MAC Fashionflower – review, photos & swatches
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There’s something gorgeous blooming at MAC…
photos: we heart this
I was so busy waxing my board in anticipation of Surf, Baby that I didn’t even see this bit of lovely coming. And Fashionflower is indeed all kinds of lovely – from the imprinted eye shadows and Beauty Powders, to the wearable range of light summer colors – this is one gorgeous, mostly limited edition collection. Available May 5th through June 2011.
Lipgelées
Glitter fans, rejoice. These Lipgelées are an explosion of light reflecting awesomeness. The formula is lightweight compared to lipglass, and not as sticky. They also come in a squeeze tube with a slanted tip. We got to take a look at the collection’s namesake Fashionflower, an almost white pink with tons of silver and pink glitter, and Now in Season, a true shimmering gold with gold and blue glitter. They both take on a light look when applied full strength (all that reflective glitter), personally I prefer them used sparingly over a lipstick.
Fashionflower
Now in Season
Fashionflower, Now in Season
Lipsticks
The lipsticks we viewed in this launch have a light look, both in texture (glaze) and shades. Summer Shower is the standout for me, simply because it’s so different than anything I’ve seen. It looks mint green in the tube, but it applies sheer with white, blue and fuchsia shimmer suspended in the base. MLLE is light, nude pink. Because it’s a glaze, it applies sheerly and I think would be a beautiful way for a cool toned girl to ease into the world of pale, nude lips.
(Side note: there are two gorgeous coral lip options in this collection: Ever Hip lipstick (which I skipped in the Liberty of London launch and have regretted ever since) and Budding Beauty Lipgelée. I’ll be buying both of these on launch day!)
Summer Shower
MLLE
MLLE, Summer Shower
Fashionflower and Now in Season lipgelées, MLLE and Summer Shower lipsticks
Now let’s get to those fabulous flower imprinted products, shall we?
Eye Shadows
Before I get into the utter loveliness of these, I’ve got a design correction: MAC calls these products debossed in their press release, but in fact their actually embossed. Debossing creates an indented impression, while embossing creates a raised impression (like the raised flowers on these). No one but a snitty designer like myself will actually care about this, but design snits find it their duty to correct things!
We got a look at all six of the shadows, and I love what a cohesive group it is. You truly could choose any two or three shadows blindly and make them work together. I am also loving that with the summer colors (aqua, green, coral and white) there are a couple of darker, grounding colors (grey and blackened green) so that you can darken and add depth to any look.
Lucky Green
Lucky Green (a permanent shadow) is a yellow-green metallic pearl with fab pigment, and a must have for any self respecting green lover!
Fresh Daisy
Fresh Daisy is frosty, pigmented white. I’m not normally a white or a frost shadow fan, but wow, did this brighten up my eyes when used on the brow bone! A surprise hit for me.
Free to Be
Free to Be (a permanent shadow) is a matte, medium coral. A striking shade, especially in the crease, but not one I could personally wear on my eyes. I did I find myself dreaming of it as lip color!
Groundcover
Groundcover, hello taupe, you gorgeous creature! I buy you over and over and over, but still need every new variation I see. This one is medium toned matte and adds fabulous dimension to the crease. And the beauty of taupe? It works with everything, literally.
Aqua
Aqua (a permanent shadow) is a bright, beautiful true to it’s name matte shade. But I had to work quite a bit to get some decent color payoff from it.
Bows & Curtseys
Bows & Curtseys had me excited from the moment I saw it’s extreme blackened green beauty. But no matter how hard I tried, it ended up looking charcoal on me, the deep green micro shimmer I see in the pan nowhere on my eye. That being said, it’s one beautiful charcoal!
Fresh Daisy, Lucky Green, Free to Be, Bows & Curtseys, Aqua, Groundcover
Beauty Powders
I am helpless when it comes to Beauty Powders; part highlighter, part blush. They’re finely milled and always limited edition, a combo sure to make me weak in the knees. And the flower imprint makes them all the more desirable. The two Beauty Powders in the launch are very different from each other. Light Sunshine leans more towards a highlighter, a nearly white it’s so pale-pink, with gold and pink micro shimmer. While Alpha Girl, a bright coral pink, leans more towards a blush. MAC says there are gold nuances in this, I don’t see them and wish I did. This looks rather matte on me. I think some gold sheen would be really beautiful in this shade. Both shades are very subtle (as you can see form my nearly unnoticeable swatches. There’s more color in person, and on the cheeks.
Alpha Girl
Light Sunshine
Mascara
Lastly, they’ve released an extra black version of their Studio Fix Lash, a shade called Boldblack. This was my first look at Studio Fix Lash, and I have to say – I’m rather impressed.
