We’re lusting over MAC’s newest release…

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MAC A Novel Romance swatches and review

It was with a heaving bosom that I opened that signature black box filled with the latest MAC release, A Novel Romance. Though to be honest, my bosom is always heaving when a MAC box shows up. But this time it was noticeably more so…

I mean, a collection that draws its influence from romance novels – what’s not to love? And much like the books themselves, this launch may just get you all hot and bothered. Like the imagery will…

Hubba Hubba

It’s a predominately cool toned launch. Which made my warm self a bit sad at first. But I found some chameleons in here – shades I normally wouldn’t even try that worked beautiful for my skin. See, romance is for everyone!

One of my favorite parts of the launch (besides that male model) are the names. Lingering Kiss, Bared for You, Reckless Desire; can’t you see them on a paperback cover in a script font? They just beg to be said in a breathy voice (and I recommend you do so, it’s fun.)

So, slip into something comfortable and get ready for some steamy swatching!

A Passionate Quest is one of three eye shadow quads in the launch. Have a passion for purple? You’ll be pleased. The shades are beautifully pigmented and silky smooth. Really, one of the nicer quads in terms of quality that I’ve swatched in a while. (That’s the Fluidline Pencils peeking in there too, we’ll get to them in a minute.)

(left to right, by row)
Stay Sultry – (satin) Described as a violet navy and that’s spot on. Such a gorgeous shade, a deep blackened purple with blue violet shimmer.

Brazenly – (veluxe pearl) Burgundy grape

Serenade – (veluxe pearl) It’s like Pantone was looking at this when they picked their 2014 color of the year, this is 100% radiant orchid, with a beautiful blue duochrome for bonus points.

The Wrong Man – (satin) Cool slightly greyed pink with a matte finish, despite being listed as a satin.

A new product for MAC, Fluidlines Eye Pencils have the smoothness of the fluidlines in pots, but with the ease of a pencil. They’re creamy, long-lasting and apply like a dream. There goes that heaving bosom again…

No built-in sharpener on these twist up pencils though, and the tip is rather small. So sharpening may be an issue. I fear once that point is gone, it’s gone for good.

Black Brilliance – Rich inky black

Water Willow – Blackened shimmering teal

Indoors

From left: A Passionate Quest Quad: The Wrong Man, Serenade, Brazenly and Stay Sultry, Black Brilliance and Water Willow Fluidline Eye Pencils

Outdoors

Superwatt, Pure Flash, Gilded Thrill

Electric Cool Eye Shadow is a relatively new product and this is my first time trying them. They’re little bouncy shimmer explosions, and that’s a very good thing!

Packaged in a screw top pot, the shadows would be best described as a cream, but not really. They’re almost cool to the touch with a bouncy consistency and mega shimmer. The wear time is really impressive. I got about six hours with no creasing and no sign of fading on that mega shimmer.

(shown above:)
Superwatt– Golden light brown

Pure Flash– Champagne

Gilded Thrill – Bronzey orange, this had the chunkiest consistency to it. More glitter, less shimmer.

Gilded Thrill, Pure Flash, Superwatt

Fun Ending Blush was a surprise for me. In the pan it looks rather cool and light. But applied, it’s a warm pink with a hint of peach that gives great color pay off. It’s a beautiful shade that I can see reaching for a lot.

Fun Ending Blush

I got to check out two a-typical nail lacquers that I’m super excited for (I will add swatches soon!)

Midnight Sky – Deep navy with a silver sheen

Sunset Sky – Red plum with a magenta sheen

As for the lipstick portion of this tale, you’ll have to hunt for them a bit as they flew off the shelves online (as their lipsticks always do. Really, you have to stalk the launch date if you lust for a shade.) Some are still left online at Nordstrom, but hurry!

But as for the lipglass, you’re in luck. They’re still online and they’re really pretty.

