Hooray for eye shadow palettes! This palette has been out for some time, along with the Cool Neutral palette, but for some reason I’m just now getting to the Warm Neutral review… I’ve used this palette a TON, especially on clients because I can carry this, the Cool Neutral palette, and one with some brighter colors in it, and I have everything I need for my kit! These were only available at PRO, stores and online for a while, but you can now purchase them at MAC counters as well. At $85 this is an epic value, especially considering that these are full sized eye shadows and they end up only being a little over $5 each this way.
Both neutral palettes have a great selection of colors that you can achieve pretty much any kind of look with, from a smoky eye to a natural daytime look. There’s also a wide range of texture in the palettes, so you have a lot to choose from for lid, crease, and blending eye shadows. MAC included a few permanent must haves, though some eye shadows are limited to this palette only, so it’s definitely worth getting if you need some new shadows in your collection or kit!
Note: Photos may look slightly different due to lighting and having to redo some photos that were lost. I’ll be sure to let you know which were in natural light! The individual photos are much more true to pan color for the most part.
MAC Eye Shadows are a high quality powder formula that’s well pigmented and applies easily. There are a variety of finishes/textures in this palette, so color payoff and coverage will vary between them… I’ll describe those more in depth in each individual review. For the most part, all give good coverage and color payoff, as well as wear time. With most MAC eye shadows I get somewhere between 6-12 hours of wear. To be honest, wear time depends on the finish of the eye shadow, if you have oily lids, and if there’s a primer underneath.
I ALWAYS use a MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot as my primer because it not only gives a good base to even out the texture and color of the skin on the eyelid, but it also gives the powder eye shadow something to stick to so it wears longer. Pro Longwear Paint Pots will keep the eye shadow from creasing, which is a must for people with oily lids or heavily hooded lids… For a good, light neutral color I suggest Soft Ochre, Painterly, or Layin’ Low… Using a light color of primer will also make the color of the eye shadow show up true to how it looks in the pan so it will never look washed out (these colors even work on dark to deep skin tones)! You can also use something that’s similar to the color of the eye shadow itself, or even something like Blackground if you really want to play with color and transform the eye shadow. Blackground works especially well under brighter, more frosted eye shadows.
The packaging for these palettes is fantastic! The palette itself is very well made, feels sturdy and holds up to anything from gentle, daily personal to professional use, like being tossed around, dropped, and crammed into a makeup kit regularly. The palettes have the clear top so you can see what you’re grabbing for if you have numerous palettes. The shadows are spaced far enough apart that the dust from one won’t travel onto the other and alter the color or anything like that. They are black and shiny, so they will show the dust from the eye shadows a bit, but that’s easy to clean by using a tissue and 99% alcohol to wipe them down and clean them up (you can also lightly spray the alcohol on the shadows themselves to sanitize them before/after jobs or just to keep them clean for yourself). The back of these palettes does tend to show fingerprints but any black plastic packaging does that, so I don’t consider that an issue. The one thing that some people may not like is that you cannot pop these out of the palettes like you can with the eye shadow palettes that you build yourself. That said, I don’t see why it would be necessary since everything you need is already conveniently organized in this palette for you (plus it’s cheaper than building your own)!
These Eye Shadow Palettes are permanent and available now at stores, counters, and online at www.maccosmetics.com. Each palette contains 15 full sized eye shadows, coming out to be a grand total of 19g / 0.68 US oz of product. These are a great value, selling for $85 (pro and employee discounts do not apply). For an individual MAC eye shadow (in the plastic pot), it costs $15, while the Pro Palette Refill Pan eye shadows sell for $10… In these neutral palettes, each eye shadow comes out to be $5.67. Even for people with a MAC PRO discount card, that’s still about how much each eye shadow would cost and you’d probably have to purchase the palette to put them in too! Basically, this is a killer deal for anyone, so it’s definitely worth buying if you need some new eye shadows for either yourself or your kit, especially since so many of these eye shadows are very unique.
Application Tips:
I don’t normally go so in depth with how you can use the eye shadows in palettes, but because this comes with SO many and you can do so much with it, I want you to teach you my tips and techniques so you can learn how to use them to achieve all of the fun looks that are possible with this palette! MAC Eye Shadows can even be used damp to intensify the color/coverage or to use as a liner, so I’ll include tips on that.
Typically, I use these dry… Since they’re so highly pigmented, a damp application isn’t really necessary. These are much more blendable and easier to apply when used dry. Dry application is great for use on the crease, lid, to highlight below the brow/on the inner corner of the eye or even to line with!
