MAC has amped up their superhuman forces with their latest collection, Wonder Woman. The collection is a very big one complete with accessories and online exclusives. The products offered include everything from lipsticks to eyeshadow quads, from lashes to nail lacquer.

When I first heard this collection was going to be be released, I was really excited. Wonder Woman is one of the first well-known female superheros. She was one of my superheros. What better icon is there to speak to the strong, capable woman in each of us?

Once I started to review the collection, my feelings started changing. My first thoughts were, “How fun!” But unfortunately, my thoughts didn’t go much beyond that, at least not in positive terms. Even though I want my makeup to be fun and playful, I think this collection might be a little too much for even me. As I reviewed the colors, I found myself envisioning me in this year’s Halloween costume as Wonder Woman. All of the products would definitely come in handy then.

Even many of the names went a little over the top for me. I usually love the intelligent names that MAC comes up with for their products. They fit the products so well. I guess in this case, MAC still held true to their M.O. The names do fit the products. Names like Pink Power, Spinning Transformation, Deep Truth; Again, it’s all just a little too juvenile for me.

The packaging is another thing to make mention of. Usually, MAC packaging is so perfect. This packaging just makes me think of saving my pennies to buy that one toy I wanted at the local drug store. I have seen many mixed reviews on the packaging. Many think it looks too tacky—especially for MAC. Others feel it is reminiscent of their childhood. I think I have to agree with those who feel it’s just a little too tacky.

I think the only positive note for me in this collection is that it does offer lipstick and nail lacquer in true red colors. Every once in a while, an occasion or outfit will call for a nice red lipstick and nail polish. I might consider adding one or both of these products to my personal collection.

I will also say that the collection does take me back to my childhood. My childhood is a place with many fond memories. I remember how terrible I was at putting on makeup and how I wanted to look sophisticated and beautiful. I still want to look sophisticated and beautiful and for me, this collection just isn’t doing the trick. What do you think? Are any of these products your favorite picks?

M∙A∙C Spring Colour 2011 is the feminine force that saves the day! No nemesis can match her super-sized Mineralize Skinfinish, Eye Shadows, Lipsticks and Powder Blush for this transformation! Our Artists work wonders every day – now with the help of one of the most exciting feminist figures…

Lipstick
Marquise d’–Sandy cream peach (Lustre) (Limited Edition) (Repromote from Brunette, Blonde, Redhead ’09)
Russian Red—Intense bluish-red (Matte) (Permanent)
Spitfire—Bright creamy magenta (Satin) (Limited Edition)
Heroine—Brown bronze (Frost) (Limited Edition)

Lipglass
Emancipation—Pale neutral pink (Limited Edition)
Wonder Woman—Bright red with soft pearl (Limited Edition)
Athena’s Kiss—Bright blue fuchsia (Limited Edition)
Secret Identity—Mid-tone copper with soft pearl (Limited Edition)

Nail Lacquer
Obey Me—True red (Limited Edition)
Spirit of Truth—Navy blue (Limited Edition)

Opulash Mascara
Victorious—Purple (Limited Edition)
Army of Amazons—Green (Limited Edition)
Themyscira—Blue (Limited Edition)
Black—Black (Permanent)

Penultimate Eye Liner
Rapidblack—True black (Permanent)

Lashes
#48 Lash

Defiance Eyeshadow Quad
Defiance—Iridescent white pink (Veluxe Pearl) (Limited Edition)
Paradise Island—Soft warm pink (Satin) (Limited Edition)
Star Studded—Mid-tone violet pink (Satin) (Limited Edition)
Real Drama—Dark burgundy with pink pearl (Satin) (Limited Edition)

Lady Justice Eyeshadow Quad
Lady Justice—Bright silver with white pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Insurmountable—Dirty blue grey (Veluxe Pearl) (Limited Edition)
Bold Babe—Deep metal blue with white pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Deep Truth—True dark blue (Frost) (Permanent)

Valiant Eyeshadow Quad
Valiant—Light lime with yellow pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Spinning Transformation—Deep olive bronze with yellow pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Diana Undercover—Dark forest green (Satin) (Limited Edition)
Manila Paper—Pale frost white gold (Veluxe Pearl) (Limited Edition) (Repromote from Spring Colour Forecast ’10)

