MAC x Nicopanda Preppy Panda Full Face Kit Review, Photos, Swatches
Preppy Panda
MAC Preppy Panda Nicopanda Full Face Kit ($40.00 for 0.40 oz.) is just another example of MAC’s emphasis on packaging without putting much effort into ensuring the quality of the actual product inside that “cool” packaging of theirs. It performed poorly on its own, and it wasn’t salvaged by primer. One shade was a complete miss–one of the brand’s worst eyeshadows ever–and two of the three remaining shades were merely disappointing rather than devastating.
Ingredients
Look Using this Product
Preppy Panda
LELimited Edition. $40.00.
Unicorn Dust
Unicorn Dust is a soft, light-medium lavender with warm, pink undertones and a pearly sheen. It had excellent pigmentation with a soft, slightly dusty texture that did feel drier than most of MAC’s blushes, but I found it totally workable in practice as the powder applied evenly, blended out well, and wore well for eight hours.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Night Bloom (LE, $10.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Full of Joy (P, $24.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Sephora Over the Moon (14) (DC, $14.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- MAC Unconventional (LE, $24.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Azalea Blossom (LE, $32.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- LORAC Panorama (LE, $23.00) is lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- Clinique Pansy Pop (P, $21.00) is darker (85% similar).
- ColourPop Whirl (LE, $10.00) is darker (85% similar).
- Lethal Cosmetics Hybrid (P, $15.50) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
- ColourPop Floating Lights (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery, warmer (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$24.00/0.21 oz. - $114.29 Per Ounce
Per the brand, the formula is supposed to "provide fantastic colour with ease and consistency" that "applies evenly, adheres lightly to skin." There are five distinct finishes within the range: Frost ("iridescent, lightly shimmering color"), Matte ("flat, matte finish... builds well"), Satin ("adds subtle highlights to the skin"), Sheertone ("sheer-on micro-refined powder ... that goes on faint"), and Sheertone Shimmer ("just enough shimmer to make light dance on your cheeks"). Their permanent blushes are available in compact form as well as pan-only (the latter will be cheaper).
The following overview has been updated to reflect the most current iteration of the brand's permanent range (whether or not there's been any official change) as I repurchased the majority of the permanent shades as of June 2018. I make a point to say that because I felt that the textures of several shades, particularly the frost finish shades, was noticeably different; they were much smoother and had more slip but were less shimmery/frosted (on average) and seemed to be a bit weaker in pigmentation (but still buildable). Some of the mattes felt like I've encountered in the past (a little drier, pigmented, and fairly blendable), while some felt more velvety and finely-milled.
MAC has a solid blush range but some shades are harder than others to blend out or diffuse, and as it does for most formulas (from any brand), it really comes down to some shades falling shy of expectations. The matte finish had a tendency to darken on my skin within five minutes of application; for most shades, I would recommend applying over a powdered face and/or avoiding applying on still-drying complexion products to make blending the easiest. The matte shades seemed to be semi-opaque to opaque, buildable, and long-wearing (about eight hours).
Only a few of the shades in the permanent range seemed to be particularly frosted/metallic on the skin; most shades that had shimmer appeared more softly luminous or pearlescent on the skin to the point where there was little sheen/reflection captured by my camera (I did a double take for a few and re-did swatches only to find the same finish captured yet again!). The Sheertone Shimmer performed most consistently with this: very subtle sheen, more "my skin but better" with having a slightly more noticeable sheen than matte. There were a few shades that had a strong sheen on the skin (like Peachykeen), though. The Frost finish just seemed to have stronger, larger shimmer in it, but the effect on the skin ranged being subtle to moderate. The same was true with Satin--some were more satin-like and some seemed more like a Frost (like Modern Mandarin).
Most shades were blendable, while pigmentation varied from sheer to opaque depending on the shade, but most had decent, builable coverage. The textures were firmer than the average powder blush of current times, but they don't have excess product kicked up in the pan at all. The wear ranged between seven and nine hours with deeper, intense mattes (like Fever or Film Noir) lasted longer.
Browse all of our MAC Powder Blush swatches.
