MAC Style Maven Face Kit Review, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 12:00:00 +0000

MAC Style Maven Face Kit

MAC Style Maven Face Kit ($49.50 for 0.43 oz.) includes six eyeshadows, two blushes, and two lipsticks. It’s a cooler-toned, more purple-based palette. The eyeshadows are disappointing, while the blushes were decent. The lipsticks are okay, but they have a thinner consistency that makes them feel clingier applied (and Girl About Town lost some of its depth). Over the last few years, MAC palettes like these have typically been bigger disappointments, and unfortunately, this year’s Nordstrom exclusives haven’t broken that cycle.

Girls Do Blush is described as a “mauve plum.” It’s a dusty, muted, purple-plum with cooler undertones and a satiny sheen. It had semi-opaque coverage with a texture that was a smidgen powdery, but it sat well on the skin and was blendable. The color wore for eight hours. Urban Decay Rapture (P, $26.00) is more shimmery, lighter. theBalm Cabana Boy (P, $21.00) is brighter. MAC Crazed Imagination (LE, $21.00) is warmer. NARS Oasis (P, $30.00) is warmer. Chanel Rose Temptation (LE, $45.00) is less shimmery. bareMinerals The Indecent Proposal (P, $22.00) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

Shy One is described as a “mid-tone tan.” It’s a muted, medium peach-beige with warm undertones and a mostly matte finish. The texture was on the powdery side, but it didn’t look powdery on the skin and blended out nicely. The color lasted for seven and a half hours on me. bareMinerals The Close Call (P, $22.00) is darker. MAC Cream Soda (LE, $21.00) is brighter. Urban Decay Video (P, $26.00) is darker, warmer. Chanel Caresse (180) (LE, $45.00) is lighter, brighter, warmer. Urban Decay Indecent (P, $26.00) is lighter, brighter. Hourglass Dim Infusion (P, $35.00) is warmer. See comparison swatches / View dupes side-by-side.

Vivacious Vacuum Cleaner Bag is described as a “deep navy.” It’s a blackened purple with a hint of blue and satin finish. It was dry, firm, uneven, difficult to blend out, and had sheer coverage. Applied, the color lasted for seven hours, so I guess there was a pro. ColourPop Rex (P, $5.00) is less shimmery. Tom Ford Beauty Crushed Indigo (Right) (LE, ) is less shimmery. Sephora + Pantone Universe Moonlight Blue (LE, ) is less shimmery. Disney by Sephora Midnight (LE, ) is more shimmery. Urban Decay Occupy (LE, $18.00) is more shimmery, lighter. bareMinerals Shaken Not Stirred (P, ) is darker. Too Faced Heavy Metal (P, $16.00) is cooler. theBalm #5 (P, $6.50) is lighter. Ardency Inn Purple Hearts (P, $32.00) is more shimmery. Chanel Apparition (LE, $36.00) is lighter, brighter. compare dupes side-by-side.

Malt is described as a “soft pinkish beige.” It’s a softened, medium brown with warm undertones and a matte finish, but it doesn’t look anything like the permanent version, which has a pinky tone to it overall. Since it’s pretty different, I don’t want to muck-up the official list of dupes for the permanent version, but here’s a link that’ll show you similar shades to the one in this palette. The texture was firmer and harder to blend out, and it lasted for seven hours on me.

Nearing Dark is described as a “purple plum.” It’s a muted, medium-dark purple with cooler undertones and a pearly sheen. It suffered from a very firm press that made it difficult to get more than sheer coverage out of it, and it was a challenge to work with. Once on, even though it looked pretty ragged, it lasted for seven hours. Dior Dulcinee #4 (LE, ) is more shimmery, warmer. Tarina Tarantino Poppycock (LE, ) is darker, brighter. theBalm rem (P, $16.00) is darker, warmer. Urban Decay Hoodoo (LE, $18.00) is more shimmery, darker. Cle de Peau Champagne Supernova #2 (P, ) is more shimmery. Chanel Tisse Rhapsodie #3 (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker, cooler. Cle de Peau Champagne Supernova #2 (P, ) is more shimmery. Chanel Campanule (107) (LE, $34.00) is darker, more pigmented. Chanel Campanule (107) (LE, $34.00) is darker, more pigmented. Sephora Collection Getaway (P, $13.00) is more shimmery, darker. Anastasia Iridescent Purple (P, $12.00) is more shimmery, brighter. Makeup Geek Pop Culture (P, $5.99) is lighter, brighter, cooler.See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

Performance Art is described as a “sterling silver.” It’s a gold-shimmered, pinky-mauve with a frosted sheen. This version in the palette is dominated by the gold shimmer, which gives it a more pinky-beige kind of coloring (it’s no “sterling silver” though). It had so-so pigmentation with a smooth but firm texture. It wore for almost even hours. ColourPop Prickly Pear (LE, $5.00) is more shimmery, less pigmented, lighter. Giorgio Armani Flannel (08) (P, $38.00) is darker. Dior House of Pinks #4 (LE, ) is darker, warmer, better quality. bareMinerals Catch Me If (P, ) is lighter. Tarte Make a Mauve (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter. NARS Dolomites (Left) (LE, $24.00) is lighter, warmer. Makeup Geek Twilight (P, $5.99) is lighter. MAC After Dusk (P, $16.00) is lighter, more muted. View dupes side-by-side.

