MAC Stroke of Midnight/Warm Face Palette Review, Photos, Swatches
MAC Stroke of Midnight/Warm Face Palette
MAC Stroke of Midnight/Warm Face Palette ($49.50 for 0.295 oz.) is a warm-toned palette with products for eyes, lips, and face. It contains three eyeshadows (0.028 oz. each), two lipsticks (0.024 oz. each), one iridescent powder (0.176 oz.), and one eye pencil (0.015 oz.). The products represent a a total value of $44.09 –$16.80 worth of eyeshadows, $7.20 worth of lipsticks, $15.09 worth of iridescent powder, and $5 worth of eyeliner. Over time, as more and more brands churn out mega palettes for the holidays all around $50 or so, and I wish MAC would step-up the value (or reduce the cost) of their holiday sets and kits. Golden and Showstopper were the major misses here, as neither performed well; while Myself wears away quickly and Coffee is uncomfortable to use.
Golden is described as a “muted golden tan-beige with shimmer.” It’s a softened, medium orange-brown with golden shimmer. The texture of this was strangely dry and almost crumbly/chunky. It flaked away and didn’t bind together well. The color payoff was so-so but it tended to sheer out/blend away as the product didn’t stick to the skin well. What did apply lasted six and a half hours. Too Faced Chocolate Soleil (P) is browner. Wet ‘n’ Wild Bikini Contest (P, $3.99) is similar. NARS Laguna (P, $36.00) is more golden.MAC Soft Sand (LE, $25.00) is darker, browner. See comparison swatches.
Myself is described as a “light dirty mauve with traveling pearl [with a Lustre finish].” It’s a pale, muted pink with neutral undertones and a golden sheen. On lips, it lightens the natural color and has semi-opaque color coverage. It wore for two hours. MAC Sublime Pleasure (LE, $15.00) is similar. MAC Flair for Finery (LE, $15.00) is also similar. MAC Feed the Senses (LE, $15.00) is darker. Revlon Pink Lemonade (P, $7.49) is similar. See comparison swatches.
Love Talk is described as a “mid-tone cool nude [with a Cremesheen finish].” It’s a plummy brown with neutral-cool undertones and a luminous sheen. It had mostly opaque color coverage and wore for four hours. It was a smidgen drying–but this is typical of Cremesheen finishes for me, though I know others do not have any issues with this finish! Bobbi Brown Soft Nude (P, $24.00) has more plum in it. MAC Viva Glam VI (P, $15.00) is more frosted, less brown. Guerlain Chant d’Aromes (P, $35.00) is more shimmery. Bobbi Brown Uber Suede (P, $24.00) is darker. See comparison swatches.
Tenderly is described as a “soft warm pink with frost [with a frost finish].” Though it has pink tones, it translated to more like a neutral-cool pale beige with a warmer, golden sheen. It had so-so color payoff. NARS Mississippi Mermaid (LE, $24.00) is similar. Disney by Sephora Scuttle (LE) is warmer. MAC Dew (LE, $15.00) is similar. Dior Fairy Golds #1 (LE) is also similar. See comparison swatches.
After Dusk is described as a “mid-tone rosy pink with pearl [with a Veluxe Pearl finish].” It’s a rosy plum with a frosted, metallic sheen. It had good pigmentation, and the texture was soft and smooth. theBalm Just This Once Jamie (P, $16.00) is browner. MAC Performance Art (LE, $15.00) is lighter. MAC Universal Appeal (LE, $21.00) is less warm-toned. MAC Trax (P, $15.00) is purpler. MAC Star Violet (P, $15.00) is darker. Chanel Harmonie du Soir #3 (LE) is less metallic. See comparison swatches.
Showstopper is described as a “deep blackened brown [with a Matte finish].” It’s a cool-toned, deep dark brown with a matte finish. The only problem is it doesn’t look like much applied, because it had such poor color payoff and a really stiff, dry texture that made it difficult to apply and blend. Too Faced Dark Chocolate (LE) is warmer. Tom Ford Beauty She Wolf #1 (LE) is similar. bareMinerals Boardroom (LE) is similar. MAC Set to Dance (LE, $15.00) is darker. MAC Midnight Flurry (LE, $15.00) is cooler-toned. MAC Diamond Dove (LE, $15.00) is similar. Inglot #329 (P, $6.00) is warmer. See comparison swatches.
Coffee is described as an “intense bronze.” It’s a chocolate brown with warm undertones and a matte finish. It had good pigmentation, but the texture was a bit dry. It was uncomfortable to apply to the lash line, as it tended to skip and tug. The color wore well for almost eight hours with minimal fading. Bobbi Brown Chocolate (LE, $24.00) is similar. Urban Decay Demolition (P, $19.00) is cooler-toned. MAC Rich Experience (P, $20.00) is more neutral-toned. See comparison swatches.
Stroke of Midnight/Warm
LELimited Edition. $49.50.
Golden
LELimited Edition. $28.00.
Myself
LELimited Edition. $19.00.
Love Talk
LELimited Edition. $19.00.
Tenderly
LELimited Edition. $17.00.