A damp application is usually best for color with a more shimmery/frosted finish, though it certainly isn’t necessary most of the time. It is nice if you want to use these shadows as a liner, though. Applying damp is best for the lid or lining, as it makes these much more difficult to blend out. For a damp application, simple spray your brush with something like MAC’s Fix + Spray then swipe it on one small section of the eye shadow. For eye shadows that I use damp, I designate one small section for use with a damp brush, otherwise, swiping a damp brush all over the eye shadow will make a sort of “crust” on the product, making it nearly impossible to use dry.
Lid: When applying powder eye shadows to the lid, a few of my favorite brushes to use (all from MAC) are the 239, 213, 215 (for a more dense, heavier application), 287 duo-fibre (for a lightweight or damp application), 242 (good for dry or damp), or a 252 (dry or damp / for larger eyelids). A 249 brush is also great for damp application, especially on larger eyelids.
Crease: My favorite crease brushes are the 217, 224, or 286. All three of those are nice and fluffy so they blend out the eye shadow beautifully. If you want more intense color in the crease, I suggest a 214, 215, or 219 (for a super defined, cut crease). The 275 angled brush is also fantastic for the crease because it’s tapered to fit into that area perfectly, but still blend the shadow out so you’ll get the perfect shape and softness.
Liner: When I’m smudging an eye shadow under my eyes or above my upper lash line as a type of liner, I like to use the 219, 214 or 212. For a damp, more defined liner application you can use whatever liner brush you’re most comfortable with… The 209, 210, 211, 212 work well for a softer liner look, while the 263 and 266 angled brushed will work better for something like a cat eye.
Highlights: For a below the brow highlight, I like something flat like the 242 or 239 for more intense color payoff. If you want a softer brow highlight, try a 217 or 224. You can also highlight the inner corner of your eye with a smaller type of brush like a 219, 228, or 231 brush.
This photo was taken using natural sunlight.
Photo taken in natural direct sunlight.
Eye Shadows swatched on NC20 skin.
Hey
Hey: This shadow is described as a “metallic coral” and has a Veluxe Pearl finish… It’s a light, peachy-pink beige with a pretty heavily frosted finish. I like this color best on the lid or inner corner. You can use it lightly below the brow too if you like a shimmery highlight in that area. This shadow is only available in this palette.
The texture feels very smooth, which is common for Veluxe Pearl shadows, so it applied easily and evenly. Color payoff is pretty good, though it’s not quite as intense on the skin as it is in the pan (in the swatch photo, it’s hard to tell because it’s kind of a fleshy color). Coverage is even, though only about 90% opaque, and is best when applied over a Paint Pot. Wear time without a primer is about 4-5 hours, and more like 7-8 with a primer.
Dupes: Naked Lunch is pretty close, maybe a teeeeeny bit darker, but not much. Phloof is lighter and pinker. Hey is also similar to Sin from Urban Decay’s original Naked palette, but a little lighter.
Overall Rating: 4.5 / 5
Application: 5
Coverage: 4
Color Payoff: 4
Texture: 5
Wear Time: 4
Packaging: 5
Warm Breeze
Warm Breeze: Warm Breeze is a “pastel coral” with a Satin finish… It is a light, peachy nude with a soft satiny sheen. This color is great all over the lid or as a highlight on the inner corner or below the brow. This eye shadow is only available in this palette.
It has a soft, very slightly powdery texture, but still applies evenly. Color payoff is good, but better over a primer. Again, since I’m pretty fair, the swatch sort of blends in with my skin! Coverage is mostly opaque without a primer and fully opaque with one. With no primer, I got about 5 hours of wear, and closer to 8 with one applied first.
Dupes: Motif is sort of close but has much more yellow undertones… I can’t really find a great dupe for this! If I find one I’ll update the post, or if you know of a perfect one, leave it in the comments below!
Overall Rating: 4.3 / 5
Application: 5
Coverage: 4
Color Payoff: 4
Texture: 4
Wear Time: 4
Packaging: 5
Gingersnap
Gingersnap: Gingersnap is a “deep rosy pink” with a Frost finish… This eye shadow is a medium, warm toned peachy rose with a very frosty, almost metallic finish. It’s a great lid or inner corner color, and looks really pretty when you do a darker shadow on the inner and outer parts of the lid, then pop this right in the center. Purchasing this palette is the only way you can get Gingersnap.