Reflects Glitter
Reflects Pearl—White glitter with pearl sheen (Glitter) (Permanent at PRO)
Reflects Bronze—Sparkling rich gold (Glitter) (Permanent at PRO)

Pigment
Bright Fuchsia—Bright magenta (Permanent)
Marine Ultra—Vivid marine blue (Permanent at PRO)

Blush Duo
Mighty Aphrodite—Warm peach coral with gold pearl/Bright coral pink with gold pearl (Satin/Frost) (Limited Edition)
Amazon Princess—Bright yellow pink/Deep blue pink with gold pearl (Satin/Satin) (Limited Edition)

Mineralize Skinfinish
Pink Power—Peachy rose with pink shimmer/Soft rosy bronze/Soft shell pink with fine shimmer (Limited Edition)
Golden Lariat—True coral with fine gold shimmer/Soft suntanned bronze/Soft gold with fine shimmer (Limited Edition)

Wonder Woman Makeup Bag
Wonder Woman—Red (Limited Edition)
Bulletproof—Blue (Limited Edition)

Utility Belt Eye Brush Set (Limited Edition)
Includes 224SE, 213SE, and 194SE

Utility Belt Face Brush Set (Limited Edition)
Includes 129SE, 109SE, and 190SE

Wonder Woman T (Online Exclusive) (Limited Edition)

Invincible Mirror (Online Exclusive) (Limited Edition)

MAC Cosmetics powerpoint eyeliner, is waterproof and it goes on smooth and strong. Personally I prefer an eyeliner that goes on heavy and bold. If I am looking to wear an eyeliner that I can barely see, I will use an eyeshadow and blend it out, for a softer look. But if I am going to bust our my pencil, I want power with it. The MAC Cosmetics powerpoint eyeliner gives you that and more. Plus, you can be confident knowing it is from MAC. MAC Cosmetics eyeliners are time tested and known to be the cream of the crop when it comes to quality.

There are about 14 different shades you can choose from. My favorite is a color called Engrave. It is a dark black. It is a flat black, no shimmer. Just dark and bold. Just how a black eyeliner should be. Though, for all the fun looks, they offer many metallic shades too. They are amazing. I have found they actually stand out more then metallic liquid eyeliner colors I have used in the past.

When going for a smokey eye look, it is best to have a great black eyeliner to complete the look. Out of all the eyeliners that lay in my makeup case, I always go for my Powerpoint eyeliner. All of the eyeliners work great for any look. Their brown is great, as well as their blues and greens. I always use their Engrave with any dark, smokey look that I am going for. When I play with bright colors, I like to choose there other fun shades.

MAC Cosmetics Powerpoint Eye Pencil is extremely long lasting. The type that, if you do not wash your makeup off at night, it is still perfect in the morning. I also found out, that when washing it off in the shower, it will leave behind color that actually still looks good. It is waterproof, so expect it to stick around for a while. Though it is best removed completely with an oil-free remover. If it is not oil-free, it will just kind of smear it around.

Out of my experiences with SmashBox, NARS, Makeup Forever and others, I have found MAC’s Powerpoint Eye Pencil to be the most durable, lasting eyeliner. If you are looking for an eyeliner that sticks and does not want to go anywhere, this is your type of liner. The eyeliner also goes on very smooth, almost creamy. You can also apply it, then take a small angled liner brush and shape, blend, smooth or drag out the liner on your lid. It’s just that amazing!

The Powerpoint liner really is a great find. I find it to be one of my top choices, out of the many eyeliners I own. It is priced very average, in comparison to other high end cosmetic lines, yet the quality of the liner will surely win you over.

Permaplum is a dark purple shade with a very subtle hint of pink shimmer. The shimmer is so subtle that you probably won’t even notice it. It is just enough to make the color look a bit more “awake” rather than flat and dull but not enough to see the individual shimmer particles. The purple is so dark that it can almost pass for black, which means it goes with almost everything. Permaplum has just enough purple in it to help green, hazel, and brown eye colors stand out.

Like all of the MAC Powerpoint eyeliner, Permaplum has excellent staying power. Pencils tend to wear off throughout the day, but the Powerpoints stay in place all day with only minimal smudging. It does not last through swimming as well as the Liquidlast liners do but it is perfect for a long day at work. It is also very easy to apply on the go so you can bring it in your bag and touch it up in even the tiniest bathroom mirrors to take your look from day into night.

