MAC Eyeshadow x 15/Warm Neutral Palette Review, Photos, Swatches
MAC Eyeshadow x 15/Warm Neutral Palette
MAC Eyeshadow x 15/Warm Neutral Palette ($100.00 for 0.68 oz.) contains fifteen, warm-toned eyeshadows. It has four permanent shades and four repromoted shades (ones that have been released previously as limited edition shades). This is actually one of MAC’s better pre-made palettes, which is even more impressive give there are 15 shades in the palette. Vanilla Extract and Honey Lust were the worst performers, but there were a lot of nicely pigmented, easy to use and blend shades overall. The palette could have used one or two additional medium-dark to dark shades for more contrast, as a lot of them were in the light-medium and medium range. All of the shades wore just around eight hours on me before fading, with a couple of shades that had some fall out (noted below). If you’re curious about pricing and value, consider checking out my lengthy discussion/thoughts after the review.
Hey is described as a “metallic coral [with a Veluxe Pearl finish].” It’s a light, peachy beige with a frosted, metallic sheen. It had good color payoff and applied smoothly and evenly. bareMinerals Ball Gown (LE) is similar. Laura Mercier Primrose (P, $23.00) is pinker. Too Faced Cheers! (LE) is similar. Kat Von D Precious (LE) is also similar. Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #2 (P) is lighter, more beige. Disney by Sephora Splendid (LE) is slightly more beige.MAC Summer Haze (LE, $21.00) is browner. bareMinerals Peace (P) is less frosted. Inglot #397 (P, $6.00) is darker, less beige. See comparison swatches.
Warm Breeze is described as a “pastel coral [with a Satin finish].” It’s a light-medium, peachy beige with a satin-matte finish. The texture was soft, and it had fairly good color payoff. Chanel Charming #1 (LE) is more shimmery. Too Faced Bubbly (LE) is similar. Too Faced Whiskers on Kittens (LE) and Too Faced Spike the Punch (LE) are pinker. Wet ‘n’ Wild Newport Nights #2 (LE) is also pinker. bareMinerals Peace (P) is darker. See comparison swatches.
Gingersnap is described as a “deep rosy pink [with a Frost finish].” It’s a muted, rusty brown with a frosted finish. It had excellent pigmentation, and the texture was soft and smooth. MAC Amorous Alloy (LE, $19.50) is darker, browner. Urban Decay Trick (P, $18.00) is browner. NARS Cambodia (LE, $24.00) is redder, warmer. Sleek MakeUP Sunset #3 (P, $9.99) is more metallic, warmer. Disney by Sephora Trust Me (LE) is redder. NARS California (P, $24.00) is darker, browner. MAC Star Myth (LE, $15.00) is warmer. MAC Magnetic Attraction (LE, $21.00) is more shimmery. MAC Mythical (LE, $15.00) is slightly browner. See comparison swatches.
Dark Brew is described as a “deep chocolate with pink pearl [with a Velvet finish].” It is a medium-dark, chocolaty brown with warm, yellow-red undertones and a satin finish–almost matte. The texture was soft and silky, while the color payoff was really nice. Laura Mercier Truffle (P, $23.00) is lighter, yellower-toned. LORAC Sable (P) is darker. MAC Brown Script (P, $15.00) is redder. Make Up For Ever #17 (P, $20.00) is similar. See comparison swatches.
Dance in the Dark is described as a “dark brown [with a Matte finish].” It’s a dark, cool-toned brown with a matte finish. It had a softer, slightly dry, texture that was a smidgen powdery, so it doesn’t adhere as nicely to the skin as other shades in the palette, but it is actually on the pigmented side. Laura Mercier Espresso (LE, $23.00) is warmer. theBalm Matt Ramirez (LE, $16.00) is similar. MAC Najm el Lail (LE, $15.00) is slightly warmer. MAC Midnight Flurry (LE, $15.00) is darker. MAC Showstopper (LE, $15.00) is a touch lighter. Guerlain Calligraphy #4 (LE) is darker. Estee Lauder Bronze Dunes #3 (LE, $21.00) is similar. Inglot #326 (P, $6.00) is redder in undertone. See comparison swatches.
Brule is described as a “soft creamy beige [with a Satin finish].” It’s a light beige with neutral-to-warm undertones and a satin finish that borders almost matte. It was nicely pigmented and very soft and silky–easy to blend out on the skin. There are a lot of comparable shades to this one–it is a basic/staple: See comparison swatches.
Vanilla Extract is described as a “soft warm yellow beige [with a Frost finish].” It’s a light-medium, yellow gold with a frosted sheen. It almost seemed like a Lustre finish, as it had a sort of sheer, slightly wet, texture. It was semi-opaque. Sleek MakeUP Meet in Madrid (LE, $9.99) is darker, less yellow. Giorgio Armani #10 #2 (P) is similar. Urban Decay Blunt (P, $18.00) is also similar. L’Oreal Eternal Sunshine (P, $7.99) is slightly yellower. Dior Night Golds #4 (LE) is similar. See comparison swatches.
