MAC Encrypted Kryptonite Eyeshadow Palette Review & Swatches

Christine — Tue, 09 May 2023 21:00:00 +0000

Encrypted Kryptonite

MAC Encrypted Kryptonite Connect in Colour 6-Pan Eyeshadow Palette ($34.00 for 0.22 oz.) is a new, permanent six-pan palette that included three matte shades and three (sort of) shimmers. I was not impressed by the formula used for the new Connect in Colour palettes as the shimmers were dry, thin, dusty, and/or powdery with sheer coverage and poor longevity, while the mattes were better, they weren’t as blendable as they could (or should!) have been. The new formula is supposed to have “one-swipe” pigmentation and they are being sold as VERY pigmented eyeshadows, yet three shimmers were very, very weak eyeshadows… period.

The only thing that kept this palette from dropping into the F-rating range is that MAC only made an eight-hour wear time claim (whereas most brands aren’t specific, so 8 hours of wear typically garners 8.5/10 rating, and here 8-hour wear would be 10/10).

Ingredients

Encrypted Kryptonite

PPermanent. $34.00.

D+

Product

Pigmentation

6.5

Texture

Longevity

3.5

Application

69%

Total

Clear History

Clear History is a pale, creamy beige with subtle, warm undertones and a satin finish.

Semi-opaque, buildable coverage
Moderately powdery, slightly dry with light fallout
Applied fairly evenly but could have been more blendable
Average longevity (6 hours before fading visibly; brand only claimed 8-hour wear)

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes
Formula Overview

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

ColourPop Pixie Perf (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery (95% similar).
Urban Decay Cosmic (P, $22.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
ColourPop Dream (LE, $6.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
MAC Spores (LE, $20.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
Moira Sonder (P, $8.50) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
NARS Castaway (P, $28.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
ColourPop Mica (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
NABLA Cosmetics Play Hard (PiP, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Danessa Myricks Milky Way (P, $18.00) is more shimmery, darker (80% similar).
ColourPop Mojave Moves (LE, $9.00) is more shimmery, warmer (80% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

MAC describes their latest formula as "one-swipe, pure pigment payoff" with a "lightweight, silky-smooth texture" that has eight-hour wear (well, at least they're realistic!). They actually state that the formula has "up to 25% higher pigment load." Can't say that seemed true in practice, though.

The new formula is thinner, more powdery or drier, and less pigmented than prior MAC formulas, which have been inconsistent at best in the last few years. The matte shades were semi-opaque to opaque, typically buildable, and fairly blendable, while the shimmers were drier with poor adhesion, fallout, and were particularly prone to fading.

In the past, sometimes MAC's formula didn't swatch as well as it performed, often being a particularly buildable and blendable formula without being powdery, but I did not find performance to be better than swatches and it was often a little worse. In a time when so many brands are pushing metallics to the next level in terms of intensity, it is interesting to see MAC's shimmers worsen over time -- and they don't seem like they're actually trying to go for a more satin-like sheen, they're just... weak metallics.

Some of the mattes lasted as long as eight hours on me, while some were closer to six to seven hours. Most of the shimmers lasted six hours on me with a couple lasting longer and shorter.

Browse all of our MAC Connect in Colour Eyeshadow swatches.

Clear History

PiPPermanent in Palette.

Product

8.5

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

4.5

Application

76%

Total

Satin Taupe

Satin Taupe is a light-medium, rosy brown with subtle, warm undertones and a pearly sheen. (What did they do to you, Satin Taupe???)

