Thursday, May 13, 2010

MAC To The Beach (Launches May 27) Info & Swatches (PLUS rant)

How's your day going love? Today I've decided to talk MAC.. more specifically, the upcoming To The Beach Collection. (I read a little post here on naturalNchicmakeup that re-sparked this in me yesterday.) The collection was released in the UK already (I'm not sure where else) this week and will be comin to us in the U.S. on May 27th. Initially, being the makeup obsessed person that I am, I was SO excited. I've been hyped for the collection for the last 2-3 months. My anticipations started to go away though once I saw the first few swatches on Specktra like a month and a half ago. Then yesterday, I was looking around and there were swatches of the collection everywhere ranging from YouTube, Temptalia, Musings of a Muse, and  (pretty much the entire collection) on Specktra.

WARNING!! If you'd like to skip this super crazy sexy cool long rant, feel free to scroll down for the To The Beach info, pics, and swatches.
Since then, my anticipation has near DIED much like . When the info and pics first came out, I had written about 15 things on my MAC wishlist (yupp, I keep my MAC, "high end", and drugstore wishlists separate or they'd get out of hand.) While there are several things that I've "like to have," the only thing that I'm really lemming for and that I really need is one of the cream bronzers. I did want the Seahorse Highlighter but am disappointed that it's just overspray.

I have something to admit.. Ok, I don't love MAC and I'm sort of a MAC newbie (2 years or so of extensive MAC.) (I can just hear the OMGs and see the jaws drop.) ..It's more like, I just almost really like MAC. I asked my boyfriend what my favorite makeup brand was a few weeks ago and he's like, "Oh it's MAC." WRONG!!!! How could he not know that I love NARS, LORAC, and Smashbox the most?? Anyways, the reason I never bought lots of MAC before that was because I never found their formulas to be special. I was eventually drawn in by their collections and wide range of colors though.
I have to say that MAC does a terrific job with their marketing. Look at their ads and all the promoting they do when a collection comes out. You notice that buzz that does around everytime there's a new super hot MAC collection?? Yea, great marketing. Ok now onto my gripes..

I feel like To The Beach is offering products I've already seen before -whether it's from MAC or other brands. At first glimpse, the products seem amazing but take a closer look and you'll probably realize that you have a majority of the products in your collection already. Don't get me wrong, I love bronzers and pale/beachy lippies but I'm over stocking up on products that I already have 4254500329 dupes of. Oh and what's with the bag?? It's not even that cute. Maybe it's nice for the beach but that's it and nearly $50 for it?? I think not.

The next thing is that I've been avoiding MAC in general. The main reason I even buy MAC is for their lipsticks. Their lipsticks. They have a huge variety and that stands out from other brands. They offer tons of different finishes, colors, etc. and I love that but what's the use if I can't even wear my MAC lippies? Every single MAC formula dries out my lips. Every formula looks cakey when I put it on and it takes a ton of work just to make my lips look decent. This may not be the case with others but for me, I already have dry lips to begin with so anything else that takes away more moisture is a definite no no. It's basically like spend $14 on one MAC lippie that will dry my lips out and make them look bad or spend $25 on Shiseido for something I'll have no problem using every day and with add moisture to my lips. Hmm.. what to do.

What about their other products? I've always tried buying lipglasses/plushglasses/dazzleglasses in the past and they end up never being used. I don't like MAC lipgloss and I've just about given up. I don't like the sticky texture and I don't like the way they suck the moisture out of my poor lips. BUT, the colors are sometimes so gorgeous that I give in and I love the look of Dazzleglass. Luckily, I've found a replacement. And then there's MAC liners.. I have no issues with their Fluidline but pretty much every one of their pencil liners (with the exception of Pearlglides) never lasts more than and hour or 2 for me. Why can't they make Pearlglides permanent? They're popular and people love them -I guess they just want us to hoard them when they come out in future collections. Then there's MAC face products: foundations, blushes, whatever. I don't like their foundation and think it sucks. The blushes are so so but I do like their beauty powders. Their eyeshadows are nice but I don't think they're better than NARS, Smashbox, LORAC, and many other wonderful brands offered at Sephora.