Ingredients
TALC, OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE, ZINC STEARATE, ISOSTEARYL NEOPENTANOATE, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, HEXYLENE GLYCOL, PHENOXYETHANOL. MAY CONTAIN: SILICA, MICA, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE (CI 77163), BLUE 1 LAKE (CI 42090), CARMINE (CI 75470), CHROMIUM HYDROXIDE GREEN (CI 77289), CHROMIUM OXIDE GREENS (CI 77288), FERRIC FERROCYANIDE (CI 77510), MANGANESE VIOLET (CI 77742), RED 6 (CI 15850), RED 6 LAKE (CI 15850), RED 7 LAKE (CI 15850), RED 28 LAKE (CI 45410), RED 30 LAKE (CI 73360), ULTRAMARINES (CI 77007), YELLOW 5 LAKE (CI 19140), YELLOW 6 LAKE (CI 15985).
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Look Using this Product
Unicorn Dust
LELimited Edition. $24.00.
Otaku
Otaku is a light lavender with cooler undertones and a matte finish. It had semi-opaque pigmentation with a soft, velvety texture that was easy to blend out. This shade would be better over a primer as it had a tendency to look faded within six hours of application otherwise.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- MAC Such a Tulle (P, $20.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Sugarpill Baby Doll (PiP, $13.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Sydney Grace Jewel Bee (LE, $5.25) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- Terra Moons Ascension (P, $6.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- LORAC Lavender (LE, $19.00) is darker (85% similar).
- Urban Decay Optimized (PiP, $19.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
- Terra Moons Lunar Haze (P, $6.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- NABLA Cosmetics Flowery (PiP, $8.00) is darker (85% similar).
- bareMinerals Velvet Lavender (LE, $14.00) is warmer (85% similar).
- Give Me Glow Concrete Jungle (P, $7.00) is warmer (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$17.00/0.05 oz. - $340.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be a "highly pigmented powder" that goes on "evenly and blends well." MAC eyeshadows run the gamut from total failures to long-time, cult-favorite staples. In general, the permanent line has been more consistent in performance--and higher performance at that--compared to limited edition launches, but it can really depend.
The Matte finish tends to have a firmer press and a bit of thinness compared to other matte formulas on the market, so MAC matte eyeshadows tend to build up better and have better wear-time without fallout as they're not powdery at all. Some of the newer matte finish shades have had a more velvety quality to them that gives them a softer feel but aren't powdery; these have been easier to blend and are often more pigmented in one layer.
The Lustre finish is designed to have sheerer pigmentation, and it often has more sheer to medium coverage with a drier, dustier consistency that can be hard to apply with a dry brush. Lustre finish shades can suffer from fallout during application, too. They are the old school version of an eyeshadow "topper." I would recommend applying with a fingertip or applying with a dampened brush to get smoother, more even coverage and minimize fallout.
The Satin finish is few and far in-between, but it is softer and more yielding than the Matte finish but performs similarly. They tend to have very low sheen but are quite blendable with medium to opaque coverage. It can be easy to mix the finish up with the Velvet finish, which has more of a sparkle-over-matte effect but are more powdery than the true Matte finish.
The Frost finish is more firmly-pressed into the pan but doesn't have fallout, is often pigmented, and blends out well enough. They can sometimes be a little drier to the touch depending on how much shimmer is in the shade. The Veluxe Pearl finish is one of the creamier takes within the range, and newer shades released in the finish tend to have more moderate, silicone-like slip. I've found that Veluxe Pearl finish shades tend to have more semi-opaque pigmentation and are more consistent in performance than some of the other finishes.
One thing I've found with MAC eyeshadows is that they tend to last longer without primer than the average brand (eight hours). While some eyeshadow shades don't swatch well, they often apply better in practice--as in on the eyes!--than just swatched on the skin. They can be quite hit or miss, and they have inconsistencies between releases (see Carbon and its sordid review history!).
Browse all of our MAC Eyeshadow swatches.
Look Using this Product
Otaku
LELimited Edition. $17.00.
