MAC Posh Paradise – review, photos & swatches

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Plus, MAC introduces us to a new eyeshadow technique; the zipper eye!

photos: we heart this

Last month saw the launch of MAC’s Posh Paradise, a tidy lil’ collection by MAC standards of just three products: Paint Pots, Mattene Lipsticks and Nail Lacquers. Recently we attended a Posh Paradise launch party at South Coast Plaza and got to see these beautiful products in action – thanks to the talented MAC artists who assembled from all over the country to do what they do best. We figured it was about time to show you the goods, which are limited edition, so you know…hurry!

First things first, I am head over heels, stupid in love with Immortal Gold. MAC calls it pure gold but it’s so much more than that! It’s got a bit of a dirty gold quality to it, with just a hint of olive green. It looks wet on the nail, is super metallic and is the type of polish that I can’t stop staring at when I an wearing it.

See? Kind of mesmerizing, no?

Next up are Paint Pots. These infamous pots of heaven cause quite a stir when new shades are released. With good reason, they’re beautifully pigmented, a lush creamy texture and long wearing.

I love them on they’re own, but they’re especially out of control when used as a shadow base. Hands down, my favorite cream shadow with out a doubt. Here are the ones we got a chance to check out, which are all frosts but really vary in finishes.

Pure Creation is a medium cobalt blue with blue micro shimmer. If you’re bold enough to do a blue smoky eye, this would be an amazing base. Sheering it out at spots, then loading a deeper blue over top to smoke it in just the right spots.

Idyllic is a shimmering burgundy-brown shimmer. It’s sold out, so I’ll leave my gushing to a minimum. But wow, this would kill it on a hazel or green eyes!

Nubile is a warm peachy nude with no shimmer. A staple kind of shade that would be a really nice darker base.

I thought Genuine Treasure was going to be the end all be all for me. In the pot it’s a shimmering and intricate looking taupe; a bit brown, a bit gold, a bit silver-grey. But it didn’t really grab me when applied. It’s basically pure chunky glitter, so you have to really apply a lot of it to lay down any color. Maybe the way to use it is as an overlay to other shades? Our tester will have to let us know in the comments how this worked out for her. You’ll have to hunt for it if you want to try it for yourself, it’s sold out too.

from left: Pure Creation, Idyllic, Nubile and Genuine Treasure

Naked Bliss, Seeds of Desire, Deliciously Forbidden

Last on the testing block, Mattene Lipsticks. These are semi matte, with the moisture of a standard lipstick, but the long wear of a matte. All in a sweet little slim package!

Seeds of Desire is a dark, subtly shimmering reddish brown. It screams fall; all rich and yummy. Deliciously Forbidden is a medium berry pink creme. Naked Bliss is a dark pinkish nude, a perfect nude for a nude beginner!

Deliciously Forbidden, Naked Bliss, Seeds of Desire

Finally, here’s a peek at some of the sights of the Posh Paradise launch party at South Coast Plaza, which was the only MAC exhibit of it’s kind. In addition to about 20 makeup stations, there were four tropical environments. Each was a different hue, with models peeking through the leaves displaying the lush and lovely shades of the launch.

Plus, who doesn’t love a parting gift? Senior Artist Caitlin Callahan made sure we all left with something – a new make up technique, the zipper eye!

Here’s how you do it: Blend a dark shade on the inner and outer corners of your eye, covering from lash line to brow. Caitlin used the Hyperviolet Paint Pot. Then, blend a light reflective shade down the center, in between your two dark strips. She chose Treasure Hunt. I can attest, it makes your eyes look huge! And as we saw throughout the party, you can make this as dark and dramatic or as light and subtle as you like. It looked good on everyone.

Here is the complete Posh Paradise launch:

Mattene Lipstick
Naked Bliss – Neutral light pink
Rare Exotic – Bright mid-tone blue pink
Legendary – Mid-tone brick red
Unknown Pleasures – Deep red blue
Seeds of Desire – Deep brown plum
Eden Rouge – Bright blue-red
Delectable – Orange-beige
Potent Fig – Deep blue grape
Deliciously Forbidden – Midtone berry
Fresh Amour – Light lavender
$14.50 U.S./$17.50 CDN

Paint Pot
Treasure Hunt – Light pearled yellow
Half-Wild – Mid-tone purple
Hyperviolet – Deep violet
Nubile – Light peachy nude
Idyllic – Mid-tone copper bronze
Genuine Treasure – Reflects antique gold
Pure Creation – Mid-tone frosty blue
Imaginary – Blackened navy
$17.50 U.S./$21 CDN

Nail Lacquer
Immortal Gold – Pale gold
Rain of Flowers – Blackened violet with sophisticated violet shimmer
$15 U.S./$18 CDN

How about it, we heartsters? Are you feeling Posh?

Disclosure: This review includes products that were provided by the manufacturer/PR firm for our consideration. For more info, or any questions, please see our disclosure policy.

Author

  • Stef Andrews

    Stef is a plethora of things. Amongst them: co-founder of we heart this, photographer, condiment connoisseur, Philly girl in the California desert, borderline hoarder and a hardcore beauty junkie. She also has a touch of wanderlust and, arguably, the cutest dog in the whole world... skin tone: NC 25/30 skin type: oily with a fear of rosacea favorite beauty product: high end skincare and lip products

15 Comments

  1. I received the gorgeous Mattene lipstick in Seeds of Desire, which @stef described perfectly: a semi-matte, dark reddish-brown with a subtle shimmer that gives it extra dimension. I love the combination of the matte finish with the moisture of a regular lipstick—- the best of both worlds as only MAC can give us! The color is very dark, not something I’ll wear every day, but perfect for fall nights when I want a little drama. And the best part is the skinny tube. I can even carry it in my pocket for touch ups! Can’t wait to check out the other Mattene shades in person, which I’ll do when I go to buy that amazing Immortal Gold nail lacquer!

