MAC Jeanius
MAC Lipstick in Pretty Please ($14.50), from the upcoming MAC Jeanius Collection.
For more on MAC Jeanius, peep MAC Jeanius: The Names That Could Have Been.
MAC Jeanius: Pretty Please Lipstick
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The MAC Wonder Woman Collection: A Quick Look at Some of What We’ve Seen Before
The official promo pics and product list are busting down our doors, my fellow wonder women. The limited edition MAC Wonder Woman Collection is still en route (ETA February 10, 2011 in North American; internationally in March), but we just received an emergency makeup cable from the super-heroine’s invisible jet. It reads, “Start the mission without me, ladies! I’ll be there as soon as I fend off the forces of anti-fabulousness that are attacking my jet!”
Since some of the upcoming products in the collection are repromoted items (like Lipstick in Russian Red, Glitter in Reflects Pearl and Penultimate Eye Liner in Rapidblack), I thought we could take an early look at a few of them today.
MAC Wonder Woman: More Than Makeup
The 33-piece themed collection for eyes, face and nails comes with colorful limited edition comic book packaging. In addition to makeup, it contains seriously snazzy accessories like makeup bags, brush bags and even a MAC Wonder Woman T.
Now, because time (and Wonder Woman) waits for no gal, let’s get on with the show. 🙂
From the left: Penultimate Eye Liner in Rapidblack, Glitter in Reflects Pearl and Lipstick in Russian Red
When we see these in the collection, they’ll be all decked out in limited edition red, yellow and blue packaging, but I expect the colors themselves to be the same.
MAC Russian Red Lipstick
One of my favorite old schoolers, this matte bluish red has a vintage ’40s pinup feel that looks hotter than hot partnered with black cat eye liner. I’ve been more than a little obsessed with this color ever since I found out that my other favorite wonder woman, Madonna, wore it on her Blonde Ambition Tour.
I used to wear this color a LOT (I’m a big Madge fan), and have figured out a few ways to get the most out of this impressive matte.
Because matte lipsticks tend to be so thick, they can pinpoint imperfections on the lips, clinging to dry flakes and settling into cracks — it’s something my oh-so-eloquent eighth grade self would have called, “hella gross.”
That’s why I do a lot of prep work whenever I plan to wear Russian Red (or any matte lipstick). The night before, I’ll exfoliating my lips with an old toothbrush to remove any flakes. I like this homemade sugar scrub and Lush Sugar Plum Fairy ($5).
Then, right before bed, I’ll apply a thick layer of moisturizing lip balm and leave it on overnight. I really like Philosophy’s $10 Kiss Me Gloss.
The next morning, after washing my face, I’ll apply another layer of lip balm and let it soak in while I do my eye, cheek and face makeup, saving the lips for last.
Immediately before applying my lipstick, I’ll blot any excess balm away with a tissue or by kissing the back of my hand (LOL!), and then with a precise lip brush like the MAC 316 ($19.50), I’ll do the deed.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+
MAC Penultimate Eye Liner in Rapidblack
I REALLY wish I could get MAC Penultimate Eye Liner in Rapidblack to work for me because it’s one of the longest wearing liners I’ve ever tried. I swear, when I apply this rich, black liquid liner early in the morning, I can sweat like a pig all day long in the summer while I rub at my eyes like a fiend, and it’s still hanging tough at dinner. Amazing.
But (there’s always a but), the stiff pen doesn’t like my butterfingers. I have a hard time scooting the firm, almost rigid tip along my lash lines and find liners with flexible felt tips, like LORAC’s Front of the Line Pro ($22), easier to control.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B-
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MAC Wonder Woman: Saving the World One Lipglass at a Time
Image via Twilight Whisper
Any woman who can fight crime in a bustier, booty shorts and knee-high red boots totally deserves to be honored with a makeup collection.
Yes, I’m talking about the new MAC Wonder Woman collection! 🙂 Buzz has been building for a while…and it’s only getting louder every minute.
The following pics, even if they turn out to be authentic, are fairly low res. The color of everything from the packaging to the products themselves will probably differ significantly from what we’re seeing here, but still — it’s food for thought until we actually see more.
Image via UrCosme
By the look of these promo pics, fearless reader, it looks like MAC is taking a vintage comic book approach to the packaging design, and I’m really feeling the red, gold and blue (no indestructible bracelets, though, boo!).
Some are calling it tacky, and I guess that depends on your outlook. I get bored easily, and I find MAC’s willingness to try things like this refreshingly interesting.
Image via UrCosme
It brings back memories…
I used to watch WW work her Amazonian wiles every day in the Super Friends cartoon, and when the neighborhood kids would gather after school, all the girls would lobby to play Wonder Woman in our pretend version of The Justice League, LOL!
Whoever won got to wear a chunky, faux gold bracelet that one of the girls “borrowed” from her mom. I think there was a time when we had a rope, too (our Lasso of Truth), until one of the dads found out and took it away (killjoy). And we also tried unsuccessfully to secure a tiara and hot pants.
We didn’t only like how WW accessorized. We also loved how she always kicked @ss. Smart, strong and dressed to thrill.
Image via Superherostuff
I plan to relive my childhood comic book dreams with this release. Who’s with me? There’s plenty of room in my invisible jet. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. To see A LOT more on the collection, check out Are You a MAC Wonder Woman?
MAC Jeanius: The Names That Could Have Been
MAC wasn’t the first to don denim for a makeup collection, but they are the first to take the idea this far.
