I’ve been staring at this pan for 10 minutes, and now all I can see is a red crescent moon with a milk mustache…
Clearly, someone here needs more ?? sleep.
This pretty pan is MAC Pearlmatte Face Powder in First Waves from the new MAC Min Liu collection.
You probably know how face powders like this work. You mix all of the colors together, brush the blend on cheeks, and go about way, gleefully taking names and kicking butt.
This pan, though, has an unexpected melange of shades. There’s a pearly red, a pink and a grayish beige.
Wait — did she say “grayish beige”?
Yes, yes she did.
Question for you: would you put a grayish beige on your cheeks?? I tell ya, I didn’t think I would, but then I mixed the shades together, and put it on anyway.
To test.
Well, the combined color is pigmented…which is a plus, but there’s something a little off about what that grayish beige does, and I can’t say that I love the way it works on my warm skin.
I wonder how it’ll work on cool-toned skin, because I can’t tell. Some cooler-toned highlighters are more silvery than gray, but this one’s definitely more the other way.
“Undead” is the word that keeps coming to mind… It’s unique, I’ll give it that.
The verdict
That’s one heck of a gorgeous pan. If it were bigger, I might even hang it on my wall — but I’m not too crazy about how the color looks on my cheeks.
A few notes on the Min Liu for MAC Makeup Bag and Brush Bag
The roomy $35 makeup bag feels like a silky, satin bomber jacket, and when you open it up, BAM! — there’s a pop of gold inside.
The $52.50 Brush Bag is made from the same soft material as the Makeup Bag, too. Technically, it’s a brush roll with a mini powder brush, an angled liner brush and a fluffy eyeshadow brush.
In my experience, MAC LE mini brushes are always soooo tempting because of the good value they appear to be, but they’re often scratchier and less dense than MAC’s full-size brushes.
Unfortunately, that’s also the case here. Speaking for myself, I’d probably skip it.
If you’re curious, all of these items will be available online and in stores from April 20th to June 1st.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
thank you so much for posting your thoughts on the powder. I’ve been eyeing it since I first say the promo pics.
You’re welcome! There’s some other beautiful things in the collection; I liked the red lipstick and gloss. The pink gloss was great too! And surprisingly I looooved the pink eyeshadow (the silver one, not so much… too chunky).
Launching a day after my birthday… sigh. I’ve been eyeing this powder to be honest. x
It’s really pretty to look at. And who knows? Maybe that grayish undertone will work for you.
Looking forward to the red lips. Not sure how many more shades of red lippies mac can come up with. But ill but them. Im a sucker for red lips!!
Hi Donna,
The red lipstick and gloss are SUPER pretty. Plus the tassels are a nice touch.
Do you have a fave red lippie?
Yes YSL#9. Not sure what the line us but its,a beautiful liquid red shade thats supposed to work with all skintones.
Hm. Everything in this collection is hm for me. The powder looks pretty, but I rarely use these swirl everything together items anyway. Is is greyish all the way or maybe just an overspray?
It’s grayish all the way and not just an overspray, which is interesting.
Meh, nothing here excites me. The powder is beautiful to look @ but I have warm undertones. I like red & pink lippies but have enough, so this is a big pass.
Hi Lisa,
It sure is nice to look at though, right?
Hope you’re having a lovely Friday so far.
Definitely not for my coloring, but it’s so pretty!
Isn’t it beautiful? It’s like a work of art.
I hope you’re having a lovely Friday so far. What’s the plan for the weekend? We’re going to my parents’ on Sunday to celebrate Easter, and tomorrow I’m making a low-carb lasagna and lemon bars to bring.
I’m neutral to cool toned and rather fair. Wonder how the powder would work on my skin.
Nothing in this collections excites me. I hate MAC LE brushes, the quality just isn’t there.
But that tassel! Just give me half a dozen tassels and let me put them on the zipper pulls of my purse, makeup bag, leather jacket….
I’m a child of the 60s, what can I say? Fringe, tassels, paisley!
I keep seeing girls wearing tassel earrings and I’m so tempted to get a pair! Have you seen those? They’re pretty and colorful. I’m afraid to make the plunge because Tabs will probably attack them.
I’ve seen these http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/baublebar-pinata-tassel-earrings/4361645?origin=category-personalizedsort&fashioncolor=LIGHT%20PINK%20DRUSY%2F%20GOLD
and these
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/baublebar-tratar-drop-earrings/4532875?origin=category-personalizedsort&fashioncolor=BRONZE%20VEINED%20TURQUOISE%2F%20GOLD
But I hear they’re fairly heavy. And the piercing on my left ear is already lower from carrying Baby Girl on my left hip and having her tug at my earrings. After 20+ years it has never recovered.
But if I could find something lighter that was still colorful and a bit sparkly I’d be all over it.
And oh yeah, I need a longer neck to wear, long drop earrings.
This collection looks so beautiful! I just love the tassels on everything and the compact looks beautiful too. It actually doesn’t look bad swatched on you either but I’ll definitely take your word for it. I’m not a fan of gray anywhere on my face lol!
I love the design and I like the color. I’m more cool toned for sure so it might be worth swatching to see how different it looks!