I’m working the catwalk every single day, son. Every. Single. Day!
First, they said I was too short, and I was like, “BAM! Here’s your too short.” I’m 5’1″, and I can stomp-walk and hip-pop with the best of ’em!
Look out, Tyra, Naomi and Linda.
Why, just this morning I walked the cat for Proenza Schouler…
Wait — you didn’t think I was talking about actual runway modeling, did you??
GURL! 🙂 I was talking about actually walking my cat. He’s leash trained.
Sometimes it’s more like sitting with my cat, because he doesn’t always like to walk, but still — my take on cat walking is far removed from the world of high fashion.
Today, though, it was a little less far removed from fashion because, get this — I actually wore makeup inspired by the catwalk on my cat walk. 🙂
Enter MAC Proenza Schouler, the brand’s latest fashion collaboration.
Proenza Schouler, the New York-based women’s wear and accessories line, was founded in 2002 by designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez (interesting factoid: they met while attending Parsons School of Design).
The guys are well known for their refined outlook on casual cool girl style, and the 15-piece limited edition collection by MAC seems very much in line with that to me. I certainly see pieces here that cool girls would wear.
With two ombre blushes, four nail polishes, two lip pencils, two eyeliners, four lipsticks and a face brush, all decked out in limited edition packaging, the collection feels dressed up without trying too hard. It’s makeup for gals who like wearing makeup to accentuate a feature or two, and who may not necessarily reach for three different eyeshadows to wear in the crease on the daily. You know what I’m sayin’?
The MAC Proenza Schouler Collection: Some Thoughts…
Availability: Arriving online April 21; at MAC stores and counters April 24; and at international locales some time in April.
Lustre Lipstick in Woodrose ($22)
Lustre Lipstick in Woodrose ($22): LOVE the MAC Lustre formula. My dry lips are like, YES! every time I pull a Lustre lipstick out of my purse. They’re just so blasted hydrating and comfortable.
On me when I wear it by itself, Woodrose, a sheer, silky light beige, can look very cool-toned — almost gray. I have to pair it with either a warmer lip pencil or a gloss to keep from looking like a zombie, but if you crave cool-toned nude beiges, it might suit you well.
Satin Lipstick in Pinkfringe ($22)
Satin Lipstick in Pinkfringe ($22): Technically a Satin, which usually comes with some shine, this cool-toned flamingo pink almost looks like a matte to me. I think I like it more in the tube (so pretty!) than I do on my lips, as it has a knack for settling into my horizontal lip lines and catching on any flakes.
You may have better luck with it than I do if your lips aren’t as dry as mine, but I find myself having to do a lot of prep work to make this one work for me.
Matte Lipstick in Mangrove ($22)
Matte Lipstick in Mangrove ($22): This orangey matte red is cray-cray smooth and darned near flawless. One pass completely covers my lips without a semblance of patchiness or weirdness. I call it a MAC Lady Danger kissing cousin. They’re both very similar, but I think Mangrove is slightly redder and more orange. But not much.
Lustre Lipstick in Primrose ($22)
Lustre Lipstick in Primrose ($22): Like a more pigmented version of Clinique’s classic Black Honey Lipstick, this smooth operator is absolutely beautiful. is absolutely beautiful.
A sheer berry plum Lustre, it’s not exactly the kind of color I’d typically wear in spring/summer, but I’m looking forward to spending quality time with it in fall — early fall, before lips have transitioned to full-on deep and vampy.
I think it would look particularly striking on darker damsels/dudes.
Pro Longwear Lip Pencils and Eyeliners ($21 each)
Pro Longwear Eyeliner in Black Ice ($22): What we have here is a basic black matte liner. On my NC42 skin, I can see the slightest hint of charcoal gray in it, so it’s not a true midnight black, which I guess makes it kinda interesting. This one might be best for the die-hard Proenza Schouler fans who want it more for the packaging than the color, since the shade is already available in the MAC permanent collection. Oh, and FYI — you’re paying a little more for the packaging as the Proenza pencils are $21 each, while the permanent shades are slightly less at $19.50.
Pro Longwear Eyeliner in Rich Experience ($22): Rich Experience, a dark brown liner, is another repromote from the permanent collection. Smooth, creamy, and it dries in a flash, so I like it more for waterlines than lash lines, as I can’t really smudge it as much as I’d like.
Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in High Energy ($22): I love how bright orangey red High Energy (also a repromote) works with Mangrove Lipstick. The Pro Longwear Lip Pencils are generally awesome, ya know? They’re smoother than RyGos, non-drying, and last all day long on my lips.
Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Dynamo ($22): This intensely pink cream lip liner is — you guessed it! — also a repromote. I actually wear this one all the time. EPIC with hot pinks, I think it also plays well with yellow- and blue-based pinks, which is nice.
129 SE Powder Brush ($38.50)
129 SE Powder Brush ($38.50): Wow, almost $40? Really? As far as face brushes go, I think the 129 SE Powder Brush applies powders and blushes just fine, but I don’t know if its skills justify the price. The brush head is a tad narrow for me, and the bristles could be softer (IMO). Also, ya know, I haven’t had the greatest luck with the shorter handled MAC Brushes. Not sure why, but they seem to fall apart sooner than the brushes in the permanent line.
Swatches (for reference, I’m a MAC NC42)
The entire MAC Proenza Schouler collection includes…
- Blush Ombre in Sunset Beach, a pink coral/tan ombre ($30)
- Blush Ombre in Ocean City, a vivid orange/tan ombre ($30)
- Pro Longwear Eyeliner in Black Ice, a rich black ($21)
- Pro Longwear Eyeliner in Rich Experience, a dark brown ($21)
- Lustre Lipstick in Woodrose, a light pinkish beige ($22)
- Satin Lipstick in Pinkfringe, a vivid flamingo pink ($22)
- Matte Lipstick in Mangrove, a bright orange red ($22)
- Lustre Lipstick in Primrose, a sheer berry plum ($22)
- Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Dynamo, a pink cream ($21)
- Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Dynamo, an orange red cream ($21)
- Nail Lacquer in Thimbleweed, a pale nude ($17.50)
- Nail Lacquer in Dayflower, a plum ($17.50)
- Nail Lacquer in Bougainvillea, a bright orange coral ($17.50)
- Nail Lacquer in Nocturnelle, a black cream ($17.50)
- 128 SE Powder Brush ($38.50)
Right now I’m thinking that Mangrove and I are going to have a lot of fun this summer…
OOH! — with some black winged eyeliner. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Thank you so much Karen for these swatches, I see my entire pay check going to Mac, frm this collection to Playland. I am so excited and really want both ombré blushes
Hi Nki!
So glad to hear you are excited by these new collections. Have you been a MAC fan for long? I’ve been wearing the brand since 1996, eek!
Thanks for the lovely pictures. Some of these are fall colors like Primrose. They’re very pretty, but I would wear that in October or November, not now.
Oh, totally. Lots of fall colors here. 🙂
I actually really like Pinkfringe. And your photos are so pretty!
Thanks, lady! Pinkfringe is really pretty. Extra pretty when you layer it with Dynamo lip pencil. 🙂
Is it Friday yet?! LOL
karen’m fascinated by this collection! I need everything! loved
Yay! Glad you like it!
Well, it’s not really fair to judge because you make everything look good! That said, I’m going to show how unfashionable I am by saying that I’m not excited by the packaging. 🙁
It’s Tabs. He makes everybody look great. 😉
You do have a point! 🙂 Our little Frankenbelly could use some Tabs magic. His poor, stitched tum isn’t looking so great after the Nerf dart removal surgery. On the upside, he’s feeling much better!
Such fun packaging on this one! Very refreshing to see it so colorful.
I was told by a MAC MUA that the short handled special edition brushes are made by a machine whereas the permanent long handled crushes are hand made. She indicated that through their MAC brush training that the limited edition/special edition brushes aren’t meant to last. They are meant to be used for a year and replaced. That is why I don’t buy them. At that price point and quality I would much rather purchase the real techniques brushes.
I’m curious about the blushes now!
I am really loving Mangrove, but I already have so many like it. *decisions*
That is the cutest picture of you and Tabs! I was seriously considering skipping the lipsticks but Mangrove is really starting to grow on me. I’m not much of a red or orange lip kinda gal but that’s one beautiful lipstick. I may end up caving. Le sigh.
oh my! I normally don’t fall for LE packaging, but this one is really cool! Sooo waiting for this collection to hit India <3
This looks like a fun collection! The lipstick colors are pretty.
