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MAC Is Sailing Into a New Bronze Age: A Look at the MAC Hey, Sailor! Bronzing Powder in Soft Sand and Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder in Nude on Board

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mac pro longwear bronzing powder
Wearing MAC Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder in Nude on Board

I love bronzer. I do. And I wear it almost every single day to give my skin some extra warmth and definition. For sculpting, the general rule (of course, rules are meant to be broken) is to apply it to the areas of your face that naturally recede, like the hollows of your cheeks or your temples, and also to enhance your prominent places, and the areas of your face that you’d like to make more prominent (sometimes with the help of a highlighter), which are often cheekbones, brow bones and the bridge of your nose.

The MAC Hey, Sailor! collection features four limited edition powder bronzers, two in the MAC Bronzing Powder line ($24 each in Soft Sand and Refined Golden), and two MAC Pro Longwear Bronzing Powders ($28 each in Nude on Board and Sun Dipped).

This week I took two of them out for a spin, the Bronzing Powder in Soft Sand and the Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder in Nude on Board, the later being the one that really caught my eye.

Now, I’ve used the MAC Bronzing Powders before and like them just fine, but I do prefer some of MAC’s other bronzers, namely the Careblend Powders from last year’s Surf Baby collection, which feel smoother to me, with finer grains and, to my eye, I think they look more natural on my skin.

We didn’t get any new Careblends this time around (bummer), but that doesn’t mean MAC left us in the lurch. I think we got something equally great in the Pro Longwear Bronzing Powders, and I’ve been obsessively using and loving Nude on Board, one of the two Hey, Sailor! Longwear shades, this entire week.

The MAC Bronzing Powder in Soft Sand and Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder in Nude on Board

Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder in Nude on Board ($28)

I love the way this bronzed yellow’s sheen works with my NC42 skin. Like last year’s Careblends, the finish looks flawless, and the lightweight formula blends easily on bare skin and atop foundation.

Oh, and so far, no breakouts (knock on wood!). 🙂
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A (an A+ if my skin stays clear)

Bronzing Powder in Soft Sand ($24)

I’ve also worn Soft Sand a few times this week, one of the two Hey, Sailor! powders from MAC’s Bronzing Powder line, and I like it just fine.

No problems blending, and I think it looks natural, but it also feels a little grainier and takes a couple more minutes to blend. It’s a fine bronzer, but I think you get a lot for the extra $4 MAC charges for the Pro Longwear Bronzers.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B

mac nude on board pro longwear bronzing powder
Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder in Nude on Board, $24

mac nude on board pro longwear bronzing powder
Pro Longwearing Bronzing Powder in Nude on Board

mac soft sand pro longwear bronzing powder
Bronzing Powder in Soft Sand, $24
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With the MAC Hey, Sailor! Pigments, Everything Old Is New Again

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mac naval blue
MAC Hey, Sailor! Pigment in Naval Blue

Here at Tabs the Cat Industries, LLC, Tabs insists that we recycle as much as we can — paper packaging, plastic bottles and jars, aluminum Fancy Feast cans.

He’s very eco-conscious that way.

And yet while he’s a big (literally) advocate of household recycling, he generally opposes the recycling of products within MAC’s limited edition collections.

Personally, I’m okay with seeing certain colors pop up every now and again. In some cases they’re a reminder to stock up!

But Tabs says otherwise. With him and makeup it’s always, “Meow! Meow! Meow!” (“New! New! New!”)

You know fashion-forward feline supermodels… Always trying to stay ahead of the trends. 🙂

I could feel him looking over my shoulder this afternoon, judging me, as I played with the new MAC Hey, Sailor! Pigments in Old Gold and Naval Blue ($21 each).

If you’ve been following MAC for a while, both colors might look familiar. Old Gold is a re-promoted shade from MAC’s permanent line, and Naval Blue, a limited edition color, launched earlier this spring with the MAC Chenman collection.

MAC gave them snazzy striped outfits (cute!) this time around, and then raised the price of each one by $1.

Sure, neither one breaks new ground here…but that doesn’t make me like them any less.