Honey Lust is described as a “bronze-dipped peach [with a Lustre finish].” It’s a warm-toned, coppery orange with copper and gold micro-glitter. It had semi-opaque color coverage, and the texture was gritty and glittery, which is typical of the Lustre finish. I had fall out with this shade during wear. Makeup Geek Glamorous (P, $5.99) is less glittery, less frosted. Too Faced Jingle All the Way Eyeshadow #7 (LE) is more golden. Anastasia Rum Cake (LE) is browner. Makeup Geek Vegas Lights (P, $6.99) is more orange. Sleek MakeUP Sunset #10 (P, $9.99) is yellower. LORAC Gold (P) is less glittery. Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #4 (P) is less glittery. Disney by Sephora Cosmic (LE) is browner. bareMinerals Bragging Rights (LE) is less glittery. See comparison swatches.
Amber Lights is described as a “peachy-brown with shimmer [with a Frost finish].” It’s a vibrant, warm-toned, coppery brown with a metallic sheen. It had excellent color payoff and a soft, buttery texture–one of my favorite MAC eyeshadows for color payoff and texture. Makeup Geek Glamorous (P, $5.99) is less metallic. LORAC Gold (P) is similar. Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #4 (P) is also similar. NARS Isolde #1 (P, $24.00) is slightly less orange. MAC Campfire (LE, $32.50) is browner, darker. bareMinerals Bragging Rights (LE) is similar. bareMinerals Louder (LE) is slightly less orange. bareMinerals Hoopla (LE) is more muted, less orange. See comparison swatches.
Saddle is described as a “golden orange brown [with a Matte finish].” It’s a medium-dark, warm-toned brown with a matte finish. It had a really soft, silky texture that can be a little powdery, though it’s really pigmented. Makeup Geek Cocoa Bear (P, $5.99) is darker. Anastasia Sienna (LE) is redder in tone. Kat Von D Cleopatra (P) is also redder. MAC Soft Brown (P, $15.00) is more muted, less yellow-toned. MAC Exposed (LE, $15.00) is browner, shimmery. See comparison swatches.
Lemon Tart is described as a “metallic gold [with a Veluxe Pearl finish].” It’s a muted, yellow gold with a frosted sheen. It had good color payoff, and the texture was soft and smooth. MAC Captivating #1 (LE, $21.00) is very similar. Kat Von D Sunset Blvd. (LE) is yellower. theBalm D1 (LE, $16.00) is similar. MAC Dreammaker (LE, $15.00) is also similar. bareMinerals Standing O (P) is slightly yellower. See comparison swatches.
Creative Copper is described as a “frosted gold [with a Lustre finish].” It’s a rich, coppery brown with warm undertones and a frosted, almost metallic, finish. Though it says it is a Lustre finish, it’s a lot smoother and infinitely more pigmented than most Lustres, though there is a little glitteriness to it (and some fall out). But this is a lot like Amber Lights (and its many dupes!), just a little browner. MAC A Glimmer of Gold #3 (P, $21.00) is lighter. Too Faced Jingle All the Way Eyeshadow #7 (LE) is similar. MAC Exquisite Ego #2 (LE, $21.00) is more orange. LORAC Gold (P) is more orange. theBalm Manic Maribel (LE, $16.00) is similar. NARS Isolde #1 (P, $24.00) is less frosted. MAC Amber Lights (P, $15.00) is warmer, more orange. bareMinerals Louder (LE) is similar. Inglot #405 (P, $6.00) is browner. See comparison swatches
Butterfudge is described as a “dirty mocha with gold pearl [with a Satin finish].” It’s a medium, golden brown with warm undertones and a soft, golden shimmer. It had fairly good pigmentation and was soft to the touch. Too Faced Milk Chocolate (P) is less golden. Too Faced Chocolate Milk (LE) is less brown. Burberry Pale Nude #1 (P) is darker. See comparison swatches.
Divine Decadence is described as a “soft bronze [with a Velvet finish].” It’s a dark, bronze-shimmered brown with red-orange undertones and a frosted sheen. The texture was a little dry and, in a way, gritty. It had good color payoff, though, but it was a little messy to use and didn’t blend as easily. It didn’t apply as intensely as the single I have does. Clarins The Essentials #7 (LE) is darker. Clinique Fuller Fudge (P, $17.00) is a cream product, darker. Milani Intermix (P, $6.99) is similar. MAC Sable (P, $15.00) is less warm-toned. See comparison swatches.
Unwind is described as a “dirty olive [with a Veluxe Pearl finish].” It’s a muted, yellowed khaki–it’s not gold, yet it’s not really an olive or a green. It had excellent pigmentation, and the texture was incredibly soft and buttery. bareMinerals Stay Golden (LE, $14.00) is less yellow. Too Faced Crème Brulee (P) is less yellow. Too Faced Twinkle (LE) is not quite as yellow. NARS Iskandar (P, $25.00) is a cream product. Sephora Collection Girls Night Out (03) (P, $13.00) is yellower. MAC Gaelic Gold (LE, $15.00) is warmer. See comparison swatches.
Warm Neutral
PPermanent. $65.00.
Hey
PiPPermanent in Palette. $17.00.
Saddle
PPermanent. $17.00.