Now what do I love about MAC? I love the MAC Pro store and I like that their products over there are different from the "normal" MAC products. I love Lipmixes and all the different mixing mediums that they offer. I just really love the multi-purpose products in general.. their Chromacake and Paint Stick is pretty awesome. If you have access to a MAC Pro store, I urge you to go. It's an art jungle gym and it doesn't even matter if you're not into makeup -it's more art than "basic makeup." I also love that MAC pretty much hands out new collections like Jehova's Witnesses pamphlets. It's insane! A new collection practically every week or 2?? I know it's overwhelming at times but I like the idea that if you don't like anything from one collection, you can just wait another week or 2 for a new collection. Other brands offer new collections like every season so that's a huge reason MAC has such a strong fanbase.

The main reasons I buy MAC are simple: the PRO products, color variety, new collections (they have some really nice LE products), and low price. I know MAC's not exactly "low" but compared to other high-end brands, it's fairly cheap but like I've said, I don't know if that's a good thing. I'm not sure if it's better to go with the low price and so so MAC formula or to just buy something higher priced and get excellent. Your thoughts? That's enough ranting for the day.. here are some To The Beach info and pics although you've probably seen it 1000 times by now. =)

U.S. Launch Date: Thursday May 27, 2010
International Launch Date: May 2010 (already available in UK and Bloomingdales.com)

Eyeshadow ($14.50 U.S./$17.50 CDN)
1. Firecracker (Limited Edition)- (Veluxe Pearl) Frosted mid-tone red orange
2. Humid (Permanent)- (Frost) Intense green with shimmer
3. Sand & Sun (Limited Edition)- (Matte) Light peach
4. Shimmermoss (Permanent)- (Veluxe Pearl) Green with green pearl
5. Sweet & Punchy (Limited Edition)- (Veluxe Pearl) Bright yellow green

Lipglass ($14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN)
1. Easy Lounger (Limited Edition)- Light baby pink with multi-dimensional pearl
2. Flurry of Fun (Limited Edition)- Sheer sparkly peach
3. Splashing (Limited Edition)- Mid-tone blue pink with soft gold pearl

Lipstick ($14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN)
1. Beachbound (Limited Edition)- (Glaze) Sheer frosted pale peach
2. Funbathing (Limited Edition)- (Cremesheen) Mid-tone bronzed plum
3. Lazy Day (Limited Edition)- (Lustre) Light dirty blue pink
3. Thrills (LE, Repromote)- (Frost) Rosy copper with gold pearl

Lip Pencil ($13.00 U.S./$15.50 CDN)
1. Life's A Breeze (Limited Edition)- Soft pink
2. Temperature Rising (Limited Edition)- Loudmouth orange

Eye Kohl ($14.50 U.S./$17.50 CDN)
1. Float On By (Limited Edition)- Dark green turquoise
2. Rosemary & Thyme (Permanent)- Mid-tone olive gold with shimmer

Nail Lacquer ($12.00 U.S./$14.50 CDN)
1. In The Buff (Limited Edition)- (Cream) Muted taupe avocado
2. Scorcher (Limited Edition)- (Cream) Creamy bright coral red

Powder Blush ($18.50 U.S./$22.00 CDN)
1. Get-Away Bronze (Limited Edition)- (Frost) Mid-tone suntan
2. Hipness (LE, Repromote)- (Frost) Intense coral with soft white pearl

High-Light Powder ($26.00 U.S./$32.00 CDN)
Marine Life (Limited Edition)- Multicolour pressed powder

Cream Bronzer ($25.00 U.S./$30.00 CDN)
1. Beach Bronze (Limited Edition)- Golden glow with soft gold finish
2. Weekend (Limited Edition)- Mid-tone deep orange brown with soft pink pearl

Bronzing Powder ($22.00 U.S./$27.00 CDN)
1. Golden (Permanent)- Muted golden tan-beige with golden shimmer
2. Refined Golden (Permanent)- Finely spun golden with soft pearl finish

