MAC Surf, Baby! Skin, Nails, Lips – review, photos & swatches
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photos: we heart this
MAC’s as excited for Summer as we are. What other conclusion would you come to when looking at Surf, Baby! (available May 26 through July 7) – a decidedly laid back California collection with a retro feel.
The white packaging, with chubby stripes and the hibiscus flower graphic, reminds me of vintage 80s OP shirts (and all the cute, tanned boys who used to wear them!) And the shades themselves? Think the ocean, tanned skin and easy, surfer girl color (with pops of glitter here and there).
We’re breaking our Surf, Baby review into two posts (eyes & cheeks, and skin, nails, and lips) because this is a BIG collection, 33 pieces not counting brushes and bags!
Ready to ride this wave? Let’s dive in!
Naturally Eccentric, Bust Out!
Lipsticks
There are four lipsticks in this launch; each couldn’t be more different then the next. I’d like to think that they represent every type of woman who surfs. (It would be good if I had a snappy explanation on each shade to back that up, wouldn’t it?)
Naturally Eccentric is a practically white nude in a lustre finish. Applied heavily, it’s pretty intense. But blotted onto lips, and with the addition of a gloss, the true nude lover will be pleased. Bust Out! is a medium violet, also in a lustre finish. It’s a true, creamy purple that makes me think of an orchid. Hibiscus , you bright orange coral, I’ll see you on launch day…
Suntints
I see where MAC was going with these. They’re sheer lip balms with spf20 in a handy squeeze tube, something a true surfer would find really usefull! But the shades are SO sheer, that as true makeup lover I felt a bit let down. I also smelled the spf in them (though I am hyper sensitive to it).
Pink Tinge had a bit more color (a pink with gold shimmer) then Lilt of Lily (a creamy white pink) that essentially looked clear on me. Cute packaging through, aren’t they Brah? (You’re supposed to say that like a surfer).
Lipglass
Good Lovin’ is a sweet lil’ shade, a peachy pink with white and subtle multi-color shimmer. Fans of Prrr (that tired and true staple lipglass) will see a similarity. Krazy Kahuna looks much prettier on then it does in the tube. It’s a creamy terracotta brown that I think will only get better the more sun-kissed your skin gets.
And although not shown here, if you don’t have Strange Potion, get Strange Potion! First released in Venomous Villains, it’s a beautiful shimmery coral pink (and a great way for those wanting to delve into coral to dip their toes in the shallow end).
Krazy Kahuna, Good Lovin’
Krazy Kahuna and Good Lovin’ Lipglass, Pink Tinge and Lilt of Lily Suntint
Nail Lacquer
We got a look at one of the two lacquers in this launch, Hangin’ Loose. It’s a light to medium nude. In the bottle there’s a white sheen to it, on my nails the sheen was nowhere to be seen! I was kind of underwhlemed looking at this in the bottle, but it’s really pretty on. And an easy, natural shade. I got good coverage with 2 coats.
Studio Careblend Pressed Powder MAC has had a lot of bronzers lately, haven’t they? ‘Tis the season, I suppose! I may have just met my favorite bronzer yet. Gold Go-Lightly is a golden tan. MAC calls it mid tone, I think it leans a bit lighter. All I know if that when I swept this on to my pre summer skin, I looked alive! (See? That’s it left, applied to my cheeks and t-zone.) This looks pretty matte to me, but not at all chalky. It’s smooth, finely milled and beautiful. And you know my designer self was loving the embossed pattern! Well played MAC.
Skinsheen Bronzer Sticks
Shown above left in comparison to a lipstick, you can see just how big and chubby these are. And wow, does a little go a long way! Look at what a full swipe looks like on your skin…
shown full swipe and blended; left: Billionaire Bronze, right: Tan Tint
Billionaire Bronze is a medium to dark, shimmerless bronze with red undertones. Tan Tint is a soft, shimmerless tan. They’re very creamy and blend very well. If you’re serious about getting some safe color, these are worth a closer look.
Here are all the skin, nail and lip products, plus accessories too!