Lemon Tart
PiPPermanent in Palette. $17.00.
Creative Copper
PiPPermanent in Palette. $17.00.
Butterfudge
PiPPermanent in Palette. $17.00.
Divine Decadence
LELimited Edition. $17.00.
Unwind
LELimited Edition. $17.00.
Warm Breeze
PiPPermanent in Palette. $17.00.
Gingersnap
PiPPermanent in Palette. $17.00.
Dark Brew
PiPPermanent in Palette. $17.00.
Dance in the Dark
PiPPermanent in Palette. $17.00.
Brule
PPermanent. $17.00.
Vanilla Extract
PiPPermanent in Palette. $17.00.
Honey Lust
PPermanent. $17.00.
Amber Lights
PPermanent. $17.00.
If you’ve kept up with the initial launch post and subsequent sneak peeks on MAC’s new pre-filled 15-pan palettes, you’ll see a variety of responses regarding the price point. Like any beauty product, whether something is “worth it” is really subjective–if you use every single color every single day, it would absolutely be “worth it.” If you would never use the palette, it would never be “worth it,” even if it was $5! Here are some of my personal thoughts, and these had no impact on the actual rating (which doesn’t consider value, just quality/performance metrics):
I think it would have been a much more compelling palette if MAC hadn’t glued the pans in. If they feared people purchasing a palette and then splitting, I don’t really know why it matters–they’re still getting $100, and possibly, even more for the cost of an additional empty palette, and then two people have half-empty palettes that will compel (to a degree, at least!) them to fill them up with other colors that are more suitable to them. With some heat and elbow grease, these can be depotted, too, so anyone who really wants that feature can do so. It would have been really cool to swap out certain shades with other ones I already own to create new combinations–perhaps a mix of neutrals and pops of color–or maybe take four of my favorites from this palette and put them into a quad, which is more travel-friendly.
There have been a lot of comparisons to Urban Decay’s Naked palette, and though Urban Decay has no doubt made the concept of an all-neutral eyeshadow palette a trend, there have been beige and brown palettes before Naked and will continue to be beige and brown palettes after Naked. I don’t think every palette with neutrals is a Naked copy or always designed to be a direct competitor. How many neutral palettes did Bobbi Brown release before Naked was in our vocabulary? It’s hard to imagine MAC thinking, “You know how we can take out Urban Decay’s Naked palette? Release our own for $100 that’s only available at select stores and online!” It doesn’t, however, mean we can’t compare the two or that we can’t criticize or question why MAC chose this price point.
Urban Decay’s Naked palettes contain 12 full-sized eyeshadows (0.05 oz. each or 0.60 oz.) and retail for $52 (to be fair, they also include a full-sized brush), which brings the cost to $86.67/oz. of eyeshadow. The cost is $147.06/oz. with this MAC palette, which also contains full-sized MAC eyeshadows (I know Veluxe Pearls, which there are three of in this palette, contain 0.04 oz. and other finishes contain 0.05 oz., and the packaging says 0.68 oz.). The argument in favor of MAC’s pricing is that filling your own 15-pan palette would cost $160 ($10 per shadow, $10 for the palette). That’s very true; and the cost to fill-up your very own Urban Decay palette is $18 per shadow, plus $10 for a 4-pan palette (they don’t even have a 15-pan palette available). It is more expensive to create your own Urban Decay palette than it is to purchase the pre-made one, which is often a selling point of pre-made palettes–a lot more for less than if you bought them individually. (And Urban Decay’s BYOP system, as a result, is rather un-compelling, because there is no real savings for buying into their system.)
To think in terms more relative to MAC, consider the cost of a pre-made quad compared to creating your own. Pre-made quads currently retail for $40.00/0.19 oz., which is $210/oz. If you created your own, it would be $8 for the palette and $40 for the eyeshadoows, which is $252.63/oz. So, the new pre-made 15-pan palettes bring that cost down to $147.06/oz., which is over 25% less than a pre-made quad. MAC has never been a brand that’s created major value-driven palettes, sets, or kits; their palettes have typically been marginally less than what you would have paid if you did it on your own. It is also worth mentioning that the majority of the shades in the palette are, at this time, exclusive to the palette, so you cannot feasibly create it yourself.
On a price basis, the majority of palettes on the market will beat MAC out. The average 10-pan (or larger) palette is around $50, sometimes less, sometimes more. When it comes to palettes and dollars, it’s a highly competitive landscape, because $50 (or $100) is a lot to invest all at once. If you are looking specifically for MAC eyeshadows in the neutral range, this is more cost-effective than building your own 15-pan palette. If you’re not attached to these particular shades or the brand, there are numerous other options that will stretch your dollar further. This is true for most products, not just this one. It is, perhaps, more glaring with this offering than others.
