First and foremost, I owe everyone an apology. This review was meant to be posted in the same month the collection was released, but my day job (and a pretty impromptu vacation) got the better of me. Thus, this post had been sitting in the draft for nearly three months now. Seeing that most of the items are still in stock online, I guess, it’s safe to say that I’ve not broken the rule of timeliness.
Plus, it’s only a matter of time before this collection gets shifted to their Goodbyes section so hopefully this review comes in handy for you deal scavengers!
Launched in May, this highly-anticipated (but y’know,I’ve learnt to take overzealous beauty announcement reactions with a pinch of salt) collection includes four lipsticks(Friend Like Me / Rajah / Princess Incognito / Whole New World), three Lipglasses(Diamond in the Rough / Jewels on Jewels / Magic Carpet Ride), a Crystal Glaze Gloss in #1 Wish, pigment in Rose, two Powder Blush(Your Wish is My Command / Always One Jump Ahead), a 9-pan eye shadow palette(Princess Jasmine) and a Technakohl Liner in Graphblack.
Inspired by the intricate patterns and complimentary turquoise and gold hues of the Kingdom of Agrabah, the packaging was unmistakably created with Princess Jasmine in mind (though I wish they had done more to the design like inverting the colours and make it similar to the box, perhaps? I don’t know, the gold just screams “Gerard Cosmetics” to me).
Once again, no prize for guessing what products I zoomed in on…
M·A·C × Aladdin Lipstick in Princess Incognito (US$20)
M·A·C × Aladdin Lipstick in Princess Incognito
M·A·C × Aladdin Lipstick in Princess Incognito
M·A·C × Aladdin Lipstick in Princess Incognito
M·A·C × Aladdin Lipstick in Princess Incognito
M·A·C × Aladdin Lipstick in Princess Incognito
Princess Incognito is described as a neutral pinkyrose with a matte finish. Contrary to the colour depicted on the website, this applied mid-reddish beige on my lips which I thought would be too light on any skin tone darker than medium. The consistency felt fairly thick with a smooth texture and it went on with a fully opaque coverage. Despite its slightly drying formula, the product did not settle into or emphasise the lip lines. That said, I wouldn’t recommend this if you have naturally dry lips, as this may exacerbate chapped lips over time.
This shade was previously sold out when I first drafted this review, but has now been restocked.
Rajah is described as a muted red berry with a matte finish. This is the darkest shade of lipstick in this collection, one which I felt had the strongest association with Princess Jasmine. Even though this brownish red tugged on the lips a little, it was generally easy to apply. Minimal swipes (I’m talking about 2-3) could easily give you a full coverage but don’t be fooled by the appearance. It may look moisturising but it’s actually quite drying. The pictures speak volumes – you can tell how patchy it is on my lips in their relaxed state, and how my lip lines are emphasised. Don’t expect this to last the whole day on the lips – it faded to a tint after 4 hours, further emphasising the wrinkles of my lips.
Swatch comparison for Princess Incognito and Rajah
M·A·C × Aladdin Lipstick in Whole New World (US$20)
M·A·C × Aladdin Lipstick in Whole New World
M·A·C × Aladdin Lipstick in Whole New World
M·A·C × Aladdin Lipstick in Whole New World
M·A·C × Aladdin Lipstick in Whole New World
M·A·C × Aladdin Lipstick in Whole New World
Whole New World is described as a bright blue pink with a matte finish. This popular vibrant shade of cool fuchsia remains sold out on site, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out why. If you don’t want to settle for basic, this is it. Not only does this shade stand out rest, it also has a purple shift and a slight blue metallic sheen to it. Application-wise, it went on with a very smooth consistency, evenly coating my lips with an opaque colour. The product felt slightly drying but there was no emphasis on my lip lines and it even made my lips look hydrated for a long time! Furthermore, I thought this shade would look absolutely gorgeous on olive skin tones!