Lipstick
Naturally Eccentric – Creamy white nude (Lustre)
Hibiscus – Bright orange coral (Cremesheen)
Bust Out! – Dirty mid-tone violet (Lustre)
Mocha – Peachy yellow-brown (Satin)
$15.50 U.S./$18.50 CDN
Lipglass
Girl On Board – Pale white gold
Good Lovin’ – Soft peachy pink
Strange Potion – Soft coral pink
Krazy Kahuna – Warm mid-tone brown
$15.50 U.S./$18.50 CDN
Suntints spf20 Liquid Lip Balm
Full of Grace – Soft sheer rose
Pink Tinge – Clean bright yellow pink with gold pearl
Lilt of Lily – Soft creamy pale pink
$15.50 U.S./$18.50 CDN
Nail Lacquer
Hangin ’ Loose – Dirty pink nude
Ocean Dip – Mid-tone creamy aqua
$15.00 U.S./$18.00 CDN
Bags (two – in store only)
$28.00 and $32.00 U.S./$33.50 and $38.50 CDN
MAC Skinsheen Bronzer Stick
Tan -Tint – Soft suntan bronze
Billionaire Bronze – Warm golden tan
Gilty Bronze – Coppery bronze with gold shimmer
$29.50 U.S./$35.50 CDN
Brush
129SH Powder/Blush Brush
$34.00 U.S./$41.00 CDN
Bronzing Powder
Refined Golden – Finely spun golden with soft pearl finish
Solar Riche – Mid-tone deep orange brown
$24.00 U.S./$29.00 CDN
Studio Careblend Pressed Powder
Gold-Go-Lightly – Mid-tone golden tan brown
Lush -Light Bronze – Mid-tone rosy pink brown
$28.00 U.S./$33.50 CDN
Be sure to check out part one: eyes and cheeks. we heartsters, what products have you ready to cruise to the beach?
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.
I never did get Strange Potion, so that’s first on my must-have list, along with the other two lipglasses. I love a nude lipstick and Naturally Eccentric has potential, but the coral lover in me is waiting for Hibiscus, too! And I can’t wait to check out Gold Go-Lightly in person. Lots to be excited about in this collection!
This collection looks great and the retro packaging is so cute!
My list is growing! I would try Surf USA (used as a liner), Bust Out! looks like a msut have as does the golden bronzer! I’ll be set for summer!
I’m intrigued by “Bust Out”–is looks like a less sheer version of Stila’s “Natalie” (now discontinued, much to my chagrin)–The other colors won’t really work on my pale self (maybe Krazy Kahuna–that’s darker and won’t wash me out), but I’m going to have to check out that purple lippie in person to see if it’s a close enough match. I am on a ridiculous purple kick right now…
Squee – love the look of this collection! The packaging is soo very 80’s OP @Stef – and I love that the colors are the opposite of what you would expect – a lot of soft, natural, beachy hues.
I’m loving the look of the Suntints – the squeeze tube and SPF and light shade is my total perfect summer lip!
Also, as a huge nude polish fan (chips are so hard to see – your manis always seem to last longer)so the Hanging Loose polish must be mine.
Finally, how much to I love the embossed MAC logo in the pressed powders?!
I first looked at this a couple of house ago, and I gotta say Bust Out is really sticking in my head. I keep thinking of awesome eyeshadows/liners I own that would look super hot with it. It’s like the perfect compliment to a sun dress and big hat look. It really might have to be mine.
Those bronzer sticks are crazy! So big, I wonder if that makes them harder to use? or do most people daub bronzer and then blend? (I don’t use it, so I’m clueless.)
I’m also wowed by that nude; I’d never wear it but they are NOT playing around when they call Naturally Eccentric a nude… But of course, my faves are the Krazy Kahuna and Good Lovin’! Especially Krazy Kahuna, that is such an unusual color that I must try it!
I forgot to mention, how ridiculously cute is the packing? I’m with @tyna on the embossed logo, and those stripes…so cute!
I love the Mocha lipstick from this collection, it looks almost rose and a beautiful neutral color.
I’m trying SO HARD to get into this collection, but I just can’t muster up the excitement. I think my problem is the packaging- I just don’t like it! I only really like white packaging on cosmetics when it’s stark white and almost high tech/medical in appearance. *shrug* Just me! But that doesn’t stop me from wanting Hangin’ Loose!! What a perfect nude nail for the summer.
I’m with Krista – I’d get washed out by most of these colors, but Krazy Kahuna looks like it would work great! I’d love to say Bust Out would work for me too, but I look like the living dead with anything remotely purple on my lips! I’m loving the packaging – well, not crazy about the stripes but I do love the hibiscus. Any of it would look fun on my counter or being pulled out of my purse!
