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MAC Eyeshadow Swatches - Neutrals (Part 1)


MAC Honesty Eyeshadow

MAC Eyeshadow Swatches – Neutrals (Part 1)

  • Back with more MAC Eyeshadows–almost through the permanent shades I have–and this set features neutrals, including browns as well as beiges.
  • Honesty is a soft coppered brown with chunky gold and copper glitter. It has a lustre finish. It’s not the chunkiest lustre I’ve come across, but it doesn’t make my list of must-haves. Urban Decay Blaze would be a good alternative.
  • Patina is grayish-brown (almost taupe) with a pale, golden sheen. It has a frost finish.
  • Wedge is a warm-toned, medium brown with a matte finish. It is warmer and brown compared to MAC Omega but softer than MAC Cork.
  • Soba is a yellow-ed brown with a subtle golden sheen and satin finish. It’s yellower than Wedge, and the finishes are different, but they are similar.
  • Era is a darkened beige with a champagne sheen. It has a satin finish. It is lighter (and shimmery) than Burberry Almond.
  • Malt is a pinked brown-beige with a matte finish. It’s a bit powdery. Inglot #344 is similar.
  • All That Glitters is a lightened copper-gold with a veluxe pearl finish.The texture is rather gritty for a veluxe pearl.  Urban Decay Blaze is similar.
  • Bisque is a soft beige with a matte finish. Inglot #390 is similar.
  • Brule is a soft, warm beige with a satin finish.
  • Blanc Type is a pale white-beige with a Matte2 finish. Inglot #355 is similar but may turn more peach on some complexions.

Eyeshadows like Honesty and All That Glitters–tend to have chunkier textures with glitter fall out.  I will buy a new All That Glitters, even though mine was brand new as of a month ago, since many of you say I have a bad batch, but please give me some time to do so. Shades like Bisque, Brule, and Blanc Type are very light, and I know that on me Blanc Type photographs ashy (on me) when I’ve used it as a highlighter. Patina is a fun shade, because it’s almost like a neutral duochrome, and I couldn’t think of a real dupe for it.

MAC Eyeshadow Swatches - Neutrals (Part 1)

B-
8
Product
8
Pigmentation
7
Texture
10
Longevity
4
Application
82%
Total


MAC Honesty Eyeshadow


MAC Patina Eyeshadow


MAC Wedge Eyeshadow


MAC Soba Eyeshadow


MAC Era Eyeshadow


MAC Malt Eyeshadow


MAC All That Glitters Eyeshadow


MAC Bisque Eyeshadow


MAC Brule Eyeshadow


MAC Blanc Type Eyeshadow

72 Comments

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nvl Avatar

I wore Honesty for years for a subtle swipe of shimmer on my lids with black liner. It looked nice for a quick work look. I’m NC50. I never had issues with fallout or it not going on smoothly. In fact, I need to get a replacement for it! 🙂

Christine Avatar

I guess I’ll just waste $11 to find out next time I’m at MAC. Sigh. 🙁 There shouldn’t be such noticeable production issues! I was loathe to buy the first time because it was always off to me when I was at the store and only bought it for swatching. It’s not SUPER gritty, but it is rough given it’s a VP and the bit of fall out is annoying.

Jennifer Avatar

I just wanted to add my two cents about All that glitters, its very much the texture of Woodwinked, smooth, buttery, pigmented and easy to work with. Thanks also for being willing to re-swatch. This was one of my first MAC shadows and one of the only ones I have to replace after hitting pan, more often than the other shadows.

Hannah Avatar

You shouldn’t have to go buy a new one. The swatch you posted looks just like any other swatch I’ve seen of All that Glitters in pictures or in real life. I don’t understand why people would want you to have to go pay for another whole one just to post a picture that will look imperceptibly different than the one you posted. You go so above and beyond with your blog anyway; I can’t imagine asking you to do even more… Just my two cents.

Annalogik Avatar

I couldn’t believe that my beloved all that glitters was a lustre! I have two other e/s that are lustres and I don’t like them at all…loads of glitter 🙁 But All That Glitters is a must have for me, so smooth! You can’t get your money back and buy another pan? I’m sure they will 🙂 Good luck Christine and thank you for this awesome work!

Chris25 Avatar

I understand. I just meant that if you wanted to see if the texture had anything to do with the particular batch, swatching different pots could help. When I go to various MAC stores, the testers are sometimes brand new and they are sometimes quite old, so you get a different experience with each store. I totally get why you don’t want to review testers. I just meant that it’s one way to find out what the problem could be. I once owned ATG and it was not gritty at all.

Jessie Avatar

I feel like sometimes you get excessively defensive when people leave suggestions here. The people who love All That Glitters are just trying to talk about their love, no one’s tone is accusatory, and from your responses that’s how you’re taking it. No one is rushing you to swatch more things or buy the shadow right away (or again, even).

If you want to buy a new one, you should because you’re curious. You shouldn’t feel obligated to because some people love All That Glitters.

Keep up the awesome site, hun! <3

Christine Avatar

I had several people email me saying I should buy a new one because I’m misleading my readers, and the last thing I want to do is mislead readers. I also had several additional comments that were not fit to post (insulting, name calling, excessive cussing, etc.). I, unfortunately, cannot resolve this issue this week, so I wanted to let people know that up front 🙂 I only buy products to review – not because I want them – that’s the whole point of the blog! 🙂

Perri Avatar

At least you don’t have to waste $33 a pot like here in Australia! I bought All That Glitters and hated it… and so did my bank account! Totally agree with you about the fallout – probably my biggest pet peeve with eyeshadows 🙁

Julia Avatar

I have to agree with you, Christine, I bought All That Glitters maybe 2 months ago and mine is super-gritty, too. Maybe they have changed the formula recently? Don’t get me wrong, I still use it and love it, and don’t have fallout problems, but the texture is just so incredibly different when I compare it to my other VPs.

Nora Avatar

I have Honesty and can never get it to look even. It’ll apply beautifully on one eyelid, but on the other it’s a patchy mess. I don’t even get how that’s possible.

I love Brule, though. Perfect matte softening shade!

Honi Avatar

Love all that glitters, mine isnt gritty either (Got it in pro pan). Supersmooth and easy to work with, i agree that you might have gotten a bad batch cause it swatches and works so nicely.

Mariella Avatar

Will they let you return the one you bought? I’ve returned things to MAC (well, one item) and they took it back no problem. Since yours certainly seems defective, I would think they’d be only too happy to replace it and to know about the problem.

megan Avatar

You got a faulty All That Glitters Christine! That sucks cause I don’t have that problem at all. I’m actually wearing it today with Twinks on the lid!

Lars Avatar

Christine, you said these neutrals are not the best on the market. I love neutral eyeshadows–so what do you consider the best on the market? I’d love to know! Thanks.

Dorrit Avatar

Dear Christine,
I was wondering the same thing as Lars, so I was glad to see your answer here. I am surprised that you have included Lancome in this list of eyeshadows that are better than MAC. I have used Lancome makeup for the past several years and have never been that happy with their eyeshadows (I had mostly palettes, not single colors – and I guess that can make a difference).
After seeing this praise for Lancome shadows, I thought that perhaps I had missed something on your site, since I’m pretty new here and have mainly been reading some of your many wonderful MAC posts, so I did a site search just now for Lancome and looked back at your Lancome-related posts through mid-2009, and I don’t see many posts at all for their eyeshadows, and very few on eyeshadow neutrals (actually I didn’t see any posts by you in the last 2 years on their neutrals, but I must say that your site’s search function does not seem to work very well — sometimes I have much better luck going to google and searching for “temptalia and x” where x is the subject I’m trying to search your blog for). I have just tossed all my eye, cheek and lip makeup because it’s at the age where it’s recommended to toss it (2 to 3 years, some of was 4 and 5 years old…), and I’m considering making a switch to MAC for a change – but I’ve never used it before. (I’m a 40-something woman who mainly wears low-key, neutral makeup and I prefer to stick to one or two brands, for convenience’ sake really, so I just need a capsule collection of a few eye combinations, a couple of blushes, four or five lipsticks). Because I live in the UK now, MAC is pretty expensive and not that easy to travel to see in a display, so I don’t want to waste money ordering something online that I will regret purchasing, and your site has been a godsend to me, particularly since their own site is over-dark, hard to use, slow to load, and terrible with showing colours and descriptions. I do still think Lancome’s teint idole foundation and a certain mascara whose name I forget at the moment are most suitable for my needs that I’ve ever found, and I am okay with their lipstick (although I’ve had excessive chapping these last 2 years and I want to try a different brand because maybe there is something in their base formula that doesn’t agree with my lips.) I realize that maybe I’ve just tried the wrong products in their blush and eyeshadow ranges, and it’s been a couple of years since I made a big outlay on them, so I am wondering which Lancome eyeshadow neutrals you think are so good that you would rank them better than MAC’s, because it would suit me fine to stick to that brand — and all their freebies, cashback through sites like fatwallet, and extra free products for “club” members or whatever it is (on their US website) are great. Thanks!

Msharma Avatar

I m sorry if I came off rude earlier and I feel bad that u have to apologize so much. U r still pretty brilliant! U don’t need to hurry to get another ATG!

Mariella Avatar

I’m another one who has never had any problems with fallout from All that Glitters and I use it A LOT. You must have got a bad batch, Christine, because it’s one of my favourite shades and I hate glitter fallout and that horrid gritty, rough looking texture some glittery shadows can leave.