Swatch comparison for Whole New World
As a matte lipstick fanatic, this collection definitely ticks all the boxes. I was glad M.A.C had decided to do without lipsticks of predictable and tacky finishes that are “shining, glittering splendid”. Yay!
But since this collection revolves around a movie about characters of Arabic and/or Middle Eastern ethnicity, one would expect the products to be catered to medium to dark skin tones. Sadly, products like the powder blush (which is ridiculous – only one shade available and yet it wouldn’t even compliment Princess Jasmine’s skin tone) and Princess Incognito are just further proofs of M.A.C’s poor curating practices for their limited-edition releases. Perhaps they just didn’t see the need for that since sky-high profits are usually guaranteed for Disney collaborations.
And maybe it’s just me but I’m starting to feel the “limited edition fatigue”, especially when it comes to M.A.C. because they’ve been pushing out way too many collections (with products that are nothing out of the ordinary) that it’s becoming impossible for me (and my bank account) to keep up. Does anyone else share the same sentiments? Let me hear you in the comments below!
What do you think about this collaboration? If you’re too lazy busy to write a comment, simply take a quick poll below!
Every generation has its own distinct style. Hence, when the first page of your Google Images results yields only low-resolution pictures of the person you are looking up sporting an outdated hairdo and outfit that defined the ’90s, you immediately know something is amiss – this person had either retired from the industry and thus withdrawn entirely from the public eye or, in worst cases, had passed away.
Reaffirming my suspicion that Aaliyah – who suddenly came to my mind upon hearing “Try Again” on the radio some time in 2008 – was no longer around after seeing that there weren’t any recent pictures of her, I returned to the main search page and true enough, news about her death in August 2001 dominated the first two pages of the search results. I stared at my screen in disbelief. The songstress who was pretty much one of the icons of the ’90s had long gone? How did such major happening slip past my radar? (Come to think of it, I was probably too preoccupied with feeding my Neopets to be bothered with pop culture.. but yeah..)
Aaliyah for M·A·C
Even though it has been 17 years since her demise, Aaliyah’s legacy lives on through beauty trends that are still relevant today. A capsule collection sparked by a petition (like the Selena collaboration) for M·A·C to reintroduce Aaliyah to the world was created in honour of the late R&B star who, at the mere age of 22, was tragically killed in a fatal plane crash with many others on board. Inspired by her beauty looks and M·A·C products straight out of her makeup bag (like Cherish and the now-discontinued Chelsea Lipsticks, Espresso and Biscuit eye shadows), the collection boasts tones of soulful neutral that will transport you back to the era of brown and frosted lips, as well as visible dark lip liners.
My M·A·C × Aaliyah haul!
In this third posthumous range by M·A·C, expect classic ’90s beauty trends to make a comeback in a form of Lipsticks(Try Again / More Than A Woman / Street Thing / Hot Like…), Lipglass(Brooklyn Born / At Your Best You Are / Li Li’s Motor City / 1 In A Million), Lip Pencils(Nevermore / Follow Your Heart), Bronzing Powder(Baby Girl) and a 9-pan eye shadow palette(Age Ain’t Nothing).
A free limited edition bandana (as seen on me in the modelled pictures below) is included in every US$35 M·A·C × Aaliyah purchase, and Aaliyah faithful could also buy the entire collection (alongside other perks like the bandana and a poster, together with a special notecard to download the Aaliyah app for exclusive content) for US$250. Every product is encased in a sleek, reflective burgundy packaging (made in a way that would unfortunately turn it into a magnet for fingerprints) with Aaliyah’s signature printed on it in silver foil.