Bronze Body Oil ($22.00 U.S./$27.00 CDN)
(Limited Edition) Glowing tan with multi-dimensional golden shimmer

Lustre Drops ($18.50 U.S./$22.00 CDN)
1. Pink Rebel (LE, Repromote)- Blue pink with gold pearl
2. Sun Rush (LE, Repromote)- Peachy bronze with gold pearl

Brush
1. 130 Short Duo Fibre (Limited Edition)- A short, round dual fibre with flat head composed of both natural bristles and synthetic fibres ideal for application with creams, emulsions, and various powder products. ($38.00 U.S. / $45.50 CDN)
2. 131 Duo Fibre Powder/Blush (Limited Edition)- Flat, tapered face brusht hat contains a combination of short, natural fibres and longer, fibre optic fibres ideal for light application and highlighting/shading with various face powders, ideally suited with mineralize skinfinish powder products. ($40.00 U.S. / $48.00 CDN)

MAC To The Beach Bag ($49.50 U.S./$59.50 CDN)
(Limited Edition) Available at MAC stores only. (I believe this comes in green too.)

So what would I like to have?
Firecracker and Sweet & Punchy eyeshadows, Lazy Day lipstick, Hipness and Get-Away Bronze blushes, Marine Life Highlight, and Beach Bronze cream bronzer.
What do I absolutely need?
Possibly Weekend cream bronzer.

Swatches.. (Click these links. I don't want to be a picture stealer!!)
1. Specktra (all swatches): here & here.
3. Musings of a Muse (some swatches)

Mouthwatering Photos..
Ok that's it for now. Huge, long post I know. =O Sorry for so much ranting. What are your thoughts on To The Beach? What about MAC in general? Are You MAC'd out yet?? I'll still stick around but I don't see myself being that customer that's at the door the second the store opens anymore. I'm more of a Sephora gal. Sorry MAC!! I still adore you, Sephora's just my first love.

*All photos belong to MAC.

8 comments:

  1. Thx for sharing :)
    There is tooooooooo many collections XD
    xoxo

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  2. You're welcome dear. =) I know! There's a collection pratically every week or 2 -but I think that's a PLUS when it comes to MAC. Not every company does that and I think it keeps MAC exciting.

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  3. I know how you feel with all these collections coming out one after another with nothing really all that special. On the bright side, it saves us money to spend on other brands!

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  4. I know!! For months, I was literally buying at least something just because of the pretty LE packaging or because it would "never come back again." But then I realized I was hitting insanity when I would give away or sell those products I never really wanted just months later. I think it's better to invest in great quality rather than decent quality and lower prices. It's just like buying clothes.

    I know we save for other brands but other brands are so expensiveeeeee. =P Ok, now I'm just whining.

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  5. When I saw temptalia's swatches of the marine life mes, I was totally disappointed too when hearing about the overspray, so I am passing on that one. I am intrigued by the cream bronzers though and I want the refined golden bronzer, just for the packaging, the 131 and maybe the coral blush. I did a rundown of this collection earlier too, the pictures are really nice. And mac is all about collections and everything bring limited edition to get people all crazy and buying everything!

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  6. Hi there! I 'uber love MAC! Thanks for this post, long but very informative.. =)Btw, I'm your new follower.

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  7. @ Justine.. I was totalllllly disappointed too when I found out on Specktra awhile ago. It just made me not want to buy it because what's the point?? I was going to get it and "not use it" but that's really such a waste. I'm also interested in the cream bronzers and Hipness blush is pretty but I think I rather get a NARS blush in Gilda -which seems similar. And I agree!! MAC is like a drug with their LE items -it makes us all go crazy.

    @ Lady Mitchelli.. I love your name!! So pretty. I uber like MAC. =) But it's not my first love. Yea I know it was long, LOL.. that's why I put a warning because I knew some people might be put off. =P And thank you for following!!

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  8. Just joined your blog! I only want two things from this Pink rebel Lustre drops and refined gold bronzer (the packaging I can't pass it up :). but I think overall it's not as exciting as I thought it would be. We'll see it's still not out!!

    makeupaddict00.blogspot.com

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