MAC Eyeshadow x 15/Warm Neutral Palette
MAC Eyeshadow x 15/Warm Neutral Palette
MAC Eyeshadow x 15/Warm Neutral Palette
MAC Eyeshadow x 15/Warm Neutral Palette
MAC Eyeshadow x 15/Warm Neutral Palette
MAC Eyeshadow x 15/Warm Neutral Palette
MAC Hey Eyeshadow
MAC Hey Eyeshadow
MAC Warm Breeze Eyeshadow
MAC Warm Breeze Eyeshadow
MAC Gingersnap Eyeshadow
MAC Gingersnap Eyeshadow
MAC Dark Brew Eyeshadow
MAC Dark Brew Eyeshadow
MAC Dance in the Dark Eyeshadow
MAC Dance in the Dark Eyeshadow
MAC Brule Eyeshadow
MAC Brule Eyeshadow
MAC Vanilla Extract Eyeshadow
MAC Vanilla Extract Eyeshadow
MAC Honey Lust Eyeshadow
MAC Honey Lust Eyeshadow
MAC Amber Lights Eyeshadow
MAC Amber Lights Eyeshadow
MAC Saddle Eyeshadow
MAC Saddle Eyeshadow
MAC Lemon Tart Eyeshadow
MAC Lemon Tart Eyeshadow
MAC Creative Copper Eyeshadow
MAC Creative Copper Eyeshadow
MAC Butterfudge Eyeshadow
MAC Butterfudge Eyeshadow
MAC Divine Decadence Eyeshadow
MAC Divine Decadence Eyeshadow
MAC Unwind Eyeshadow
MAC Unwind Eyeshadow
MAC Eyeshadows: Unwind (inner lid), Butterfudge (middle of lid), Saddle (outer lid),
Divine Decadence (crease), Warm Breeze & Brule (brow bone)
MAC Eyeshadows: Unwind (inner lid), Butterfudge (middle of lid), Saddle (outer lid),
Divine Decadence (crease), Warm Breeze & Brule (brow bone)
Thanks for taking the time to review all 15 Christine! I’m glad to see that it has such a high review, I’m hoping the cool one has the same 🙂
No problem!
Thank you for the review! I like to see the swatches and then find substitutes in what I already have – I’m on a no buy for the last year so this is great! (and I have more eyeshadows than I will ever use in two lifetimes).
I also appreciate the preemptive disclaimer about topics which will most certainly be sticking points for consumers/readers.
How has the no-buy been going, Brenda?
Well, I (emphasis on “I” lol) believe it’s going quite well! Can’t recall the last time I bought eyeshadow or liners. I haven’t bought a single thing at Sephora in terms of cosmetics this year. What I have purchased in the last year is comparable to what I used to buy in a few months!
I’ve stuck to purchasing drugstore mascaras when needed, one Covergirl foundation and one Annabelle BB cream, when the season change warranted it, bought a few Revlon lipsticks when they were on sale for under $5.00 and one Essence blush for under $3.00. I did buy one MAC lipstick this year (and missed out on a couple I really wanted but honestly wasn’t able to justify it on our tight budget).
I’ve been really concentrating on shopping my stash, for the most part. I’ve challenged myself to ABC’s with my nail polish and therefore am only allowed to buy an X and a Z – the only two letters I can’t find a colour for!
Nice job, Brenda!! I don’t think I could do a no-buy. I don’t think I have the will power!
Been clicking refresh every 2 minutes since the sneak peak came out! Thanks Christine, definite must have no matter the cost. It looks sensational!
Glad it’s something that works for you, Shelley!
At first the palette looks really interesting for me, since I’m crazy about eyeshadows and haven’t dipped my hands mac yet. (and this would be a big jump and a more affordable way to do so!) but the face that the eyeshadow pan is glued to the palette going to be a deal breaker for me. I have a irrational fear of running out of my favorite color in the palette and not able to replace them. I have to also agree with you on the non-travel friendly aspect of this palette. Possibly a good product for actual makeup artist not a eyeshadows hoarder like myself.
Yeah, if you do finish, you will have to tango with prying out one of the pans! I tried using tweezers to pull out a pan a little, and there’s so little space between the metal rim of the shadow and the well itself. I haven’t depotted anything in a LONG time, so I’m sure there’s a way to do it. I just wish you didn’t have to.
I’m not sure how you call it but the alcohol (rubbing alcohol?) that you can buy in the pharmacy does a great job for making the glue loose its hold and then you can take it out. At least its working for the premade x4 palettes and I’m pretty sure it would work for this too. After that you can put other pans (with magnets) into the palette.
Still… I would be much happier if I wouldn’t have to do this…
Hey!
How do you get the alcohol so it doesn’t get on the pan itself? I’ve used it to remove excess glue, but I worry about it getting into the eyeshadow, though I know it will evaporate with time.
It doesn’t effect the product,thats the beauty of it 😀
You can also use it to mend broken shadows because with enough alcohol it gets pasty and you can put it back together but unlike oil (like when you put your finger in it) it doesn’t cause it to “harden”.
Just seems horrible to have to dump liquid all over your palette to get them out, LOL!
You can also place the bottom of the palette onto a flat iron (or even a regular iron), and the glue will loosen, and the pan can be easily lifted with a pin.
Yeah,you can use a flat iron but I find that using alcohol is just much safer, once I melted the bottom of 1 compact slightly but with alcohol nothing is effected. But I just wish we didn’t have to discuss this bc I just don’t see why they have to glue them in. I soooo love to organize my eyeshadows, it always chages how I like them to be and how I find it to be practical as I take them to jobs. Maybe once MAC will hear us…this really bugs me!