Harajuku Blu
Harajuku Blu is a dark, violet purple with cooler undertones and flecks of micro-sparkle. It had semi-sheer pigmentation that was somewhat buildable, but it was drier and took a fair amount of effort to diffuse the edges. There was some fallout during application, but otherwise, the color stayed intact for seven and a half hours.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Sephora Sapphire (PiP, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Natasha Denona Amethyst (141M) (DC, $29.00) is more shimmery, lighter, brighter (95% similar).
- Tory Burch Beauty Magpie (P, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Voodoo (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Guerlain Shalimar (Top) (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- KVD Beauty Danzig (DC, $21.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Act (372CM) (LE, ) is more shimmery, brighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Cle de Peau Cosmic Aura #1 (PiP, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Sugarpill Elemental Chaos (PiP, $13.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Rare Beauty Power (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$17.00/0.05 oz. - $340.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be a "highly pigmented powder" that goes on "evenly and blends well." MAC eyeshadows run the gamut from total failures to long-time, cult-favorite staples. In general, the permanent line has been more consistent in performance--and higher performance at that--compared to limited edition launches, but it can really depend.
The Matte finish tends to have a firmer press and a bit of thinness compared to other matte formulas on the market, so MAC matte eyeshadows tend to build up better and have better wear-time without fallout as they're not powdery at all. Some of the newer matte finish shades have had a more velvety quality to them that gives them a softer feel but aren't powdery; these have been easier to blend and are often more pigmented in one layer.
The Lustre finish is designed to have sheerer pigmentation, and it often has more sheer to medium coverage with a drier, dustier consistency that can be hard to apply with a dry brush. Lustre finish shades can suffer from fallout during application, too. They are the old school version of an eyeshadow "topper." I would recommend applying with a fingertip or applying with a dampened brush to get smoother, more even coverage and minimize fallout.
The Satin finish is few and far in-between, but it is softer and more yielding than the Matte finish but performs similarly. They tend to have very low sheen but are quite blendable with medium to opaque coverage. It can be easy to mix the finish up with the Velvet finish, which has more of a sparkle-over-matte effect but are more powdery than the true Matte finish.
The Frost finish is more firmly-pressed into the pan but doesn't have fallout, is often pigmented, and blends out well enough. They can sometimes be a little drier to the touch depending on how much shimmer is in the shade. The Veluxe Pearl finish is one of the creamier takes within the range, and newer shades released in the finish tend to have more moderate, silicone-like slip. I've found that Veluxe Pearl finish shades tend to have more semi-opaque pigmentation and are more consistent in performance than some of the other finishes.
One thing I've found with MAC eyeshadows is that they tend to last longer without primer than the average brand (eight hours). While some eyeshadow shades don't swatch well, they often apply better in practice--as in on the eyes!--than just swatched on the skin. They can be quite hit or miss, and they have inconsistencies between releases (see Carbon and its sordid review history!).
Browse all of our MAC Eyeshadow swatches.
Look Using this Product
Harajuku Blu
LELimited Edition. $17.00.
Panda Riot
Panda Riot is a blackened navy blue with faint, mid-tone blue pearl over a more matte finish. It had good color payoff, but the texture was drier, firmer, and stiffer to work with, which made blending more of a challenge as the eyeshadow did not like to diffuse evenly along the edges. It lasted for seven and a half hours on me.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Tom Ford Beauty Starry Night #4 (PiP, ) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Goddess (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Heroine (LE, $19.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Tory Burch Beauty Midnight (P, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Merryweather (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- NARS Ubangi (P, $25.00) is darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop School Bus (LE, $6.00) is darker, brighter (90% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild Mythicool Creatures #3 (LE, ) is darker, more muted (90% similar).
- Too Faced De La Mer (PiP, $16.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- MAC Daring (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$17.00/0.05 oz. - $340.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be a "highly pigmented powder" that goes on "evenly and blends well." MAC eyeshadows run the gamut from total failures to long-time, cult-favorite staples. In general, the permanent line has been more consistent in performance--and higher performance at that--compared to limited edition launches, but it can really depend.
