These are the last bits and bobs of the MAC Nutcracker Sweet collection, and I’m kind of relieved, to be honest! I’ve been covering A LOT of MAC Nutcracker Sweet over the past few days…
Here’s a look at the Retro Matte Kits, the Mineralized Kits, the Viva Glam Compact and Viva Glamorous, the Brush Kits and the Face Compacts.
M∙A∙C Nutcracker Sweet
Available online October 20, 2016
Available in stores on October 27, 2016 through December 8, 2016
#MACNutcrackerSweet
First things first, the lip products in the Retro Matte Lip Kits. I’m lovin’ that intensity. You can really see how intense and opaque they are in the swatches.
I’m making grabby hands right now at the Red Kit… That’s my personal standout.
The Retro Matte Kits
Red Kit ($45, retailer exclusive) — Nutcracker Rouge Lipstick (full-size Retro Matte), Fashion Legacy Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour (full size), Upward Black Upward Lash Mascara (full size)
Pink Kit ($45, an online exclusive) — Pandemonium Lipstick (full-size Retro Matte), Bing Bang Boom Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour (full size), Upward Black Upward Lash Mascara (full size)
Plum Kit ($45, MAC stores only) — Dancing Flowers Lipstick (full-size Retro Matte), Oh Lady Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour (full size), Upward Black Upward Lash Mascara (full size)
I thought it was a little odd that the Mineralized Skinfinshes in the Mineralize Kits aren’t full size, because the other two items in each of the kits are (the Mineralize Lipsticks and Lipglasses). It just seems to me that if you’re gonna go full size with a kit like these, go full size, and if you’re gonna go minis, go minis.
The little Mineralize Skinfinish pans are cute, though…
Mineralize Kits
Pink Kit ($55, MAC stores only) — Be Fabulous Mineralize Rich Lipstick (full size), Eloquently Elegant Mineralize Lipglass (full size), Lightscapade Mineralize Skinfinish (mini)
Nude Kit ($55, retailer exclusive) — Pure Pout Mineralize Rich Lipstick (full size), Happiness Mineralize Lipglass (full size), Global Glow Mineralize Skinfinish (mini)
OK, when I was growing up, we always had these tins with butter cookies in them that came in white paper cups, and the designs on these Face Compact pans remind me of them for some reason.
I don’t know… That might be a Filipino thing.
There are two of them — Peach and Copper — and both come with a highlighter and a blush.
The highlighters are REALLY shiny. Too shiny for me, but I do like the sheen I get from the blushes. It’s just right.
Face Compacts
Peach ($35) — Tutu Extra Dimension Skininish, At Dusk Extra Dimension Blush
Copper ($35) — Whisper of Gilt Extra Dimension Skinfinish, Pleasure Model Extra Dimension Blush
Gotta say…I’m not the biggest fan of MAC’s lip compacts. I’m just not a huge fan of lip products in pans in general, but the Viva Glamorous set is pretty cool. It comes with full-size versions of Ariana Grande Lipstick and Lipglass, and a cute bag.
BTW, when you layer the gloss on top of that Lipstick, it’s purr-fection.
Viva Glam
Viva Glamorous ($32, available only at MAC stores and the MAC website) — Viva Glam Ariana Grande Lipstick (Matte), Viva Glam Ariana Grande Lipglass
Viva Glam Lip Compact ($23, available only at MAC stores and the MAC website) — Viva Glam I Lipstick (Matte), Viva Glam II Lipstick (Satin), Viva Glam VI (Lustre)
Lastly, how cute are these brush kits? The brushes are photo ready with those pink handles and the gold and black ends.
Brushes
Essential Brush Kit ($35) — 167 Face Blender Brush, 217 Blending Brush, 266 Small Angle Brush
Mineralize Brush Kit ($52.50) — 188 Small Duo Fibre Brush, 159 Duo Fibre Blush Brush, 287 Duo Fibre Eye Shadow Brush, 283 Duo Fibre Small Eye Shadow/286 Duo Fibre Tapered Blending Brush
Basic Brush Kit ($52.50) — 190 Foundation Brush, 129 Powder/Blush Brush, 213 Fluff Brush, 209 Eye Liner Brush, 316 Lip Brush
Contour Brush Kit ($52.50, only at MAC stores and the MAC website) — 168 Large Angled Contour Brush, 193 Angled Foundation Brush, 221 Mini Tapered Blending Brush, 212 Flat Definer Brush, 204 Lash Brush
And that’s it! We’re done! 🙂
What a big collection… I feel like I just finished back-to-back spin classes.
A few things really stood out to me, like the entire color collection. I pretty much love everything about it. And the Lip Gloss and Lipstick Kits are fantastic values.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the quality of the shadows in the Cool Eye Compact Eye Shadow X 9.
I think this has been one of the most titillating, joyful MAC holiday collections in a while.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Hi Karen! Loved your reviews of this collection but I was just wondering about the quality of the brushes especially the essential kit??
Hey Denise!
The SE brushes in the Essential Kit aren’t as good as the brushes in the permanent line. They’re scratchy and not as dense; save your $ for a full-size MAC brush, or, if you’re looking specifically for a holiday brush kit, head on over to Laura Mercier. Her holiday brush kits are AWESOME. Lemme know if you have any other Qs. 🙂
Karen be honest if you can only buy one lip “kit” would you buy the nude lip bag or the nude lipstick or gloss kit?
Also do you think the blushes worth saving my money?
Heya Efra!
I’d go with the Nude Lipstick Kit. You get a lot of MAC nude lipstick essentials (Whirl, in particular, should look great on you), as well as Nouvelle Vogue, which is gorgeous. So, for the blushes, do you mean the blushes from the Nutcracker Sweet color collection, or the highlighter/blush duo pictured above?
My doubt with the lippies was because I really like how the ones of the bag look, but for the quantity of colors and that cute box you’re right the lipstick kit is a better value the only deal breaker would be Creme cup I think it’s too pale but I’ll swatch it.
I meant the blushes from the color collection, after you said the highlighters in the duos were too shiny I was put ofF, I don’t highlight a lot so something so shiny won’t attract me.
P.S. I didn’t receive a mail that you answer my comment.
So I’m trying to find the elusive “retailer exclusive” Red Retro Matte kit. I had an online chat with MAC and one person said it was showing “in stock” but there must be a glitch because it wasn’t on the website and another told me that there’s no such product. Then I realized that since it says “retailer exclusive” that must mean it’s exclusive to Macy’s or Bloomingdales or Nordstrom, etc. I’ve scoured the major retailer websites and nothing. Have you any idea which retailer will be carrying this?
Hi Cindy,
I spoke with someone over at MAC PR and they said “retailer exclusive” means the kit will be available *only* at retail stores that carry MAC, which I think means it won’t be available at MAC stores or the maccosmetics.com. So, essentially any store that has a MAC counter — Macy’s, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, etc. — should have the kits. I’m unsure about the release dates for the retailer exclusives. Do you live near a Macy’s or Nordstrom or any other store with a MAC counter? I’d call them and ask when they think they’ll be coming in.
Thanks! I also checked the MAC website again and it said that it’s available exclusively at Macy’s, so I’m going to call them about it. Thanks again for checking it out!
Sounds like this time we are spoilt for choice. i really want to get hold of the face compacts.
Hope they launch the same in the Philippines soon.
I’m really loving the look of the face compacts, they’re so cute!
Butter cookies in tin container — I so know what you are talking about and I agree that it might be a Filipino thing. What a funny, nostalgic commection!
Hi Roda,
Did your family save the tins after you finished the cookies? My mom kept her sewing kit in one of the tins, and used the empty ones for various other bits and bobs.
The face compacts feel sooooooo Guerlain 🙂
The only palette I can get on board with (in general) are lip compacts, and the Viva Glam one looks amazing. I might treat myself to that.
You’ve done a really great job – this collection is overwhelming! Butter cookies in a tin (with white paper cups) were definitely a thing. I remember the blue one. One of the cookies was rectangular and looked like a Knight (chess piece) with huge sugar crystals on it. Now you’ve inspired me to hunt them down. HAHA!
Haha, I remember that cookie! I’d pick off the sugar crystals and put the cookie back into the tin. 🙂
HAHA! Oh, that just made me laugh quite loudly. I can just picture Little Karen doing that. At least you didn’t lick them! 🙂
I like the Copper face compact.
Wait, are you talking about Danish butter cookies?
http://www.royal-dansk.com/history/
I don’t think that’s exclusively a Filipino thing, since at least on the East coast those tins are sold at pretty much every convenience store, drugstore, grocery store etc. They’re as common here as maple trees! 😛
I’m about as white as it gets, by the way.
OMG, yes! That was one of them. We also had tins that were red… I can’t remember the name.
It’s been years since I’ve seen those tins in a store!
I know what you mean about the butter cookies — don’t Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies look a bit like that, too?
I ordered the Sweet Peach compact, the Sweet Smoky AND Sweet Plum eye bags, and Leap of Delight lipstick. I might still spring for one or two lip kits (Patentpolish and red, maybe? not a fan of matte lips on myself). And I don’t think I’ve gotten anything from the MAC holiday collections for a couple of years. A few years ago, when I was first getting back into makeup, a MAC SA at Macy’s talked me into getting a holdiday brush set, and it was a real disappointment — just not the same quality as the regular MAC brushes. I wasn’t as bold about returning products then, and I really liked the bag that came with it, so I kept it, but the experience made me wary of MAC holiday sets in general and the brush sets in particular.
I think a lot of people buy holiday sets as a way to sample a brand, so I think brands should really put their best effort forward — and it looks like MAC may have actually done that this year!
Hiya Fran,
Yeah, they kinda look like the Chessmen cookies! My favorites from Pepperidge farm are the Milano and the Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies. I also like the Sausalito, but mostly because I used to live near Sausalito, LOL.
Oh, and I think everyone has that moment with the MAC holiday sets. I bought my first holiday palettes in 2001 (or maybe 2002?), and at the time I just didn’t know any better. All I knew was that I wanted Club eyeshadow, and the thought of getting it with five additional shades rocked my world. I actually still have that palette around here somewhere (I keep it for nostalgia’s sake). It’s black and has faux fur on the front and a dangly bead chain off one of the corners. HAHA!
Anywho, I hope you love the Sweet Plum kit. It’s one of my faves at the moment because of the Paint Pot (try it with Satin Taupe; it’s super pretty). It would also look amazing with NARS Lhasa.
I think it’s going to work well with Tailor Grey; I’m really liking that as my crease/hood/blending shade when I’m using cream eyeshadows — for me, it’s a neutral that goes with most things!
I was really surprised at the quality of the face compacts.
The face compacts are beautiful. But honestly, I feel a little overwhelmed by this whole collection. It launched online yesterday and I put a few items in my cart but haven’t checked out yet, I am not sure what to get!