To get the best look with a Powerpoint eye pencil, begin with a very sharp tip and apply to the top lash lines first. This gives you the most control over the thickness of the line. You can get a deeper color by going over the outer third of the line twice with the pencil. After applying the liner to the top of the lids, the point will have softened a little. This leaves it in the perfect condition for giving the lower lash line a softer look. One very light swipe across the bottom lash line, working from the outside corner to the inside, is enough to define the eyes. If it looks too heavy, a quick trace with a cotton swab will help smudge it a bit. You need to make a decision about smudging quickly though. You only have a few seconds before the liner sets and then it will be much more difficult (although not impossible) to smudge nicely.

MAC’s Permaplum liner scores high points all around. It’s a great color that is flattering but not too daring. For ease of application, portability, lasting power, and economy, it is an excellent choice. It’s easy to throw it on even when you’re half-awake and you don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day.

Pencil wearers can choose from traditional Pencil Liners, soft Eye Kohl pencils and their more intense cousins the Kohl Power Eye Pencils, the mechanical pencil-style Technakohl Liner, and the long lasting cult favorite Powerpoint Eye Pencils. The Powerpoints are absolutely budge-proof. Permaplum is a very rich metallic purple that is dark enough to look natural. It also has a pink shimmer but don’t be put off by that. It’s not noticeable but instead has the effect of making the liner look multi-dimensional.

For those who never have any luck with pencils, there are a number of liquid options. Liquid Eye Liner is a standard liquid liner whereas Penultimate Eye Liner is a liquid liner with a pen tip. MAC’s Liquidlast Liner is a very long-wearing liquid liner with a brush applicator that stays on even through a day at the beach or after some serious crying. Not only does it not run, it also doesn’t flake, which is pretty impressive for a liquid liner. In fact, when it’s time to remove it, plan on expending an extra effort with a waterproof eye makeup remover. It comes in a lot of fun colors that can be hard to find in liquid liners, such as the teal-colored Aqualine.

photo credit: ookikioo

Fluidlines are the best of both worlds. They are gel liners that look soft and smooth like a pencil but without the hassle of sharpening. The Fluidlines do not smudge and come in cute little glass pots. You have a lot of control over the application because you can use whatever brush you want depending on the desired outcome. Blitz & Glitz is a classic black with a golden pearl twist. It seems almost impossible to go through an entire pot, but be sure to cap the lid tightly to avoid drying out the gel.

With so many great options, the only problem you will have when buying a MAC Eyeliner is narrowing down your selection!

Learning how to apply eyeliner is an essential step in pulling your look together. Properly applied eyeliner can help define your eyes and give a polished look. However, if you’re not careful, it can easily transform your appearance from classy to trashy. Here are instructions on how to apply pencil eyeliner for a pretty, natural look:

1. Color selection plays a big role in the final outcome. For everyday looks, brown is the most natural color for most people. However, if your hair is very dark, you can get away with black. Charcoal is another nice, universal option. If your eyes are green, a dark plum will make them pop.

2. Begin with the upper lid and a sharpened pencil. You need a heavier hand and a sharper tip for the upper lid. After using the pencil on your upper lids, the tip will soften a bit, making it perfect for lining the lower lid. If your pencil is very hard or waxy, warm it slightly with your fingers or hot water so it will glide better.

photo credit: Green Heat

3. Place the tip at the inner corner of your upper eyelid as close to the lash line as possible. Begin where your eyelashes begin or about one-fourth of the way in. Follow the lash line with the pencil all the way to the outer corner. As you reach the outer corner, you can press harder to make the line a little darker and thicker as it goes out.

4. Repeat this process on the lash line underneath the eye, but use a much lighter touch and work from the outside in. Remember the line should be thickest at the outside so gently lighten your touch as you work inward. Stop about three-fourths of the way toward your nose. Then grab a cotton swab and use it to lightly blend the line, starting from the inner corner and working outward, so that it looks more like a shadow than an obvious line.

5. You can connect the top and bottom lines on the outer corner of the eye, but don’t do this on the inner corners or it will make your eyes appear smaller. Regardless of how much eyeliner you apply, be sure it is even and blended – not rough and jagged. You can use an small, angled flat brush to smooth out any problem areas.