OK…as someone who has worn very little makeup for the past three months, this feels like a lot of look for me (between the teal eyes and the orangey red lips).
But I guess if you’re gonna jump into the pool, you might as well just jump, right? You don’t just walk up to the edge and gingerly stick your big toe in, like, “tee-hee! I’m so shy!”
Duuuuude, you gotta cannonball it! You get a running start and go hawd.
That’s what I did today. I’m getting myself back into a makeup rhythm. I’m wearing makeup from MAC Vibe Tribe, which has been out for a while. I believe it showed up in April, and it’ll be on counters till the end of June.
Anyway, every year MAC does a big summer collection, usually with bronzers and eyeshadows and limited edition packaging, and they like to go all out with it. And this year, with Vibe Tribe, they did this interesting coral, teal and brown pattern, which incidentally stirred up some controversy.
MAC says it was inspired by music festivals — Coachella, what have you — but there’s been some chatter about how the styling looks less music festival and more cultural appropriation.
What do you think? First thing I thought when I saw the packaging was Native American design, but I’ve never been to a music festival myself, so I don’t know. Whenever I see pictures online, I usually get a boho/Southwest vibe.
I do have to say, though, I think the packaging is striking, and the pieces are interesting. Take the blue shade in the Wild Horses Eyeshadow Palette ($33), for one. What a beautiful blue… Reminds me of intricate turquoise jewelry.
Right away, first thing I wanted to wear it with was Painted Sunset (which really does look like a desert sunset, by the way!), the warm orangey red lipstick from the collection. The intensity of the blue and the red together feels visually right to me, like the two belong together…like cat ladies and cats, and chocolate and peanut butter.
If you aren’t accustomed to wearing a lot of color, combining a bold blue and an intense red lip like this may feel like you’re going too far and, as of this moment, seeing as how the most I’ve been doing lately has been brows, concealer and mascara, this kindasorta does feel like a lot (too much) makeup to me, but I still like how it turned out.
You know that makeup “rule” that says that you should pair one bold element, whether it’s your eyes or your lips or something else, with toned down makeup everywhere else? Well, in a roundabout way, I feel like I’m following that rule to a degree here by combining a bold eye and a bold lip, because I consider the bold eye and bold lip together as my “one bold element…” LOL! 🙂 So, I dialed back everything else — simple hair, a non-fussy top and very sheer face makeup. I’m wearing a light wash of the coral Painted Canyon Blush and warm golden pink Gleamtones highlighter, both also from Vibe Tribe, and I skipped bronzer and went for minimal foundation instead, rather than full coverage (see the freckles around my eyes?), so there’s nothing to compete with the teal and red.
Just for kicks, I swapped out the red lippie for a peachy nude lipstick shade from the collection called Pure Vanity.
Which look is more your style? The teal eyes with the red lips, or the teal with the nude lips?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I’m so happy to see your beautiful face again, Karen!! I prefer the teal with the nude lips, but the red lips are beautiful on you!
Hi CrystalCandy!
Aww, thanks. It’s been a while (although the last three months feel like they passed in a blink of an eye). How have you been? Good, I hope!
I love the red lippy and the turquoise eye! Gorgeous on your complexion.
Thanks, Bekah. Did you pick up anything from this collection?
I hope you had a nice Monday!
Not yet, but I think I’m gonna spring for the turquoise eye palette and the red lippy! (I want to recreate your look!)
If you do, please send me a pic! I’d love to see it. 🙂
Yay, so glad to see a post from you! Nose boops to Connor Claire.
Really pretty red. And the packaging… yeah, I can understand why it’s controversial – appropriating what may be a meaningful pattern or art to a particular culture and using it for financial gain (or other purposes) is not cool, even if no harm is intended. It happens a lot though.
Connor sends you sweet baby kisses. She’s chillin’ in her baby gym right here next to my desk and talking up a storm (“Hi, Auntie Chelsea!”).
How was your weekend? Do anything fun?
