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)

As M·A·C’s Director of Makeup Artistry for India, Mickey has mentored Artists around the world. This collection of his musts is about natural skin and total performance. Foundation, Concealer, goddess-gorgeous eye shades and his favorite brushes to star in your own Bollywood hit.

Mickey Contractor is the Director of Makeup Artistry for MAC Cosmetics in India. He is known for his exquisite eye and beautiful taste. Have you ever seen how beautiful the makeup is on the Bollywood movie stars? Mickey Contractor has been the makeup artist for many of the famous who can be seen in the Bollywood spotlight. MAC has teamed up with his genius to bring us the MAC & Mickey Contractor Collection.

Why is it if something is harder to get, I just want it more? Please tell me I am not alone in this. The MAC & Mickey Contractor collection is a limited in-store launch. At this point, it looks like only 22 of MAC’s top stores will be carrying the collection.

Some of the collection is a little bit disappointing to me in that there are a lot of repromotes. I am always more curious to see what MAC is coming out with that is new. It is okay to have one or two repromotes in a large collection, but I feel like this one has just a few too many. That being said, there is one repromote I am very excited for.

I love the Prep + Prime Finishing Powder. It gives the skin such a great glow with an overall finished look. I especially like to wear it on days when I don’t wear as much makeup. It can just give the clean, smooth, youthful look all over. I have seen several reviews that state it is not the best for someone with sensitive skin so that is definitely something to take into consideration if you think you might want this product.

The colors and eyeshadows have quite a bit of new material with some permanents intermixed. The eyeshadow quad does look like something I’d like to have in my makeup bag. The colors are the typical colors I would use, but you can tell that when used together, the four colors work really well to compliment one another.

Overall, I think the collection has a lot to offer, but I feel it lacking. I don’t even know what exactly I was hoping for, just more when it comes to the combined genius of Mickey Contractor and MAC. What catches your eye about this collection? Did you want more or is it just what you expected from the notorious Mickey Contractor and MAC?

Lipstick

Gulabi—Bright fuchsia (Amplified) (Limited Edition)
Mehr—Dirty blue pink (Matte) (Limited Edition)
Mocha—Peachy yellow-brown (Satin) (Permanent)
Yash—Deep neutral (Matte) (Limited Edition)

Lipglass

Flesh—Dirty nude brown (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Lust—Soft muted pink (Frost) (Permanent)

Eyeshadow

Marvel – Deep purple with soft pink pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Oomph – Forest green with soft gold pearl (Veluxe Pearl) (Limited Edition)
Rani – Bright fuchsia with soft pink pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Saffron – Deep coral caramel (Satin) (Limited Edition)

Eyeshadow Quad – Athma
Carbon -Matte black (Matte) (Permanent)
Folie -Reddish-plum brown (Satin) (Permanent)
Jaan – Light neutral with soft gold pearl (Lustre) (Limited Edition)
Vivah – Brown with gold pearl (Lustre) (Limited Edition)

Fluidline

Ivy – Bright green (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Siahi – Deep turquoise blue (Frost) (Limited Edition)

Powder Blush

Gana—Bright white gold (Frost) (Limited Edition)
Sur—Dirty rose brown (Satin) (Limited Edition)

Studio Fix Fluid Foundation

NC41 (Limited Edition)
NC43.5 (Limited Edition)
NC44.5 (Limited Edition)

Moisturecover Concealer

NC23 (Limited Edition)
NC43 (Limited Edition)
NC44 (Limited Edition)
NC45.5 (Limited Edition)

Moisturecover Double-End Concealer

Coral Corrector/Yellow Corrector (Limited Edition)

Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Powder (Permanent)

Brushes

116 Blush Brush (Permanent)
219 Pencil Brush (Permanent)
239 Eye Shader (Permanent)

Making your own eyeshadow palette makes sense for a lot of reasons. First of all, it’s very practical because it frees up space in your cosmetics drawers. Even if you end up using this newly empty space to justify future makeup purchases, you still have to admit it’s handy. If a lot of your eyeshadows are from MAC, this is also a good idea from an economic standpoint because once you take the eyeshadow pans out of the pots, you can return the empty pots to MAC and get a free lipstick as part of their recycling program.

photo credit: Melissa Gray

Perhaps the best reason to make an eyeshadow palette is because this enables you to group colors that go together well all in one place so you can apply them more easily. It can actually take a fair amount of time to shuffle through your makeup drawers and dig out different colors to see if they look good together every day. When you make a palette, you do all the matching work beforehand and then you have everything laid out together for the future. This also helps you use up those colors that you always seem to forget about. Depending on the size of your collection, you could make a few palettes of different color families such as a warm, cool or neutral eyeshadow palette, a summer vs. winter eyeshadow palette, as well a few others like a neon, bright, shimmer, cream or matte eyeshadow palette.