M·A·C × Aaliyah Eye Shadow X9 in Age Ain’t Nothing (US$32)
M·A·C × Aaliyah Eye Shadow X9 in Age Ain’t Nothing
M·A·C × Aaliyah Eye Shadow X9 in Age Ain’t Nothing
M·A·C × Aaliyah Eye Shadow X9 in Age Ain’t Nothing
M·A·C × Aaliyah Eye Shadow X9 in Age Ain’t Nothing (click to enlarge)
The travel-friendly compact (0.2 oz / 5.85g – the perfect size to carry around although some may argue that it is too small for the price) holds nine eye shadows in “moody deep neutral shade wave” and is designed with a magnetic closure to keep them secure. This palette is generally cool-tone, so the shades may be appear slightly ashy on warm skin tones. Although it also comes with mirror, it is unwisely tinted to the same colour as the packaging, thereby rendering it virtually useless because it doesn’t give an accurate depiction of how the eye shadows look on the lid (especially in a poorly-lit environment).
The following palettes were selected for comparison purposes due to their similarities to Age Ain’t Nothing: Kylie Cosmetics The Burgundy Palette · ColourPop You Had Me At Hello · ColourPop Element of Surprise · ColourPop I Think I Love You
Lovesmoke is described as a sterling silver in Veluxe Pearlfusion (VLXP) finish. This shimmer-packed warm silver with a beige undertone has a lightly creamy texture which applies smoothly on the lid. It has a semi-opaque colour but can be piled on to increase its intensity. This shade blends out easily and can be applied with a dampened brush to better bring out the shine although I find it soft enough to be used with a finger tip (usually at the inner corner or middle of the lid for an added pop of shimmer).
Swatch comparison for Lovesmoke
Magic Moor is described as a black with silver sparkle in VLXP finish. This finely milled black has slight red undertones and contains shimmer that is barely noticeable. Pigmented and smooth to the touch, it goes on semi-sheer but is buildable to full opacity. Although the edges can be easily diffused, the colour becomes one tone lighter once it is blended out. This is better applied with dry brush because the product doesn’t seem to come off the brush very well when wet. For comparison swatches, please scroll down to review on Dancing In The Dark.
Care 4 You is described as a mauve-plum with subtle shimmer and Lustre finish. Named after Aaliyah’s posthumous compilation album “I Care 4 U”, this purple micro-shimmer-infused warm mauve draws eyeballs due to its vibrancy. Sadly, it applies streaky with an uneven consistency and fades ever so quickly when used over a larger surface area. On top of that, there is also fallout. That said, all hope is not lost as I figured that it can be applied either with finger or with a really dampened brush to overcome these issues.
Swatch comparison for Care 4 You
Creative Copper is described as a metallic gold with Lustre finish. Pigmented on the first swipe, this pale gold has plenty of sparkle, as well as a smooth texture that adheres well to the lid. The product, however, tends to stack up a bit when first applied, thus potentially causing chunky fallout, so you might have to work a tad faster to spread it out before most of it lands on your face (for those who do the eyes after putting on foundation). The edges diffuse rather easily and the intensity of this colour shows more when it is applied with a dampened brush.
Swatch comparison for Creative Copper
That Somebody is described as a gold brown with gold shimmer and Satin finish. Perhaps due to its really inconspicuous shimmer, this mustard brown (which is probably named after her single “Are You That Somebody?”) goes on almost matte on the lid. But much as I adore this shade, it can be quite frustrating to work with as the kickback in the pan is atrocious and the product comes off in chunks, so it is advisable not to dig too hard into the pan. Moreover, the colour loses a heap of intensity the moment it is blended out. On the plus side, it does fade evenly enough to prevent it from looking muddy on the lid.
Princess of Soul is described as a muted golden brown in Matte finish. This finely-milled neutral cocoa brown has a flat and powdery smooth texture which adheres well to the lid, making it ideal for shaping and defining the lid. Although applies semi-sheer, it is buildable to full opacity. It is also streaky, but to a teeny-weeny extent. The edges, however, might be a challenge to blend out. For a darker payoff, this color can be applied with a dampened brush.
Swatch comparison for That Somebody and Princess of Soul
Deception is described as a cool medium brown with Frost finish. This cool-tone greyish beige appears metallic and reflects more light than Gingersnap (below). Despite its gritty texture in the pan, it applies somewhat smoothly on the lid. It is best applied with a light hand (or with finger) because it generally yields an uneven and messy consistency, and like That Somebody, comes off in chunks. Therefore, patience is key when trying to blend out this shade. Also, seeing how the swatch separates on my skin texture gives me the impression that it may crease over time.
