MAC Basics, MAC Me Over – review, photos & swatches
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photos: we heart this
Ever wish you could have a MAC makeup artist give you a one on one tour of their line, pointing out the must have shades? Here’s the next best thing, the MAC Basic collection, one of three parts of the MAC Me Over launch.
Developed through an online contest, MAC asked entrants to complete the following statement “MAC Me Over! Because…” Six people were chosen by Vice President and Creative Director James Gager (we’ll share two in the bottom of each of the collection’s posts), and three collections were created/curated to MAC the winners over. The collections, 51 pieces in total, are a mix of new limited editions, relaunches and permanent colors.
Any MAC lover will recognize some of the standbys in this group (What up Spice? How you doing Teddy?) The Basic collection is the MAC artist’s favorite nudes and pinks, the products recommended to build any collection, or round out existing ones. And the products that they reach for again and again, and so will you!
top row: Creamy Bisque, Outré. bottom row: Carbonized, Moleskin
Eye Shadow
I sometimes forget how much I love brown eye shadows. This grouping has reminded me of just how much! Outré is a matte ochre, a light yellow brown. It’s very similar to the shade in Double Feature 4 from Colourizations, and I love it just as much as I did that. It’s really interesting on it’s own, but much like the paint pigment, it can also be used to add depth. Honestly, I know it looks kind of questionable, but this shade is a work horse!
Not to be outdone, Creamy Bisque is an ivory frost with a beautiful pearly glow. A great highlighter. Carbonized is a brown lover’s dream, a rich and shimmering chocolate brown. Moleskin is a gorgeous matte medium nude.
Outré, Moleskin, Carbonized, Creamy Bisque
Carbonized, Creamy Bisque
Outré, Moleskin
Oh, Oh, Oh
Lipstick
I predict Oh, Oh, Oh is going to be one of the sellouts of this launch. It’s a beautiful plum bronze with gold shimmer. It has a lustre finish so it’s on the sheer side, which allows for it to pick up any sort of liner or gloss you pair it with. You can play up the plum, the gold or even the understated brick red hint to it. Reminds me of O, but better. LOVE this.
Curvaceous
Lipglass
Curvaceous is cool grey mauve. Cool toned pink lovers, prepare to fall…hard.
Oh, Oh, Oh, Curvaceous
Seaside
Cream Colour Base
Seaside is a pinky peach shimmer. These have a beautiful creamy consistency and this shade imparts enough color that it can be worn alone or as a highlighter.
Equilibrium
Powder Blush
Equilibrium is one of those shades that surprised me by just how much I like it. It’s an unassuming looking light bronzey nude that really is the best of both worlds – a neutral nude blush meets a light (read: not orange) bronzer, that does magical things to cheeks.
Equilibrium, Seaside
Here’s a look at two of the six winners and their winning answers…
Rachel Martinez:
“I think I have a great personality, and I’m easy to get along with. I love my family and I’m grateful to the people that have stood by my side. I work in a bakery and design the best cupcakes. I have strong values that I inherited from my grandparents.”
Sharon Marcus:
“I am 58-and-a-half years of age and I am wearing no face makeup…only M·A·C Cyndi Lipstick…and my hair is uncoloured and in its natural just-shampooed state – and I clean up real nice (I’m serious). I want to be an example to show women my age that a woman can look her best without having to be 20.”
So how about it readers, has MAC introduced you to some Basics that you need?
MAC Me Over – MAC Basics Collection
Eye Shadow
Creamy Bisque – dirty ivory with pearl (frost)
Moleskin – nude brown (matte)
Outré – dirty mustard (matte)
Satin Taupe – taupe with silver shimmer (frost)
Mythical – frosty coppery red (vxp)
Carbonized – frosty dark brown (vxp)
$15 US/$18 CDN
Eye Kohl
Teddy – intense bronze
Smolder – intense black
$15 US/$18 CDN
Lipstick
Secret Lover – pale pink with yellow frost (lustre)
Peachstock – neutral peach (satin)
Offshoot – mid-tone neutral pink (cremesheen)
Oh, Oh, Oh – plum bronze with pearl (lustre)
$14.50 US/$17.50 CDN
Cream Colour Base
Take Root – rich red brown (frost)
Seaside – soft peach rose (frost)
$17 US/$20.50 CDN
Powder Blush
Equilibrium – light bronze (satin)
Stunner – light coral pink (satin)
$19.50 US/$23.50 CDN
Lipglass
Illicit – creamy neutral pink
Social Light – neutral pink with pearl
Curvaceous – light grey pink
Plum Fun – neutral plum purple with pearl
$14.50 US/$17.50 CDN
Lip Pencil
Spice – pink cinnamon stick
Chestnut – intense brown
$14 US/$17 CDN
Studio Fix Fluid nw20
$26.50 US/$32 CDN
Studio Fix Powder nc35
$26.50 US/$32 CDN
Studio finish concealer Nw25
$17.00 US/$21 CDN
116 Blush Brush
$34 US/$41 CDN
190 Foundation Brush
$32 US/$38.50 CDN
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.