This task will be easiest if most of your shadows are the same size. Many cosmetics brands sell empty palettes that their shadows can fit into. If your shadows are various sizes or from different manufacturers, or if you want to include blushes or other products, you can always make a homemade palette. This is also a great way to save some money. All you need is an empty CD case and some magnetic sheets, which you can pick up from craft or office stores for a few dollars. Take out the plastic piece that holds the CD (this is usually black) and trace it onto the magnetic sheet. Then cut out the piece of magnet and glue it into the CD case. Some eyeshadow pans will stick to the magnet on their own. If not, you will need to cut out some magnetic strips and stick them to the bottom of the shadow pans.

If the shadow comes in some type of compact or other packaging, it will be necessary to remove the shadow from the pot first. This can usually be accomplished by carefully melting the glue underneath the pan. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to de-pot eyeshadows by MAC and other brands. Alternatively, you can often buy shadows in simple pan format. Pan eye shadows are available from MAC on their main maccosmetics.com website as well as their macpro.com website.

It’s always a good idea to label your shadows when you make a palette. It might not seem important now but once you hit the pan and need to replace a shade, you may not be able to remember the name of the color. When you make your palette, create a color guide on a sheet of paper. Make swatches of each color in the same order that they appear in your eye palette and write the name of the shade underneath. Use a piece of paper the same size as a CD booklet and simply insert it into the cover of the CD case. Then close the CD case and there you have it: your very own homemade custom color eyeshadow palette!

Taking the shadow pans out of the black pots that case them can be a bit tricky at first, but it’s quite simple once you get the hang of it. The hardest part is not breaking or shattering the shadow itself, but this is easy enough to avoid if you work slowly with a soft towel underneath to cushion any accidental falls. There are many different methods to depot MAC Cosmetics shadows. Many people use a flame to melt the plastic on the bottom of the pot but this can be downright dangerous. Some people use an iron, which is an improvement on the flame method. However, I find that the easiest and least risky method is using a hair straightening iron.

To get started, you only need a few items that most people already have on hand. You will need a sharp knife, a bit of wax paper, a soft towel, and a flat iron. You can use any type of flat iron as long as the plates are flat. Finally, if you are super organized, you might want to get some round sticky labels so you can label your shadows. The ¾ inch size works well on MAC shadow pans.

photo credit: wine me up

1. Lay the towel down on your working space to avoid any eyeshadow breakage disasters.

2. Open up the shadow pot and look for the line near the clasp where the shroud for the pan sits in the pot. Insert the knife into this line and gently wiggle it back and forth until you are able to pop out the shroud. You may be surprised at how easily the shroud pops out so work over the towel just in case! Set the pot aside and use it for Back to MAC.

3. Turn on your flat iron and rest it on one side, so that one of the plates is facing up and the other is facing down. Cut a piece of wax paper about four inches by four inches and place it on the plate that is facing up.

4. Set the shroud on top of the waxed paper, ensuring that it is positioned over the plate of the flat iron. You should leave it on top of there for several minutes so the heat can melt the bottom of the shroud and the glue a bit. How long this takes depends on your iron, but around five minutes should do the trick. Carefully check the bottom of the shroud and look for an indent in the middle. This signifies that it’s ready for the next step.

5. Stick your knife into the melted indent on the bottom of the shroud and push up gently. The plastic should be soft and the knife should slide right in. The pan should lift out easily. If not, let it cook a little more on the flat iron. You don’t want to push it out all the way- just lift it out a little.

6. Turn the shroud over and place the blade of your knife underneath the pan. Use the blade to lift the pan out and set it on the towel to cool. The metal of the pan will be extremely hot so don’t touch it! Once it cools, it’s ready to be placed into your palette. You can use cotton swabs dipped in alcohol to remove any extra glue that remains stuck to the pan. You can also attach a magnet or sticker if desired.

