Written Reviews

Vanilla is one of those classic MAC eyeshadows that have a place in (almost) everyone's eyeshadow collection. It's an absolutely boring color, a slightly warm light beige which is the perfect option when I want a white without actually using a white eyeshadow. My complexion is light-medium with warm yellow undertones and Vanilla works either as a base for other colors (all over the eyelid) or a subtle highlighter (inner color, brow bone); the satin finish makes it good for both purposes. It's definitely a sheer eyeshadow, somewhat buildable but not enough to get fully opaque. It blends easily, doesn't have fallout.

Blushbaby is a beautiful mauvy-pink blush, very close to my natural flush when I get a slight sunburn (I'm a light-medium warm yellow undertone, MAC NC20). While I've see everyone describing this like a mauve, on me it shows more pink. Usually I go with more cool toned blushes, but this is one of few warm toned pink blushes that looks good on me. The blush is very pigmented, it surprised me when I first got it because it's not a sheer / light color, it's a medium pink and I was afraid that it would be too dark for me. Fortunately it's a buildable formula, it's not too dark if I apply it with a light hand. I like that the powder in the pan is firm, but not stiff, easy to pick-up with all sorts of brushes without fallout. On me it lasts all day, which is surprising since most blushes disappear in a few hours.

MAC Burning Love is a medium-dark berry-plum shade (a dark raspberry), with slightly cool undertones and a satin-creamy finish. It's one of those colors that aren't universality flattering; it needs paired down with specific eyeshadow colors and won't look good on everybody. I'm light-medium with yellow warm undertones and Burning Love doesn't look that good on me, it looks too pinky-plum. As a fan of MAC Mate and Satin lipsticks, I was disappointed by the Powder Kiss formula (it reminds me more of Creamsheen). The texture is velvety-powdery and I just don't like it on my lips, it's matte in finish but slippery, I doesn't completely dry out (although it's not sticky) and it moves as I drink, eat or talk. I can feel it on my lips all day long. I need to use it more like a lip tint, in a very light layer. I agree that the pigmentation is excellent from the first swipe on the lips, and it wears out decently well during the day. It's overall a little moisturizing, but it's not as comfortable as the MAC Mate finish lipsticks.

When I purchased MAC Quarry I expected a light mauve, perfect for a transition color. The color is a gorgeous cool toned mauve taupe that looks incredibly flattering on me. But I'm around NC 20 (light-medium with warm yellow undertone) and the color is more of a medium taupe on me. Looks amazing as a one shadow look, but I can only use it as transition with darker shades. Needless to say, it's very pigmented and opaque from the first swipe. The formula is very good, blendable, buildable, long lasting, crease resistant; it has a little bit of kickback in the pan but no fallout. It's one of those MAC eyeshadows I always want to have in my collection.

MAC Arena is a very warm toned beige with hints of orange / peach. Although in the pan it appears a medium color, the pigmentation is very sheer so it translates very light on the eyelids. Medium to tan undertones most likely could use this color as a sheer highlighter. The formula isn't the best; as most MAC frost finishes it's a little bit powdery but in big `chunks`, not dusty. But since it's barely opaque, I don't notice the fallout.

Brown Script is in terms of formula is one of the best MAC eyeshadows. Incredibly easy to blend and build, a little bit powdery in the pan but doesn't cause fallout, no patchiness typical to matte shadows, stays put all days without creasing. The color is just not for me; it's too warm, too orange, too red for my complexion (light-medium with warm yellow undertones), it just makes me look sick and tired.

MAC Wedge is a muted light taupe I initially purchased as a transition shade for all my neutral looks. On me it's only slightly warm, more towards neutral. It's more taupe / beige than brown. The pigmentation is quite impressive, it's not sheer at all. Although described as a light brown, on me it looks more medium (MAC NC20). It's borderline a transition shade, I can use it easily as a one eyeshadow look. There's minimal fallout, the eyeshadow is incredibly easy to blend and build, it's one of the best MAC matte formulas. If I use it all over the lid the other eyeshadows blend like a charm on top. I have no issues with the lasting power.