The texture is super smooth and silky and applies evenly. Color payoff is great and looks almost exactly like it does in the pan, being very pigmented, while coverage is fully opaque. Wear time is about 5 hours with no primer and closer to 8 with one.
Dupes: Mythology is similar in color, but has a Lustre finish so it’s super shimmery in comparison. Antiqued is quite a bit darker. Amaretto from the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette is close, but a little darker and has more red undertones… And it smells like chocolate, which is killing me right now because the palette has been open beside me for like an hour and I have no chocolate in my house haha.
Overall Rating: 4.8 / 5
Application: 5
Coverage: 5
Color Payoff: 5
Texture: 5
Wear Time: 4
Packaging: 5
Dark Brew
Dark Brew: Sooo MAC says that Dark Brew is a “deep chocolate with pink pearl”, and it has a Velvet finish. It’s a medium-dark, warm toned cocoa color with a warm, soft sheen, but has a mostly satin type of base. The pearl particles in Velvet shadows are suuuuuuper tiny, so it just adds more of a glow than an actual shimmer. This color can be used both on the lid or in the crease, depending on the look you’re going for. This eye shadow is available only in this palette.
The texture of Dark Brew is very soft and umm, velvety, so it applies and blends out well. Color payoff is great and it looks just as intense on as it does in the pan. Coverage isn’t completely opaque, but can be applied over a liner and patted on with a flat shader brush like s MAC 239 for fuller opacity. Wear time is great and for me, lasts about 6 hours without a primer and 9-10 with one.
Dupes: Folie is similar in color but is a bit lighter and lacks the sheen that Dark Brew has. Twinks is sort of similar, but more plum based and shimmery.
Overall Rating: 4.8 / 5
Application: 5
Coverage: 4
Color Payoff: 5
Texture: 5
Wear Time: 5
Packaging: 5
Dance in the Dark
Dance in the Dark: Dance in the Dark is described as a “dark brown” and has a Matte finish… It’s a dark, cool toned brown with some grayish undertones. It’s great to pat all over the lid for a soft smoky look (I recommend using a primer to make the coverage and color better, due to it’s texture), or you can use this in the crease or even as a liner. Dance in the Dark was also released with the A Novel Romance eye shadow quad (LE – A Novel Romance – Fall 2014).
This eye shadow felt drier than most others in this palette, so application all over the lid was a little bit tricky without a primer. Color payoff is good, but not quite as pigmented or dark as it looks in the pan (probably because it’s drier). Coverage is also a little patchy and not fully opaque, but can be improved if worn over a primer. On the plus side, drier eye shadows wear well… I got about 6 hours of wear without a primer before I noticed any creasing, and closer to 9-10 with one. This actually wears longer when you use it in the crease/outer lid just to darken your look a bit. It’s more likely to crease or fade when worn all over the lid.
Dupes: Brun is close, but lighter and more brown… It does have better pigmentation and coverage, though. Espresso Bean from the Laura Mercier Artist’s Palette is very similar.
Overall Rating: 3.8 / 5
Application: 3
Coverage: 3
Color Payoff: 4
Texture: 3
Wear Time: 5
Packaging: 5
Brule
Brule: Brule is a “soft creamy beige” with a Satin finish… It’s a light, slightly warm toned, creamy beige with a very subtle satiny finish… It’s not quite satiny, but not matte either. This is one of my favorite lid and brow highlight colors… Seriously, I probably go through 3-4 of these a year! It’s a permanent color so it’s also available in the pot or in refill pan form.
The texture is smooth and goes on very evenly, especially for a drier type of Satin finish. Color payoff is really nice and is well pigmented. Coverage is about 90% opaque with no primer and full with one. Wear time is 6 hours or so without a primer and about 9-10 with one.
Dupes: Brule has a TON of dupes, but I like the texture of it more than most of them… Strange from Urban Decay’s Naked 3 palette is pretty close. White Chocolate from the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette is also similar. Blanc Type from MAC is lighter and has a slightly pinker undertone, while Bisque is a tiny bit darker and has a cooler undertone (Brule is kind of like is Bisque and Blanc Type made a perfect little eye shadow baby).
Overall Rating: 4.8 / 5
Application: 5
Coverage: 4
Color Payoff: 5
Texture: 5
Wear Time: 5
Packaging: 5
Vanilla Extract
Vanilla Extract: This shadow is a “soft warm yellow-beige” with a Frost finish… It’s a light, warm toned creamy vanilla color with a more yellow/golden undertone frost. It’s a great lid or highlight color. Vanilla Extract is only sold as part of this palette.
