MAC Starflash Color Collection Review
OVERALL, Starflash is a new eyeshadow texture, and the collection brings out nine shadows for you to drool over. The Starflash texture is very much like the veluxe pearl texture, albeit with some frost thrown in. I felt like the neutrals had the best texture, because they went on smoothly and pigmented. I think most people will find at least one or two of these to bring home with them, because the colors are diverse. And yes, the kohl powers are back, and I sincerely expect every single one of you to get Feline if you don’t already have it. Okay, maybe not to that degree, but I love it dearly and hope you’ll try it out!
Check out individual product reviews…
- Bold & Brazen is a soft coppery color–a very toned down Amber Lights with less orange in it.
- Dream Maker is one of the most lovely shades of pale, shimmering yellow gold MAC has put out to date. I might even get a backup of this one, because it’s just that lovely. I would say it’s similar to Rose Blanc, but more pigmented.
- Glamour Check reminded me a lot of a less frosty Bronze, maybe. It’s lovely, the texture is smooth, and the color pay off is good. I would say this is more passable, just because the color itself doesn’t seem too unique.
- Go! is an antiqued brown color with gold sheen. It’s not an antique gold, but you can see some of the antiquity in the brown shade.
- Grand Entrance is a pinker Phloof! shadow, very frosty. It’s a silvery white with pink-peach undertones. I’ll probably skip this one — it’s too frosty for my skin tone as a highlighter.
- Lotusland stands out as a shade MAC hasn’t really done too often. I think there is a similar shade in one of last year’s holiday palettes (I think it was Cool Eyes), but otherwise, I don’t remember seeing it. It’s a great bright pop of lilac with awesome pigmentation.
- Mink & Sable will be ultra flattering on most skin tones. It’s a soft olive green with subtle gold sheen. This is on my list!
- Smoke & Diamonds is interesting when swatched, becuase it’s a gunmetal gray with gold flecks in it. I’m curious to see if the subtly of the flecks would be visible when used in a look, or if you’d hardly notice it. I know a LOT of people were lusting after this one, but I wasn’t actually *that* impressed.
- Star By Night is yet another Deep Truth dupe. It’s a dark navy blue, not a lot of shimmer, and smoothness isn’t as great as some of the other Starflashes.
- Sunset B. is a lovely shade of pale to medium pink with subtle sheen. It’s not as bright as Da Bling, nor as frosty, so I think this might round out some people’s pink collections.
- Talent Pool reminds me a lot of Parrot, actually! If Parrot hadn’t come out again, I could see this selling really well. Since it did, I’m not sure it’ll be as sellout worthy. It’s pretty, but I feel like I probably have enough teals (what with Cool Heat’s). It has great texture, because it’s smooth. I love the aqua-green-gold cast it gives off, too.
- Top Hat reminded me a lot of Fertile eyeshadow, perhaps with more of a blue-purple sheen. It’s a nice color, but the texture could have been smoother (like the neutrals).
The Kohl Powers are AWESOME. These have come out before, and if you missed them, don’t miss out this time around! Feline is my favorite black liner. These go on so smooth and pigmented and just RICH. Feline is the most intense black, and I wear it at least half of the time I use black liner. I’ve only had to sharpen my pencil once! Get all of them. Yes, all!
My smolder kohl liner is almost in the end. Do you think Feline still is more intense than it? I missed them all before, except raven. Yeah, shame on me! 😛
Thank you so much for your useful review Christine = )
Hi Márcia,
Yesss, it is more intense. Get it!
oooo darn it all are so pretty…i just splurged on sonic chic too. =( mac is killing me!!!
Hi Steph,
Sonic Chic was tough NOT to splurge on. I love the mineralize blushes!
Haha nevermind you went! Lovely swatches and I am glad you were able to swatch the Lustre Twins! I am glad Nordie’s had this out before the actual MAC store! I think I am gonna get all of them because all the colors are really pretty..
Have you decided what to get? (if any!)
Hi Vanessa,
I will post your swatches in a few days 🙂
I was sad that two of them were missing, though, boo!
Hm, I will probably get most of the Starflash shadows, and several of the prolongwears. We’ll see. I can’t rock the bright lip that often, so who knows.
What about you?