After Dusk
PiPPermanent in Palette. $17.00.
Showstopper
DCDiscontinued. $17.00.
Coffee
PiPPermanent in Palette. $21.00.
MAC Stroke of Midnight/Warm Face Palette
MAC Stroke of Midnight/Warm Face Palette
MAC Stroke of Midnight/Warm Face Palette
MAC Stroke of Midnight/Warm Face Palette
MAC Stroke of Midnight/Warm Face Palette
MAC Golden Bronzing Powder
MAC Golden Bronzing Powder
MAC Golden Bronzing Powder
MAC Myself Lipstick
MAC Myself Lipstick
MAC Myself Lipstick
MAC Myself Lipstick
MAC Myself Lipstick
MAC Love Talk Lipstick
MAC Love Talk Lipstick
MAC Love Talk Lipstick
MAC Love Talk Lipstick
MAC Love Talk Lipstick
MAC Tenderly Eyeshadow
MAC Tenderly Eyeshadow
MAC After Dusk Eyeshadow
MAC After Dusk Eyeshadow
MAC Showstopper Eyeshadow
MAC Showstopper Eyeshadow
MAC Coffee Eye Kohl
MAC Coffee Eye Kohl
Are these sets only being released in the US? I went to my Canadian MAC counter, and they didn’t have them. Unless they haven’t been released yet…
Hi Clio!
They’re online now, in-stores on Thursday!
Nordstrom was selling them yesterday – picked up the Stroke of Mighnight Nude and the Viva Glam – which is a great gift also and goes to a good cause – Thanks for your reviews – really made it easy to select the 2 I did.
No problem, Gail! Glad you got your sets! xo
I cant wait for these to be released !!
Christine, you’re looking extra pretty in these pictures! Your skin glows! Is it the Meteorites powder, Hourglass trio, or your foundation? LOL!
I’m wearing Guerlain Parure de Lumiere + Guerlain Crazy Meteorites (Pressed)! No Hourglass here 🙂
That is the worst version of Showstopper I’ve ever seen. It is such a nice crease color when they get the formula right, not too warm and not too cool. I’m tired of seeing it in every other palette, though.
If this had a blush (maybe something like Margin) instead of the bronzer and Showstopper had a better formula, I would definitely consider buying it. I like the combination of eyeshadows and the lipsticks are nice. I have an old version of Myself lipstick and I LOVE it for a nudeish everyday lip!
Honestly, for as often as they repromote Showstopper, they should just make it permanent and STOP using it in palettes (true with respect to Copper, too).
I came in to say the same thing . They really should make this color permanent or stop trying to make it happen. I have 3 showstoppers . 2 in palettes and one full sized. I’m tired of seeing it in palettes, like I’m tired of seeing carbon in palettes.
Hi Christine,
You look beautiful in both those lipsticks!
Showstopper, kind of stops the show, doesn’t it?
I’m happy I got the other warm Mac palette with the five shadows instead.
Haha 😉
Would you say that the regular version of the coffee pencil performs better?
I don’t think I’ve tried the regular one!
I’m always amazed by how fast you get these reviews up, Christine. You’re the makeup angel sitting on my shoulder telling me what to buy or not buy! Angel or devil, depending on how expensive the pretty things are, haha.
Thank you, Clio!! 🙂
I never reach for showstopper from my stash. I have the single floating around from some LE collection from years gone by and the payoff has never seemingly reached the intensity I would expect of a ‘deep blackened brown’.. apparently it is MAC’s brown version of Carbon..
I love Myself as a sheerish nude day lip. It’s a wonderful pale neutral and I’ve got just a little stubby left in the tube from my original purchase.
I like the looks of this palette overall because it has a nice balance of warm and neutral shades. Typically MAC’s ‘warm’ palettes lean too warm for me, but this one hits all the right notes unfortunately the quality isn’t there to tempt me.
If MAC’s palettes were more value-packed, then at least one or two misses could be overlooked… not the case here.
It’s too bad the quality of the product isn’t there–I think the palettes themselves are very well designed, and the cost could almost be justified by the packaging. It looks like the lip products not only have a separate lid, but they can be popped out and used on their own. They’re a little bit wide, but it’s a well organized little starter kit.
Too bad the stuff inside’s meh.
I don’t understand why Showstopper is so terrible because I have it in several palettes and it’s great! That they could mess up a often repeated, once good shade makes me feel like their is no concern for quality control or standards. Bad for us and bad for their branding.
Love those colors! Especially the lipstick and the khol!
I had the chance to try this palette, amongst so many other pathetic offerings from MAC, the other evening. Pathetic with a capital ‘P’. MAC will be seeing no profit from mÄ› this season. Same as last fall/Christmas. I’m more than sick of the shoddy products they continue to shovel out, collection after collection, much like they’re doing their utmost to fill an outhouse. I wouldn’t take this sad little palette home with me even if they were giving it away. I’d far rather pay double the price for a palette if it was filled with high quality products. I personally hope MAC gets trounced this year end by all the other brands that are putting out products that are lightyears ahead of anything MAC has put out in quite some time. They deserve nothing more for continuously trying to rip customers off.