Bared for You – Rose gold nude with silver shimmer. The shimmer borders on glitter, really. I think it dominates the delicate base shade and ends up making it look too frosty.

Wanting More – Cool, creamy lavender. This was the biggest surprise of the launch for me. This is the type of shade that I can never get away with, just too cool for my warm skin tone. Or so it seemed. But on my lips, it has such a pretty creaminess to it that it reads almost as a neutral. LOVE this!

Yield to Love – (creamsheen) Raspberry rose cream

Good Kisser – (matte) Hot fuchsia

MAC’s new matte formula is one my favorite lipstick formulas. Though at this point, it’s really not new anymore. Should I call it non-retro? It’s long-lasting, extremely pigmented and creamy with minimal dryness. It makes me want the throw every other matte away. But that’s crazy talk…

Indoors

From left: Yield to Love and Good Kisser Lipstick, Bared for You and Wanting More Lipglass

Outdoors

Time to bare your soul, what shades in A Novel Romance have you breathing heavy?

Get it HERE (and hurry!)

Lipstick
Myself – soft shimmery nude beige (lustre)
A Novel Romance – light cool dusty pink (cremesheen)
Good Kisser – mid-tone fuchsia (matte)
Hearts Aflame – mid-tone brick red (matte)
Lingering Kiss – deep plum red (matte)
Yield to Love – mid-tone rose (cremesheen) Online Exclusive
$16 US/$19 CAD

Lipglass
Bared for You – soft rose gold
Reckless Desire – sheer pearlescent lavender grey
Pure Fiction – mid-tone violet pink
Wanting More – washed-out lavender
Talk Sexy – dark purple
$15 US/$18 CAD

Haute & Naughty Too Black Lash
Haute & Naughty Too Black Lash – black
$22 US/$26 CAD

Powder Blush
Fun Ending – soft neutral peach (satin)
Animal Instincts – shimmering plum ( frost)
$22 US/$26 CAD

Brush
213 Fluff
$24 US/$28.50 CAD

224 Tapered Blending
$32 US/$38.50 CAD

242 Shader
$25 US/$30 CAD

A Novel Romance Quad
My Fantasy – pale neutral olive (veluxe pearl)
Fall in Lust – mid-tone cool grey mauve ( frost)
Dance in the Dark – deep blackened brown (matte)
Rising Passions – greenish charcoal with gold pearl (velvet)
$40 US/$48 CAD

An Amorous Adventure Quad
Sable – gold plum with bronze pearl ( frost)
Sex & The Oyster – mid-tone seafoam green (veluxe pearl)
Brawn – mid-tone plum brown (satin)
Black Tied – black with silver sparkle (velvet)
$40 US/$48 CAD

A PASSIONATE QUEST QUAD
The Wrong Man – light cool dusty pink (satin)
Serenade – mid-tone orchid pink with blue duochrome pearl (veluxe pearl)
Brazenly – rich eggplant (veluxe pearl)
Stay Sultry – deep violet navy (satin)
$40 US/$48 CAD

Studio Nail Lacquer
Before Dawn – green grey
Midnight Storm – deep magenta
Sunset Sky – mid-tone crimson
Midnight Strata – dark violet
Midnight Ocean – dark royal blue
Midnight Sky – deep charcoal
$12 US/$14 CAD

Fluidline Eye Pencil
Atomic Ore – gold
Earth Sign – deep brown
Deep Blue Sea – deep ocean blue
Metropolis – deep metal gray
Water Willow – deep khaki green
Evil Twin – blue purple
Black Brilliance – black
$16 US/$19 CAD

Electric Cool Eye Shadow
Pure Flash! – pale champagne
Love Power – soft shimmering rose
Superwatt – light shimmering taupe
Coil – copper bronze
Gilded Thrill – gold ( frost)
Switch to Blue – rich cobalt
Highly Charged – rich purple with pink pearl
Blacklit – black with multidimensional pearl
$21 US/$25 CAD