Swatches + Review: MAC Haul (Blush, Eyeshadows, Paint Pot & Foundation)

This is really a collective haul of items that I purchased over the past few months. 

MAC Single Large Pro Palette ($8) with 6 Pan Blush Insert ($2) - The palette is made of plastic that's much sturdier and thicker than the old version. It has a clear lid, so you can easily see the colors that are inside, which makes it very convenient if you have multiple palettes. It also fits 8 blushes without the insert, but I decided to buy the insert because my OCD says it looks "neater." I also find that it's easier to pop the insert out and reorganize my blushes if I leave one slot empty. It takes a little bit of patience to pop the insert out if all slots are filled up. It measures 7 inches x 4.5 inches and is about 0.70 inches thick.

MAC Powder Blush - Each refill pan costs $17, while the ones that come in the individual compact retails $22. Each contains 6g/021oz of product.

• Mocha is a plummy pink with a matte finish. Desert Rose pulls more red.

• Blushbaby is a sheertone beige pink with a matte finish. It has a silky texture. This is an everyday color that you can wear to the office or when you are rocking a very intense eye look. It just gives a very natural flush of color to your cheeks.

• Desert Rose is a reddish burgundy with a matte finish. Mocha is more mauve-y.

• Breath of Plum is a sheertone plum with a matte finish. This also has a silky texture. 

MAC Pro Longwear Powder Blush - Each refill pan costs $19, while the ones that come in the individual compact retails $27. Each contains 6g/021oz of product. The blushes in the Pro Longwear line provide more pigmentation and are more long wearing. 

• Stubborn is a mid-tone rose plum. MAC says it has a semi-matte finish, but the finish looks very similar to the other blushes that I mentioned earlier. So, I would describe it as a matte. 

I purposely bought nude and mauve-y shades because I have alot of pinks and peach shades in my collection. Also, none of them have a shimmery or frosty finish because I find that matte finishes are more versatile. I can always add a highlight over the blush if I wanted a glow. 

Application: Blushbaby and Breath of Plum are sheer, but they are easily buildable. This formula prevents you from looking like a clown and is especially great for those with a heavy hand. Mocha and Desert Rose provide more pigmentation with one layer, but they're not overly pigmented and still very easy to work with. Stubborn is the most pigmented of the bunch, partly because it's the darkest shade. I highly recommend using a light hand to pick up the product, then tap off any excess and apply with a fluffy brush, such as the Sonia Kashuk #19 Tapered Powder brush. (You can check out my pinterest post for comparison pictures.) I also find that they apply smoothly and blend easily into the skin without any blotchiness. 

Longevity: I don't have any issues with blushes in general when it comes to wear. All 5 of these last at least 10+ hours on my cheeks when worn over foundation and setting powder. 

(By the way, I also bought Shadowy, but I'll talk more about it in my "Battle of the Contour Powders" post and have comparison swatches.) 

I wear cream eyeshadows as a base for my powder eyeshadows to prevent creasing and to ensure that my eye makeup stays on 12+ hours. I like the Maybelline Color Tattoos (review), Benefit cream shadows and MAC paint pots equally and use them interchangeably. I usually pair them with neutral colors, such as Urban Decay Sin & Sellout and MAC Jest & Naked Lunch (swatches).

Mac Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Bare Study ($22 for 5g/0.17oz) - It's a peachy beige with gold shimmers. Barely Branded is more beige, while Bikini-Tini is more pink.

Mac Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Vintage Selection ($22 for 5g/0.17oz) - It's a light brown with a champagne sheen and frosted finish. When heavily swatched, it looks more brown, but when sheered out, it's lighter in color and looks more champagne. 

Formula: The MAC and Benefit ones are more creamier than the Maybelline Color Tattoos and doesn't set as quickly. Regardless, they all apply very smoothly, blend effortlessly and are easily buildable. 

I find that if I have the Maybelline ones in rotation along with other cream eyeshadows, then the Color Tattoos are more likely to dry up in the jars before I can finish them. However, I don't have an issue with them drying up if I use them consistently everyday. I also store all my cream eyeshadows upside down to prevent them from drying.

