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MAC Cosmetics Suite Array Review and Swatches for Eyeshadow Suites & Pearlglide Eyeliners


** Blue Zone and Ocean 2 are mixed up in the photos! Sorry 🙁

OVERALL, the eyeshadow suites were disappointing because too many of them had chalky textures, which I just know won’t work out well for me. I picked up two, one because I liked it a lot (Team Violets), and the other because the colors weren’t like ones I already had (Blue Zone). The liners were lovely – all rich and intensely pigmented, with a good variety of colors to choose from. I see myself going back to collect more of them, but I wanted to see how they wear throughout the day first. I asked about waterline safety, and I was told these are like powerpoints and aren’t waterline safe because they shrink. Take that for what you will!

See more swatches and get detailed reviews!

Eyeshadow Suites

  • Sweet Liason is a duo of a soft white-gold and dark brown with gold reflects. The gold color is a bit chalky, while the brown color has better texture.
  • Shallow V. is a pale, pastel green with a touch of blue paired with a darker, blue-teal color. The blue-teal color has come out at least three other times under other names (A Bluer Blue, Big T, etc.). The paler green color is pretty, reminds me of Aquavert, with a chalkier texture. This one reminded me of a velvet texture.
  • Ocean 2 is an icy blue that looks more like lavender depending on the lighting. The darker color is a deep, cool-toned brown – like a very brown Club.
  • Blue Zone is totally named wrong, because the colors are PURPLE! The light color is a very pretty lavender shade, not something I’ve seen often by MAC, but very chalky. The darker color is a blueish-purple… periwinkle.
  • Smoke & Ash is a smoky eye duo, with the silvery gray color (but not over the top silver) and darker brownish-black color (this one is stand out in terms of texture – goes on like a dream).
  • Rose Suites is a pretty pink duo with a chalky light pastel pink paired with a darker, more matte rose-pink.
  • Team Violets is my favorite duo for both colors are well pigmented. The brighter purple color is a mix of fuchsia-purple, richly pigmented. The darker color reminds me of Beauty Marked, but lighter and with a tinge more red shimmer.
  • Counterparts is a beigey-peach color, nothing too special, though it’d be nice for highlighting on warmer skin tones. The green pairing is a olive-emerald-green color with gold bits in it.

Pearlglide Eyeliners

  • Black Russian is not an intense black; it’s a silvery-gray black.
  • Wolf is a gunmetal color, very silvery.
  • Molasses is a dark brown with very low level sheen/pearl to it.
  • Spare Change is shiny like a copper penny, not shimmery so much has pearlescent.
  • Miss Fortune is a nice reddish color, interesting to see this shade as an eyeliner, actually.
  • Rave is a pretty royal purple color – loved this one.
  • Bankroll is a money-green (duh!) color with golden pearl.
  • Fly-By-Blu is a rich, dark blue with an almost duochrome nature.

84 Comments

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Eva Avatar

Thank you so much for the review and swatches!
The more I see from the e/s the less I want them. Yay!
But also: the more I see from the eye liners, the more I want!
From your swatches alone I want Fly-by-blu, Rave, Black Russion and *maybe* Wolf….to be honest, if I had the money, I

dee Avatar

And true to my word, I picked up Bankroll and Rave. I swatched all of them on my hand, and none of the other really called to me. I almost got Fly-By-Blu, but it swatched much more glittery than I wanted.

Dawn Avatar

WOW, that is disappointing. I was looking at the pics on the MAC site yesterday and I thought about getting Ocean 2 and Blue Zone. Wow! They dont look very flattering at all. But the eyeliners looks great, especially the blue!

macaddict Avatar

Getting all the liners (except Rave cuz I have already from another launch last year; can’t remember which one…) and def. NOT the e/s. which I had been told are not pigmented much. The only e/s duo that would have interested me is the Smoke/Ash, but I already have tons of blacks and smokey palettes, which are prob. more pigmented anyway.
It’s a good thing for my wallet.

victoria Avatar

i heard the e/s were chalky, thanks for the review and swatches. the pencils do look lovely, they seem to be as vibrant as ud 24/7 pencils, please tell us if they are just as good as ud 24/7.

Jan Avatar

I agree with you, went down to test the eyeshadows today and was so disappointed with the texture. Good thing though, then I have more to spend on other collects…say Red She Said? So looking forward to that even though it’ll probably be one of the last collects for the year.