Christine, you don’t have to “dump” alcohol all over the palette lol the way I do it is using something with a sharp point like tweezers and trying to get the alcohol in there drop by drop. Around the edges until there’s enough on the bottom of the eyeshadow to loosen the glue.. The amount of alcohol that gets on the shadow itself is not a lot at all and it doesn’t damage the shadow. You do need patience though if you’re deppotting a big palette
LOL, I understand what you mean – I wasn’t literally meaning to just pour an entire bottle of alcohol all over the palette, only that the space between the outer rim and well is very thin, so there’s no real room for a single drop, so you’ll get some on it. I was exaggerating 🙂 I’m know it doesn’t damage the eyeshadow as I have re-pressed broken eyeshadow and loose eyeshadow with it before! I just had a very funny vision of it all happening. I’m not a DIY person, as I have learned!
I was awaiting your review. I think i’ll take the plunge and get this one! Thanks so much!
Happy to help, Khadija!
Wow – this palette looks fantastic. Do you know if / when this will be available in Australia?
I don’t know when or where, but it is permanent, and MAC gave a “March 2014” date for International, I do believe!
Thanks Christine – I’ll harass the MAC counter for more information x
it is available now on MAC’s australian website but for AUD$250. I’m speechless. We’re paying almost 2.5x what the price is in America. I’m glad it is permanent though so I can wait until I travel and buy it elsewhere. Can’t wait to get it though!
Soooooo pretty, I want this for my birthday :D, but so expensive!!! I have to give props to MAC for even trying to get into the neutral palette business and actually including new or limited edition shades! For $100 bucks It doesn’t look so bad. I was getting bored of the perm colors. There needs to be more variety and new colors… Still adore MAC tho :)!
I think if they went with a $80 price tag, it would be a little more palatable to more. I can see why $100 was their mark, but I think that it’s a deal-breaker for a lot, no matter the value/argument.
“palatable”…no pun intended, right? Lol! (I don’t know why this amused me so much. I’m a nerd!)
Not originally, but it did cross my mind as I typed it 😉
If you divide the amount of shadows with the price, they are only $6.67 a piece. You really can’t beat that for quality shadows! If one were a makeup artist or looking ot start a god collection, these would be great.
That price though!!!
Yeah, I think that is just beyond most people’s threshold for pain.
And that’s the prices in the US, I can’t even imagine what they’d charge worldwide, since in some countries they mark up about 50% more!
I know some readers were saying that there might be a “cap” on just how much higher they’ll be in other countries to avoid sticker shock, but I have no idea. I believe they’re 65 pounds in the UK…
Hi Christine,
I wanted to get back to you about the price of the palette abroad. In Brazil it just got released at MAC ,and the price is US$ 155 (400 reais)!Ouch!!But I love it, Ive been in USA in the begining of february, but the warm one is sold out and I couldnt bought it:(
I ll need to face the price from here!! Big Kiss
Thanks, Carla!
I don’t know about everyone else, but rarely have I ever walked away from a MAC counter/store without spending much less than $60 USD, so this price is still within my “usual” amount, and for more product! My last MAC purchase was $55, and all I bought was a blush & MSF…
Though I’ve paid a pretty penny for a lot of products, $100 on any one item, whether it contains 15 eyeshadows or not, still gives me pause. We all have different thresholds for pain when it comes to price. 🙂 Many people’s beauty budgets are $25-50 per month or less, so $100 at once is quite a bit.
I just remember when I first started building my MAC eyeshadow collection, buying 5-6 at a time and still paying $60-ish, and having to make several trips. I would have rather skipped buying anything for a month, and just saving for either (or both!) of these. I started with neutrals, and kept a list that I carried to keep from buying dupes, and shades that were too similar, so having a pre-made palette like this would have been so convenient. I even mentioned it to one of the SAs a few years back, LOL!
I also think when brands are thinking about the next product, they don’t necessarily consider people like us who have mounds of products, and target those who may buy 1-2 palettes a year, so they stick with the basics. I’m also glad to see these aren’t LE, so we have time to consider if it’s worth it.
In this particular palette, there are only about 10 I know for sure I’d wear, but even so, I still consider it worth the price. Who knows, I may also be surprised by some of the others, too. Also, while I have near dupes for some, it’s just so convenient to have everything together, and I hate switching palettes around (I don’t alway have the luxury of time, and typically just grab a random palette).
Actually… that’s a good point! Although I rather hand pick each eyeshadow if I’ll be spending $100!
Haaa..loved reading your thoughts on the palette 😀 It’s fun trying to figure out what the brand was thinking 😀 😀
On to the palette itself, I liked the colors MAC has added in this – perfect for someone like me who doesn’t go much beyond the neutrals. That said, I still prefer making my own palette…just to be sure that every color in there is something I would use.
Yeah, with this palette you really have to determine if you’d use the majority of shades! With some of the more value-packed palettes, you can feel OK buying even if there are a few shades you doubt you’d use (or use often).
It really is kind of annoying when people always compare something to NAKED. Urban Decay *did not* create neutrals, haha.
I hear ya! It’s not always a copy of it. Like in my mind, Bobbi Brown was the pusher of neutral palettes. Don’t get me wrong – UD made it a massive trend and absolutely, a ton of brands did try to put out palettes like it to try to hop on the wagon.
The selection of colors and finishes are great. If only I didn’t have piles of similar neutral colors to still work through.
I think people in their makeup journey should get a neutral lid palette/singles set like this one at some point. Work safe, matches everything, travel friendly and all that. I guess the question is what people decide to pick up along the way. I agree with you on the “worth it” argument. If you are going to use an eye shadow palette a lot, it’ll be “worth it” regardless of MSRP
It’s an argument to be won on virtually any product that you can feasibly afford without going into debt/broke/not paying rent. If it’s an $80 Chanel palette you use five days a week for work, or a $50 lipstick you wear and use ’til the very end. All better than spending $40 on a palette you never use, or even $3 on 10 palettes you use once and never reach for again. There is a lot to be said for the “per use” argument, I think. That said, a $10 palette you use every day is certainly a better value than an $80 palette you use everyday 😉
Thank you soo much for the review Christine!! As much as I do not need this as I have tons of eyeshadows, I will be purchasing. I just keep telling myself this will be the last of eye shadows that
I buy!!!
I hope you love your new palette then, Wendy!
I don’t understand the decision to glue down the eyeshadows, my favourite aspect of the MAC palettes is that you can take colours out to customise smaller palettes for travel. It does seem to be very good quality for a premade palette though.
I hear ya, Sarah! I know they glue ’em for their quads and duos they’ve released over the years, but it would just be SO MUCH MORE practical and compelling if you could change ’em out. Then you could mix and match, play around with new combos, take some with you as you travel but not all. Sure, for a week-long trip, maybe 15 works, but maybe you’d also like to have a few colors with your neutrals!
I definitely think it is gorgeous to look at. Great color combinations, and just a lovely sleek look. I think it would make a great palette for someone who likes subtle, neutral looks.
If you love neutrals, it could definitely work.
I love Mac’s permanent range, they are my favorites, but I ain’t paying that much, especially when you don’t have the benefit of switching them around easily. I’ll be honest, if it came with the ability to depot, I’d probably be tempted 😉
I don’t think they realize what a selling point it would have been – as a beauty consumer, you’re tempted to buy these really great palettes with great value for your buck, and you end up using only a few shades on a day to day basis. Time passes by, and you can’t just keep all those bulky packages laying around, so you end up putting them away and never using anything. That’s why I skip most palettes.
I did break down and bought the Vice 2. With palettes like that, my trick is to use the bold crazy shades as liners, I’ve been doing it with Prank the past week and it’s freaking amazing (and you wouldn’t need to buy black liner for as long as you live!)
You’re certainly not alone – I think a lot of us buy palettes, use them for awhile, and then move on. Then we forget to return to them, or there are just one or two shades we really use often, and then we don’t bother pulling out the palette, which is why I think pre-made palettes are often touted as “value” buys and significantly discounted over buying individually.
Thanks for the review Christine!
I’m just getting into MAC eyeshadows and since neutrals are what I use most, I ‘d love to get this, especially now that I see it would be worth it, given your review. Apart from the price ( which is even higher in Greece where I live making UD or such palettes that we can order online -unlike MAC- even better value for money) and the fact they’re glued in ( I ‘m really hopeless when it comes to depotting) I ‘m not completely sold because I would like a few more matte shades.
I’m not all that good at depotting either, LOL! I have several nicked shadows to show for it.
I guess this will make an excellent palette to those new to makeup, but for someone like me who has been “collecting” makeup and more importantly MAC makeup, this is not very exciting. I’d skip.
Very true – the more neutrals you have, the more dupes you have!
with my favorite neutral palette (dior mitzah), i’m terrified to hit pan on the lightest, my-skintone, shade. it barely has a dent, but still. the other four colors barely look used. this 15-pan palette has so many light colors, i think the dark ones would get used up first! i’m really surprised they put so few medium to dark shades. that being said, i think it is pretty and it looks better than i thought it would. since its permanent, i feel like i can take my time to see if its something i really want. i don’t know why the $100 price tag is bugging me. i have several quads/quints that are way more per shadow (armani, guerlain, dior, etc) that i didn’t hesitate to buy.
It’s just a lot to spend on one item, I think, no matter the value. Just like those big sets during the holidays – like $150, 200, 500 – they can be hugely impressive in terms of price per ounce, but still a lot to drop all at once on one thing! Dior, Guerlain, Armani, etc. are all much higher-end brands than MAC, which might be contributing (e.g. you are used to and expect to pay those prices, whereas with MAC, it seems expensive).
My favorites are Dance In The Dark, Creative Copper and Gingersnap! Never heard of them before!
Two of three have been in some of MAC’s holiday palettes, so that might be why!
Love this palette! However, I can’t justify spending $100 when I have several neutral palettes already. It’s a decent value, but it would have been more tempting if it was in the $70-80 range.