I’m still kicking myself for missing the Jeans de Chanel quad from Coco’s spring 2007 collection, but it looks like I’ll get another chance to exorcise my blue and gray denim demons on March 3, when the new MAC Jeanius Collection saunters onto MAC counters and into MAC stores.
The 16-piece limited edition collection showcases both new and repromoted makeup for eyes, lips and nails, and I’m totally down with idea of a collection filled with blue, pink, purple, white, gray and white, especially one with pans that look like the ones at the top (how cute are those buttons?).
But the more I think about it, the more I wish MAC would have taken the idea even further. Take the product names, for instance. Painted On and Acid Washed are great, but why stop there? Why not go all the way, right? Picture this: a MAC Lipstick in Pajama Jeans. 🙂
While I was standing in line at the post office yesterday, I got to thinking about all of the other jean-themed products MAC could have included in the collection. I don’t know, maybe it was the scent of freshly licked envelopes or the air of desperation in the room (seriously, that line was hella long), but I jotted some down in a list…
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Is MAC Delft a Dupe for Siahi Fluidline from the MAC Mickey Contractor Collection?
With just a couple of days remaining until the big premiere, the new MAC Mickey Contractor Collection (opens Jan. 6 in North America; internationally shortly after that) has a lot of us singing Hooray for Bollywood.
Reader Megan had a question about a product that promises to be one of the stars of the show…
“Do you think Siahi Fluidline is similar to Delft Paint Pot?
 Thanks!”
— Megan
Hi Megan,
Oh, Delft is one of my all-time favorite MAC Paint Pots! I picked it up a few years ago when it was part of the permanent collection, but it seems to have gone MIA since then (at least online).
It’s a shimmery teal with a hint of gold, and it, like the rest of the Paint Pots, feels softer and slightly fluffier than the Fluidlines do to me.
I usually wear the Paint Pots as cream shadows and/or eyeshadow bases, although they’ll double as liners, too.
About Delft, it’s like Siahi’s lighter, greener cousin; however, they both have very different shimmers. Siahi’s looks rather teal to me, while Delft’s is more of a straight up gold.
While I was rutting around in my stash for Delft, I also noticed that teal blue Korres Eyeliner Pencil in Blue Petrol looks a little like Siahi as well, except that it’s darker, with a matte finish.
MAC Paintpot in Delft (left) and MAC Fluidline in Siahi (right)
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MAC Mickey Contractor Collection: Your Questions Answered
Yesterday you asked some great questions about the upcoming MAC Mickey Contractor Collection, which shakes, rattles and rolls onto counters next week, and made some interesting observations in the swatch post.
I’d like to highlight some of your questions and coments here and post a few more swatches to help the lighter lasses among us see what the products might look like on paler Bollywood beauties.
How do the Mickey Contractor products look on pale skin with cooler undertones (pinks, as opposed to warmer yellows)?
“Karen, thank you for posting these swatches and pictures! If you have a chance, I’d appreciate your answering this question: do you think the Oomph eyeshadow and the Fluidlines would work on someone who is ridiculously pale and cool-toned? Most of the other stuff looks like it’s not for my skin tone, but the shadow and Fluidlines did catch my fancy. Unfortunately it’s not going to be at my local MAC, so I’d have to order it online and would rather not do that if I know ahead of time they won’t work for me. Thanks!”
–Faye
Hi Faye,
It looks like Oomph appears as a blackened green on cool-toned lighter skin. If you’re looking for a color to create, say, a dark greenish smokey eye, Oomph should do the trick.
As for the Fluidlines, I’m guessing you’ll be able to easily pull both of them off (Siahi and Ivy). 🙂
Here are a few swatches of Oomph, the Fluidlines and most of the collection on NW20 skin.
Eyeshadows from left: Oomph, Saffron, Marvel and Rani
Fluidline in Siahi (left) and Ivy (right)
Swatches from left Eye Shadow X 4 Quad in Athma: Jaan, Folie, Vivah and Carbon
Blushes in Gana (left) and Sur (right)
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MAC Mickey Contractor Collection: Swatches and Pictures
Heya, ladies. Here are swatches and photos of 15 pieces from the new MAC Mickey Contractor Collection. I’ll have face and lip shots coming soon, but for now, take a look at the colors and let me know if there’s anything that strikes your fancy. 🙂
Eyeshadow X 4 in Athma clockwise from shimmery gold bottom pan at the bottom: Vivha, Jaan, Folie and Carbon
Eyeshadows from green pan on lower left: Oomph, Saffron, Marvel and Rani
Fluidline in Siahi (left) and Ivy (right)
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Making It Big in Bollywood with the MAC Mickey Contractor Collection
You might not know this, but Tabs and I are BIG Bollywood stars. Yeah, I don’t know how he got into it, but my obsession with B-wood developed over countless hours spent watching music videos on Namaste America back in the ’90s, usually after I’d get home late from dancing. I couldn’t understand what the singers were saying, but that didn’t matter to me. I was too busy drooling over the colorful costumes, exotic makeup and dizzying choreography.
Needless to say, I’m pretty stoked about the upcoming MAC Mickey Contractor collection, which scoots across North American dance floors and makeup counters January 6 (and internationally some time the same month). The 27-piece release for face, eyes, lips and cheeks, handpicked by MAC Director of Makeup Artistry for India Mickey Contractor, includes limited edition products, as well as repromoted items from MAC’s permanent line.
Thematically the collection is based on Bollywood cinema. It’s a look characterized by performance products — which I’m taking to mean products able to withstand hours of dancing under bright stage lights — natural skin tones and little accents of exotic color. These are products that should then, by that definition, be able to last through a full day of dancing on the set, AND the afterparty.
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