Mostly opaque pigmentation
Thin, somewhat dry, harder to pick up evenly
Applied somewhat evenly, light fallout, prone to sheering out
Poor longevity (6 hours before fading noticeably)

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes
Formula Overview

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Kaja Dazzling Bronze (PiP, ) is warmer (90% similar).
ColourPop Flecks (LE, $4.50) is warmer (90% similar).
Danessa Myricks Celebration (P, $18.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
NARS Centerfold (LE, $19.00) is warmer (90% similar).
NARS Niebla (LE, $19.00) is warmer (90% similar).
ColourPop Snake Eyes (LE, $4.50) is warmer (90% similar).
Anastasia Lituation (LE, $12.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Sephora Geode (PiP, ) is warmer (90% similar).
Dior Moonlight #1 (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
NABLA Cosmetics Sandy (P, $8.00) is more shimmery, warmer (85% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

Some of the mattes lasted as long as eight hours on me, while some were closer to six to seven hours. Most of the shimmers lasted six hours on me with a couple lasting longer and shorter.

Browse all of our MAC Connect in Colour Eyeshadow swatches.

Satin Taupe

PiPPermanent in Palette.

C+

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

7.5

Longevity

4.5

Application

78%

Total

Power Mode

Power Mode is a light taupe with neutral undertones and a matte finish. It applied lighter, but it also darkened oddly against my skin, even over primer.

Semi-opaque, buildable coverage
Moderately powdery, slightly dry with light fallout
Applied fairly evenly but could have been more blendable
Average longevity (7 hours before fading visibly; brand only claimed 8-hour wear)

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes
Formula Overview

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

ColourPop Epic (LE, $4.50) is lighter (90% similar).
ColourPop Long Ears (LE, $4.50) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
ColourPop That Way (LE, $4.50) is lighter, cooler (85% similar).
ColourPop Sky High (LE, $4.50) is lighter, cooler (80% similar).
Viseart Tiramisu (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (80% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

Some of the mattes lasted as long as eight hours on me, while some were closer to six to seven hours. Most of the shimmers lasted six hours on me with a couple lasting longer and shorter.

Browse all of our MAC Connect in Colour Eyeshadow swatches.

Power Mode

PiPPermanent in Palette.

D+

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

69%

Total

Showstopper

Showstopper is a dark, gray-taupe with strong, cool undertones and a matte finish.

Semi-opaque, buildable coverage
Moderately powdery, slightly dry with light fallout
Applied fairly evenly but could have been more blendable
Average longevity (7 hours before fading visibly; brand only claimed 8-hour wear)

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes
Formula Overview

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

ColourPop Sweet Thing (PiP, $4.50) is lighter (90% similar).
ColourPop Great Big Feet (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
Urban Decay Pony Up (PiP, $19.00) is less shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
ColourPop Etiquette (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
Sydney Grace Passion (Deep) (PiP, $5.25) is lighter (80% similar).
Clinique Portobello (PiP, $15.00) is more shimmery, lighter (80% similar).
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Concrete (LE, ) is lighter, cooler (80% similar).
ColourPop Sittin' Pretty (PiP, $4.50) is lighter, warmer (80% similar).
MAC Hard Currency (LE, $17.00) is lighter, warmer (80% similar).
Sydney Grace Passion (Light) (PiP, $5.25) is lighter (80% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

Some of the mattes lasted as long as eight hours on me, while some were closer to six to seven hours. Most of the shimmers lasted six hours on me with a couple lasting longer and shorter.

Browse all of our MAC Connect in Colour Eyeshadow swatches.

Showstopper

PiPPermanent in Palette.

C+

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

4.5

Application

79%

Total

On the Cloud

On the Cloud is a soft black with gray sparkle throughout. It was somewhat matte in its actual finish.

Medium pigmentation, not buildable
Thin, somewhat dry, harder to pick up evenly
Hard to blend out, prone to fallout
Poor longevity (6 hours before fading noticeably)

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes
Formula Overview

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Tom Ford Beauty Soleil Neige #4 (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (80% similar).
ColourPop Onyx (PiP, $4.50) is more shimmery, darker (80% similar).
ColourPop Rock On (LE, $4.50) is darker (80% similar).
ColourPop Lunar Trippin' (PiP, $4.50) is more shimmery, darker (80% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

Some of the mattes lasted as long as eight hours on me, while some were closer to six to seven hours. Most of the shimmers lasted six hours on me with a couple lasting longer and shorter.