The Matte finish tends to have a firmer press and a bit of thinness compared to other matte formulas on the market, so MAC matte eyeshadows tend to build up better and have better wear-time without fallout as they're not powdery at all. Some of the newer matte finish shades have had a more velvety quality to them that gives them a softer feel but aren't powdery; these have been easier to blend and are often more pigmented in one layer.
The Lustre finish is designed to have sheerer pigmentation, and it often has more sheer to medium coverage with a drier, dustier consistency that can be hard to apply with a dry brush. Lustre finish shades can suffer from fallout during application, too. They are the old school version of an eyeshadow "topper." I would recommend applying with a fingertip or applying with a dampened brush to get smoother, more even coverage and minimize fallout.
The Satin finish is few and far in-between, but it is softer and more yielding than the Matte finish but performs similarly. They tend to have very low sheen but are quite blendable with medium to opaque coverage. It can be easy to mix the finish up with the Velvet finish, which has more of a sparkle-over-matte effect but are more powdery than the true Matte finish.
The Frost finish is more firmly-pressed into the pan but doesn't have fallout, is often pigmented, and blends out well enough. They can sometimes be a little drier to the touch depending on how much shimmer is in the shade. The Veluxe Pearl finish is one of the creamier takes within the range, and newer shades released in the finish tend to have more moderate, silicone-like slip. I've found that Veluxe Pearl finish shades tend to have more semi-opaque pigmentation and are more consistent in performance than some of the other finishes.
One thing I've found with MAC eyeshadows is that they tend to last longer without primer than the average brand (eight hours). While some eyeshadow shades don't swatch well, they often apply better in practice--as in on the eyes!--than just swatched on the skin. They can be quite hit or miss, and they have inconsistencies between releases (see Carbon and its sordid review history!).
Browse all of our MAC Eyeshadow swatches.
Look Using this Product
Panda Riot
LELimited Edition. $17.00.
Atomic Blush
Atomic Blush is a pale, blue-leaning aqua with a matte finish. It was powdery and chalky, which made the semi-sheer eyeshadow even more prone to sheering out when applied. It also had a nasty habit of absorbing into the skin–even over MAC’s own primer–and looking like an uneven, texture-emphasizing mess. It was an absolute waste of time to use, and I had to reapply it six different times, packing it on each time, by the time I was “done” with the look to have it even show up for photos. It really did not wear well (and again, I also tried it over the brand’s primer), as it was nearly gone within a half hour of wear.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Wait 4 It (PiP, $4.50) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (95% similar).
- Huda Beauty Mint #1 (LE, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Terra Moons Lunar or Later (P, $6.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Rainbow Trail (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Aqua (LE, $17.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Glaminatrix Minty Fresh (P, $7.30) is cooler (85% similar).
- ColourPop Flux (LE, $6.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- Sephora + Pantone Universe Honeydew (LE, ) is darker, more muted (85% similar).
- MAC Syntheseyes (LE, $17.00) is more muted (85% similar).
- ColourPop Get Fresh (PiP, $4.50) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$17.00/0.05 oz. - $340.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be a "highly pigmented powder" that goes on "evenly and blends well." MAC eyeshadows run the gamut from total failures to long-time, cult-favorite staples. In general, the permanent line has been more consistent in performance--and higher performance at that--compared to limited edition launches, but it can really depend.
The Matte finish tends to have a firmer press and a bit of thinness compared to other matte formulas on the market, so MAC matte eyeshadows tend to build up better and have better wear-time without fallout as they're not powdery at all. Some of the newer matte finish shades have had a more velvety quality to them that gives them a softer feel but aren't powdery; these have been easier to blend and are often more pigmented in one layer.
The Lustre finish is designed to have sheerer pigmentation, and it often has more sheer to medium coverage with a drier, dustier consistency that can be hard to apply with a dry brush. Lustre finish shades can suffer from fallout during application, too. They are the old school version of an eyeshadow "topper." I would recommend applying with a fingertip or applying with a dampened brush to get smoother, more even coverage and minimize fallout.
The Satin finish is few and far in-between, but it is softer and more yielding than the Matte finish but performs similarly. They tend to have very low sheen but are quite blendable with medium to opaque coverage. It can be easy to mix the finish up with the Velvet finish, which has more of a sparkle-over-matte effect but are more powdery than the true Matte finish.