Hi Christine! Yeah the MAC store in Glendale had them out early (whoopee!) so I ended up getting all of them except Bold & Brazen (I wanted Talent Pool but they were all sold out so I am gonna wait till Thursday and try to nab one!), and so far I like them all! Definitely worth getting esp. if you don’t have a lot of the dupes for it (mink & sable=sumptuous olive), so I just ended up getting pretty much the entire thing!
I can’t wait to see your FOTD’s with the lustretwins!
Hi Vanessa,
Awesome! Lucky you 😉 I wish they were out early for me, though!
Gah.. this totally throws a wrench in my saving plans for CoC/Overrich. >.<
LOL, Nepenthe!!
In honor of you I plan to get at least feline kohl power…by that I mean, I spent my first 3 or 4 months on this blog swearing you were making a grammatical mistake because I just knew you meant kohl powder…which actually doesn’t even make sense :). But I have noticed you do use it in the majority of your looks to line your waterline and I actually don’t have a good black for that so it’ll be worth it.
Hi Dee,
LOL! How funny. You were like, “What is WRONG with this girl?!”
Lol that’s a great story! I think I’ve made some mistakes of that myself, though I can’t think of any right now (probably my restrained brain trying to save me from embarrassment, lol)…
I’ve got the Feline btw, gorgeous!
So glad you got Feline, Rocketqueen!!
Just beautiful! I know you love Feline but I’m not crazy about kohls. I feel that they run too much and get messy after an hour or so…maybe it’s just on me. Does Feline run like the other kohls or is it smudgeproof? Just wondering before I go out to get it.
Hi Chloe,
I don’t feel like this one smudges very much. It DOES smudge, because it isn’t smudgeproof, but it doesn’t run a lot on me at all.
I have a question along the same lines…how are the Kohl Powers for the waterline?
Hi SnickerDoodle,
They work decently on me – probably 3-4 hours of wear easily.
it’s already out at the pro store in vancouver
Yes, PRO stores tend to have them out a week earlier!
Hiya Christine!! Hmm, I’m debating whether to get Talent Pool or Smoke & Diamonds. Have Parrot from the December release and payoff wise I’m not impressed…
Hi Becky,
Talent Pool has good color pay off, so perhaps you’d prefer that over Parrot. 🙂
Yay!! Your swatches are always the best 🙂 Thank you! Now I have to wait patiently for another week though, lol. I will definitely be picking up another Feline; you are right, it is the most intense blackest black eyeliner I own. I love that. I do have to reapply on my waterline & find that it does tend to smudge a bit, but its worth it due to its intensity, I think. As for the shadows, I am so excited for the texture/finish of these. I think I have made my mind up to get the following 6: Bold & Brazen, Dreammaker, Lotusland, Smoke & Diamonds, Sunset B and Top Hat. {nods} I must try to be a good girl & stick to that list!
Thanks, Ariele 🙂
LOL, I have to wait, too! I have all these empties for B2M that I want to use for the Starflash shadows!
Do you think Go! is comparable to Woodwinked?
Hi Connie,
It’s definitely in the same family! It’s probably not as shimmery.
Wow ! As always, your swatches are really “pretty” !
I had a big list of e/s for this collection, but thanks to your swatches, list had nearly totally changed 😛 Now I think about buying Dream Maker ->I’m a “Rose Blanc” addict !, Lotusland, Mink&Sable (I wonder if it’s similar to Shu Uemura ME Green 450… ), and perhaps Smoke&Diamonds and Talent Pool (I’m a Teal addict :p)
That’s really difficult to choose… ahah ! 🙂
I don’t have any Khol power, but I think I’ll take Feline and perhaps an other one 😛
Thanks, Addline! What was on your original list?
Yay, get Feline! I am a Feline pusher 😀
the lotus land shadow you said was similar to one of the cool eyes palettes? is it the one from the heirlooms and antique ones? i think i may have that ill go check to see if its the same! thanks alot of the swatches!
Antiquitease – the cool eye palette, I believe. It had a lot of pinks in it.
OK, I want Lotusland, Smoke and Diamonds, Sunset B, Talent Pool and Top Hat.
A very respectable list 🙂 I’ll be getting Lotusland for sure.
