MAC It&#8217;s Designer Art Library Palette Review &#038; Swatches

It's Designer

MAC It’s Designer Art Library Palette ($48.00 for 0.60 oz.) contains a mix of brighter mattes and pops of shimmery color along with a medium black. I feel like the palette tells the story of MAC eyeshadows over the last few years. The mattes are firmer, stiffer, and better for building up color but when it comes to deriving really electric color on the lid, they’re not as pigmented as needed to do so–I’d recommend using a tacky primer or white base to help get more oomph out of them (assuming true-to-pan color is the goal). The shimmers were less consistent, but most of them were under-performing due to pigmentation and texture, either being too dry or too emollient. If you’re someone who tends to use dampened brushes with their shimmers, that would help quite a bit and likely give you a better experience working with the palette overall.

It's Designer

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

4.5

Application

81%

Total

01/02

Chrome Yellow

Chrome Yellow is a bright, medium yellow with warm undertones and a matte finish. It had good color coverage in a single layer, but it was the type of yellow that seemed to fade a bit after application and was more prone to sheering out as I worked with it. Over an eyeshadow primer, it was better, and of course, over a white base, it would pop quite a bit. The texture was slightly thin, a little dry, though blendable. It lasted well for seven and a half hours on me before fading a bit.

Top Dupes

Colour Pop Oh Beehave (PiP, $4.50) is more muted (95% similar).
Make Up For Ever Jaune (DC, $20.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
Coloured Raine Lemon Drop (PiP, $6.99) is darker (95% similar).
Colour Pop Sweet Spot (PiP, $4.50) is lighter (95% similar).
Melt Cosmetics Neon (PiP, ) is more muted (95% similar).
Natasha Denona Sol (134CM) (PiP, ) (95% similar).
Inglot #323 (P, $6.00) is better quality (95% similar).
Colour Pop Mischief (PiP, $4.50) is warmer (95% similar).
Anastasia Phresh (LE, $12.00) is more muted (95% similar).
Too Faced Good Boy (LE, $16.00) is darker (90% similar).

Chrome Yellow

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

4.5

Application

83%

Total

01/02

My Kid Could Make That

My Kid Could Make That is a bright, lime green with warm, yellow undertones and a matte finish. It had good color coverage, though it needed to be layered (two to three layers) to get to full coverage in practice as it had a drier, thinner consistency that was prone to sheering out and fading when applied to bare skin. It started to show a bit of fading after seven and a half hours of wear.

Top Dupes

Sydney Grace Green Anjou (LE, $5.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
MAC Shock Factor (P, $17.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Make Up For Ever S336 Lime (DC, $21.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
Viseart Lime (Bright Editorial #2) (P, ) is darker, warmer (80% similar).
Melt Cosmetics Game Changer (LE, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
Sephora Jeffery (LE, ) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
Huda Beauty Sapphire #7 (LE, ) is more shimmery, warmer (85% similar).
MAC Bitter (DC, $17.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
Huda Beauty Neon Green #3 (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
Urban Decay Thrash (DC, ) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).

My Kid Could Make That

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

4.5

Application

83%

Total

01/02

Bright Pink

Bright Pink is a bright, fuchsia pink with cooler, blue undertones and a matte finish. It had good pigmentation but appeared a bit more muted, a little darker when applied to my skin and lost some of that intensity seen in the pan. It had a drier, firmer consistency, which made it easier to apply in layers to build up coverage, but it became more troublesome to blend at full pigment (in one layer). It wore well for eight hours before fading a bit and stained my skin slightly.

Top Dupes

Colour Pop Pie (DC, $8.00) is darker (95% similar).
Make Up For Ever B216 (P, $23.00) is more muted (95% similar).
Sephora I'm Shocked (09) (P, $14.00) is darker (95% similar).
MAC Heavenly (LE, $22.00) is glossier (95% similar).
Coloured Raine Party Drip (PiP, $6.99) is cooler (95% similar).
Anastasia Bahamas (LE, ) is warmer (95% similar).
Viseart Rose #3 (PiP, ) is warmer (90% similar).
LORAC Unashamed (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar).
Sephora I'm Quite Tipsy (08) (P, $14.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
Guerlain Cherry (02) (LE, $42.00) is warmer (90% similar).

Bright Pink

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

8.5

Longevity

4.5

Application

84%

Total

01/02

Can't Afford This

Can’t Afford This is a fiery orange with warm, reddish undertones and a matte finish. It had rich color coverage with a smooth, blendable texture that wasn’t too soft nor too firmly pressed in the pan. It was thinner than most matte eyeshadow formulations these days but consistent with MAC’s. The eyeshadow applied well to bare skin and blended out with little effort. It stayed on well for eight hours before fading a bit.

