The MAC Nutcracker Sweet Holiday 2016 Collection

M∙A∙C Nutcracker Sweet
Available online October 20, 2016
Available in stores on October 27, 2016 through December 8, 2016
#MACNutcrackerSweet

This is gonna sound pretty band-geeky of me (well, I was a band geek), but some of the best flute parts EVER are in the MAC…

Wait — the MAC?

I almost said “in the MAC Nutcracker Sweet,” what!

I meant to say, “in the [actual] Nutcracker Suite,” as in the piece of music from the ballet, and I know this because I played it in high school.

Nutcracker Sweet! In MAC’s case, it’s spelled S-W-E-E-T, and if that doesn’t get your attention, I don’t know what planet you’re from. 🙂 Because I love sweet things, and this collection is definitely sweet.

MAC always goes big for the holidays. This post is just about the color collection. There are also a bunch of kits and sets which I’ll be wearing and testing over the next week.

So what do you think of the limited edition packaging?

I think it’s SO pretty — the bright pink, plum and those touches of gold. Right away, my eyes went BIG, and not just because I spotted three of my favorite liners of all time — Prunella, Powersurge (don’t even get me started about Powersurge) and Feline. Yes, they’re re-promotes, I know, but there are also some new things in this collection, like the Magic Dust Eye Shadows, which are indeed magically dusty, but not in a bad way. More like magic makeup fairy dust.

Seriously, why aren’t all MAC eyeshadows like these? They’re smooth, sensationally soft, and when I was swatching them, I kid you not, I just kept going ooh, ah, give it to me…

OK, that sounded kind of nasty…

Let’s just start with the lip products, shall we?

Lips…

Cremesheen Lipstick in Kingdom of Sweet ($18)

WHAT IS IT? I usually shy away from creamy, pale pastel pinks like Kingdom of Sweets because they’re infinitely difficult to wear, especially if you have dry lips. They settle into my fine lip lines, but Kingdom of Sweets doesn’t.

SHOULD YOU GET IT? Yes. Hell, yes. I hardly ever wear colors like this, but I want to wear this one right now. It’s smooth, comfortable and easy to use, which are all the things I want from a pale pastel pink lipstick.

Matte Lipstick in Flamboyish ($18)

WHAT IS IT? I wanna be Flamboyish! This hot pink is BRIGHT, and it reminds me a lot of Candy Yum Yum, which, I believe, is slightly lighter.

SHOULD YOU GET IT? I’m on the hot pink train, toot-toot! Destination Hot Pink Matte Lipstick-ville. So yes, I would hop on the Flamboyish train. It’s smooth for a matte, which, as you know, can be difficult to wear. It’s also opaque.

Amplified Creme in Saucy Little Darling ($18)

WHAT IS IT? Did they name this one after my daughter? They might’ve. Saucy Little Darling is a deep coral red — more coral than red — and I LOVE the MAC Amplified finish.

SHOULD YOU GET IT? I say yes. Well, I’m a coral fiend, but I’m very particular about my corals. This one has a happy brightness to it that I like.

Matte Lipstick in So Good For You ($18)

WHAT IS IT? If cool-toned reds are good for you, this one should be SO good for you.

SHOULD YOU GET IT? Hmm… There are so many fabulous MAC reds, and this one really pops, but I don’t know if it’s different enough than classic reds like MAC Russian Red and MAC Red.

I think it’s cool, but if you already have an extensive MAC red collection, you might not need this one.

Matte Lipstick in Leap of Delight ($18)

WHAT IS IT? Leap of Delight is a tube of deep, dark plummy lusciousness…

SHOULD YOU GET IT? Leap of Delight isn’t a color I would normally wear out of the house, because of how dramatic and opaque it is, but if want a dark purple that makes you feel like a bad-@ss while you do housework, this is the one to get. I wore it around the house while folding towels the other day.

Oh, it’s also a little drying.

Eyes…

Magic Dust Eye Shadow in Dance Flowers Dance ($23)

WHAT IS IT? Incidentally, shimmery light pink Dance Flowers Dance does make me want to dance with flowers. It’s one of the new Magic Dust Eye Shadows, which are super soft and fine.

