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.

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)