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MAC Mickey Contractor: Overall Review & Recommendations


MAC Mickey Contractor: Overall Review & Recommendations

OVERALL, Mickey Contractor offers a good selection of neutrals along with a few pops of color, but it doesn’t do so with as much excellence as I expected. I found the quality to be lacking on the single eyeshadows, and there were a few too many repromotes of permanent shades or otherwise easily duped (by permanent products).  The collection is more neutral in tone, rather than too warm or cool, so these are colors that can be worn with a fair amount of ease.

Both lipglasses were more opaque, which is always refreshing, but because of the creamier finishes and the thickness of lipglasses (which are also sticky), the colors both had a tendency to settle into lip lines and apply a bit unevenly. The lipsticks were easily my favorites, because they were lovely in texture and the colors themselves are infinitely flattering on a variety of skin tones. However, they were also very easy to dupe, so from a quality standpoint, they may be excellent, but you should definitely check your stash for possible dupes before buying.

I also liked the fluidlines, but I was disappointed when Ivy applied semi-opaque and needed a second layer to become opaque. Siahi was a lot better and went on beautifully, though. I found three of the four single eyeshadows to be on the sheer side, while Saffron was beautiful, nicely pigmented, and easy to work with. The Athma Eyeshadow Quad has a nice color scheme, but there is some fall out (but not terrible) with the two lustre shades, and it also includes two permanent shades (Carbon and Folie).

Both of the blushes were nice and had a smooth, soft texture without being powdery. Sur should flatter a good amount of skin tones (might not work on the darkest ones, though), while Gana will work if used more as a highlighter than a blusher. I like them together–Sur as a blusher, Gana as a highlighter.

Photos, Reviews, Swatches

Check out my recommendations, what to check your stash for, what to skip, and recommendations by skin tone!

Temptalia’s Recommendations

Must-Haves: Saffron Eyeshadow, Siahi Fluidline

Nice-to-Haves: Ivy Fluidline

Skip: Flesh (streaky), Lust (streaky), Oomph (sheer)

Check your stash for…

LUST LIPGLASS (permanent), MOCHA LIPSTICK (permanent), CARBON EYESHADOW (permanent), and FOLIE EYESHADOW (permanent).

Skip if you have…

  • Skip SIAHI if you have MAKE UP FOR EVER #12L; #12L is slightly darker and a pencil liner, but they are quite close. STILA PEACOCK is also quite close (again, pencil eyeliner) but bluer.
  • Skip MARVEL if you have GRAPE PIGMENT or PUSH THE EDGE PIGMENT (limited edition); Grape is less iridescent; Push the Edge is a little more vibrant.
  • Skip OOMPH if you have GREENSMOKE; Oomph is slightly blacker, but Greensmoke has better pigmentation.
  • Skip RANI if you have PASSIONATE; surprisingly, Rani is only a touch pinker but otherwise quite close.
  • Skip SAFFRON if you have MAKE UP FOR EVER #50; #50 is a little more orange, not quite as rusty, but they are similar.
  • Skip JAAN if you have BAMBOO; Bamboo is a little lighter and lacks the shimmer of Jaan but doesn’t have the fall out of Jaan either.
  • Skip GANA if you have CHEZ CHEZ LAME (limited edition); Gana is more neutral beige, but on the skin, the difference will be minute.
  • Skip SUR if you have DARKLY MY DEAR (limited edition); Darkly my Dear is redder but the two are similar enough to only warrant one, unless it’s a shade you wear all the time.
  • Skip FLESH if you have SISS LIPSTICK; Siss is almost exactly the same color-wise, it is just a lipstick rather than a gloss.
  • Skip GULABI if you have GIRL ABOUT TOWN or FULL FUCHSIA; Girl About Town is slightly bluer in its base, while Full Fuchsia is a touch lighter. I didn’t notice any differences on lips between Gulabi and Girl About Town, though.
  • Skip YASH if you have BRAVE NEW BRONZE (limited edition); Brave New Bronze is only a touch lighter.

Recommendations by Skin Tone

Please note that this section is merely suggesting shades that would complement a particular skin tone better than other shades, but these lists are meant to be rather exhaustive of the entire collection; it’s not reflective of must-haves for your skin tone. When it comes to cooler/warmer skin tones, these are products that lean noticeably cool/warm and therefore complement the corresponding skin tone better (but it does not mean you can’t wear a warmer product if you’re cooler!).