Swatch comparison for Deception
Gingersnap is described as a muted pinky coral with Frost finish. This warm dirty pink. has a metallic appearance and consistency creamier than the rest of the shades. Opaque and beautifully pigmented in just one pass, this shade deposits a lot of product and yet adheres very well to the lid. On top of that, the colour stretches far better and blends with a seamless result while still maintaining its intensity. Needless to say, Gingersnap is easily the best shade in the palette in terms of application.
Swatch comparison for Gingersnap
Dance In The Dark is described as a deep cool brown with Matte finish. The colour is pretty intriguing – it is greyish brown in the pan, but almost like a black when applied to the lid. The texture is dry and dusty, and has tons of fallout. That said, the biggest faux pas has to be it becoming patchy and fading to nothingness when blended out. Semi-sheer upon application, it loses intensity the very moment it is blended out (which isn’t easy) but if harsh edges are your thing, it is possible to be built to full opacity. This isn’t suitable to be used on its own because it can potentially turn muddy on the lid.
Swatch comparison for Magic Moor and Dance In The Dark
APPLICATION & SUGGESTED LOOK
VIDEO IS ALL THE WAY AT THE END OF THIS POST
Before putting on eye makeup. Eyes have been primed.
Beginning with That Somebody
That Somebody as the base colour
Followed by Care 4 You
Care 4 You on the outermost corner of the eyes
Moving on to Creative Copper
Creative Copper towards the inner corner (at this point I’m just trying to use as many colours from the palette as possible haha)
Princess of Soul is next
Further defining the outer V with Princess of Soul
We’re nearing the end! Time for the darkest shade, Dance In The Dark, to shine!
Dance In The Dark on the lower lash line to further define the eyes
Gingersnap comes after..
Gingersnap continuing from where Dance In The Dark left off to brighten the eyes a little
Lovesmoke as the finishing touch (literally)
Dabbing Lovesmoke in the centre of the lid with my finger to give a more wide-eyed illusion
And because it’s an Aaliyah-inspired collection we’re talking about, the look isn’t complete without a pair of falsies. Shoutout to Esqido for sending these lovelies over!
The Esqido falsies came with a companion eyelash glue (sold separately) which doesn’t pose much of a challenge to apply even for a novice falsie-wearer like me!
A quick look at the falsies I received, named Radiance and made with premium mink hair.
Putting it on after trimming it to suit the length of my eyes
Final result
The whole process in 1.5 seconds 😁
As someone with hooded lids, wearing falses can be a difficult process but these Esqido falsies (Radiance) changed my perception completely. Not only is it extremely lightweight and easy to put on (trust me on this), it sits comfortably and looks flattering on my eyes without being too dramatic. The falsies are voluminous enough to conceal your natural lashes (so it doesn’t appear to be a separate set of lashes from your natural ones), and no eyelash curler is needed to achieve such beautiful curl!
The heavy-duty glue, which has an built-in applicator for a neater application, also deserves some credit because it holds the falsies in place for a long time without causing any discomfort to my eyes. Both products are exceptional and I would recommend them to any beginner in a heartbeat!
Esqido is based in the U.S. but ships internationally. For more information about Esqido, click here.
Try Again is described as a soft muted beige with Matte finish. An essential to nail the nineties beauty look and also my top pick from this collection, this warm beige-brown applies mostly opaque without dragging or skipping, and has a bit of a sheen. The texture, however, feels slightly heavy and thick and has a slightly tacky film on top. Like most Mattes, it emphasises lip wrinkles a bit due to its drier consistency. So far, I’ve worn this out on two occasions and both times (the second was to a buffet) it stays on for about 6 hours before fading away evenly.