Top Dupes

MAC Sabina Sangre (LE, $17.00) is more shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
Colour Pop Euphoric (LE, $4.50) is darker (95% similar).
Melt Cosmetics Main Squeeze (PiP, ) is darker (95% similar).
MAC Red Brick (P, $17.00) is more muted (95% similar).
Colour Pop Malibu (LE, $4.50) is darker, more muted, warmer (90% similar).
Colour Pop ICYMI (PiP, $4.50) is more muted (90% similar).
Juvia's Place Zakiya (LE, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
Smashbox Wait, What? (P, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
Makeup Geek Dynamic (P, $9.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Buxom It Crowd (P, $12.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).

Can't Afford This

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

8.5

Longevity

Application

92%

Total

01/03

If It Ain't Baroque

If It Ain’t Baroque is a medium-dark gold with warm undertones and a sparkling, metallic finish. The texture felt drier and chunkier, as it didn’t seem to have as much creaminess or slip to help keep all the shimmers and sparkly bits contained. It had semi-opaque, buildable pigmentation that applied best by pressing and patting onto my skin, then blending the edges. There was some fallout during application, which I was able to mitigate if I used it with a dampened brush. It lasted for just over seven and a half hours on me before I noticed some fading.

Top Dupes

Marc Jacobs Beauty The Siren #4 (LE, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
LORAC Gold Leaf (LE, $19.00) is darker (95% similar).
Make Up For Ever D410 Gold Nugget (DC, $21.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
Chanel Rêve d'Orient #3 (LE, ) is darker (95% similar).
Chanel Quintessence #5 (LE, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
Colour Pop Rule Breaker (PiP, $4.50) is less shimmery (95% similar).
Viseart Soleil (LE, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
Anastasia Sunny (LE, $12.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
Sydney Grace Seize the Day (P, $6.00) is cooler (90% similar).
MAC Spun from Gold (LE, $18.00) is lighter (90% similar).

If It Ain't Baroque

7.5

Product

8.5

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

4.5

Application

79%

Total

01/12

It's Designer

It’s Designer is a light-medium orange with warm, golden shimmer and larger sparkle. The texture was drier and felt more loosely-pressed in the pan, which gave it a powderiness and a tendency to having fallout during application. It had semi-opaque pigmentation that I could pack on and get to opaque coverage if desired, but it’s the type of texture that I would use with a dampened brush to minimize fallout and improve adhesion and coverage. It wore nicely for seven and a half hours before there was visible fading.

Top Dupes
Ingredients

Top Dupes

MAC Gingerluxe #2 (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
MAC Amberluxe #4 (PiP, ) is darker (95% similar).
MAC Warm Wash #3 (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Colour Pop Two Birds (P, $4.50) is darker (90% similar).
Gucci Beauty Autumn Fire #1 (P, ) is cooler (90% similar).
Colour Pop TF (LE, $4.50) is darker (90% similar).
MAC Golden Hours #2 (LE, $21.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
LORAC Undiscovered (PiP, $19.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
Dior Lucky Star #1 (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Juvia's Place Dahia (P, ) is darker (90% similar).

Ingredients

It's Designer

7.5

Product

8.5

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

4.5

Application

79%

Total

01/03

Starry Night

Starry Night is a reddened-plum base with blue-to-violet shifting shimmer. The consistency was incredibly creamy and smooth; it adhered beautifully to bare skin and blended out easily along the edges. It had opaque color payoff that stayed on well for eight hours before it started to crease faintly.

Top Dupes

Urban Decay Fortune-Teller (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
MAC Boom Boom Room (LE, $18.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
Colour Pop Late Bloomer (P, $8.00) is darker (90% similar).
Colour Pop Lucid (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
MAC Humoresque (LE, $18.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
Makeup Geek Insomnia (P, $12.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
Viseart Space Dust (GPV2 #24) (P, ) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
Urban Decay Solstice (P, $20.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
Too Faced Artist Pass (LE, $16.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
Too Faced Best Friends (LE, $16.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).

Starry Night

9.5

Product

Pigmentation

9.5

Texture

8.5

Longevity

Application

94%

Total

01/02

Darkroom

Darkroom is a light-medium purple with subtle, warm undertones and a satin finish. The texture was rather emollient and had more slip, which yielded weaker pigmentation that didn’t apply as evenly as preferred. I’d recommend using this with a dampened brush or fingertip to get smoother, more even and opaque coverage with less effort. It lasted nicely for seven hours on me before I noticed signs of fading.

Top Dupes

MAC Violet Impact (LE, $17.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (95% similar).
NARS Sultan (P, $19.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
Urban Decay Rogue (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
MAC X-Punk (PiP, ) is darker (90% similar).
Colour Pop Try Me (P, $4.50) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
LORAC Meditation (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
Melt Cosmetics Promiscuous (PiP, ) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
MAC Crème de Violet (DC, $17.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
Colour Pop On the Rise (P, $4.50) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
Tom Ford Beauty Daydream #2 (PiP, ) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).

