MAC Parlor Smoke Eyeshadow Quad Swatches, Photos, Review

Christine — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:40:58 +0000

MAC Parlor Smoke Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Fall Colour: Parlor Smoke Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Parlor Smoke Eyeshadow Quad ($38.00 for 0.19 oz.) is second of two quads from the MAC Fall Colour Collection, which debuts in North America on September 29th, 2011 and will roll out internationall in October. Parlor Smoke includes these shades: Parlor Smoke (mauve grey), Cross Cultural (neutral brown), Indigo Noir (navy), and Steel (almost black).

Parlor Smoke is a smoky purple-gray with pale silver shimmer-sheen. It has a frost finish, which makes the sheerer payoff more disappointing. The finish seems less like a frost and more like an amped satin. I wish it was more pigmented, though. I don’t really have any dupes for you on this one. Inglot #420 is similar but very metallic so they end up looking more different than they do similar.
Cross Cultural is a medium-dark brown with subtle warm, red undertones. It has a matte finish, but it’s so, so buttery and intensely pigmented. I don’t remember it being as good here as it was when it was launched individually (but still limited edition). MAC Charcoal Brown is warmer, a little yellowy in comparison. Inglot #327 is a little warmer.
Indigo Noir is a inky purpled-black-navy. Very complex and will certainly lean bluer/purpler depending on what you layer it over or pair it with. It has a matte finish, and it does have a drier texture (some mattes are dry, some are very soft but some go too soft and become powdery). I still had good color payoff in a regular skin swatch, but it performs well on the eye (much like Gravel from the other quad). It’s darker than MAC Imaginary. It’s purpler than Inglot #321. It seems like a brighter variation on MAC Graphology.
Steel is a dark gray with hints of brown, and it has a veluxe pearl finish. For a veluxe pearl, it’s surprisingly dry and a little stiff to work with; it’s not as buttery or as dense as other veluxe pearls are. It is similar to theBalm Inspirational and Urban Decay Gunmetal. It is more silvered than Print, while Knight Divine is lighter (and frostier).

As interesting of a shade Parlor Smoke is, the color payoff is only average, while Steel has good (but not great) pigmentation, the texture is somewhat stiff and dry (rather unexpected for a veluxe pearl in particular). It’s a cool-toned quad with a really dark, smoky feel to it (true to the name). The colors look good together in the palette, but I expect this is more of a palette one would use in conjunction with what you already own, just because three of the four shades are quite dark.