MAC Spring/Summer 17 Collection feat. Kabuki, James Kaliardo & Diane Kendal! Mini-reviews + Hits & misses from this collection

28 February 2017

MAC Spring summer 2017 collection

If you follow me on Insta Story (which you totally should! coz I'm an absolute Insta addict @LipsnBerries), you'd know that last month I attended an event with MAC Cosmetics NZ where they invited the celebrity makeup artist Kabuki and the NZ beauty media got to watch him work his magic on his beautiful muse. Stellar makeup skills I tell you!! Lines between editorial and regular makeup were blurred. He was so gentle with his brushes & yet the makeup turned out to be awe-inspiring. Here's the photos of the look he created & him in action.

Kabuki NYC makeup
Kabuki makeup artist

Kabuki has worked on everyone from SJP in Sex & the city to the Kardashians. He's a humble soul too! Top marks for that. He is one of the 3 pro makeup artists that MAC has collaborated this coming season for their limited edition Spring/Summer 2017 collection. Each of them has curated their favorite products.

Kabuki Magic Collection is a mix of all things- some eye gloss, some liquid paint to powder finish eyeshadow, a cement grey retro matte lip color and an eyeshadow brush that Kabuki was quite chufed to have created. Apprently its perfect for the lower lash line and depositing color precisely over upper lash line.


MAC Kabuki Magic collection

The other two artists being James Kaliadros & Diane Kendal. I have to admit that I hadn't heard of them before this collection came out but upon some googling , I've have found them to the maestros in their art, regulars at Fashion weeks around the world. Maybe I should  go through magazines more often but then Fashion has never been my forte.

The SS17 collection from MAC is truly overwhelming. If I was to talk about every product..it'll be a scripture. The collection is almost at par with the Hoilday Nutcracker Sweet Collection in its enormity. So many products, so many formulas, so much to choose from. It is definitely the most versatile I've seen from MAC yet, from cream highlight/bronze stick to cream eyeshadow palette to a lip palette and eye crayons. If you have the moolah, do check it out because you are bound to find something of your taste.

MAC Kabuki magic collection reviews

MAC James Kaliadros collection review

MAC Diane Kendal collection reviews

I was sent a couple of items from all 3 makeup artists and here are my quick two cents on each.

1. MAC Kabuki 'This Modern Age' Retro matte liquid lip color (NZ $55)
This is such a stunning grey color. Obviously my first! The shade looks almost like cement and has a greenish tinge to it. It looks great paired against black as Kabuki suggested himself. The retro matte formula is super matte and quick drying, as expected. You need to prep your lips beforehand. It feels comfortable on and survives light meals/snacks. Great experimental shade to have!

MAC Kabuki This modern age lipcolor review

MAC Kabuki grey retro matte lip color review

MAC this modern age on indian skin

2. MAC James Kaliadros 'Bloodstone' lipstick (Amplified, $44)
This is a beautiful blue based red lipstick that is really really mositurising. Not a very unique shade when it comes to MAC but its hydrating properties will surely appeal to many. I'm more of a matte girl.

MAC James Kaliadros Bloosdstone lipstick review

MAC bloodstone lipstick swatch

MAC Jasper lipstick swatch

3. MAC James Kaliadros 'Jasper' lipstick (Satin, $44)
This vampy brownish red is a touch too dark for my taste but looks pretty nevertheless. I like its finish more than the bloodstone shade from same collection (less buttery). It stays longer too! The shade doesn't pack that wow factor though. Kinda similar to MAC Diva from permanent line.

MAC James Kaliadros Jasper lipstick review

MAC jasper lipstick on indian skin

4. MAC James Kaliardos Moons of Saturn Full face kit ($115 NZD)
While the shades in this very compact & neat kit look almost dreamy in pictures, the ease of application trumps it for me, 2 cream color bases & a sculpting powder.
Call me a novice but I haven't really caught on the cream shadow bug. I'm not sure why this collection has so many cream products. Even though I have dry skin, I find them hard to work with. It must be great for editorial makeup but I find them tricky. Makeup never seems to last that long.

MAC moons of saturn face kit review

MAC moons of saturn full face kit swatches

Nevertheless, a great buy, specially with the powder bronzer it has underneath which I totally missed until I saw a bloggers' insta photo of this! The sculpting powder is slightly too warm/yellow based unlike the ashy brown Hoola bronzer that I'm used to. It stills works!
That eye watering price though!

5. MAC Diane Kendal 'Glamourize me' Cream color shadow x 6 palette ($88)

MAC diane kendal Glamorize me eyeshadow palette

MAC Glamourize me eyeshadow palette review

MAC Glamourize me eyeshadow palette swatches

The eyeshadow shades in the palette are beautiful in picture but quite a struggle to work with (for me personally!) . The shades didn't have a lot of pigmentation and didn't stand out much on my medium skintone, contrary to what I expected. They also creased despite eye primer, which could also be my over application which I indulged in in order to get the color to show up on my lids. I recommend to layer these up with a powder eyeshadow for longetivity.
Overall, if I were to spend $88, I'll invest in another palette thats easy and hasslefree to work with...Powder is my jam!

6. MAC Studio Quiktrik stick by Diane Kendal ($78)
 Hooray! for another cream product.

MAC Diane kendal quiktrik stick review

MAC quiktrik highlight bronzer stick review

MAC Quiktrik stick swatches on indian skin

This cream bronzer & highlighter duo is probably my favorite from all the products I received. It glides on nicely, is the perfect contour & highlight shade for me and is relatively easier to work with despite being super ceramy. I use a disposable sponge to blend it in. The cream contour looks really natural, like you really have them cheek bones. However, for a more polished look or ultra glam, I would set it with a powder bronzer and highlighter.

Final thoughts/ Honest confessions-

MAC's Spring/summer collection is huge. If you don't believe me go visit a store. The collection came to NZ on Feb 20, 2017 & is limited edition. While the products I recieved were a bit of hit & miss, I'm still keen to check out more of them specially the paint eyeshadows & Kabuki's eye brush, having witnessed them both in action. However, I do feel this collection is more for editorial/edgy makeup. I'm sure the pro artists in the beauty community will be able to make good use of these products but for a makeup enthsiast and fairly novice girl like me, they are bit of up there. I'd like to own them but the purchase won't be justified. I believe in investing in makeup, buying products that I can use over & over & in various ways.
In saying that I do feel my opinion might change when I check out the full collection in store. As of now my opinion is solely based on the few products I've tried. Each to their own I guess!

Best of MAC SS 17 collection

What are your thoughts on this collection? Anything that interests you? You can click on the pictures above that tell you product & pricing of each item in the collection!

Talk to me in the comments below ...

Love
Nishu

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