I love a grunge neutral gray, and MAC Print hits all the points for me. I'm an NC20 and Print is sufficiently dark to make a statement / add some drama, but light enough it's wearable enough without me looking black-eyed (I can comfortable wear it during the day time sheered out). The eyeshadows applies lighter initially and requires building up, but I like the control and versatility I get. Although I usually go for mates, the satin finish makes it easier to blend; usually greys are very had to work with. Also, once blender, there's almost no shimmer left behind. The formula is more on the harder side, with a bit of fallout. Not the best MAC formula, but the beautiful color is worth the extra work.

Cranberry is one of the most famous MAC eyeshadows, but personally I didn't really like it. It might be just my complexion, but the eyeshadows looks very pink on me, there's no plum, cranberry or burgundy tones. Applied on the eyes it has a very low pigmentation; even if I build it up it has a medium opacity and no real darkness. The eyeshadow has a very light shimmer once applied on the eyes. I have to admit that it was a very easy to work with formula, easy to build and blend. There was a lot of fallout, but during application and wear.

MAC Blackberry is a beautiful quite unique dark mauve, too bad that the formula isn't the best. Mauves are usually flattering on me (dark brown eyes and hair, light-medium yellow warm pigmentation), but this looks surprisingly good on me. The formula is one of the most dry MAC matte ones. The good part is that there's no fallout. The bad is that it tends to be quite patchy if not blended properly. It looks beautiful all over the lid or in the crease, but since it's so hard to blend properly I used it more often to line my lash line. While a very dark color in the pan, the color pay off isn't the best once applied; it's a medium pigmentation that can be build up to higher opacity.

MAC Brun is that kind of brown that is neutral and boring, while still an interesting shade. I'm not a fan of very red warm browns, so this neutral-taupe almost grey brown gives the grungy vibes that flatter my looks. The shade is indeed quite chameleonic, it look differently depending on what other shades you pair it with. I'm loving the ashy tones I get with it applied all over the lid. While it's a matte shade, I would almost call it a satin, it's not a flat matte finish. It's not the most blendable matte possible, there were times when it applied patchy. But it's a workable shade if I take the time. It's not an opaque shade from the first go, needs some work to built. But this makes it more versatile.

MAC Yash comes in the matte formula I love, but it's just not the most flattering color for me. Yash comes up quite warm toned against my complexion (light-medium with warm yellow undertones). It's a peachy brown nude, which depending on your skin tone won't show at all, give dead lips vibes or be the perfect nude. I have quite pigmented lips and Yash just give me an unflattering warm toned tint. The pigmentation is semi-opaque, and there's not too much building that can be done beyond 2 layers; the formula is thick, so it looks bad when layered. Otherwise, it's a long lasting and comfortable formula, long lasting, not drying, but emphasizing lip lines.

MAC In The Shadows is a beautiful blue that pops up on the lid. The color is quite sheer on first application, but opacity can be built easily. I like the versatility of bring able to get a sheer light blue or a bold denim blue. The color is satin, it looks mate on the lids, but with a little bit of extra something that doesn't make it flat. At first the shade looks like it's not blending well, but with a bit of work it blends without patches. It also works well with flat packing brushes, although you have to tap the brush well to avoid fallout. With a good eye primer the eyeshadow doesn't crease or fade during the day.

MAC Teknakohl eyeliners are a good option when you look for a creamier formula and don't want to worry about sharpening. Graphblack is not the blackest black, so it tends to be slightly better for softer looks. The opacity can be built, although it's fairly dark from the first application. Due to the creamy waxy formula and the rounded medium tip it's quite hard for me to get a fine thin line, if I want to draw a cat wing I need to use something with a finer tip. But it's also very easy to apply, glides smoothly without tugging my eyes. The formula dries fast, but you get a couple of seconds if you want to smudge it out. It's quite resistant on the eyelids, but it fades rapidly from the waterline. I rarely use it on the waterline, because I like more dry pencils for that, waxy creamy formulas tend to irritate my eyes. The liner is quite thin, so I just twist to get the tip, if too much product is out it break very easy. If it breaks you kind of can push it back and use it, but it's going to fall off easily from the component. I have sensitive watery eyes and oily eyelids, but if I prime my eyelids there's no smudging or bleeding.