Quincy and I have been chilling on the couch (I have to limit his couch time because he has a tendency to have accidents on it…) Pretty low-key weekend! Husband and I are currently down to one car due to a traffic accident, so I’ve been staying at home more. A friend of mine just got back in Michigan today after spending 5 weeks studying in Quebec, so we went out to eat 🙂 Definitely nice to see her!
The problem with using festivals for inspiration is that they’re rife with cultural appropriation, Native American headdresses and all. I’m not qualified to say this is or isn’t appropriation, but it shouldn’t be difficult for a company with MAC’s resources to do some due diligence. ‘I didn’t know’ and ‘that wasn’t our intention’ aren’t good enough when information is so easy to come by these days.
That said, you look great! I prefer the nude lip, but you look good in bold lip colours as well (I’m jealous; I can’t pull those off at all).
Teal eyes and red lips look smashing on u!! Loved reading this kind of post from u after a long time!
I think it’s cultural appropriation. Anyone looking at it (and the names!) would think Native American and not Coachella. There’s no music association at all. I wish Mac would have copped to that, because it’s a nice collection that I don’t feel I can ethically buy from now. Looks nice on you though!
I like the packaging but I think the models and ads went a little too far. I love that teal eyeshadow though!
Have you ever seen this, Karen?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_srHhwbc9Ng
Totallly the teal eyes and the coral lips, that looks so pretty together!
Youre so charming and beautiful!
The Hot Chocolate lipstick is my favorite in this collection.
Ive missed your posts on Mac stuff. I was literally checking your old posts for Mac must haves because of their sale (which is also being matched by Nordstrom).
So good to see you back with your ‘one bold element’ Karen. Love ya babe <3
That orangey red is so my kinda red.. I am so into Orange ans orangey reds these days.
You tribal queen, you! 🙂 Love Painted Canyon and Pure Vanity.
So good to see you post more, Karen! Your makeup looks are always an inspiration to me!
I really like the bold eye and the bold lip look, they really go together nicely!
I don’t really understand the perceived problems with the packaging design. Everything in the world is influenced by what already exists and what has been designed in the past – designers take their influences from all sorts of reference points. In fact the image on Dolce & Gabbana’s summer bronzer compact looks quite like a religious icon to me. The old saying that copying is the sincerest form of flattery stands true! With regards to the colours, I think you look lovely with the teal eyes and red lips Karen! Rock on!
Teal eyes & RED LIPS! Fave. Glad you’re back in the makeup game. This look is stunning. I, too, get a Native American vibe from the packaging. But the packaging is also what makes me want something from the collection. Doubt if I’ll get anything but you look mah-ve-lous, daw-ling! 🙂
I like the packaging, but I don’t care for the way it was marketed. If you’re gonna give props to Native American culture, give props the right way and not under a cloak of “Music Festival” inspired. The collection is clearly not. I believe Charlotte Tilbury has lipsticks called “Coachella Coral” and “Glastonberry” which makes more sense to be music festival inspired. It would have been great for MAC to have an collaboration with a talented Native American artist – the names of the palettes would make more sense.
That said, I do love the colors in the collection and I really love the blush. I visit Arizona every year and love the colors I’m surrounded with.
You look fantastic Karen. Love love the way you paired eyes, lips and cheeks!
There’s your beautiful face!!! I thought I saw you on the train in London today. I swear it was you!! I’m a sucker for nudes but you rock both looks! I heard the charter too and I would’ve never thought of it myself if that makes sense.
I don’t know… I just couldn’t get into this collection, and I normally go ape sh*t for their summer ones. I recently branched into Chanel (because of you, Karen) and I bought their summer quad (gorgeous!) but I’ve already got a good real shadow, a plethora of nude lipsticks, and orange lipstick doesn’t suit me. I was secretly hoping that they would release another collection like the alluring aquatics, that was a really lovely collection.
u look gorgeous Karen! In both looks, but to be honest I would personally not have the guts to wear a bold lip, so I am more inclined to the nude lippie for myself.
can you comment on the formula and texture of the nude color (Pure Vanity)? I am hesitant to order it because all the reviews have said that it is chalky and patchy and difficult to work with. (This was also my experience with the “Enchanted” nudey color in the alluring aquatics collection, and I haven’t gotten a chance to wear it since.)