That second pic of you and Tabs is so sweet!
I’ve been a bad pet assistant. It’s been a while since I’ve taken Sir Mingus out on a walk. However, we have no yard or driveway yet in our new house so everything is a muddy mess. Mingy has no problem with it, but I don’t want dirty paw prints on my new carpet!
Love your necklace! Where is it from?
Hi Andi,
I wish I could remember. It was a gift for my husband from several years ago, and it was by an independent designer here in San Francisco. If I ever figure it out I’ll let you know.
I love your necklace, how pretty!
I have been dying to get my hands on the blush ever since I saw the promo pics a month or two ago. I love the Mangrove lippie on you—I will have to bleach my teeth for like 10 days straight before I dare wear that color, though. What price beauty?
you rock primrose! i love these colors but as i age, i think they look more and more harsh on me. i’m glad though that i wore the hell out of ’em in my 20s — daily and to the office! no regrets!
have you (or will you) be reviewing the blushes? i look forward to them, i’ve been wanting to try an ombre blush from mac, but they sell out so quickly…
Hi Lena,
No plans as of now to review the ombre blushes. I have used and liked MAC’s Ombre blushes past collections, though!
“Cool Girl” style, I love it! I just read an article in a magazine about cool girls in film throughout history. And I love the shades!! So pretty!
It feels like I’ve been waiting FOREVER for this collection to come out lol. I’m dying for those blushes!!
Oh, it’s all so beautiful & I love those names! I need the Pinkfringe now!
There are a few things from the collection here that caught my eye, but now I’m confused by the MAC lipstick finishes – some say that the lustres are drying, some that they’re hydrating…since dry lips are a problem for me, I wish I could tell which it was! I don’t use testers in store on my lips (*shudder* and no, MAC people, dipping it in alcohol for 2 seconds does NOT sterilise anything), but since MAC lipsticks are $50 each here with no returns, I don’t want to buy it and find out it’s drying…
Not exactly the biggest life problem ever, but annoying, nonetheless! 😛
I’ve always good luck with the Lustre lipsticks. 🙂 If you’re concerned about hydration definitely get the Cremesheens a go!
I recently got my cat a harness and leash set (my husband begged me to get her one, lol) and she has been out a few times. She was always so curious as to why my dog went outside and she didnt. I may have to get the cat and the dog shoes, I see my dog’s breed on the dog shoes.
Woodrose and Primrose might actually get me to buy MAC even though I have them on ban!
Why, o, why did I look at your pics, you make all the lipsticks look great lol and here I was thinking that all but Mangrove were bleh.
The Ocean City blush looks nice but I’m afraid to see what MAC’s site will look like when MxPS launches
I am thinking Mangrove and maybe the ombre blushes from the collection. I thought MAC Playland was releasing today online, guess not! 🙁
Pink fringe and mangrove from lipsticks and High energy & Dynamo from liners.. 😀 ..Grgsss shades and such a stnning pakcaging.. 😀
MAC is making it large with so many collections back to back!
The lipsticks look great but I don’t think 22 is a good pricing. I’d much rather buy a couple nice matte lipsticks for 15. The rest just seem unjustifiable and not too great:/
Glossedonbeauty.blogspot.com
Hi Karen! Thank you for the review! Would you know the products on the model’s lips? Thanks!
You rock Mangrove!!! I absolutely love the fact that you do not take yourself seriously!!! But you ARE gorgeous, 5’1 and all!!!
LOL, thanks Carole! XO
I’m really excited for the blushes, as they look really bright. Can’t wait to see them in person. You mentioned that your limited edition brushes fall apart sooner. A mac rep told me that they are machine made rather than hand made like the permanent brushes are. Don’t know if that is true, but in my experience (and yours, it seems) they are of a less than great quality.
What blush are you using in these photos? Just gorgeous.
OMG! Your cat is so fat!! Sooo cuteee!!
Btw, the Mangrove lipstick looks gorgeous on you~ ^^
Karen, why is it that all this makeup always look better on you than it does on me???! Argh.
Dear Hot Momma, gasp! we NEED to know what blush you are wearing!!!!?
PLEEEEEEEEAASEE and thank you!