MAC It’s Designer Art Library Palette Review & 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.
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
- Make Up For Ever Jaune (DC, $20.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Coloured Raine Lemon Drop (PiP, $6.99) is darker (95% similar).
- Kat Von D Fran (LE, ) is darker, more muted (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, $5.00) 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).
- NARS Douro (P, $19.00) is lighter (90% similar).
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
- 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 Bright Editorial #2 (P, ) is darker, warmer (80% 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).
- Urban Decay Thrash (DC, ) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
- Anastasia Sphere (LE, $12.00) is darker, warmer (80% similar).
- MAC Sour Lemon (DC, $17.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (80% similar).
- MAC Remixology (LE, $17.00) is darker, warmer (80% similar).
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).
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 Red Brick (P, $17.00) is more muted (95% similar).
- MAC Sabina Sangre (LE, $17.00) is more shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
- Colour Pop Euphoric (LE, $5.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Main Squeeze (PiP, ) is darker (95% similar).
- Colour Pop ICYMI (PiP, $5.00) is more muted (90% similar).
- MAC Orange (DC, $17.00) is brighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Riche (LE, $5.00) is darker, more muted (90% similar).
- Estee Lauder Orange Vif (LE, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Huda Beauty Electric #3 (PiP, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Big Cocktails (PiP, $5.00) is lighter (90% similar).
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
- Colour Pop Rule Breaker (PiP, $5.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- 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).
- L'Oreal Eternal Sunshine (P, $7.99) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Viseart Soleil (LE, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Lemon Sorbet (P, $6.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Anastasia Sunny (LE, $12.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
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
- MAC Amberluxe #4 (PiP, ) is darker (95% similar).
- MAC Gingerluxe #2 (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Natasha Denona Mandarine (123DC) (PiP, $29.00) is brighter (90% similar).
- Gucci Beauty Azalea (Left) (P, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Too Faced Honey Pot (PiP, $16.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- MAC Warm Wash #3 (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Two Birds (P, $5.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Gucci Beauty Autumn Fire #1 (P, ) is cooler (90% similar).
- Colour Pop TF (LE, $5.00) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Golden Hours #2 (LE, $21.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
Ingredients
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 Solstice (P, $20.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- 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).
- 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).
- Natasha Denona Calypso Blue (05M) (P, $29.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Lucid (LE, $5.00) 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).
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, $5.00) 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, $5.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Daydream #2 (PiP, ) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
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).
- 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).
- Make Up For Ever D118 Platinum (DC, $21.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Juvia's Place Iman (P, ) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Treasure Me (LE, $20.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
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
- 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).
- Chanel Affresco #4 (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- 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).
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
- Viseart Bright Editorial #8 (P, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Kat Von D Synth (LE, ) is less shimmery, brighter (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Backstage (P, $5.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Colour Pop Zoomship (P, $5.00) is lighter (85% similar).
- Sydney Grace Oasis (P, $5.00) is less shimmery, cooler (85% similar).
- Coloured Raine Drip Drop (P, $6.99) is brighter (85% similar).
- Kat Von D Doom (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter, 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).
- Colour Pop Taco (LE, $5.00) is less shimmery, lighter (80% similar).
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
- 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).
- Tarina Tarantino Lovely #5 (P, ) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
- NARS Filbuste (P, $28.00) is glossier (95% similar).
- Sephora Obsidian (PiP, ) is warmer (95% similar).
- MAC Smokeluxe #5 (PiP, ) is warmer (95% similar).
- Too Faced Sin City (LE, $16.00) is lighter (95% similar).
Well, that’s disappointing. I won’t be getting this, but I think I have it pretty well duped, anyway.
You are quite right Christine – this is the story of MAC’s eyeshadows for quite awhile now. A really average palette – UD’s Electric palette is a much better alternative to this one.
How disappointing for all of their customers.
I was actually thinking, why would they even come out with this, since UD’s Electric did just fine (and so many other brands too since then). Seems very late to the party.
This looks like the Urban Decay Electric palette!
I was thinking the same, it can pretty much entirely be duped with the Urban Decay Electric Palette, which I own and love! This is an easy pass because I have dupes, and better performing alternatives, for every single shade!
I love the green eye look though 🙂
Thankfully I do have these shades scattered throughout my e/s palettes and singles even. I do wish that this palette had had greater consistency in the formula used, instead of having at least 2 or 3 different ones for the shimmery shades alone. On the other hand, this could be a nice palette for someone who doesn’t mind those issues, I guess.
MAC would be wise to release Gallerina as a single (I’m sure they won’t but it would be nice if they did) and also STOP ramming Carbon down everyone’s throat in so very many of their palettes. It’s good that this isn’t the worst version of Carbon (there have been some real losers) but even so a C+ isn’t exactly stellar!
At first glance this reminded me of Juvia’s Place, then secondly, Huda Electric. It made me a little sad that here is an OG Mac [ba dum bum!] daddy in the game, and being late to it. Then to read that the pigmentation is lacking–dagger thru the heart. I want OG Mac back. ‘Til then, JP and Huda get my coin.
I love the colors!! I’m disappointed that they’re not as pigmented as they could be tho.
Agreeing with everyone who sees Urban Decay’s electric palette. I think it would have been more original if they had done more neutral or muted versions of green, light blue, pink, orange, etc. rather than vivid. I think that would have been more on point for this season’s trends too.
Top row looks looks like Melt Cosmetics Radioactive-stack ..
I think Gallerina is what drew me so much to this, but I’ll just grab the Nyx one instead. It even got a better grade. Thank you so much for all your work!