Greensmoke is a MAC eyeshadow that kind of disappointed me. There's barely any color pay off, and the formula is stiff and dry (or maybe I got a dud). At first application it's very sheer and I need several layers to build some opacity. But there's almost no fallout and the eyeshadow ends up being somewhat buildable. A wet brush might be better for application, but it's not something I do. Once applied, there's barely any shimmer. The color is more like a muddy golden olive, a little bit ashy and cool. I would describe it more like light-medium, it's not a dark color. It can easily be an one and done all over the lid color, but it also looks good with various shades in the crease. The staying power is quite good, doesn't crease or fade for 8-10 hours.

MAC Stubborn Brown is a neutral, maybe slightly warm dark brown, one of those classic colors everyone needs to have in their collection. It's not as rich of a brown as described, it's quite a boring color, but sometimes you need a classic. The pigmentation and opacity is great from the first stroke. Like all MAC Powerpoint pencils it's a slightly creamy formula (while still having some firmness) that glides and smudges easily, but once set stays put on the eyelids. On the waterline it's not that long lasting, it starts fading in a couple of hours and by the end of the day I can't even tell I use it. The pencil sharpens easily and smooth, but I can't get a fine tip. It's good for adding a bit of definition along the lash line, but the creaminess and blunt tip won't allow a fine line (which isn't ideal for people with hooded eyelids). If I want a slightly winged look, I have to use an eyeliner brush to smudge or apply the eyeliner.

MAC Antiqued is a great copper toned eyeshadow, very warm and redish-brown, medium-dark. The pearl finish formula is amazing, easy to pick with a brush, not too much fallout, easy to blend or to pack on the lid. It's a versatile eyeshadow that can work for one eyeshadow look. The pearl finish is very subtle. Unfortunately the redness simply doesn't look flattering on me; but it looks wonderful on so many other people.

Sunbasque is a beautiful warm bronze color, that would be amazing if it wasn't a little bit too dark for my NC20 complexion. It would be definitely more suited for an NC30 and up. Fortunately, while the color has a good pay off, it's also very blendable, so I manage to sheer it out somehow. While in the pan it has some peach copper tones, on me it translates into a deep warm bronze / terracotta, with very subtle hints of pearl. I use it more as a blush-bronze crossover. Surprisingly, it never emphasized my pores or texture.

MAC Dazzle Style is a beautiful sparkling golden bronze. It's an eyeshadow I often received compliments for, from colleagues, to cosmeticians, optometrists or perfect strangers. The formula is hard to work with, but the way it looks always makes me forget about the troubles. The color is a very classic antiques bronze, neutral-warm, more brown than redish, with obvious golden sparkles. The texture in the pan is soft, almost cushioned, but upon using a brush it flakes in quite big chunks. There's a lot of fallout with the shadow, both upon application and during the day. And the fallout is very hard to clean without making a mess. I wouldn't recommend this eyeshadow to people with sensitive eyes, the particles are easy to fly around and irritate the eyes. While the pay off starts quite sheer, it's an eyeshadow easy to build to full opacity. Applied sheer on top of other eyeshadows it adds a diffused sparkle. But it can be packed with a brush to full opacity and can be used for an one eyeshadow look. The eyeshadow is easy to apply both with fingers and with a brush. I like it best with a stiff synthetic packing brush.

Shadowy Lady is one of those MAC more stiff/dry matte eye shadows. The formula is slightly harder to pick up with brushes, has almost no fallout and it's quite tricky to blend. It's easy to get a somewhat patchy result, but it's a workable formula with good brushes and blending skills in the end. It's a buildable formula, I can easily play from sheer to full opacity. In the pan the color is a cool toned dark plum, but once applied in a look it becomes a generic dark color, vaguely distinctly plum. It's a versatile color, works from blending in the crease to packing on the eyelid. I like it better as an eyeliner, applied closely to the lash line; it adds definition with that extra something of not being a full black. Once applied it stays put all day, no creasing or longevity issues, especially when using a primer.