M·A·C × Aaliyah lipstick in Street Thing (US$18.50)
M·A·C × Aaliyah lipstick in Street Thing
M·A·C × Aaliyah lipstick in Street Thing
M·A·C × Aaliyah lipstick in Street Thing
M·A·C × Aaliyah lipstick in Street Thing
M·A·C × Aaliyah lipstick in Street Thing
Street Thing is described as a pure black with shimmer and Frost finish. Gliding across the lips to deliver an unidentified grungy colour filled with predominantly blue and purple flecks of shimmer, the texture feels very much like that of a Cremesheen lipstick because of the emollient (but tacky) feeling it leaves. Due to its sheer coverage, the natural lip colour is allowed to show through. But at the same time, it also alters the colour of the lipstick, eventually making it look slightly brownish.
On the downside, apart from the fact that this has a streaky and uneven consistency, it also settles into lip lines and gathers around rough patches. This shade is barely buildable too as applying more coats would just add on to its streakiness. Perhaps this is where the nineties makeup trend of filling the lips with lip pencil, and topping it with a lipstick with terribly uneven consistency like Street Thing comes to play. Fortunately for me, this isn’t drying over time.
Swatch comparison for Street Thing (all the blacks I could find)
M·A·C × Aaliyah lipstick in More Than A Woman (US$18.50)
M·A·C × Aaliyah lipstick in More Than A Woman
M·A·C × Aaliyah lipstick in More Than A Woman
M·A·C × Aaliyah lipstick in More Than A Woman
M·A·C × Aaliyah lipstick in More Than A Woman
M·A·C × Aaliyah lipstick in More Than A Woman
More Than A Woman is described as a cool deep red with Amplified finish. Lightweight and emollient, this shade is a breeze to apply as it slips across the lips like butter to give an opaque payoff of reddish plum. This shade is one of those rarer reds which you think you already own but in actual fact, you don’t 🤣 The consistency is lightly tacky and it has a glossy finish that reflects light although from certain angles it can appear slightly patchy. Some product pulled into my lip lines after a couple of hours when I wore it but it mostly felt quite hydrating on me.
Swatch comparison for More Than A Woman. After combing my stash for an exact M·A·C dupe (I remember seeing such colour), I finally found it. Cordovan, you sneaky fella.
Just so you know, this collection has received backlash from the beauty community because of what they deem as “boring choice of colours” that do no justice to the Princess of R&B 🙄 Well, I personally find the colours to be a breath of fresh air from the many warm-tone ones out there, and I can definitely see the relevance they have to Aaliyah. Also, news flash, people! This collaboration isn’t about us, but the singer herself. Besides, who are we to judge? Curating this collection were those closest to Aaliyah and I’m sure they know her style better than any Tom, Dick, and Harry.
Knowing that M·A·C actually listens to their customers makes me good about supporting the brand. Now, I secretly hope that some Audrey Hepburn and Lisa Lopes (also known as Left Eye from the R&B girl group TLC) super-fan starts a petition for their own M·A·C line too 🤣
What do you think about this collaboration? And what posthumous M·A·C collection are you currently waiting on? Let me know your views in the comments below, or take a quick poll!
Thanks for reading!
M·A·C × Aaliyah is now available on MACCosmetics.com. This collection is not (and will not be) available in Singapore.
False eyelashes were supplied by Esqido in exchange for a feature but all opinions are my own.
Makeup is like clothes; it changes with the season and is generally influenced by the particularities of the physical-geographical environment at the time. But instead of associating summer with jarring bright neons and glitter-flecked chrome hues that illuminate in the glisten of the sun like many of us would, M·A·C stepped out of the norm to drop a collection themed on bokeh and city lights (albeit with a bit of an ’80s vibe) to kick-start the festivities.