Love the look with the coral lipstick. Glad to see you’re starting to get into the swing of things.
As I stood in front of the MAC Vibe Tribe display with my 22 yr. old daughter, she said, “Wow, that looks so music festival” When I mentioned complaints of cultural appropriation her response was along the lines of, “music festivals are the original grounds of cultural appropriation”. This from a child who’s been to at least three music festivals. At least those are the ones I know of.
Not sure how MAC should have handled this. I do know that artists borrow, steal and rework imagery wherever they can find it. I even have a book titled, “Steal Like An Artist”
Welcome back, you look great!! So good to see you posting again! Hopefully this collection idea came from a Native American person at MAC, or they’re giving a percentage of the proceeds to a Navajo scholarship fund, reservation social services, etc! That would make it great. I like the nude lip with those bright eyes.
Great to see a post by you !!! Glad you are taking the time with the babe it goes by quickly as im sure everyone has told you, love the teal look with either lippie
Hi Karen, I’m a new (French) suscriber ☺ and I gotta tell you something: I really like reading your articles!!!
As for me, I would go for both bold eyes and bold lips ?… well, I love red lipsticks!!!
I’m looking forward to reading your next article!
HI Karen!
So good to see you doing make-up blogs again!! Love the turquoise eye with the nude lip! Looks so pretty on you. I’m just not much of a bright red lipstick person – I mean it looks fine on other people, for the most part, but it just seems a bit too much for me. I sure miss your daily blogs. You kept us up to date on all the current stuff, and newest tricks, you were my go-to gal. I like the girls that you have, but they’re just not you….. So happy Mommy-hood has made you so content. That is what life is about…
I happen to live in the “if one thing is good, two is better!” camp- I love the teal eyes and red lips. Great to see you posting again, and glad you’re finding Mommy time while being a great Mom.
I’m def a strong lip, minimal eye person – sometimes vice-versa but lipstick is my main makeup vice, and I’m not patient enough to spend time blending out smokey eye looks lol.
It’s great to see you reviewing makeup again, I love seeing your gorgeous face!
I think you look fab, regardless of lip color! 🙂 I’m embarrassed to say that I must be completely socially tone-deaf because, while I immediately got a Southwestern Native American vibe from the packaging (and the names), I still don’t understand why it’s a problem. Because MAC says it’s festival inspired, instead? My heritage is Bavarian but if MAC slaps some lederhosen and edelweiss on a package and says that it’s Sound of Music inspired instead, it wouldn’t faze me in the least. I guess I need to educate myself more on cultural appropriation.
Hi Karen!
Belated congratulations! I want to thank you for your blog, especially the posts where you do the swatches + looks as you wear the same shade of foundation as me so I am able to walk up to my makeup counter and know the general colors that will work for me without having to try everything on and make buying mistakes, particularly with foundations and powders.
Quick question — in a few of you videos you mention Mac Mineralized Skin Finish–what color do you use as you mentioned it’s the best. I’ve purchased these before in the past in medium and medium deep for the summer but it was before they rereleased them and it sounds like they are better than before so I want to try it again and want to get the right color.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Michelle,
It’s so nice to meet you! 🙂 Glad to hear that you enjoy MBB.
Isn’t Mineralize Skin Finish soooo beyond fab? It’s my favorite face powder. The color that I wear is Medium Golden. I used to wear Medium Tan, but for some reason now it goes orange on me after a few hours. I find Medium Golden is more yellow and doesn’t oxidize. HTH, and let me know if you have any other questions.
Awesome, thanks so much for th color name! I have returned so many powders bc of oxidation! Keep up the amazing work!
Xoxo from Paris,
Michelle