Shadowy Lady is described as a “blackened plum.” It’s a very dark, blackened eggplant with warm undertones and a matte finish. This shade is part of the permanent range, and its permanent counterpart isn’t exactly the best eyeshadow on the market, but its iterations in palettes is so bad sometimes–including this time. It skips, drags, adheres unevenly, doesn’t blend, and has really shoddy pigmentation. Whatever I manage to get onto the lid wears for seven hours, but it looks terrible. Smashbox Aubergine (P, ) is lighter. MAC Black Plum (LE, $16.00) is lighter. Tarte Boudoir Noir (LE, ) is lighter, more muted. bareMinerals Ensemble (LE, ) is darker. LORAC Nude #7 (LE, ) is cooler. Chanel Pulsion (112) (P, $29.50) is darker, cooler. bareMinerals Ensemble (LE, ) is darker. Bobbi Brown Rich Chocolate (LE, $22.00) is darker, cooler. theBalm Presto (P, $16.00) is warmer. Too Faced Charming (LE, $16.00) is lighter, warmer. Tom Ford Beauty Orchid Haze #4 (P, ) is warmer. theBalm Matt Batali (LE, $16.00) is brighter. theBalm #27 (P, $6.50) is lighter. theBalm Matt Batali (LE, $16.00) is brighter. MAC Graphology (DC, $16.00) is darker, more pigmented. / View dupes side-by-side.

Sweet Allure is described as a “light pearl beige.” It’s a light, pink-tinged white-beige with a frosted sheen. It had good pigmentation with a soft, smooth, and blendable texture (hey, there’s one in every palette!). It wore well for eight hours before fading. Buxom Cocker Spaniel (P, $18.00) is less shimmery, lighter. Urban Decay Sellout (P, $18.00) is warmer. theBalm D2 (LE, $16.00) is warmer. Too Faced Coquet (LE, $16.00) is lighter, brighter. Kat Von D Instaglam (LE, ) is lighter, brighter. Dior Pastel Fontanges #5 (LE, ) is lighter. Ulta Pink (P, $10.00) is lighter. theBalm #14 (P, $6.50) is lighter, warmer. Make Up For Ever I528 Pearl (P, $21.00) is lighter, brighter. Chanel Tisse Venitien #2 (P, ) is less shimmery. Stila Rose Quartz (P, ) is warmer. Dior Trafalgar #1 (P, ) is lighter, warmer. LORAC Blush (LE, ) is more shimmery. Hello Kitty Friendship (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter. MAC Whisper Pink (LE, $21.00) is more shimmery. View dupes side-by-side.

Naked Dream is described as a “mid-tone pinky nude.” It’s a light-medium, muted pink with subtle warmer undertones and a satin finish. It had mostly opaque coverage that went on evenly with some emphasis of the natural lip lines. It wore well for four hours but was slightly drying over time. Tom Ford Beauty Pink Dusk (P, $50.00) is darker. Kat Von D Lovecraft (P, $21.00) is darker, less glossy. MAC Boca (LE, $16.00) is darker, warmer. MAC Love Happens (LE, $16.00) is lighter, warmer. ColourPop Ace (LE, $5.00) is lighter, brighter, glossier. Tom Ford Beauty Flynn (LE, $32.00) is lighter. Tom Ford Beauty Addison (LE, $32.00) is darker. Bite Beauty Sable (LE, $24.00) is darker, warmer. MAC Pretty Natural (LE, $16.00) is cooler, less glossy. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

Girl About Town is described as a “bright blue fuchsia.” It’s a brightened, medium fuchsia pink with cool, blue undertones and a satin finish. The permanent version of this has a lot more pigmentation and depth, and the finish is more luminous. This version wore for four and a half hours and left a stain behind but was on the drying side. Urban Decay Menace (P, $22.00) is darker. MAC Tats (LE, $16.00) is cooler, more muted. Clinique Punch Pop (P, $18.00) is brighter, glossier, lighter. MAC Hollywood Cerise (LE, $16.00) is lighter, brighter, cooler. Bite Beauty #004 (LE, $36.00) is brighter, lighter, cooler. MAC Impassioned (P, $16.00) is less glossy, darker, warmer. MAC Viva Glam Miley Cyrus (LE, $16.00) is darker, cooler, less glossy, glossier, brighter, warmer. Tom Ford Beauty Cooper (LE, $32.00) is cooler. Bite Beauty Framboise (P, $24.00) is darker, cooler. MAC No Faux Pas (LE, $16.00) is darker, cooler. MAC Catharina (P, $23.00) is darker, cooler, less glossy, less pigmented, glossier. MAC Good Kisser (LE, $16.00) is darker, cooler, less glossy, more pigmented, more shimmery, glossier, brighter. Bite Beauty Vigne (P, $24.00) is darker. MAC Red Balloon (LE, $16.00) is darker. View dupes side-by-side.

Style Maven

LELimited Edition. $49.50.

C-

6.5

Product

Pigmentation

6.5

Texture

Longevity

Application

71%

Total

Girls Do Blush

LELimited Edition. $24.00.

B+

8.5

Product

8.5

Pigmentation

8.5

Texture

8.5

Longevity

Application

87%

Total

Girl About Town

PPermanent. $19.00.

Product

8.5

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

4.5

Application

84%

Total

Shy One

LELimited Edition. $24.00.

Product

8.5

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

83%

Total