MAC x Chris Chang Collection Swatches + Review

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Ready for some color? Lately we’ve seen a lot of wearable makeup products from MAC (I’m definitely not complaining, wearable is my thing) but beginning May 12 you’ll be able to pick up some serious color from the brand with some of the most beautiful and artistic packaging that I’ve ever seen. Yep, I’m talking about the MAC x Chris Chang Collection.

“China’s most outlandish fashion designer  puts an acid-soaked twist on her modern  M·A·C collection, featuring a vivid kaleidoscope  of cutting-edge colour, inspired by  the ancient Chinese art form Kunqu.  Surreal hues of Lipstick,  Cream Colour Base and Eye Shadow,  and specially designed packaging,  are saturated in her signature dramatic flair.”

The packaging. I know I say that I love packaging a lot, but this one wins the 2016 prize without me even seeing packaging for other collections for the rest of the year. It’s so colorful and artistic in a way that could be construed as chaotic but just makes sense because it’s that stunning. I love that the exterior decor continues in to the interior of the box. This makes it look put-together and well thought out.

MAC x Chris Chang is a 14 piece collection and I have four pieces to share with you today (all below).

Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder/Pressed ($29.50 // MAC). Obviously we see a lot of the Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder in these collections. A pressed finishing powder is perfect for travel and, even if you already own this, the packaging makes it a must-have backup. If you don’t own it, it’s worth picking up to set your makeup with. I’m oily so I tend to use a loose transparent finishing powder for a more matte look, but I use these pressed ones to keep in my makeup and travel bags.

Eye Shadow ($17.00 // MAC). Four eye shadow shades are available in this collection in Royal Woo (pastel lemony yellow, matte), Electric Mandarin (neon mandarin orange, matte),  Mu Mu Bloom (hot pink, matte) and Pale Pipa (pastel turquoise, matte).

Pale Pipa is the shade that I received and it was surprisingly on the sheer side and a little chalky. I really had to blend to smooth it out, which sheered it out a bit more. It wears best over a colored base vs. a translucent base. Even if it’s just a beige colored paint pot, it’ll still wear better. I’d recommend a similarly colored base (such as Maybelline Tenacious Teal), a white base (such as NYX Milk Jumbo Eye Pencil) or even a beige base like MAC Painterly Pro Longwear Paint Pot.

Lipstick ($20.00 // MAC). Five lipstick shades are available in this collection in Gold Xixi (pastel lemony yellow, lustre), Cloud Gait (pastel turquoise, lustre), Plum Princess (pastel plummy lavender, matte), Dddevilish (pastel hotel pink, matte) and Vermilion Vee (clean, true red, matte).

I was sent two of the shades in Vermillion Vee (which you know I love me some reds) and Cloud Gait. I’ve always wanted to own a “Tiffany blue” lipstick. This one being a lustre you’re obviously not going to get that in your face pigment but that’s a good thing (IMO) because it’s something you can use and wear on the daily. How, you ask? You Frankenstein it. For example. If you apply Cloud Gait to your lips & smudge, then apply Vermillion Vee to your lips and smudge then dab a bit more of Cloud Gait on top with your finger it makes the perfect mauve shade. Do you need to buy BOTH of these shades or take up this type of time to make a lipstick shade you can probably buy? No. This is just me simply telling you that you CAN own a beautiful Tiffany blue lipstick and actually use it. Which makes me happy 😉

All of the products mentioned in this post are swatched below dry on base skin (no primers):

I still have a few items on my wishlist to pick up including Dddevilish Lipstick, Electric Mandarin Eye Shadow and Sock-It Xiq Cream Color Base. What’s on your MAC x Chris Chang wishlist?

MAC x Chris Chang will be available in the US beginning May 12, 2016 at select MAC locations and maccosmetics.com. Internationally you can pick up this collection beginning in June 2016. This entire collection is limited edition.

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