M·A·C Mirage Noir for Summer 2018
Launched mid May, the whole of the collection includes lipsticks in 5 different finishes (Twig / Goodbye Kiss / Beach Nut / Noon Noir / Nothing To Wear), 5 Lipglass(Oysterized / Strip ‘N’ Dip / Midnight Dip / Treasure Beach / Soft Shell), 4 eye shadow singles(Slow As You Glow / Sun, Tan And Repeat / Dust Off / Sun Speck), 4 bronzing powder compacts(Golden Rinse [ED] / Delphic [ED] / Baiana Bronze / Matte Bronze), a Pearlmatte Face Powder(Mother O’Pearl), 2 Face and Body Foundation(Light Pearl / Medium Deep Pearl) and a fan brush(140ES) – all decked out in holographic duo-chrome packaging that shifts from blue to purple when viewed from different angles (yes, even the brush and bottled foundation!).
I am not gonna lie – this collection wasn’t exactly up my alley, but the packaging was just too irresistible to say no to. Whipping out my trusty credit card, I proceeded to break my no-buy for the rest of May (in view of the expenses involved in my wedding.. and also because I had already spent a bomb at Sephora earlier – damn sales!) for two lipsticks. Incorrigible, I know, but thank God for mid-year bonus 😜
Noon Noir
M·A·C Mirage Noir lipstick in Noon Noir (US$18.50)
M·A·C Mirage Noir lipstick in Noon Noir
M·A·C Mirage Noir lipstick in Noon Noir
M·A·C Mirage Noir lipstick in Noon Noir
M·A·C Mirage Noir lipstick in Noon Noir
M·A·C Mirage Noir lipstick in Noon Noir
Noon Noir is described as a frosty brown with Frost finish, which essentially means that the formula would be made up of three parts fine glitter and one part pigment. This cool-toned cocoa brown contains brownish-purple shimmers, rendering the shade a metallic sheen that masks most of its pigment when the light hits it.
Gliding smoothly on the lips, the first swipe gives a sheer payoff of a rather poorly distributed product where some areas appear much darker than others. Moreover, it has the tendency to gather around the lines and cause it to look streaky and patchy. But with a few additional passes, the lipstick becomes more opaque and certainly more pigmented although, at the same time, you can see the product settling into the lines. That said, if you dig the frost finish, this also makes the perfect candidate for a lip topper as due to its lightweight consistency, it won’t really move what’s beneath it.
Swatch comparison for Noon Noir – All I Want is lighter and warmer
Beach Nut
M·A·C Mirage Noir lipstick in Beach Nut (US$18.50)
M·A·C Mirage Noir lipstick in Beach Nut
M·A·C Mirage Noir lipstick in Beach Nut
M·A·C Mirage Noir lipstick in Beach Nut
M·A·C Mirage Noir lipstick in Beach Nut
M·A·C Mirage Noir lipstick in Beach Nut
Beach Nut is described as a deep violet in a matte finish. Although matte, this warm purple is emollient, has a lightly glossy appearance and does not emphasise any imperfections on the lips. The downside of it is that it does not last as long on the lips as traditional mattes do because it is very prone to transfer. This lipstick applies creamy without dragging or skipping, providing a mostly opaque coverage (but easily buildable to full opacity with another stroke or two) with a slightly patchy consistency.
Swatch comparison for Beach Nut
Discounting the thought that this collection isn’t very summer-appropriate (seems more fall if you ask me), the lipsticks – the ones I bought – are all right, but nothing exceptional. And maybe it’s just me, but I really don’t see the relevance of the retro discotheque-ish theme to the year-long heat and humidity I’m experiencing in my room now. In terms of publicity, I think this collection is a failure despite the eyeball-grabbing packaging. Perhaps there is too much hype centred on the M·A·C Aaliyah collection (review is in the works 😉) that practically no one is paying attention to this. Don’t believe me? Google “MAC Mirage Noir” and tell me how many reviews on this collection you see.
What do you think of this collection? Let me know what you got in the comments below or simply take a quick poll!
Thanks for reading!
M·A·C Mirage Noir is now available on MACCosmetics.com and in all local M.A.C outlets.
fionaseah.com 