Meagan Avatar

Disappointing! Left the MAC counter empty-handed. The texture of all the shadows was unappealing. I almost picked up Team Violets, but the darker shade in it was just kind of boring.

tora Avatar

fyi the pearlglide arent safe or the waterline due to the glitter pigment, same reason as why you wouldnt wear the softsparkle liners in your watermark

so its not just because they are like powerpoints, but also because of the glitter in it

danielle Avatar

so i just ordered counterparts and molasses and bankroll but now i think i want to get fly-by-blu and spare change and miss fortune. DARN IT! 😉

Cassie Avatar

Havta get Bankroll, Rave, and Fly-by Blu. Loving those!
Hey Christine, what’s up with the Dazzle Lash launch date? You have it out next week, October 2 when Creme Sheen was supposed to come out but when I called MAC Pro today they said they have no knowledge of that? You think they are just trying to keep it a secret or did the release date get pushed back?
The Emanuel Ungaro line was supposed to come out today too, but the MAC store said it got pushed back a MONTH! Its not coming out till OCTOBER 25! I’m bummed!

Christine Avatar

I don’t have any idea. I know it seems like a pretty hush hush launch – no real info on it. Like we know about Dazzlelash, and I believe Dazzleglass may be repromoted with it, but I don’t know… it’s just a rumor I’ve heard.

My store said Ungaro was the 9th I think… Like not this coming Thursday, but next.

cloudburst Avatar

I bought almost all the eyeliners: Black Russian, Rave, Wolf, Fly By Blu, Miss Fortune, Spare Change and Bankroll.

I might get Ocean 2 & Team Violets. Still thinking about it, I wasn’t loving the texture of those.

Alma Avatar

The liners look great! So do the eyeshadows..
I need to think if I will buy an eyeshadow duo or something from a later collection.
In any case:
# Rave
# Bankroll
# Fly-By-Blu
Those are my big loves which I can actually see myself wear.
Rave I think I will end up getting, and Fly-By-Blu I will definitely look at. I don’t know how much I will use bankroll, so I’ll see about that.

About the eyeshadows, I’m not so happy with the chalkiness, but I guess I’ll still check them out.

Thanks a lot Christine!

Minty746 Avatar

Hi Christine! Thanks so much for the review and swatches–I’m really looking forward to the liners. The shadows, ehh, not so much. I never really liked the colors to begin with, but the chalkiness just seals the deal. I’ll probably walk away from the MAC counter with Wolf, Bankroll, and Miss Fortune! I have a feeling Miss Fortune will work wonders for brown eyes.

LocaLoli Avatar

I got sweet liason cuz i liked the dark brown cuz it was glittery and i dont have anything like that. I was disapointed cuz after a while the glitter disapeared. Maybe would help if i spray a lil fix+. They liners on the other hand are awesome. I got black russian, wolf and fly by blu. I want them all eventualy. So pretty!!!!!!!

Shefali Avatar

I bought Fly-By-Blue and Rave liners…AWESOME. I got two duos – Sweet Liaison and Counterparts. The white gold color in Sweet Liaison is really gorgeous…and the brown color is like a brown version of Beauty Marked.

JillyB Avatar

I was stuck between Counterparts and Shallow V. and only wanted to get one. My MA suggested Counterparts, saying I would get more use out of those colors. So I got that one and 2 of the liners- Fly-By-Blu and Bankroll. Loved the colors of all of the liners and will probably go back for more.

Annie Avatar

I went to my MAC store and got Black Russian, which looks great. I did ask about waterline safety, and they did tell me that it was safe???
Guess I’ll have to email MAC and see!
Thanks for the swatches!

Sandy Avatar

Thanks Christine. I picked up Rave and Wolf yesterday and I’m loving them so far. I wanted to get Miss Fortune too but it reminds me of UD 24/7 liner in 1999 so I skipped.

Natalie Avatar

LOVE,LOVE these eyeliners. Got all 8 of them! Went beyond my budget, but they are soooooo worth it. Beautiful! Fabulous staying power. They don’t budge, smudge or move for nothing, till you are ready to take them off, yet they go on so creamy smooth. These by far are MAC’s best eyeliners. I wish they would make them part of their permanent line. I bought a couple of sets of all 8, because once they are gone, that’s it, unless MAC decides to keep them in their line. But for now they are limited edtion. For anyone who wants to try them, you will not be dissapointed!!

sej Avatar

I talked to two different sales associates at MAC and they both told me the Pearlglide liners are safe for the waterline. One of the girls even had it on herself and said she had no problem. She did tell me that the glitter liners that come out in the set at x-mas time are not to be used on the waterline.

michelle Avatar

I just got Fly-By-Blu & it looks great.

But I also want….
Spare Change, Miss Fortune, & Bankroll

🙁

I do have a question…what would make the eyeliner stay on and not bleed into my crease? Would you suggest Paint Pot like Bare Study or a Primer?

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