MAC calls it a “mousse-like formula” and the wand has plastic small bristles that I (and many others) love. This brush combined with the light formula insures very little clumping. Another bonus, the strong swiper system in this tube. I swear, you’ve got to use a bit of muscle to get it out, and when you do, it makes quite the satisfying pop! I equate the pop with creating a really clean brush, which in turn, creates clean, separated lashes. Good Stuff!
How about it readers – are you looking forward to this Fashionflower blooming? Join us in the comments and tell us what you like the most!
Here’s the entire Fashionflower collection…
Lipstick
MLLE – Light white pink (Glaze)
Summer Shower – Light aqua (Glaze)
Growing Trend – Mid-tone taupe nude (Amplified)
Ever Hip Bright creamy coral (Cremesheen)
$14.50 U.S./$17.50 CDN
Lipgelée
Fashionflower – Pale pink dazzle gelée
Now in Season – Pale yellow dazzle gelée
Budding Beauty – Pale coral dazzle gelée
$14.50 U.S./$17.50 CDN
Studio Fix Boldblack Lash
Studio Fix Boldblack Lash – Deep intense black
$14.00 U.S./$17.00 CDN
Penultimate Eye Liner
Rapidblack – True black
$17.50 U.S./$21.00 CDN
Beauty Powder
Light Sunshine – Pastel neutral pink with soft gold and pink sparkles
Alpha Girl – Soft peachy pink with gold nuances
$25.00 U.S./$30.00 CDN
Eye Shadow
Fresh Daisy – Frosty white yellow (Frost)
Aqua – Aqua blue (Matte)
Lucky Green – Frosted mid-tone lime (Veluxe Pearl)
Free To Be – Bright true coral (Matte)
Groundcover – Mid-tone warm grey (Matte)
Bows & Curstseys – Metallic hunter green (Satin)
$14.50 U.S./$17.50 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.
Wow! I love the ’embossed’ eye shadow colors! I would buy these for the design and I would be reluctant to try them for fear of ruining the flower…I may have to break down for Lucky Green. What a happy, spring color!
Lucky Green is beautiful isn’t it @glamazon56? It’s a cross between my most shocking chartreuse and my safest, wearable green. You can wear it for a punch of color but it’s not screaming.
I’m totally the type that would buy one of the eye shadows and NEVER use it because I didn’t want to ruin the pretty!
And being a blue lover I am in love with the Aqua – sadly this shade of blue can fight with my pale blue eyes – but it sure would like nice on my vanity! However, the slightly grayish taupe, Groundcover would be a fab everyday shade for me. I can’t wait to see these in person.
I’m with you! Lucky Green is STUNNING. I’m an occasional green wearer, but this would be in permanent rotation in my beauty routine!
OH MY GOD! That is the motherload from MAC above.. Your arm sure got a work out swatching them. I am really excited about this launch..I like alot of what I see.. GREAT post @stef. I am speechless…really Fashionflower has got alot of aweome picks to choose from.
I second @irene ‘s enthusiasm! There is so much in this collection I have to have, starting with the shadows: Groundcover, Aqua, Fresh Daisy, Bows & Curtseys… I need them all! Ooh, and I have to check out Alpha Girl, too. I’m afraid I’m going to have trouble controlling myself @stef !
This IS a really great collection – and the idea that it’s only in stores for a limited time is making me a little crazy! I’m loving the looks of a ton of products – the MLLE lipstick (I totally want to find a great nude lip – this sounds promising), Alpha Girl for a great summer glow and ALL of the eye shadows!
Wow, these are GORGEOUS! Every item looks full of possibilities – even the mascara! I’ve never tried MAC mascara but I’m intrigued by the mousse-like formula and small bristles. But I MUST try the eyeshadows (although I won’t want to ruin the embossing, either!) – all of them are lovely. I have to agree that I’d rather see Free to Be in a lipstick or blush too, though. Lucky Green is the most striking, but they’re all just lovely. And how fun are those lipsticks and lipgelees! Nice job with this one, MAC!
Beautiful collection. Really love those eyeshadows. Seriously too pretty to use. Would love to see the coral lipstick and lipgelée. I’m on a hunt for the perfect coral for summer!
I want Spring Shower and Lucky Green. Spring Shower looks so interesting and it’s a gorgeous color in the tube. I think it’ll be beautiful over darker lipsticks to create unique shades. Lucky Green is also the perfect green with tons of pigment to it.
The flower patterns are so cute!
You have very good taste! ;) That’s my “must have” shopping list from this collection, too. I LOVE the photos of Spring Shower that I’m seeing around the beauty blogging realm, it’s just perfect!
I am in LOVE with Alpha Girl! That looks like such a great highlighter/brightener, I honestly think they should just rename is Shayapowder. Lucky Green looks great too, and it’s getting so much love on here I’m assume if I want it I’ll have to get it right away! Now In Season looks like a super fun summer color, with all that gold glitter, I can just imagine watching the glitter reflect in the sun on a the rim of a martini glass while I’m enjoying an evening out on a rooftop deck.