Browse all of our MAC Connect in Colour Eyeshadow swatches.

On the Cloud

PiPPermanent in Palette.

Product

6.5

Pigmentation

Texture

6.5

Longevity

Application

51%

Total

Hi-Tea

Hi-Tea is a very light, milky pink with a matte finish. It appeared darker in the pan than applied.

Semi-sheer, somewhat coverage
Moderately powdery, slightly dry with light fallout
Applied fairly evenly but could have been more blendable
Average longevity (6 hours before fading visibly; brand only claimed 8-hour wear)

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes
Formula Overview

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Urban Decay Studio (LE, $19.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
Sephora Ballet (LE, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
KVD Beauty Baptism (LE, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
L'Oreal Mademoiselle Pink (P, $5.99) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
Jouer Petal (PiP, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
LORAC Pink Cream (LE, $19.00) is darker (85% similar).
Pretty Vulgar Tweet (PiP, ) is darker (85% similar).
ColourPop Big Bang (LE, $4.50) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
Lethal Cosmetics Pilgrim (P, $6.00) is darker (85% similar).
Blackbird Cosmetics Immortals (DC, $8.00) is darker (85% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

Some of the mattes lasted as long as eight hours on me, while some were closer to six to seven hours. Most of the shimmers lasted six hours on me with a couple lasting longer and shorter.

Browse all of our MAC Connect in Colour Eyeshadow swatches.

Hi-Tea

PiPPermanent in Palette.

6.5

Product

Pigmentation

6.5

Texture

6.5

Longevity

Application

66%

Total

MAC Encrypted Kryptonite Connect in Colour 6-Pan Eyeshadow Palette

MAC Clear History Connect in Colour Eyeshadow

MAC Satin Taupe Connect in Colour Eyeshadow

MAC Power Mode Connect in Colour Eyeshadow

MAC Showstopper Connect in Colour Eyeshadow

MAC On the Cloud Connect in Colour Eyeshadow

MAC Hi-Tea Connect in Colour Eyeshadow

MAC Encrypted Kryptonite Connect in Colour 6-Pan Eyeshadow Palette

MAC Clear History Connect in Colour Eyeshadow

MAC Satin Taupe Connect in Colour Eyeshadow

MAC Power Mode Connect in Colour Eyeshadow

MAC Showstopper Connect in Colour Eyeshadow

MAC On the Cloud Connect in Colour Eyeshadow

MAC Hi-Tea Connect in Colour Eyeshadow

Temptalia

MAC Encrypted Kryptonite Eyeshadow Palette Review & Swatches

Encrypted Kryptonite

Ingredients

Encrypted Kryptonite

PPermanent. $34.00.

Quick Shop: MAC Cosmetics, Ulta, Nordstrom, Selfridges

Clear History

Top Dupes

Formula Overview

Clear History

PiPPermanent in Palette.

Quick Shop: MAC Cosmetics, Ulta, Nordstrom, Selfridges

Satin Taupe

Top Dupes

Formula Overview

Satin Taupe

PiPPermanent in Palette.

Quick Shop: MAC Cosmetics, Ulta, Nordstrom, Selfridges

Power Mode

Top Dupes

Formula Overview

Power Mode

PiPPermanent in Palette.

Quick Shop: MAC Cosmetics, Ulta, Nordstrom, Selfridges

Showstopper

Top Dupes

Formula Overview

Showstopper

PiPPermanent in Palette.

Quick Shop: MAC Cosmetics, Ulta, Nordstrom, Selfridges

On the Cloud

Top Dupes

Formula Overview

On the Cloud

PiPPermanent in Palette.

Quick Shop: MAC Cosmetics, Ulta, Nordstrom, Selfridges

Hi-Tea

Top Dupes

Formula Overview

Hi-Tea

PiPPermanent in Palette.

Quick Shop: MAC Cosmetics, Ulta, Nordstrom, Selfridges