They feel a lot like the MAC Extra Dimension Eye Shadows but are even softer, if you can imagine that, and I love the finish. They have a lovely satiny sheen that’s noticeably softer than a frost.

SHOULD YOU GET IT? I think you should. It’s always good to have light pinks around, especially to use in your inner corners to brighten your eyes. Because this one isn’t too frosty, it won’t emphasize any fine lines that might be lurking in that area.

Magic Dust Eye Shadow in Pretty Dainty ($23)

WHAT IS IT? Pretty Dainty is a dainty coral pink with subtle shimmer in it. It looks a little like MAC Sushi Flower.

SHOULD YOU GET IT? Well, if you don’t have Sushi Flower. 🙂 It’s very easy to blend, and I like how it brightens my eyes. I’m wearing it in my crease in some of these pics.

It’s a great transition shade, too, if you want to use something other than a brown.

Magic Dust Eye Shadow in Rabblerouser ($23)

WHAT IS IT? Rabblerouser is an intensely bright hot pink, but it isn’t as shiny as the other Magic Dust shadows in the collection. I’d say it’s closer to a satin…

SHOULD YOU GET IT? If you’re tired of wearing browns in the crease, yes, Rabblerouser is a fun alternative. It sounds like it would be the thug of the collection, but it’s not! It gets along well with the other colors.

Hot pink can be difficult to wear on your lids, but Rabblerouser isn’t.

Magic Dust Eye Shadow in Forward March ($23)

WHAT IS IT? Forward March is a peachy golden shimmer that reminds me of a pressed version of MAC Melon Pigment.

SHOULD YOU GET IT? I think you should. It really looks lovely with browns, golds and purples. If you’re a warm eyeshadow person, it’s a must.

Magic Dust Eye Shadow in Dark Lullaby ($23)

WHAT IS IT? Dark Lullaby is a deep purple with a hint of subtle shimmer. It’s a little like MAC Trax, but without the patchiness or the gold flecks.

SHOULD YOU GET IT? Yes, if you like gorgeous purples that are super soft, easy to blend and easy to work with.

Magic Dust Eye Shadow in Mustache ($23)

WHAT IS IT? Mustache is a deep black with tiny flecks of gold glitter.

SHOULD YOU GET IT? Mustache deposits more fallout than the other shadows in the collection, but it’s not a big deal. It’s still easy to blend.

Of all the shadows in the collection, though, it’s probably the toughest one to work with for me.

Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline ($16.50)

WHAT IS IT? Feline is a super dark and smudgy black kohl liner with a fantastic name. 🙂 Love it.

SHOULD YOU GET IT? Yes, you should get it right meow, especially if you like smudgy liner looks, because this cat likes to move.

Eye Kohl in Prunella ($16.50)

WHAT IS IT? Prunella is a plummy purple.

SHOULD YOU GET IT? Yes, if you don’t have it already, and particularly if you have brown eyes, because it does werk with brown eyes.

Eye Kohl in Powersurge ($16.50)

WHAT IS IT? Powersurge is a bronzed brown with golden shimmer.

SHOULD YOU GET IT? Well, I have, like, three of these in my makeup bag right now. Yes, you should get Powersurge. I recommend it to people all the time. I love using it to define my eyes on my lower lash line because it doesn’t make my eyes look smaller like a lot of darker liners do.

Cheeks…

Magic Dust Powder in Yum Yum Yum ($23)

WHAT IS IT? Magic Dust Powder in Yum Yum Yum is a soft pink powder with super fine golden pearl.

SHOULD YOU GET IT? Oh, yeah. Another happy pink, Yum Yum Yum is kind of like getting a blush and highlighter in one.

Magic Dust Powder in Sweet Vision ($23)

WHAT IS IT? Magic Dust Powder in Sweet Vision is a pinky peach with golden pearl.

SHOULD YOU GET IT? You should! — if you like gold and NARS Orgasm, because it’s like a golden Orgasm. It’s a little disco, but I love it.

Swatches…

This collection makes me wanna dance. I love the plums, peaches, purples and the touches of gold, and most of it’s easy to wear.

Next up? The holiday kits and sets.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen