MAC To the Beach Collection: Overall Review & Round-up

To the Beach debuts in-store on May 27th, 2010 in the U.S./Canada, as far as I know. There are preview parties at select locations on May 18th. Otherwise, it should be available online around May 25th.

EDIT/UPDATE: Just moving this post up for all those who went to an unveiling party tonight!   I hope you got everything you wanted.  Shout outs to Tatiana & Olivia for saying hello to me @ Hillsdale!  Can you believe that the unveiling had already pre-sold the majority of the Marine Lifes?  There were literally three available.  I was customer #2 and only ended up with one.

ANOTHER EDIT/UPDATE: Just moving this post up since it’s officially out now, though goodness knows it’s been one crazy launch.

This is quite the launch, with 31 products releasing all at once. You can think of the collection in two parts — the traditional color collection and a secondary bronzing collection. The packaging doesn’t do anything for me either way; I don’t find it particularly cheap or tacky, but it doesn’t blow me away either. I like the mixture of products in this launch–there are some bright pops of color, subtler, more wearable colors, and everything in-between. I think it’s well-rounded collection that’s perfect for summer (with the color selections), but it’s pretty wearable.

I do recommend purchasing Marine Life if you think you want it. It’s just not going to be a product you’ll have the luxury of time with. Again, I fully believe it will sell out shortly after it becomes available online. I’ve heard some stores have received less than ten! I also anticipate Sweet & Punchy, Thrills, Life’s a Breeze, and both brushes to sell quickly. I would not be all that surprised if In the Buff, as oddly received as it has been, goes fast as well.

P.S. — I will try to get brush reviews up shortly. I’ve had them since whenever they originally launched, but I never reach for them, so I’m going to play around with them this weekend!

Temptalia’s Recommendations

Must-haves: Marine Life High Light Powder, Sweet & Punchy (if you have nothing like it), Thrills Lipstick, Fun Bathing Lipstick, Life’s a Breeze Lip Pencil

Nice-to-haves: Float on By Eye Kohl, Life’s a Breeze Lip Pencil, Hipness Blush, Get-Away Bronze Blush

Skip: Beachbound, Sand & Sun

Skip if…

• Skip SWEET & PUNCHY if you have RATED R, SOUR LEMON, or EYEPOPPING (all previous limited edition shades).
• Skip BEACHBOUND if you have MELON (pigment–use it sheerly with balm), ARCHETYPE (from Pret-a-Papier), or TANARAMA (permanent).
• Skip the EYE KOHLS if you eyeliners are prone to smudging and migrating on you (e.g. the majority of eyeliners you’ve tried do so).
• Skip FUN BATHING if you have “O” (permanent) — unless you adore and wear it all the time–though Fun Bathing has the copper-metallic-bronze thing going on that’s less apparent in “O.”

Don’t forget to…

Check your stash for SHIMMERMOSS (permanent), HUMID (permanent), THRILLS (from Rushmetal), ROSEMARY & THYME (permanent), HIPNESS (from Fafi), PINK REBEL (from Style Warriors), SUN RUSH (from Style Warriors), GOLDEN (permanent), and REFINED GOLDEN (permanent).

Recommendations by Skin Tone

• Best Picks for Lighter Skin Tones: Firecracker Eyeshadow, Lazy Day Lipstick, Easy Lounger Lipglass, Splashing Lipglass, Float on By Eye Kohl, Life’s a Breeze Lip Pencil, Hipness Blush, Golden Bronzer
• Best Picks for Medium Skin Tones: Sweet & Punchy Eyeshadow, Shimmermoss Eyeshadow, Thrills Lipstick, Fun Bathing Lipstick, Float on By Eye Kohl, Marine Life High Light Powder, Refined Golden Bronzer
• Best Picks for Darker Skin Tones: Sweet & Punchy Eyeshadow, Shimmermoss Eyeshadow, Humid Eyeshadow, Thrills Lipstick, Fun Bathing Lipstick, Splashing Lipglass, Marine Life High Light Powder, Get-Away Bronze Blush

Product Photos, Swatches, & Reviews

• Blushes
• Bronzers
• Bronze Body Oil
• Cream Bronzers
• Eye Kohls
• Eyeshadows
• Lip Pencils
• Lipglasses
• Lipsticks
• Lustre Drops
• Marine Life High Light Powder (Possible Dupes)
• Nail Lacquers

What are you loving? What are you looking forward to?