MAC Smoked Cocoa Eye Shadow x 4 Swatches, Review & EOTD – RiRi Hearts MAC Fall 2013

[button link=”#” target=”_blank” color=”default” shape=”rounded” size=”small”]Press Sample/Affiliate Link[/button]

With the success of the smallish launch that was RiRi Hearts MAC Summer 2013 (where we originally saw Hibiscus Kiss Powder Blush and RiRi Woo Lipstick) MAC would be remiss to not to go full out for Fall and collaborate with Rihanna again on a much larger collection (housed in beautiful mirrored pinked gold packaging)!

I purchased several products myself, but the one in this post was received as a press sample.  Her Cocoa arrives today, but in this post I’m excited to share Smoked Cocoa Eye Shadow x 4.

What Nordstrom says about MAC Smoked Cocoa Eye Shadow x 4:

Rihanna joins forces with M·A·C again to bring you the RiRi Hearts M·A·C collection, full of bold, beautiful colors for your lips, face and eyes. Smoked Cocoa eyeshadow quad features four cool shades of highly-pigmented powder formulated to apply evenly while blending and building beautifully.

Shades include:
– A muted, mid-tone Grey with a matte finish.
– A mid-tone cool Champagne with a Veluxe pearl finish.
– Black with silver pearl pigments and a luster finish.
– Black Charcoal with a satin finish.

Smoked Cocoa is an eyeshadow quad that is seemingly perfect for making that smokey grey/black eye that we lust after in these cold months.  The shades didn’t have names to go along with them like with the usual MAC quad, but we have a veluxe pearl champagne ivory, a matte2 plum toned taupe, a shimmery blackened grey lustre and the fourth shade appears to be similar to the third shade without the glitter and in a satin finish.

The first shade, veluxe pearl champagne ivory, is buttery and smooth.  Excellent color payoff and easy to blend.  The second shade, the plum toned taupe matte2, has a great formula and is easy to put on the eye evenly.  But, of course, veluxe pearl and matte2 formulas are generally top notch.

Unfortunately, two of the four shades are a bust.  The shimmery blackened grey lustre literally did nothing.  I tried to get it in my crease but couldn’t get it to show up well so I ended up just using it to smudge out my black liner.  The fourth shade, blackened grey satin, was fine but insanely dry.  I had to press it several times into the crease and outer V before I could blend and it was a pain to get even.

Below, for the EOTD, I primed the eye with Tailor Grey Pro Longwear Paint Pot.  The plummy taupe matte2 is all over the lid with an attempt at the shimmery blackened grey lustre in the crease.  The blackened grey satin was in the outer V and also in the crease to try and smooth out and even the lustre.  The champagne ivory veluxe pearl is at the inner corners of the eye and to highlight.  The liners used were Starlooks Obsidian Kohl Eye Pencil and (even though you can’t see it) Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Stray Dog on the bottom.  The mascara is Too Faced Better Than Sex and Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant layered.

For more information on this collection, please see the Official Press Release.

MAC Smoked Cocoa Eye Shadow x 4 retails for $44.00 and is available at your local MAC counter (Nordstrom, Macy’s, Dillard’s) or store as well as online at maccosmetics.com.  This item is limited edition.

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