I want Strange Potion… And I’m bummed that the Suntints are so sheer, and smell of SPF. I have one of their lip conditioners and it smells/tastes of SPF too.
The bronzer looks fabulous on you, @Stef!
I just love the beachy, summer packaging on these! Good lovin and Strange Potion would be perfect for summer, but that purple lipstick looks a little too intense for me!
“Bust Out” looks gorgeous!! I am always on the hunt for plummy hues like this. I’ll bet that with a soft hand it would sheer out gorgeously!
Very cute, summery collection, overall! I love surf culture. I think that I was the only person who watched HBO’s short lived, John from Cincinatti just for the beautiful surf footage!
I’m digging this retro look by MAC. Being a surfer kinda gal and beach freak this is appealing in a rad way! Hangin’ Loose is on my list to pick up along with Naturally Eccentric lipstick. LOVE This!! I’m also eye balling Good Lovin’ Lipglass, Pink Tinge and Lilt of Lily Suntint- they all look so pretty! How fun is this collection!
I, too, highly recommend Strange Potion for those who missed out during Villains :) I think the packaging for this line is so cute. I am excited for the MAC summer lines every year and I’m pretty impressed! Out of this bunch, I think the bronzer would be a fun choice for me. It looks very nice and natural on you Stef!
Bust Out!! Wow! That is a gorgeous color!!
I’m digging the lipglosses as well. Actually everything looks fantastic!
I was thrilled to receive a pice from this fun collection! I was immediately attracted to the retro surf packaging and Bust Out! Looked to be just my style..the color is a deep purple that looks like it will go on a wine-y red..boy was I wrong! The color is super dark and I felt more Aadams Family than Partridge Family..I added some purple gloss for a serious vamp effect and added a gold gloss to tone it down. It looked nice both ways and I think the dark shade will look just right come fall and winter.
Oups! I forgot my stars! I would give this lipstick 5 stars were it not for the darkness of the shade which is a bit too much for me…4 stars!
Lilt of Lily has landed in my possession! Yeah, dudettes! I love this with all my heart! It is the coolest suntint ever! It also has a spf of 20! I don’t taste the formula, but some do. It is a very creamy super light/white pink that just shines like the glistening water and waves from the ocean. Adorable packaging for sure! As a water freak, I love this and will keep it handy at all times. I will not throw away the box it came in either! I totally give this five stars and would hang ten if I could! Rad!
Naturally Eccentric is now in my makeup bag thanks to wht, and I love the packaging so much—I swear, I had an 80s strapless romper in those colors! The lipstick itself is shockingly light, almost like a concealer, and applied too heavily, it “erases” my lips. Is it me, or is Naturally Eccentric more opaque than the other MAC lustre finish lipsticks I’ve owned? @stef , I took your tip and blotted the color onto my lips, added gloss and saw the beauty of this color. It’s also useful for toning down stained lips (I have a lip stain that’s just too bright for me, and now it has a new life). Not an everyday lipstick but it definitely has its place in my collection. 4 stars.
Good Lovin’ is in my hot little hands and it is such a fun gloss! It’s more frosty than I’m used to, which was off-putting at first, but as soon as I got over my old lady tendencies and remembered to more adventurous, I learned to love it.
Is it just me, or has the lipglass formula changed? I remembered it being a little more sticky than this is, but I’m definitely not complaining. Also, I adore that signature vanilla scent that Mac has. Good Lovin’ is a perfect summer color, light and shimmery. It has become a go-to for my work makeup, but I also used it the other night when I went out with a dark eye and neutral lip. It was sparkly enough to be fun, but light enough to not overwhelm. I’ve had lip glass colors before than I had to get rid of before they were even dented, but I see this one going a long way.
Oh, MAC. I love you so…
I received a Skinsheen Bronzer Tint in Tan-Tint. Lucky for me it is probably the best shade for my light/medium (but more light) skin tone. All I do is tap the stick with a clean finger and pat/blend it on my cheeks. Voila! Instant summer glow. It is creamy and pigmented so imagine jusing ust a tap each time…it’s going to last forever!. I think for $30 the price isn’t too bad and the packaging is so cute! This doesn’t seem to aggravate my skin either. I know the lip, Eye and cheek prods get the most love but I think this is a sleeper hit from this collection. :)