The two MAC Hey, Salior Pigments

Old Gold

MAC calls Old Gold highly frosted and tarnished, which accurately describes the way I think it looks on my NC42 skin, although I also see flashes of green in it from time to time. I love it.

It’s like it turns on a light behind my eyes, and it looks ah-may-zing with bright green shadows like Fresh Flare.

Picture a darker, greener version of MAC’s Gorgeous Gold Eyeshadow, and you’ve got Old Gold.

Super pretty, but take it for a spin at a counter first if you have very cool undertones, because it can be quite warm.
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

Naval Blue

Now, if you took MAC Deep Truth, darkened it, turned up the intensity, and added tiny silver sparkles, you’d create a color just like Naval Blue.

Interestingly, I think it looks bluer and less purple on me than it did when I had less of a tan.

I do think it’s pretty, but it’s probably not something I’d wear all over my lids to Trader Joe’s. Instead, I’ll wear it as a liner, applying it with a wet MAC 266 brush along my upper lash line for a cat eye look.
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B

mac old gold naval blue swatches
Swatches from the left: Deep Truth, Naval Blue, Gorgeous Gold, Old Gold and Goldmine

mac naval blue
Naval Blue

mac old gold
Old Gold
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Funny — These MAC Suntint SPF 20 Liquid Lip Balms Have a Dry Sense of Humor

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MAC au rose

I was totally expecting to fall in love with these new limited edition $16 MAC Suntints because 1) I’ve been enjoying everything I’ve tried from the MAC Hey, Sailor! collection so far, and 2) I really liked last summer’s Suntints from the Surfbaby release, but the three new shades, well…

They just aren’t doing it for me.

MAC abalone
Abalone

MAC sea mist
Sea Mist

mac sun tints
Suntints SPF 20 Liquid Lip Balm from the left: Sea Mist, Au Rose and Abalone, $16
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Shore Enough, the MAC Hey, Sailor! Blushes Are Softer Than Usual Summer Fare

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mac fleet fast

I love blush more than drag queens love high heels, more than club kids love glow sticks, and more than cat ladies love fat, fluffy kittens with blue eyes and pink collars with rhinestones.

Coral and warm peach blushes are frequent summer stars, like the two $21 limited edition Powder Blushes from the MAC Hey, Sailor! collection, available online now at maccosmetics.com and coming to North American counters and stores May 24.

It’s interesting, but peachy Launch Away! and pinkish golden coral Fast Fleet aren’t what I typically expect from summer blushes. Maybe that’s why I like them so much.

I’m used to seeing brighter colors and bolder shimmer on cheeks in summer, but these babes seem fairly subdued by comparison, with a low-key soft focus satin finish.

Both are very forgiving, especially when it comes to my pores and fine lines, and they last an admirable 8-10 hours on my combination dry/oily cheeks.

The two new Hey, Sailor! Powder Blushes

Launch Away!: If you like NARS Sex Appeal blush, you just might love this easy-to-blend peach. It takes two layers to show up on my NC42 skin, but if you’re lighter than I am, you could easily get away with one. Launch Away! might not play well with very dark skin tones, but pale pretties who like the way they look in warm colors are in luck.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A

Fast Fleet: One light layer of this pigmented pinky golden coral delivers plenty of color. I love how it doesn’t compete for attention with the intense orange and red lip colors in the Hey, Sailor! collection, and I can’t wait to pair it with some of my bright MAC permanent line lip faves like Lychee Luxe, Cockney and Lady Danger. If you wear bold reds or coral lip looks often, ding-ding-ding! We have a winner here. 🙂
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+

mac fleet fast
Wearing Powder Blush in Fleet Fast

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The Many Highlights of MAC High-Light Powder in Crew

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mac hey sailor high light powder

Don’t tell the rest of my makeup this…but I’ve been showing product favoritism toward highlighting powders lately, as evidenced by the forlorn, shimmery creams and liquids gathering dust in the corner of my office.

Currently docked in the port of my daily makeup bag? The new MAC Hey, Sailor! Highlight Powder in Crew ($29).

mac crew highlight powder
High-Light Powder in Crew, $28

The four purple, pink, orange and yellowish beige shades in this superfine pressed powder swirl together seamlessly, creating a combined color that adds a peachy, pinkish beige glow to the skin.