Leah Avatar

This set includes some of my MAC faves. All that glitters is very smooth and easy to apply for me. I have had two of them and they’ve both been great for on-the-go looks.

snm Avatar

wow,I am surprided about All That Glitters.I often wear it as an overall colour,and I find it one of the best textures of mac since it is a VP.but I have the similar issue with Deep truth,so I guess what you mean.
btw patina is one of my all time fav. colours,definetelt in top 5:)

Kristanna Avatar

I looove Malt for a subtle contouring for the face..Im light skin toned. Much more natural than a bronzer or taupe. I like patina a lot

Ani_BEE Avatar

If your super pale like be Blanc Type and Wedge are the perfect hilight and creacse sahde to use. Heck you can use them to highlight and contur on your face as well.

Brule for me looks as dark on my skin as Bisque is on your skin Christine. ^_^ I probably get it eventually but I have enough shades to last me awhile in that tone range.

bxboricua Avatar

My All That Glitters wasn’t very smooth either and it really never looked good on me at all (I gave it to a friend), so I’m not sure why everyone seems to like it….

cherryglass Avatar

Patina is so lovely. I’ve never noticed that. This is my next purchase. I wonder how it’ll work with Bark. (high hopes) Your colour themed swatches make me re-think my 15-pan palette coordination. I want to rearrange everything! Thank you for your effort!

Carrie Ann Avatar

I looove Blanc Type, Wedge and Patina. I’ve never understood the complaints about All That Glitters. I’ve used it so many times as a pretty all over the lid color, and I’ve never had any trouble with the application or with fallout.

tracy Avatar

blanc type is the only eyeshadow i keep repurchasing, i love it. my other faves are all that glitters eyshadow, hey eyshadow and naked lunch eyeshadow, these are all worn regularly as i only wear neutrals.x

Brenda Avatar

I read through all the comments, I hope you do have better luck the next time around Christine – All That Glitters was the fist e/s I ever purchased from MAC about 5 or 6 years ago and it is the softest, most wonderful texture. No fall out, not gritty and pretty sure it was a VP. I’m wondering if indeed they have changed the formula. If so, very disappointing. Your swatching dedication is always so appreciated!!! I refer to them on a regular basis:)

Carrie Avatar

Not sure if this went through last time, but:

For what it’s worth, I don’t think you should have to re-purchase and retest. If MAC felt comfortable putting it on the floor to sell, then they feel that it passed QC. “Bad Batch” or no, it’s what is in stores and what consumers picking it up will encounter and your review should reflect what’s out there and not what’s ideal.

Lilastar Avatar

I agree! “bad batch” is not an excuse. I admire your dedication Christine, but if a company is selling products that don’t meet their own quality standards then the consumers shouldn’t be the ones to pay for it by buying a product twice…

Niki Avatar

I have had two All that Glitters shadows and both broke and crumpled in the pan. The texture is now similar to the crushed metallic stacks that came out with “Surf Baby”. Now I just use it like a pigment. It is a beautiful shadow, but I will not buy it again. It is too hard to work with an just gets everywhere.

meghan Avatar

Oooooh! I haven’t bought any eyeshadows since January when I got my Naked palette because after that I reeeally didn’t need any more shadows haha But I’m wanting several of these for fall! Most would look fab with my eye color!

Chester Avatar

I love All That Glitters. I have tried many eye shadows in the same color range but nothing comes close. I love this as a subtle all-over color for everyday looks and for blending out darker eye shadows in a nighttime look. And Blanc Type is my all-time favorite highlighter and blender.

Mo Avatar

No real big deal. I guess it’s possible some textures of All That Glitters are different. I, for one, didn’t suggest for Christine to go purchase another one. Who knows if her next one won’t be the same as the one she already has? All I know is mine is smooth and buttery so my thought is that she’s missing out on how I think the shadow is really supposed to be. And I too, appreciate Christine and her blog very much.

Crystal C. Avatar

Hi Christine, I recently bought Patina and i observed that it doesn’t fit well with me (kinda makes me look way older). What combination can you suggest with it? I tried several shades but so far its not working. I don’t want to return it either haha. 🙂 Thank you! I would really appreciate your suggestion

Deb Avatar

Ooo, I’m really liking Patina! It’s been awhile since I’ve played with the permanent eyeshadows at the counter and I miss it, lol. Thanks for the swatches, Christine!

Denise Avatar

Will you it the pictures of these in the Swatch Gallery, also? I couldn’t find them yet. BTW: Thanks for this amazing review, it really helps finding the colors I really want!!!

Dorrit Avatar

Thanks so much from a new visitor — your amazing passion and hard work on this blog have helped me tremendously in the last couple of days. Your politeness, organizational skills, high response rate to comments, and clear explanations are first-rate!

Emma Avatar

Hey Christine 🙂
I know this post is a little older, but maybe you see this and answer my question?
I am looking for a matte highlighting color, but I am not sure what to get for my skintone. I am NC 25 in the winter and NC30 in summer. Would you suggest Brule or Blanc Type?
I’d be so happy if you replied 🙂

Emma

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