Yep. Sadly, I’m not able to get them all at the moment. But when I do, I definitely want to try Lotusland and Smoke and Diamonds together in a look. Same with Sunset B and Talent Pool. I’ve never used pink and blue in a look together.
Hi DevilishDoll,
I hope a few of these will stick around long enough so you can pick them up OR they become permanent 😉
Well, I think I’ll be able to get most, if not all of them in about a week or so. But yesterday was my birthday, so I went a bit crazy for like the past month. I’m dying to get these and I might pick up a few more things too. I might pick up a Feline, since I have cheap $2 eyeliner. And if I even blink my eyes, most of it is gone from my waterline. By the way, I used one of your Cool Heat looks for my birthday. =D
Hi DevilishDoll,
That’s great to hear! I’m glad you’ll be able to get these soon 😀 Happy birthday, hun!
I’m considering Smoke & Diamonds since it’s a dupe for Stila’s Diamond Lil. I love the color but there’s something in that particular Stila e/s that bothers my eyes. I’m hoping MAC’s version is less reactive.
And I will definitely check out Feline liner!
Hi Nartian,
Oh, I will cross my fingers that you don’t have problems with Smoke & Diamonds!
I need Lotusland and Dream maker for SURE, plus feline…posibly Go and smoke and diamonds as well..
I like your list! Sounds like mine.
I agree with you about the liners! I bought Orpheus yesterday, the first day my local counter had the collection. It’s the most incredible black/gold/pewter/green. I might go back for Raven. My friend bought Smoke & Diamonds, and it’s pretty, but it came out a little more green than she expected.
Hi Erin,
So glad you also know the love of the KOHL POWER. MAC needs to make these perm, and then come out with about 20 more colors.
Gah. I’m determinedly saving for Cult of Cherry. But I may have to permit myself to grab Mink & Sable, and possibly a Feline…
Hi Jennifer,
Don’t miss out on Feline if you like black liner, LOL! I think it’s what, $14? SO WORTH IT.
I am so excited about the re-promote of the Kohl Powers. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Feline and Orpheus! I plan on buying a couple more Feline and also try Mystery. And the shadows look great–I’m going for Lotusland and Mink & Sable.
Hi Nicky,
YAY! I’m definitely going to buy two more Felines. I think that should hold me (like I said, I’m still on my first, and I do have a backup!). I have the other three, too, but Feline is my love.
dammit!!
i had some back 2 mac empties so i was hoping to come out of this collection without spending any money…
but those kohl powers look sooooo pretty… there goes my no buy lol…
i need to stop looking at these swatches
Hi Aline,
LOL. Well, at least you have empties 😀 That helps a bit! I have six sets, so I’m SO making use of them next Thursday.
I’m getting about 3 Orpheus Pencils….I’m SO glad they repromoted this one.
You & me both!
I love those penils.I have Orpheus and Reven from one of MAC’c previous collections.
Aren’t they fab? I love them so much!
I think I already love lotusland. <3<3
Isn’t it just gorgeous, Beda?
I’m definetly gonna pick up Lotusland, Sunset B, and Talent Pool. I passed on Feline when it came out awhile back and I have been kickin myself ever since! It’s an awesome, smooth BLACK! I will be getting it this time!
Hi Cassie,
Good list 🙂 I’m so glad you’ll be able to get Feline this time around!
does feline tend to smudge? i love how dark it is but i always have problems with smudging at the bottom under the eye. do you use it on the waterline and use eye shadow on top to keep it from smudging?
Hi Lyssa,
I don’t really find that it smudges on me. It migrates a bit (looks more like it disappears than anything) after 4 hours or so.
Thank you so much Christine!! Your swatches are always super accurate and easy to look at it. Sometimes swatches are such a mess you can’t even tell what’s what. Thanks for always being so great.
I LOVE Lotusland. I also love the purple, Modern Heir, in the Cool Eyes palette from Royal Assetts but this one looks a bit lighter and has better color payoff.
I’ve been lemming Phloof! for a while, but I may just get Grand Entrance. I’m going to swatch it at the store and see how it looks on my skintone. I’m a bit fairer than you.
I’m going to try to stay away from Sunset B. I have enough pinks, but once I see it, you never know!