Oh,Oh,Oh,Oh my I need that plum lipstick!!! It is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!
I would take a trip to the Seaside anytime. WHat a gorgeous color. Momma likes!
And Curvaceous is VERY super pretty as well! Pinkish grey is right up my ally!
This collection is looking to be a cool toned lady’s dream!
Even though they’re on the cool side, Oh, Oh, Oh and Curvaceous both really appeal to me! Ditto Equilibrium and Seaside. I can’t wait to see this collection in person!
Oh wow the lip colors are amazing. Love the lipstick, really, really love it. Its the perfect fall/winter color. The face powders are beautiful as well, they look so promising for a light skinned girl. And now I’m realizing how much I love the eyeshadows… Ugh I give up, I absolutely love the entire collection. My only question is the cream color base, is it more of a cream blush or eye shadow? Or both?
@pinkshaya – You can use Cream Colour Base on eyes. No lips though, which is too bad because it would be a pretty gloss.
Carbonized, you’re calling my name!! Actually, ALL of the colors are great; perfect basics that seem super versatile.
But Oh Oh Oh?!? SO PRETTY!! I’ve seen swatches of the lipglass Plum Fun and these two plum beauties are on my wish list. Plums usually scare me, but these seem sheer enough to work well with all skin-types!
Oh MAC…you make me so happy…
MAC is AMAZING!! These truly are great Basic colors. I would love to get into everything above! Amazing lip glass. Love the Equilibrium and before I forget. The Creamy Bisque looks like a perfect ivory frost and I am nuts about using such eye shadows they open the eyelid as great highlighter. I can see using Carbonized with this for sure! But Moleskin looks pretty amazing just the same.. I’m going coo coo here! Thanks for yet another amazing post on the unmatchable MAC @stef!
Seaside is gorgeous! Being a fairly pale girl with some red to my cheeks already, it’s hard to find good cheek stuff.
With the 90’s resurgence looking big for the fall, I highly recommend the Spice Lip pencil – it was the first “fancy” pencil I ever purchased, and it is still the one that all others must try and match. It has a fab formula that keeps lipstick in line and a universally flattering shade. It’s just perfect and I predict it will be your new best friend around October!
I have a few Spice pencils rolling around my vanity, so I can save some bucks there, but I want every single brown based eye shadow in this collection! Especially Carbonized and Moleskin.
@tyna – Moleskin totally reminds me of something that we would have worn from the Ultima “The Nakeds” collection!
All of these neutrals look so gorgeous! Carbonized….my heart flutters for browns like this. <3
MAC is my go to brand for lipgloss (I love their Lipglass!), foundation (ProLongwear), and eyeliner (Fluidlines).
These swatches are wonderful, thanks so much for taking the time to post them!!
My pleasure Sandy!
annnnd I need the entire set, haha ;)
@jessamae22 – you just might! What’s your absolute favorite product from the launch?
I received Equilibrium blush for review and all I have to say is, this is one of the easiest blushes EVER to work with. So smooth, so finely-milled, and you can build so easily for more intensity. Who doesn’t love a blush that doubles (triples) as a bronzer AND a contour shade? This color works so well for my skintone (especially now that it’s fall/winter and I need a boost of color). It looks natural and not overdone on my NC20 skintone. Love, love, love. I really can’t think of a bad thing to say about it. Oh, and even though it’s a satin, once it’s blended it feels like a matte. No big chunks of sparkle, which makes it even better (for me, at least). An ultimate multi-tasker and worth every penny.