Vanilla Extract feels almost creamy it applies so smoothly. It’s very well pigmented, but due to the frostiness, it looks a teeny bit lighter on the skin than in the pan. Coverage is even and opaque without having to use much product. Since it’s a Frost, wear time (for me), is only about 4 hours on the lid without a primer, but over 7 with one.
Dupes: Naked Lunch is close but has a more pinky undertone. Sin from the original Naked palette from Urban Decay is also a little pinker. Butter Pecan from Too Faced Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar palette is more intense and yellow toned.
Overall Rating: 4.8 / 5
Application: 5
Coverage: 5
Color Payoff: 5
Texture: 5
Wear Time: 4
Packaging: 5
Honey Lust
Honey Lust: Honey Lust is a “bronze-dipped peach” with a Lustre finish… It’s a medium, warm toned peach with an almost pinky-golden sheen. It’s a really nice lid or highlight color. Lustres are pretty shimmery, and some tend to have fallout, but I feel like this version of Honey Lust is easier to work with than the version that you purchase individually in the plastic pot or in refill form… Obviously, this is a permanent color and has been around for a while!
Like I said, the texture is smooth and applies well with little to no fallout. Color payoff is similar to pan color when applied, but not quite as shimmery. The coverage is pretty good, but not totally opaque without a primer. When applied to my lid without a primer, I got about 4 hours of wear before I noticed any creasing or fading, and closer to 7 or 8 when I used a primer.
Dupes: Chopper from Urban Decay’s Naked 2 palette is a little darker. Marzipan, which is from the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette is also similar.
Overall Rating: 4.3 / 5
Application: 4
Coverage: 4
Color Payoff: 5
Texture: 4
Wear Time: 4
Packaging: 5
Amber Lights
Amber Lights: This eye shadow is described as a “peachy brown with shimmer” and has a Frost finish… It’s a medium, golden-amber color with warm, orange/coppery undertones and a nearly metallic finish. This makes for a beautiful lid or inner highlight color and is one of my favorite eye shadows of all time… It is permanent and can also be purchased individually in both refill pan form and in the plastic pot.
The texture of Amber Lights is so smooth and buttery that it both packs onto the lid and blends out easily. Color payoff is intense and super pigmented, looking just like it does in the pan when applied. Coverage is 100% opaque and very even. For a Frost, wear time is good… I get about 5 hours with no primer and over 8 with one.
Dupes: Goldmine is lighter and more of a yellow gold. Caramel from the Too Faced Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar palette is very similar.
Overall Rating: 4.8 / 5
Application: 5
Coverage: 5
Color Payoff: 5
Texture: 5
Wear Time: 4
Packaging: 5
Saddle
Saddle: Saddle is a “golden orange brown” with a Matte finish… It’s a medium-dark, warm toned brown with a definite orange undertone and a soft matte finish. My favorite way to use this color is as a transition or crease color, or all over the lid on medium dark to deep skin tones with a deeper color in the crease. Saddle is a permanent color and can be purchased in the plastic pot or in a refill pan.
It has a very smooth texture for a Matte and doesn’t feel dry at all, so it blends out well. Color payoff looks nearly the same when applied as it does in the pan. Coverage isn’t quite opaque without a primer, but it’s close! It wears very well, giving over 5 hours of wear without a primer and 9-10 with one, especially in the crease.
Dupes: Texture is lighter and has a more orange undertone. Unseen from Melt’s Dark Matter eye shadow stack is almost identical.
Overall Rating: 5 / 5
Application: 5
Coverage: 5
Color Payoff: 5
Texture: 5
Wear Time: 5
Packaging: 5
Lemon Tart
Lemon Tart: This shadow is a “metallic gold” with a Veluxe Pearl finish… It’s a light-medium, warm lemony gold with a very frosted, nearly metallic finish. It’s a gorgeous shadow for the lid or used as a highlight, especially if you pop this right on the center of the lid. Lemon Tart is exclusive to this palette.
The texture feels buttery smooth and applies very easily. Color payoff usually looks a little lighter once applied, but mostly just because it also looks more metallic and shimmery on the skin, so it reflects light more than it does in the pan. Coverage is totally opaque without having to use much eye shadow at all. I get about 4-5 hours of wear on the lid without a primer (common with more shimmery colors), and closer to 8 hours with a primer.