Yeah, I agree with you, Annette – I think $80 would have been a good price point that would still be high relative to other palettes but more palatable.
I know some people are MAC die-hards, but unless NARS screwed something up, I think the NARS-cissist palette’s a bit more compelling. NARS’s pricepoint seems to be a bit higher, and that’s a similar amount of product in the same theme for $20 cheaper. And then not making it like one of their normal palettes when they are a company that sells tons of pan refills? I just don’t get it. But I’m not a huge neutral or MAC fan, anyway, so the product isn’t FOR ME, anyway.
I think it’ll depend on what colors/finishes you’re looking for – like the NARSissist palette isn’t similar to this in terms of color or finish at all, so it’s like apples and oranges to me, you know?
Thank you for such an in-depth review of this, Christine! I was never planning to buy the MAC 15 palettes, but I was really impressed with their decision to release them — until you mentioned that the pans are glued in.
I think the palettes would have been fantastic for people just getting into makeup artistry, but the thing about a kit is that it needs to be flexible — which MAC undoubtedly knows. It’s really too bad that these aren’t more customizable, because as you said, even if people were to swap out/share shades, it would still benefit the company! I think a lot of people would be willing to pay for the palette + one or two extra shades to make it “just right,” if only for how simple it would make putting together a basic kit.
Anyhow — just my two cents. Hopefully if we’re loud enough, MAC will keep the palette but change the way the pans are attached 😉
Especially at this size, I think it’s unfortunate they’re glued in. With the quads, they’re already fairly compact, so it’s like… fine… okay (though it would be way better if they weren’t glued in).
This seems to be the more promising of the two, but still, I don’t think I’ll be shelling out CAD$115 for this. Definitely would love to see more colours/variety!
Whew, pricey in CDN!
I just wish the pans were like the pro pans, with the little sticker and magnet on the back!! I love the MAC pro palettes, so being able to switch in/out would be amazing.
I wish they were just at least removable… maybe some sort of alternative labeling/system so they would be visually different than regular pro pans (for B2M purposes).
love it … thanks for the review Christine , too bad it’s a waaaay out of my price range …. any dupe pallets ?
I don’t think there’s a palette that just dupes this one for one – all the dupes I could think of are listed per shade!
I’m glad the quality came out so well – I’ll be interested to see how the cool palette fares (I’m more of a cool neutrals girl).
Thank you also for taking the time to address some of the discussion that’s been going on around these palettes relative to the other ‘neutral’ palettes around! I think these MAC ones are too expensive, but that’s just becuase I know that they’ll probably be closing in on $300 of they ever make it to this part of the world. If they only cost $100 here, then I would be struck speechless by how incredible a deal it was!
My only quibble with the whole ‘neutral palettes’ thing is that it seems that many are coming out *right now* which means that you get a bit of neutral palette fatigue. I do, however, think it’s good that many different brands come out with their own take on it, so there’s more choice.
I will be curious to hear just what the price point ends up being overseas, because relative to $100, I expect it’ll be high but wonder just how high they’ll really go.
I’m afraid that the price will be very high if this MAC palette reaches Mexico…I’ll be sure to let you know if it does :)!
Thanks for the reviews of both the palettes 🙂 I read on MACKarrie’s blog (she is based in Austria, where they often have the same prices as in Germany), that according to a MAC employee the price will definitely be over 100€. That would be around $135. Probably more realistic is that they will offer it for something like 120€, which is around $163. But the price per pan for us needs to be calculated differently, as a regular e/s costs 18.50€ (about $25), a refill 14.50€ (about $19.70), the empty 15x palette 16€ ($21.70) and the insert 10€ ($13.60).
There is no official announcement with prices for this release yet, though. However, I have reconsidered and even though the colours look nice, I definitely have enough similar colours (by MAC) and want to use them instead of buying more.
Thank you for sharing, Lilac!
Good idea to use more of what you have!
Yesh 😀 I forgot to add that for me it would (theoretically) be the cool colours, though, I got caught up in looking at the currency exchange site 😀 but I do have similar colours. The warm palette is so pretty but it would not look right on me. 🙂
Hi Christine,
I wanted to get back to you about the price of the palette abroad. In Germany it just got released at MAC Online and there the price is 145€, which according to Oanda Currency Converter is $199. It is definitely very expensive but as I explained above, if you compare that with 15 refills plus palette, those would be 244€ ($335).
Still, it´s all super expensive, though. Also there are “reliable rumours” that Urban Decay might be available in Germany at the end of this year. Their palette prices definitely are much nicer, even in Euros.
Thanks for the update, Lilac! How painful it must be to pay such high prices 🙁
Saddle is nice transition color for women of darker hues. Amber Lights is a nice color for the lid. I just bought Brule for the Brow Bone and possibly inner corner. They could have added Embark or Swiss Chococlate, as well.
I would have definitely liked to see a deeper or mid-tone shade like Embark or Swiss Chocolate in this (though preferably not permanent!).
I was really interested until I saw the pans are glued in. If that hadn’t been the case I definitely would have bought it. But if I can’t take a couple out for traveling purposes I don’t care for this.