No glitter here! Crew’s pearly sheen glows softly, like light passing through a seashell (very Becca-esque). From some angles, I think it even looks matte.

And second to the snazzy design on the pan, the finish is my favorite thing about High-Light Powder in Crew.

It’s just so forgiving! — unlike highlighting powders super high in shimmer and shine, which can call attention to every single flake and pore on my cheeks. Crew, on the other hand, makes my skin glow without highlighting (pun intended) every imperfection.

It’s a fresh-faced look, like I’ve been tooling around the Bay on a sailboat with Detective Stabler, the wind sweeping my hair as we share guava mimosas and feed each other grapes and cheese.

Mmm…cheese (SIDE NOTE: the non-dairy experiment is not going well).

mac hey sailor high light powder

mac crew highlight powder

mac hey sailor swatches highlighter blushes
High-Light Powder in Crew; Powder Blush in Fleet Fast and Launch Away!
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The MAC Hey, Sailor! Lipglasses Present, “Sailing on a Riviera Life” (Starring Ryan Gosling)

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mac riviera life lipglass
Hey, Sailor! (That never gets old.) Why yes, I am wearing MAC Riviera Life Lipglass

Oh. My. Gawd! You’re not gonna believe this (and you’d be wise not to), but I had a run-in with Ry-Ry! It was yesterday in line at Starbucks. There I was, just minding my own beeswax, when in walks Mr. Ryan Gosling himself!

He had on a tight white t-shirt, drawstring linen capri pants and a pair of brown boat shoes. I couldn’t see his rippling abs through his t-shirt…but I knew they were there. Watching me.

So he walks over, right? Right over to me, because I’m the last person in line, and says, “Can I buy you a drink?”

I’m like, “Shyeah!”

I tell him I’ll take a Grande Soy Chai Latte — no foam, please — and he asks if I want to go out sailing on his schooner.

I don’t know what a schooner is, but what the hell am I gonna say — no? I tell him, “Sure, Ryan, but before we go, I gotta touch up my Lipglass.”

He says, “No worries, boo. I hope you like the Riviera, because that’s where we’re going. Flight leaves in an hour.”

“…”

I’m shocked. Totally speechless. And then it hits me — what about my cat!? El Hub will probably understand — I mean, it’s Ryan Gosling! — but Tabs?

And then, as if sensing my concern, Ryan gently places his finger on my lips and says, “If you’re worried about Tabs, he can come too.”

I just about died!

But then I woke up. 🙂

mac send me sailing
Send Me Sailing (please, Ryan?)

Talk about rude awakenings. But I still felt somehow close to Ryan in that moment, like, connected by the dream, so I shut my eyes really tight and wished for the dream to come true…

Sure enough, it worked!

Well, mostly. Not the part about Ryan Gosling (damn!), but the part about the Lipglass from the MAC Hey, Sailor! collection.

The five $15.50 Lipglasses in the release drop anchor on MAC counters and maccosmetics.com on May 24. They range from pale to bright warm shades of peach, coral and orange, punctuated by red and gold.

The MAC Hey, Sailor! Lipglass lineup includes…

  • Cut Loose: a white golden pearl
  • Orange Tempera: a pale peach
  • Riviera Life: a bright tangerine
  • Blessedly: a pale, rich coral
  • Send Me Sailing: a bright yellowish red

Here are my thoughts on three of the five Hey, Sailor! shades…

Send Me Sailing: A heat spell hits Russian Red! I feel like I’ve been waiting decades for a color like this — a warm-toned version of Russian Red Lipglass!

It lasts for hours, but when it does eventually wear off, it leaves behind a beautiful deep red matte stain on my lips. So pretty!

I think it looks beyond gorgeous on top of MAC Cockney and Lady Bug lipstick.

Sure, because it is so pigmented, it likes to migrate, but I work around that by lining my lips first with a lip liner like Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Throw Me a Line!, also from MAC Hey, Sailor! But any yellowish red liner should do. You might try MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Kiss Me Quick…whose name reminds me of The Cure.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+

Riviera Life: If you like Caqui from the Blogger’s Obsessions collection or Morange lipstick from MAC’s permanent line, you might like this opaque, bright tangerine orange as much as I do.