  2. I received the paint pot in Pure Creation. This really surprised me, I’ve never worn blue eye color before, but I really liked it. I felt it was more of a jewel toned sapphire blue. I’ve used it as a cream eyeliner twice, and the color really pops. I can see why the paint pots are such a beloved product, the texture is creamy, the color is intense, and it lasted forever. It was very easy to apply, and a little went a long way. I can see this little pot lasting a VERY long time, even with almost daily use. This is a truly great product, and I can’t wait to see the rest of the paint pots in person, since I’ll be heading to the store for the amazing Immortal Gold nail color. That is a must have!

  3. I am loving Immortal Gold! It’s hard finding a classy, versatile gold for the nails. Love love.

  4. I received a paintpot (eye shadow) from MAC in “Nubile”. I love its natural peach shade which looks great when used over the whole eyelid – to kick that up about 10 notches, I sprung for and added “Genuine Treasure” to really make a dramatic look in an instant. This is super creamy and easy to apply- also lasts all day and into the evening without even thinking about needing a touch up. It’s been awhile since I wore eye-shadows and have to admit, it made a huge fan out of me again. I wish I could show you with a picture but take my word for it, this is super pretty! I think these look so dramatic without looking like I’m working the streets.. did I say so pretty? I can even wear at the office.
    Fantastic product MAC!!! Five stars and thank you!
    It was great fun having We Heart This at South Coast Plaza for this event. It was wild to see the artwork on the models pictured above.. They all looked amazing!

  5. Love, love, love Deliciously Forbidden Mattene Lipstick! I’ve only been testing it out for a few days but it is a gorgeous berry tone for brunettes and the consistency for a matte lipstick is awesome… not too dry but has some staying power! I layered it with one of my lip glasses and it looked really pretty. A great fall color, five stars for me! The Idyllic Paint Pot looks really amazing too, I’m really digging the softer eyeshadows like these.

  6. I am the tester of the Paint Pot in Genuine Treasure, and I think it’s gorgeous! Stef got the color spot on – taupe-ish with hints of gold, brown, and silver-gray. I did have good luck with the color saturation – it didn’t take much at all to bring out the true color from the pot…maybe because I have darker features than Stef? It’s definitely got A LOT of glitter – too much for all-over every day use for me, but perfect as an eyeliner. That adds the perfect amount of punch to the eyes. I’ve only had a few days to test it so far – and those days have been working days, so eyeliner’s as bold as I’ve gotten for work. Tonight after reading this post, I tried the zipper technique with Genuine Treasure placed down the middle of my lid and a matte dark brown on the inside and outside corners – stunning!! That’s how I’ll wear it to work tomorrow, as I think it’ll be subtle enough, with just a hint of the glitter showing. I also paired it with a green-blue-gray shade called Birds and Berries from the MAC Liberty of London collection, and that was a really pretty color combo – but also quite shimmery. The lasting power of these paint pots is excellent – it stays put all day, and the consistency is perfectly creamy. I will update when I find other good combos, but for now, I’m suggesting their zipper technique with this one, for sure, with a matte shade layered, or used as an eyeliner. I think it would have been more versatile and I’d wear it more often with less chunky glitter, so I’ll knock a star off for that, but it does live up to the paint pot legend, so four stars here!

  7. I am in love with that gold nail polish!!! I want some :)

  8. The Idyllic paint pot is amazing! I own Makeup Forever’s version of this in what appears to be the same metallic brown. Makeup Forever’s non-budging waterproof formula is fantastic so MAC had a lot to live up to. Crazily, MAC’s Idyllic only looks like a coppery bronze in the pot… On the face it appears like a matte blackened brown. Unexpected from appearances, yet perfect. This paint doesn’t budge, either. Kuddos to both MAC and Makeup Forever, just make sure to give MAC a test swatch.

  9. I picked up Half-Wild, Imaginary (LOVE LOVE LOVE) and Genuine Treasure paint pots. I definitely think Genuine Treasure is nice for layering, but I’ve also used it as a crease shade on me, just kind of patting it on and I liked the effect.

    I also picked up Rare Exotic, which I find gorgeous.

  10. I HAVE to try that zipper technique! I got to go to one of these Posh Paradise events, but sadly I didn’t get any of the new line tried on me during the event! (BOO!) But I’m glad to hear about the line from my fellow testers; I got my first paint pot at the launch (Rubenesque) and I’m ADDICTED. Idyllic might need to be my next one….

  11. I’m sad that Genuine Treasure was disappointing :( It looks.so pretty in rhe pot. Nubile looks like a.great basic paint pot to own. Paint pots are definitely one of the best cream eyeshadows and eyeshadow bases out there.

  12. Genuine Treasure looks beautiful! I love taupe eyeshadow! But I am very sad to hear that that it might not perform that well! :(

    Deliciously Forbidden looks insane!! I really, really want it!!

  13. I tried the Mattene lipstick in Naked Bliss. I’m loving the packaging, it’s sleek and easy to work with! The lipstick itself is the perfect “my lips but better” shade. I think it will work with a lot of skin tones. It’s become my new go to nude lipstick!

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