I received MLLE from the ladies, and I’m so sorry its taken me a while to get this post up. It’s a somewhat hard color to wear, due to its being so pale, so I wanted to wait till I had a few goes with it. For my pale skin I think this was a little too pale of a lip color. I have somewhat highly pigmented lips, I can wear just lipbalm and usually look like I have a gloss on. So the lipstick being as pale as it was, looked a little odd to me. I do enjoy wearing it for an evening out when I’ve got a smokey eye, and it looks great under a nice pink or gold gloss. Not sure that its an every day product for me though. Going to give it 3 stars, texture is great, but usability is a little low for me.
Seriously, does MAC ever make a collection I don’t want?! Yet again, I have a list going from these… Groundcover is at the top for sure, I will never have enough greys and taupes, and Alpha Girl looks simply devine! The flower imprints are so sweet I will most likely want to avoid using them for fear of losing the flower design!! Nice work MAC, I’m always impressed….
*Drool* these are GORGEOUS!!
I WANT ALL OF IT! Especially Groundcover and Bows and Curtsys. Wow! So pretty!
Bows & Curtseys is a beautiful color as is Groundcover. Why is MAC so far away from me? I’m not driving 1.5 hours for a MAC experience. I guess I’ll just have to go MAC-less.
Fashionflower is online now, about a week early. AND…Ever Hip coral l/s is sold out already :(
Nordstrom’s has it online though! Phew, I could not miss this again. Get it now if you want it…
Oh, Lucky Green would look fabulous on your Phyrra!
Super-pretty lip line. It looks a little too frosty for me. I’ll bet it would be great on blondes
Groundcover is AMAZING!! I so need this! I adore taupe shadows. Usually, they are the only ones that look just right on me. I am almost out of my beloved taupe Hypnotizing. I need a solid replacement. I wonder if this could be it?
Also Light Sunshine is gorgeous! So ethereal. I could totally rock that with my already ghostly pallor! :)
Yay for MAC!!!!!!!!!!!
Some of the eyeshadows look interesting, and the matte-ish coral blush might be worth checking out… but I’m just not that excited about this collection. Maybe it’s because it’s just too pastel looking?
These are lovely, but I think the only ones I’d HAVE to have would be Lucky Green, Free to Be and Now in Season. I must be out of it, I didn’t realize pastels were so in lately! I figured MAC would come out with more vivid shades since the color of the season is Honeysuckle, but they do tend to go against the grain!
I’m FASCINATED by Summer Shower though. I don’t think I could wear it, but it’s BLUE!!! (Sort of…) That’s just fun.
I officially want the whole collection!!
I just received the collection’s namesake Lipgelee, Fashion Flower.
I love the feel and staying power of the gloss, but the color is more disco ball than I usually go for. I totally agree with @Stef that the color alone is a bit too much pink/ white shimmer, but it is quite pretty layered over a lipstick. I centered Fashion Flower on the bottom lip and it gives a serious pout!
I think this color and all it’s shimmer glory would have a place in anyone’s makeup case. I docked the Lipgelee a few stars only for color, 3.5 stars.
I was dubious about the Summer Shower but this is really fantastic! Pale blue lipcolor? Well, pale shimmery blue+rosey lips=softly purple-y shimmery almost mauve lips. That’s by itself. Swiped on top of other colors it can turn anything into a fun new color! Like Smashbox Illuminator for eyes, this is great for expanding your lipcolor wardrobe!
I was very lucky to test the beauty powder in Light Sunshine. It is perfection for my pale skin! It acts as a gorgeous highlighter that somehow looks natural. I love it! It will be great for the summer. I would maybe not have thought to purchase this before. But now that I have tried it. Wow! But I do think that darker skin ladies might not like this as well.4 stars from me!
I tried “Free to Be,” the coral eyeshadow. It is a bit hard to wear. Red/coral colors around the eyes can definitely make a gal look a little sickly, but I think that warm tan skin tones can definitely pull this off. I paired it with a neutral slightly shimmery ivory shadow on the browbone, golden eyeshadow on the lid, Free to Be in the crease, and a warm reddish brown in the deep-V. I love the embossed pattern, and the shadow applies smoothly and is decently pigmented. However, it’s one you might want to try on before buying unless you’re a makeup gal who likes to own every color in the rainbow, like myself :) It seems like it would look great on cheeks… I might try it :P Four stars.
I tested the Penultimate Eye Liner in Rapid Black, and, as expected from MAC, it’s a top notch eyeliner pen. The thin, sturdy tip makes it easy to create the perfect line, and the color is a true black. It reminds me of a felt tip pen, and I mean that in a good way. I’ve really loved it while traveling this summer—- so much easier than packing a liner and brush. It’s starting to dry out a little and I plan to repurchase for sure. Hey MAC, please create this liner in other colors, too!