It’s spiced with fine flecks of golden shimmer and hasn’t met an orange, coral or reddish coral lipstick in my collection that it doesn’t like to be layered with. You might try it with MAC Lady Danger, So Chaud or Crosswires.

One layer lasts for hours, until it leaves behind an orange lip stain (almost like getting two MAC products for the price of one).

OOH! I just thought of something I’d like to try… What about pairing Riviera Life with an eye look of nude shadow on the lids and a couple layers of blue mascara? I think that sounds like fun. 🙂
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+

Orange Tempera: I like this creamy pale peach just fine — it’s much lower maintenance than the other shades I’ve tried — but I feel like MAC cheesed out by re-releasing this color so soon after the Fall Colour collection.

It layers like a champ, but I find myself using it sparingly. If I’m not careful, it can look milky on my lips.

As a side, doesn’t it seem like MAC recycles colors more often than they used to?
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B

mac orange rivera life send me sailing lipglass
Lipglasses from the left: Orange Tempera, Riviera Life and Send Me Sailing, $15.50 each

mac hey sailor swatches lipglasses
Orange Tempera, Riviera life and Send Me Sailing
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Ahoy, Sailor! MAC Hey, Sailor! Collection Swatches and Pics

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mac hey sailor

Hey, Sailor! Come here often!?

Exclamations abound in MAC’s latest limited edition summer release, a fairly sizable collection of 38 pieces for lips, eyes, faces, cheeks and bodies that sails into port (and onto North American MAC counters) May 24.

The crew, a rabble of ragtag repromoted products and first-time sailors, also features two maritime makeup bags — the $35 Gone Sailing Makeup Bag Set and $45 Gone Sailing Tote, both of which also drop anchor on May 24.

The crew’s fancy limited edition uniforms must cost more than MAC’s standard threads, because the products are priced slightly higher than normal.

The blue and white striped pieces are easy to spot from shore, and all of the packaging feels very crisp and clean to me. I like. 🙂

You can really see the striped pattern in the High-Light Powder pan; the pattern reminds me of a sailboat’s sails.

If the name of the collection sounds familiar (“Hey, Sailor!”), it was also the name of a Lustreglass from 2008’s Naughty Nauticals, another maritime MAC summer collection, and that’s not the only thing recycled here.

The pigment in Naval Blue also set sail in spring’s Chenman collection, and the Refined Golden Bronzer also went MAC To The Beach in 2010 (In Hey, Sailor!, I think the Refined Golden Bronzer appears more matte and less sparkly than it did when it went MAC To The Beach). Then, it was a Surf Baby the following year.

Orange Tempera Lipglass also sailed with 2011’s Fall Colour Collection, and the Beach Body Oil (To The Beach) served alongside the Refined Golden Bronzer in 2010 when MAC went To The Beach.

That’s a lot of sailing! And a lot of exclamation marks, too. The ship is rife with ’em, yargh! Hey, Sailor! Salute! (a neutral peach lipstick) when a superior officer enters the bridge. While you’re at it, Throw Me a Line! (a bright red lip pencil), and Launch Away! (a peach blush). Give me full power and every exclamation mark ye got!!!!!

The first time I heard about this collection, because of the name, I thought it might be related to the cool-toned Naughty Nauticals release, but now I don’t think that’s the case at all.

From the 23 pieces I’ve seen, Hey Sailor! features far fewer cool-toned blues, purples and pinks. The collection seems warmer to me, more like a traditional summer release, with its golds, corals, peach and tan. Of course, MAC had to add a twist with the kelly green and navy blue, which seem to give the release a preppier vibe. This sailor guy/girl probably wears J. Crew and Ralph Lauren more often than Roxy and O’Neil.

Here’s the shipping manifest some product pictures and swatches, as well as some action shots of the crew. 🙂

mac hey sailor

mac hey sailor eyeshadows
Eye Shadows, $16 each

mac hey sailor eyeshadows
Eye Shadows from the left: Barefoot, Jaunty, Feeling Fresh

mac naval blue old gold
Pigments, $21 each
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