Dupes: Gorgeous Gold is darker and more of a dirty golden color with cooler undertones. Nylon is a little lighter and has more of a cream color to it, but is the closest dupe I’ve found.
Overall Rating: 4.8 / 5
Application: 5
Coverage: 5
Color Payoff: 5
Texture: 5
Wear Time: 4
Packaging: 5
Creative Copper
Creative Copper: This eye shadow is a “frosted gold” with a Lustre finish… It’s a medium golden color with warm, coppery undertones and a very frosty finish. Like Honey Lust, for a Lustre, this had very little fallout and felt very luxurious. It’s a wonderful lid and highlight color. Creative Copper was originally released with the Antonio Lopez collection back in Fall of 2013, and is also available in the new Amber Times Nine eye shadow palette, but is smaller in that one.
Creative Copper has a super smooth texture that applies very easily. Color payoff is amazing for a Lustre, but looks a little warmer when applied than it does in the pan. Coverage is fully opaque and even. Without a primer, I got about 4-5 hours of wear. With a primer, wear time was just over 8 hours.
Dupes: Nope, can’t find one for Creative Copper! There may be one from a brand I don’t own, so if you know of one, please share it in the comments!
Overall Rating: 4.8 / 5
Application: 5
Coverage: 5
Color Payoff: 5
Texture: 5
Wear Time: 4
Packaging: 5
Butterfudge
Butterfudge: Butterfudge is described as a “dirty mocha with gold pearl” and has a Satin finish… It’s a medium, soft, almost neutral cocoa brown that has warmer undertones thanks to the golden sheen. I love this as a transition/blending color in the crease, or all over the lid if you’re wearing something deeper in your crease. This eye shadow is only available in this palette.
The texture is smooth and easily blendable. Color payoff is great and slightly warmer once applied, but coverage isn’t completely opaque… It’s very close, but not quite there! Applying it over a primer helps tremendously, though. Wear time is around 5-6 hours without a primer and 8-10 with one before I notice any fading or creasing.
Dupes: Soba is close, but cooler toned. Era is pretty similar. Sidecar from the original Urban Decay Naked palette is similar in color, but is super glittery.
Overall Rating: 4.7 / 5
Application: 5
Coverage: 4
Color Payoff: 5
Texture: 5
Wear Time: 4
Packaging: 5
Divine Decadence
Divine Decadence: Divine Decadence is a “soft bronze” and has a Velvet finish… It’s a dark, warm chocolatey bronze with a golden/coppery-red, almost frosty sheen. It can be used as either a lid or crease color, whichever you prefer. This eye shadow was originally released individually as part of the Indulge collection back in Fall of 2013, but is now only available in this palette.
The texture felt extra smooth and applied like a dream. Color payoff is super intense and this shadow actually looks darker and has more a coppery sheen once it’s applied. Coverage is fully opaque using very little product. Since this is a Velvet, the base texture of the shadow is on the drier side, even though it has quite a bit of sheen… What that means is that wear time is longer than it is with most shimmery eye shadows! I got 5-6 hours without a primer and 8-9 with one.
Dupes: Romp is a little darker, but similar. Woodwinked is cooler toned. Lie Low Pro Longwear eye shadow is warmer. Frosting from the Too Faced Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar palette is close.
Overall Rating: 5 / 5
Application: 5
Coverage: 5
Color Payoff: 5
Texture: 5
Wear Time: 5
Packaging: 5
Unwind
Unwind: Unwind is described as a “dirty olive” and has a Veluxe Pearl finish… It’s a medium, sandy color with some cooler, more olive undertones and a soft type of sheen… It’s honestly kind of hard to describe because it’s pretty unique! It works well as a lid color or as a blending color in the crease. I’m pretty sure this is the same eye shadow that was part of a Nordstrom palette waaaaay back in 2007 (the name sounds familiar anyway), but it may have been a different color? I’m not 100% certain! Anyway, Unwind is only in this palette and can’t be purchased individually.
The texture felt smooth and applied evenly without much effort to blend or layer. Color payoff is good and perhaps a little less cool toned once it’s on the skin. Coverage is opaque but still maintains a very soft appearance. I get about 5 hours of wear if I don’t apply a primer first, and closer to 8 if I do.
Dupes: Gorgeous Gold has the same kind of dirty olive undertone, but is lighter and more golden. Patina is more brownish toned.
Overall Rating: 4.8 / 5
Application: 5
Coverage: 5
Color Payoff: 5
Texture: 5
Wear Time: 4
Packaging: 5