It’s a bummer that they glued ’em in!
Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Just to double check, since the pans are glued in, does this mean that the palette is not magnetic at all? I think if I were to buy this I’d want to swap out a few of the shades and try to customise a little, since there are a couple of shades that I’m not a fan of. 🙂
I’m not sure if the whole thing is magnetic or not – the clasp area is magnetic but the rest I’m not sure about.
Nice product, but this palette is too warm and yellow for my tastes. I do like the peachy tones, but when I factor in the number of shadows I wouldn’t touch, it’s a pass.
I was pleased with how well it performed overall, particularly since most of MAC’s pre-made palettes haven’t been so hot!
Well… Since it’s permanent, let’s pray and wait for a new batch with loose pans. It’s all about dreaming with the perfect palette, isn’t it? 😉
Thanks for the review! I was anxious to buy them, but, with glued pans? Not sure….
I wish I could be more optimistic about a change, but given that all of MAC’s other pre-made palettes (including a history of quads!) are all glued in… I am just not hopeful. It would be awesome, though!
Yep… I know. Unfortunately…:(
That’s why I said I would *pray* for it… Maybe, after reading your review, they could change their minds…
;D
Very great post and analysis! I’ve been waiting for this post for a very long time. I think I’ll pass because I have so many neutrals already, but if I had the money to spare and a bare collection, I’d definitely go for it.
(Minor typo: With some heat and elbow crease should probably be “grease”)
Thank you! Fixed!
I have to say i like the swatches on these shadows a bazillion time more than the ones from the new Nars palette…prices compared along with the size of the shadows I would lean towards the MAC
i want both the palettes and as far as comparing goes i quit doing that a long time ago, cuz otherwise almost all the makeup i buy is too expensive lol. I jus bought a YSL rouge volupte and Dior polish, so if i compare prices i will go crazy omg haha. If i want it then it is worth it to me
Thanks for such a thorough review Christine! I agree and feel like this is a bit over-priced. It seems pretty easily dupable and I think I’d have a lot of these colours individually/in other palettes already, so luckily it isn’t tempting me this time!
Thank you for the review! Such beautiful colors, but so expensive. I’m sure I have some dupes in my never ending eye shadow collection.
Pretty, but at that price point, I think I’d prefer building my own palette, even if it costs 60% more. I don’t see any non-permanent shades that I have to have, either.
Eh, I gave up on MAC eyeshadows ages ago – they never turned out to be as good as I expected them to be so I’m glad to see a quality palette… Having said that, I recently bought NYX Butt Naked: Turn The Other Cheek, 15 warm neutral eyeshadows, 4 blushers and 3 highlight powders for about $25, so I’m gonna stick with that for now… 😉
I have dupes for them all except Lemon Tart, which wasn’t on my radar. It would have been nice to have a palette like this but only if the shades were replaceable/removable. Thanks for the great post Christine 🙂
No prob, Christine! xo
This palette has way too many light colors. I wish there were more of a balance between light and dark colors, because there isn’t much of a variety the darker colors will get used up first and at this price point I shouldn’t have to add more colors especially since you can’t swap out the empty pans anyway.
I love reading your reviews. I feel that you are honest, fair and call out the makeup companies that need it. I really appreciate the comment in there about UD not being the first to feature neutral colors in a palette. I own several neutral palettes, some I’ve purchased pre-made Nars And God Created the Woman (perfect for my makeup bag), Estee Lauder, and MAC 15 palette that I’ve filled over the last few years, replacing colors as needed. I think it’s a great idea and like that there are a variety of palettes to choose from, as we all have our preferences. I believe that if a person feels it is worth it, they will purchase the product. I know that the Nars palette I purchased from Sephora has 6 eyeshadows and cost $59, it also included a small eyeshadow primer and a brush I have somewhere at home. I saw the colors and even though there were less included than in the Naked Palette, I felt that none of the shades would go to waste, and I use EVERY color in that palette. So that $60 was well worth it to me.
Thank you so much, Geneva! 🙂 A palette that feels made-for-you that you use all the colors with is always a good buy!
Great post! I definitely agreed that this is way too overpriced for a palette.
I cannot stand the MAC website!!! I went to look at these palettes at Dillards and they do not have them in yet. Very annoying….
It’s a really weird distribution schedule for these :/
I just wanted to say these have finally popped up on MAC Australia’s website….
They are going for $250 AUD.
*DIES LAUGHING*
Hey Christine thank you sooooo much for this awesome review I really appreciate the effort u put in.
I have just started my professional makeup course n I do own the naked 1 n 2 palettes.however I don’t own anything from mac.if I use the naked place from now itself I’m afraid I’ll run out of them even before I actually start working lol.
Do u think I should get this or the cool neutral palette or both?or should I build my own palette because u mentioned some of them under performed?
Or should I just call for makeup geek eye shadows?
I’m soooo confused so pleaseeee help me cause I would completely trust UR decision only.
PS: i live in India so will have to pay for the MUG international delivery charges.
Thanks.
Hi Monisha!
It’s cheaper, by a bit, most likely to purchase them as is, and if you use primers or eyeshadow bases, you’ll be good with both!