  • Light skin tones: Eyeshadows in Marvel, Saffron; Lipsticks in Gulabi, Mehr, Yash
  • Medium skin tones: Eyeshadows in Marvel, Rani, Saffron; Lipsticks in Gulabi, Mehr, Mocha
  • Dark skin tones: Eyeshadows in Marvel, Rani; Lipstick in Gulabi
  • Cool undertones: Eyeshadows in Marvel, Rani; Lipstick in Gulabi, Mehr, Yash
  • Warm undertones: Eyeshadows in Oomph, Saffron; Lipstick in Mehr, Mocha
  • Universally Flattering Shades: Lust lipglass; Athma Eyeshadow Quad; Ivy and Siahi Fluidlines; Mehr Lipstick

49 Comments

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Kate Avatar

I am pumped about the fluidline! I have to admit that up until the last half year there has been a definite lack in paint pot and fluidline releases for MAC collections.

mia Avatar

got my Haul today!

i got Mehr, Lust, and Sur blush

i know you said lust was streaky, but i didnt find that myself?

And i got the last Mehr available *woop*

whats you’re favorite product Christine?

Louise Avatar

Hey Christine,
Would you be able to do a look or couple of looks with the Siahi fluidline?

Also, do you know when it’s coming out internationally (or in Australia)?

Thanks 🙂

SSS Avatar

it’s not releasing in Australia for sure. I travel to Sydney every other week from the middle east and The MAC store in Sydney told me that they are not getting them. I got mine from Dubai.

Erika Avatar

Hey! Was wondering what a dupe would be if any for Ivy fluidline. I’m trying to buy the necessities from this line and I’m not going to get Ivy immediately if I can buy a dupe later…thanks.

Yasmin Avatar

And wouldn’t you know it. It’s out of stock with the (pro) company I order from!

Any idea about the OPI Katy Perry Black Shatter or OPI Katy Perry Edition polishes?

Hannah Avatar

I just discovered your website – it’s wonderful! Looks like a nice collection. I love your “skip if..” and “check your stash” sections. So clever!

Do you happen to know how long MAC’s Cham-Pale collection is available?

Joana Avatar

Hi Christine!

Thanks for all this precious information 🙂 Amazing!
Between Sur and Darkly my dear blushes, which one would you say is most natural( natural flush). I am a medium warm skin type, NC40 or NC42.

Thanks in advance

kristen Avatar

wow, my kid woke me up at midnight and didn’t go back to sleep until after 2 which was probably a good thing because when I went back this morning to look at another lip gloos the blue fluidline and blush are sold out! It actually kind of surprises me since people didn’t really seem keen on darkly my dear (which i LOVE!).

Gozde Avatar

I would apply Jaan all over my lids and little bit of Vivah in the crease, mascara… Sur would go to my cheeks for sure and lips would be Lust lipglass..

Brynna Avatar

Hey Christine, have you come to any conclusions on the double ended concealer? I am interested, and I want to be able to snatch it up before the collection ends.

Leni Avatar

Hey Christine, is there any other lipstick dupe for Mehr besides Cosmo? I thought of Unlimited from the Pro Longwear line. Here in Germany the Collection is not sold online yet.

VJNS Avatar

I am so bummed. Why does MAC never have enough products? The very next morning after the launch they were sold out. GEEZ!!! I wonder if MUF has eye liners of similar colors?

ak Avatar

I bought three Mehr lipsticks because it’s just one of the best neutral lipsticks I have ever seen on me. But Mehr lipsticks don’t appear to be selling out in London like they are in the US because I saw that the US MAC website is sold out of Mehr. But a MAC MUA in London told me that the Mickey Contractor collection wasn’t heavily promoted in the UK as much.

ak Avatar

This was one of the best lines I have seen out of any brand in the world ever! I’m probably the only person who feels this way too! LOL

I bought three Mehr lipsticks, three Yash lipsticks, one Siahi Fluidline, and one Saffron eyeshadow and I still think I should go back and buy one more Saffron eyeshadow.

Maybe this line is so good to me because it sounds like they let Mickey Contractor have more of a rein or free rein with making those colors and textures. Because the colors that he picked are very suitable for my skintone ESPECIALLY for the Mehr and Yash lipsticks and the Saffron eye shadow.

I’ll never come across such perfection again so I just went ape-droppings over it! LOL I still wanna check out the eyeshadows from Peacocky which haven’t come to the UK just yet but they will!

SSS Avatar

the collection was released in UAE Dubai/abudhabi today and got sold out by afternoon. Micky is making an appearance tomo in one of the outlets here…….his work is truly amazing if you have seen it. Thank fully I pre reserved mine last week with 3 backups of each and I must say I am just over the moon that I manage to buy all of them and loveeeeee them. Thanks Temptalia. Only because of your trusted swatches, I convinced myself to run and reserve my purchase and I do not regret at all.

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