Longevity: I usually apply a very sheer layer when I use them as a base for my powder eyeshadows and it's enough to ensure that my eye makeup stays put at least 12 hours. I don't have any issues with the longevity of the MAC and Benefit ones, but if you really put it to the test, the Color Tattoos last 16+ hours and is more sweat-proof, water-proof and smudge-proof. 

Mac Powder Eyeshadows - Each refill pan costs $10 $6, while the ones that come in the individual compact retails $16. Each contains 1.5g/0.05oz of product. 

I already swatched the other colors in previous posts (You can do a quick search using the search tool that's located on the right side of my blog.). Copperplate is only shown for comparison purposes. So, I'll just talk about the ones that I never shown on my blog. The following 3 colors were redeemed for free through the Back2MAC program. I depotted them and placed them in a 12 pan palette that can be purchased from Coastal Scents for $5.95. (The palette has a mirror and some weight to it. It definitely does not feel cheap at all and I'm very shocked at how low the price is.) 

• Era is a golden beige with a satin finish. It pulls more brown when heavily swatched and more beige when applied lightly. It's suitable for those that want an everyday neutral shade for all over the lids without being too bright. 

• Coquette is a cool-toned greyish brown with a satin finish. Copperplate has a matte finish and leans more grey. I usually gravitate towards shades with a matte finish when defining my crease because I find that it gives me more definition. However, Coquette still works well for creating depth because it's not shimmery at all and almost looks completely matte. (If you swatch it heavily, you can see a soft sheen under direct lighting, but it's barely noticeable.) 

• Concrete is a cool toned brown with a satin finish. You can notice a grey undertone when swatched heavily. It has the same finish as Coquette, but Concrete is darker and pulls more brown. I use both the same way and don't prefer one over the other.

Formula & Longevity: They're all (1) very pigmented, (2) apply smoothly, (3) blend effortlessly and (4) layer easily. I have oily lids, so I always wear a primer, such as the Urban Decay Primer Potion, and they last 12+ hours. 

Many other brands have eyeshadows that are very pigmented, but I experience alot of fallouts with those and I hit pan alot faster. One of the reasons why I keep repurchasing from MAC is because of the formula. I barely experience any fallouts during application with these eyeshadows and a little goes a long way. 

Mac Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation ($33 for 25ml/0.84oz) 

Packaging: It comes in a plastic squeeze tube that's very travel friendly. 

Color: Both colors oxides within minutes and have a warm undertone. NC30 is a smidge too light, while NC35 is a smidge too dark. I have to mix both to get my perfect match. (For reference, the L'oreal Infallible Pro Matte in Golden Beige 104 works well for my current skin tone and I'll be reviewing it soon. The Dior Forever foundation in shade 021 is too light and I have to mix it with 031.)

Oil-Free Formula: It has a creamy consistency and provides enough coverage to be used as a concealer. So, I would consider this to be full coverage, especially when compared to Dior Forever, MUFE HD, and L'oreal True Match (swatches), which all provide medium coverage with one layer. If you use the MAC one as a foundation, I highly recommend using less than what you think you need. I personally prefer to sheer it out using my It Velvet Luxe #302 brush (review) and it provides a medium coverage without looking cakey. It leaves a satin finish (without powder) and more of a natural, matte finish without looking flat when set with a powder.

Longevity: I have an oily t-zone and normal (not dry or oily) skin on the rest of my face. I prep my face with an oil-free moisturizer, such as my Benefit emulsion, before I apply the foundation, and then set it with my Nars Light Reflecting powder. It lasts at least 13 hours without a primer. I have to blot my oily t-zone throughout the day like with any other foundation that I wear, but my makeup still stays put and looks good all day.  

Note: The powder blushes, eyeshadows, paint pots and Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof foundation can be purchased at Nordstrom and Mac's online store.

What a long haul! Hope you guys find it helpful. =)

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