pro store…
Thank you for doing this! It saves me from swatching all over my hand at the MAC store. I see a few must haves that I wouldn’t haven chosen otherwise.
Carbon is like that embarrassing aunt you wish would go away.
Lol so true !
Is Gleam at all similar to KA Starlight? It looks very similar in the side x side swatch, but I would love your expert opinion! I have been using my Contour Book as an eye palette, but since it’s so expensive and tiny I want to try to ration a little and find a similar, “actual” e/s to use. I read in your past reviews, I think, that the fallout was bad for Gleam. Do you find that to be true in your newest version as well?
Mac needs to step up their eyeshadow game! These are sorry by today’s standards! Why in the world would I buy these when I can buy makeup geek or Anastasia shadows that are a million times better quality than these!!
Wow – what a lot of swatches you have done. Thank you so much for this. You can really tell that a lot of the matte shades are pretty patchy and quite poor.
Sumptuous Olive and Humid are still my favourites.
Wet n Wild as better quality than most of what is shown here and you can get whole palettes for the same price as one. lol Carbon is hilarious.
My faves of this batch are Antiqued and Greensmoke❤️ I have to watch the plums, I’m allergic to Carmine red dye?
What are those palettes you have the pots in? Thanks!
MUFE XL
This is amazeballs! I was trying to dupe the Flamingo Park palette using the MAC site but it was too difficult so I gave up and bought the Dior Glowing Gardens palette in Rose Garden instead. (Yes, I’m still harping on about that Flamingo Park palette, it wouldn’t let me go!!) I can now see Swimming would have been a goodish dupe for the shimmery yellowish lime green shades in that.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Christine, you’re the hardest working blogger, hands down! Thank you so much for all the hard work you put into your site for us 🙂
carbon though. yiiikes!
I still have space in my palette, so that was just what I needed!
I LOLed when I saw Carbon! Hahaha I can’t help it! MAC really has some issues when it comes to Matte eyeshadows. I really think hey would DC it once sold out (if and when). LOL
Thank you, Christine! I’ve managed to narrow it down to just 21 colors that I’d love to try, lol! I think I should wait for your reviews to see which have performance issues (especially possible with those blues… )
Oh, Carbon, you are so awful it’s hillarious! I almost need to buy you, and take you out when I feel depressed, just to make me laugh at your blackness.
Great posts, Christine. Very good to keep as a reminder of what I miss, and what I do not need to put good money on, or bad money, if there is such a thing.
I saw some of my absolute favourites that I haven’t used in a long time. Time for a MAC week, I think.
Another great post to reference! Thankyou again, Christine.
Fantastic!!! I wonna bottle green and shale just now!
I’m so confused about carbon though? I just swatched it on my hand with a 239 and also my finger. It shows up amazing! I didn’t use primer. How come yours shows up like that and everyone here is dissing it? Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE this overview and your whole blog and website but I just don’t understand why you can never get carbon to show. What is your swatching process? I’m honestly just curious.
Some pans of Carbon are terrible, some are so-so, and I’ve had maybe one or two pans out of 10+ that have been decent.
Great post!!!. I love all kind of colors so I’ve enjoy the post a lot and I’ll keep it for future references. Although there’re a lot of great eyeshadows out there, MAC will always be MAC. Except for Carbon, of course LOL.