Hi Kristen,
Thank you so much! I’m glad you like them 🙂
Grand Entrance might work for you then. I just know that Phloof! can be a bit whitish on me, and I think this one has more pay off, too.
I still have 2 each of Feline and Mystery left, but am still thinking of picking up another of each… in case… They are so soft, and being able to apply these easily on my waterline is a large plus.
I haven’t really experienced any smudging, for those that asked, but I really think that depends on how watery/oily your eyes are, and how often you touch your eyes. Watery eyes and waterline = smudging. Oily lids and no base = smudging. My waterline I get… migration, let us call it, but I get that with every liner, so I really can’t comment on this particular one.
Hi Kaoru,
I think I will pick up two more, and I think I will be good for awhile 🙂
Lotusland looks similar to Stars ‘n Rockets in the swatch, would you say it’s significantly different?
If not, I think all I want is Smoke and Diamonds and Sunset B. 🙂
Hi Lexi,
Oh, gosh, they are not close at all. Stars ‘n Rockets has a duochrome that Lotusland doesn’t have at all (which alone makes them significantly different in my book), but it is a fuchsia-purple. Lotusland is a lilac, bright pastel purple knid of color.
Wow… Smoke & Diamonds looks so grey on you! This has definitely killed my blue/teal wants… but the neutrals and Lotusland look gorgeous!
Hi Stacey,
It went on very silver to me, but I could see some gold flecks in it. I’ll probably still get it, LOL.
mmm.. would anyone say Bold and Brazen is quite similar to Expensive Pink?. I’m thinking of getting Mink and Sable, Feline and possible Bold & Brazen if its not too similar.. heheh.
Hi Livia,
I wouldn’t say that, it doesn’t have the same pink cast – peachier? I’m not sure how pink Expensive Pink turns up on you, lol.
I love your site, do you think that dream maker w/orpheus would look good on my mw45 or nw50 skintone, thanks a bunch
Hi Megan,
I answered your comment previously, but yes, I think it would! 🙂
Wow I’m looking foreword to buy Smoke & Diamonds next Saturday, I hope my MAC dealer already has the shadows.
I’m not sure about Lotusland, I love to have a light lilac eys shadow, but some girls say, that it Lotus is very pinkisch. I always look like I’ve cried all day long, when I wear pinks (I own Swich, Neutral Pink and Pink Venus). Maybe I should choose another permanent lilac tone. What do you guys think, any recormendations or similar colors which suite blue-grey eyes and a NW20 skin?
Hi Nicole,
I don’t find that it’s pink at all!
Talent Pool looks very pretty. I don’t know why, but I have this compulsion to buy every blue-teal eyeshadow I see. *lol* I’m trying VERY HARD to restrain myself for this collection since CoC is so close. My MAC store is having a revealing party. Its my first one!
Hi Tekoa,
LOL, this was me, last year. It’s still hard to pass up teals for me 😉
Ohh, have fun at the party!
ohhh sorry for reason i didn think it wen through, thanks!
Im thinking about returning Pink Split today so i have an extra $18 for this collection (which looks much better) haha. I want at least 5 of the eyeshadows
Hi Kirsten,
If you don’t like it, do it. I’m a big supporter of people returning what they won’t use. I don’t mean to buy willy nilly and return products left and right, but if something doesn’t work out, there’s no shame in returning it or exchanging it.
This collection looks soo awesome…I have one question… Because this is a new e/s texture does that mean that these colors will become perms? (Sorry if this was already discussed…) I’m just curious b/c I’m a palette girl and I hate depotting 🙂
Hi Danielle,
No, it doesn’t mean it will be – but if people go ga-ga over it, there’s a good chance they will come back and be permanent. LE launches are often ways to gauge customer reactions!
Christine, took your advice and bought all four Kohl Powers which I had never bought/used before. I knew I wanted Feline, but I took a chance and got one of each.
I WILL NEVER DOUBT YOUR WORD AGAIN.
They are gorgeous, go on like a dream, are uber sexy and even lasted through watery allergy eyes when I went out earlier today. Kohl Power has staying power. Thanks so much!
Ok, not buying ANYTHING MAC until Cult of Cherry. And this time, I MEAN IT!