The Frost finish is more firmly-pressed into the pan but doesn't have fallout, is often pigmented, and blends out well enough. They can sometimes be a little drier to the touch depending on how much shimmer is in the shade. The Veluxe Pearl finish is one of the creamier takes within the range, and newer shades released in the finish tend to have more moderate, silicone-like slip. I've found that Veluxe Pearl finish shades tend to have more semi-opaque pigmentation and are more consistent in performance than some of the other finishes.
One thing I've found with MAC eyeshadows is that they tend to last longer without primer than the average brand (eight hours). While some eyeshadow shades don't swatch well, they often apply better in practice--as in on the eyes!--than just swatched on the skin. They can be quite hit or miss, and they have inconsistencies between releases (see Carbon and its sordid review history!).
Browse all of our MAC Eyeshadow swatches.
I love MAC but they have released so many collections/collabs that are subpar. It’s disappointing tbh. They know very well how to do makeup so I don’t quite understand why there is this issue with the quality (again!). For me, nice or innovative packaging cannot compensate for the missing product quality.
This was the palette I really wanted, but the swatches I’d seen concerned me. These scores just clinch it that I should skip.
The promo swatches looked terrible! Glad I held off
D+??? Looks like MAC are back to their old ways….LE stuff/too many collections that are really crummy.
The colors look beautiful, but the quality’s not there. Too many companies are trying to make a go of putting out garbage in pretty packaging, hoping people will get suckered in. Sadly, sometimes it works, which only encourages more of the same. 🙁
Oh dear. Another epic fail on MAC’s part, I’m feeling some Jeremy Scott deja vu here. More sad, perhaps, since I was most into this face palette. Otaku seemed to be a good replacement of their DC’d Digit eyeshadow. The blush looks gorgeous for spring. But, yikes, that pale aqua shade totally sucks!
I’m beginning to think that MAC thinks their customer demographic are just gullible idiots who see unique packaging, go “Pretty!” and whip out their wallets without thinking further. There really is no excuse for this. If Colourpop can put out excellent pressed powder shadows for $4 a pan, then MAC are either coasting on their reputation as a market leader or they’re in for a nasty shock.
I haven’t purchased MAC in nearly 5 years and every time I see something like this (or Jeremy Scott), it reaffirms that decision. Companies that care about putting out good product can have my money instead.
CeeBee, I agree — it is insulting. It reminds me of some of Too Faced’s poorer palettes that are also in ‘cuter’ packaging — like, are they aiming for an inexperienced, possibly much younger, demographic who won’t know the difference in quality; are they trying to foist off rather than write off bad batches of product. Who knows.
How do you make such poorly performing eyeshadow look so good?
The look was trash, IMO. I don’t see anything good about it! The color combo was cool in theory but very little looked like it was supposed to!
Shows how much I know! I thought the pics of you wearing the eyeshadow looked pretty … not patchy or muddy. But then again, those are the shades I gravitate toward. If they’d been orange or rust or brown, I probably would have hated how it looked
It’s not the colors in theory that are ugly, it’s the application – it’s dry, patchy, and it didn’t hold the vibrancy on the lid as it should have even after piling on layer after layer 🙂 Hope that clarifies – like the inner corner area should be a deep navy and a bright mint green and looks like a faded gray (not at all what was in the palette!) and the center of the lid was supposed to be a golden beige with shimmer and looks like chalk. I wasn’t insulting the actual color scheme or anything like that.
No worries. I was complimenting you on making it look *at all* good. I pulled out a MAC Nutcracker palette after this exchange. It’s pretty crappy too. I’d much rather put on shades that go on like butter and blend easily. It is so hard to find palettes with cooler shades that actually do this well, unless they’re clown colors.
Not only are the products disappointing, but I think it’s misleading to call it a “full face” palette when it’s just eye shadow and a blush. I would expect a full-face product to include a highlight, a bronzer or contour, and maybe a lip product.
I didn’t think it looked that good in the swatches, so I am not surprised by the review ratings. MAC is going the same way as Too Faced – great packaging and poor products.