Darkroom

6.5

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

7.5

Longevity

Application

71%

Total

01/02

High Concept

High Concept is a pale silver with subtle, cool undertones and a frosted finish. The texture was soft, more loosely-pressed in the pan, and a little drier, so there was fallout during application as I worked with this shade on my lid. It had semi-opaque, buildable pigmentation, but between the pigmentation and texture, it was a shade I’d recommend using with a damp brush or over a lightly tacky primer. It wore well for seven and a half hours on me before I noticed slight fading.

Top Dupes

Make Up For Ever ME202 Iceberg Blue (DC, $21.00) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
NARS Flowers 3 #1 (DC, $25.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
BH Cosmetics Foil Eyes 2 #16 (PiP, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
Tom Ford Beauty Ice Queen #2 (PiP, ) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
NARS Banquise (P, $19.00) is brighter (90% similar).
MAC Lovesmoke (LE, $17.00) is warmer (90% similar).
MAC Platinum Shadow (LE, $17.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
Cle de Peau Pewter Veil #4 (LE, ) is more shimmery, brighter (90% similar).
Viseart Sterling (PiP, ) is warmer (90% similar).
Sydney Grace Jingle Bells (P, $8.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).

High Concept

Product

9.8

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

4.5

Application

85%

Total

01/02

Gallerina

Gallerina is a muted, medium-dark blue-leaning teal with cool undertones and a frosted, slightly metallic finish. The texture was lightly creamy with some slip, which helped it adhere better without primer, but it didn’t go on as evenly as I would have liked. I had to work it in and buff out the powder to get even, opaque coverage. It stayed well for eight hours on me before I noticed faint fading.

Top Dupes

Natasha Denona Deep Teal (19M) (PiP, $29.00) is warmer (90% similar).
Urban Decay Junkie (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
NYX Savage (P, $6.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
Marc Jacobs Beauty The Night Owl #5 (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
Tom Ford Beauty Azure Sun (Cream Color) (LE, $45.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
Urban Decay Fringe (DC, $19.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
L'Oreal Endless Sea (P, $7.99) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
Makeup Geek Autumn Breeze (P, $6.00) is warmer (90% similar).
Viseart Boheme Dream #10 (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
Too Faced Dusk Teal Dawn (LE, $16.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).

Gallerina

Product

9.5

Pigmentation

Texture

8.5

Longevity

4.5

Application

86%

Total

01/02

Triennial Wave

Triennial Wave is a brighter, medium blue with cool undertones and a semi-matte finish. There were barely-there shimmers strewn throughout that helped make it more blendable but didn’t visibly change its finish from looking matte. The eyeshadow had a soft, powdery consistency, which made it more prone to sheering out (though blendable!) and harder to build up without a primer or tacky base under it. It had some fallout during application as well from trying to built it from medium coverage to opaque coverage. It lasted nicely for seven and a half hours on me before I noticed signs of wear.

Top Dupes

Kat Von D Synth (LE, ) is less shimmery, brighter (90% similar).
Colour Pop Backstage (P, $4.50) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
Viseart Periwinkle (Bright Editorial #8) (P, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Colour Pop Zoomship (P, $5.00) is lighter (85% similar).
Sydney Grace Oasis (P, $5.00) is less shimmery, cooler (85% similar).
Kat Von D Doom (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter, brighter (85% similar).
Coloured Raine Drip Drop (P, $6.99) is brighter (85% similar).
Natasha Denona Koh Tao (89V) (P, $29.00) is less shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
Natasha Denona Laguna (LE, ) is lighter (85% similar).
MAC Les Portes Bleus (LE, $17.00) is less shimmery, lighter, brighter (85% similar).

Triennial Wave

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

76%

Total

01/02

Carbon

Carbon is a medium-dark black with neutral undertones and a matte finish. It had medium, buildable pigmentation with a drier, stiffer texture. Carbon is one of those shades that swatches pitifully but is excellent for adding and layering over other shades to darken but less so for all-over application or when one wants true black eyeshadow. The version included the palette is not the best nor the worst Carbon I’ve encountered in my time; it was more workable but definitely more in the “buildable pigmentation” zone. It wore well for seven and a half hours on me before I noticed slight fading.

Top Dupes
Ingredients

Top Dupes

Make Up For Ever #04 (DC, $20.00) (100% similar).
Make Up For Ever #04 (DC, $20.00) (100% similar).
MAC Bleuluxe #5 (PiP, ) (100% similar).
Guerlain Les Ombres de Nuit #4 (LE, ) (100% similar).
Kat Von D Killing Moon (LE, ) (100% similar).
NARS Filbuste (P, $28.00) is glossier (95% similar).
Sephora Obsidian (PiP, ) is warmer (95% similar).
Too Faced Sin City (LE, $16.00) is lighter (95% similar).
Colour Pop Let's Do It (P, $4.50) is warmer (95% similar).
bareMinerals Penthouse (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).