(Thanks again! Great advice)
Suzi
Hi Suzi,
OH! I am so glad you got them! They are divine, DIVINE. Enjoy 🙂
I was hoping to limit myself to one or two, but these are so hard to resist ><+
I was hoping to save up for Cult of Cherry and Sheer Minerals, but I guess budgeting is out the window.
Oh, I agree with you there, DreamerChan! They are so pretty and feel great!
Hi Christine,
I just got Feline and I LOVE the texture and the intense black color. However, it smudges a bit on me. 🙁 Do you have a good tip for preventing that? Thanks a lot!
Hi Ivy,
Here’s a trick: set it with a powder eyeshadow. Just lightly go over it with any powder shadow and it’ll help it stay on longer.
oops! Sorry, Christine. I just read a comment that someone posted previously and your response. :-p Thanks.
I’m a huge fan of Orpheus myself. You know what is really neat about this new texture of eyeshadows is that they have hydrogenated olive oil in them. I think that is what makes them go on soooo smoothly. I like mostly all of the colors, but I’m being a good girl and not buying every single one!
Hi Lil,
Oh, interesting! I didn’t even know what was in them. TBH, I love ’em so much, I don’t even care, LOL. Aw, but there are only four, it isn’t too bad on the budget!
Hm… I don’t like the FROST finish, I hope they were VP~ (which they aren’t… *sigh*)
Hi Jin,
They are Starflash finish, actually!
Hi Christine
I just got back from Nordstroms and I got all 4 eye pencils and 4 e/s.
I got go, smoke and diamonds, top hat and mink & sable.
I cant wait to try them out.
Hi Nadia,
Great haul! I’m glad you found some stuff to pick up. Let us know how they are!
hi christine
what do you think about top hat eyeshadow?
It’s more purple with a blue hint or it’s definetely a dark blue eyeshadow!?
thanks 🙂
Hi Alexandreia,
I think it’s more purple with a blue hint!
top hat, smoke diamonds, grande entrance, and talent pool will be mine yay
Yay! Nice picks, Claudine!
Gorgeous! I want e/s Talent Pool ( I love teals!), Lotusland and Sunset B. for sure. Maybe Top Hat. And Kohl Power Raven as I still have Orpheus and Mystery from last year.
Hi Susanne,
Those are all good picks! I think you’ll enjoy them 🙂
hi christine!
how would you say mink & sable compares to sump. olive?
which do you prefer?
Hi Dolly,
It’s similar, but I think Mink & Sable is greener and has more gold in it.
Thanks for all the great swatches!!!
I really like Lotusland!
I’m debating over what Kohl Power to get,
I thought Mystery looked kind of dark blue.
But now I’m debating over Orpheus and Feline as well.
I use Engraved as an Powerpoint eyepencil so I don’t know.
Any advice?
Sure thing, Michelle!
Feline is soo great, if you love black liner. If you’re more of a colored or lighter liner, then go with Orpheus (very pretty gold to it).
Can any one tell me if Grand Entrance is super frosty? I tried Phloof once and hated it, I am nw20/25.
Hi Melissa,
If you thought Phloof! was frosty, this is just as, if not more frosty!
Thanks for the review Christine!
I was just wondering, how does Mink & sable compare to night light pigment?
No problem, JooYeon! It’s similar, though more gold in it than Night Light.
Thanks again Christine!
One last question I promise:
how does lotusland compare to lovely lily pigment? Trying to eliminate possible dupes lol
Hi JooYeon,
Lotusland has a lot more pink to it – Lovely Lily is kind of a pale pastel purple, but Lotusland is brighter.
I went yesterday and got Stars &Diamonds and Bold &Brazen and a feline kohl power (which i love). I adore the finish of these e/s and I’m going to get a back up for Stars and Diamonds. It’s funny b/c i thought i was going to pass this collection up and hold out for coc but I’ve changed my mind and decided to get more starflash and skip coc (colors for coc aren’t too impressive imo.) after this no more mac till ungaro collection 🙂
YAY, another Feline kohl power fan 🙂
CoC is probably going to be more of a miss for me, or at least my wallet hopes so!
Hi Christine! What color would you compare smoke and diamonds too? Its sold out everywhere I’m looking. Also do you think it is a must have? Thanks so much!! Love your site!
Hm, Silver Ring, maybe? It’s not as intense as Silver Ring, though..