Now you’re all set to create your own custom MAC eyeshadow palettes!

The MAC Spring Colour Forecast is a four-part collection of colors for spring 2010. Yes, that’s right: four parts. All four will be released on the same day. This collection is so big it’s almost embarrassing. If you don’t have self-control, stay away from your MAC Cosmetics counter because even the pickiest makeup wearers are bound to find several things they can’t live without. The collections are dominated by pretty pastel colors typically associated with spring such as pinks and purples with some coral and bronze thrown in for good measure. There are also two new products making their debut.

Blush ombres are very large blushes that feature different colors blending into one another. For example, Azalea Blossom starts out with lilac at the top which slowly fades into a candy pink. You are supposed to swirl your brush around the compact to mix the colors together, although it’s conceivable that you could control the ratio somewhat with the right application technique. The Ripe Peach blush ombre is the only one that looks very wearable for most people- it’s a peach and pink combination that blends together to make cheeks look coral.

Crush metal pigments are a new twist on the traditional MAC pigments. They are sold in sets of four stackable jars that are reminiscent of sample jars. The formulation is slightly chunkier and much more metallic than their predecessors. Stacked 1 features pinks and purples whereas Stacked 2 consists of neutral bronze colors. The individual colors aren’t named and none of them are exact matches for any existing pigments. As the name implies, these are quite metallic so definitely skip these if mattes look best on you.

MAC has also redesigned their eyeshadow quad packaging in time for this collection, opting for a clear lid with magnetic closure. There are also a number of pink lipsticks here such as the shimmery hot magenta Pink Burst and the more subdued Phlox. Complementary Lipglasses and eye shadows round out the collection.

SPRING COLOUR 1 FORECAST

Lipstick ($14.00 US/$16.50 CDN)

* Bubble Gum – Light lavender pink (Glaze) (Limited Edition)
* Laugh-a-lot – Mauve pink (Lustre) (Limited Edition)
* Phlox – Sheer light pink (Glaze) (Limited Edition)
* Pink Burst – Clean bright pink with pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)

Lipglass ($14.00 U.S. / $16.50 CDN)

* Cultureclash – Frosty clear baby pink with multi-dimensional pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition) (Repromote)
* Electric Fuchsia – Bright violet with blue pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
* Hush, Hush – Rose Mid-tone blue with pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)

Eyeshadow ($14.50 US/$17.50 CDN)

* Da Bling – Pink with gold pearl (Veluxe Pearl) (Permanent)
* LaLa – Mid-tone pink (Frost) (Limited Edition)
* Rosy – Outlook Frosted baby pink (Satin) (Limited Edition)
* Very Violet – Dark violet (Frost) (Limited Edition)

Crush Metal Pigment ($32.50 US/$38.50 CDN)

* Stacked 1! – Pale pink, light lilac, mid-tone rose, dark purple (Limited Edition)

Plush Lash Mascara ($13.00 US/$15.50 CDN)

* Plushblack – Black

Blush Ombre ($25.00 US/$30.00 CDN)

* Azalea Blossom – Light cool pink (Limited Edition)

Nail Lacquer ($12.00 US/$14.50 CDN)

* Galore Pink – Creamy mid-tone blue pink (Cream) (Limited Edition)

Creations ($25.00 US/$30.00 CDN)

* Pinkaura – Lingeringly floral, slightly foxy. Starts off green then bursts into a flowery bouquet of freesia, black violet and magnolia petals. Sashays into a rich warm amber and balmy vetiver. (Limited Edition) (Repromote)

SPRING COLOUR 2 FORECAST

Lipstick ($14.00 US/$16.50 CDN)

* Colour Me – Coral Frosted light coral (Frost) (Limited Edition)
* Fresh Salmon – Sheer bright pink-orange (Lustre) (Limited Edition)
* Rose Maiden – Frosted bright berry (Frost) (Limited Edition)
* Victorian – Frosted light golden pink (Frost) (Limited Edition)

Lipglass $14.00 US/$16.50 CDN

* Cha Cha – Mid-tone pink with gold pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
* Ember Glow – Creamy light apricot (Cream) (Limited Edition)
* Kumquat – Frosty tangerine (Frost) (Limited Edition)

Eyeshadow ($14.50 US/$17.50 CDN)

* Hot Hot – Hot Mid-tone coral (Satin) (Limited Edition)
* Nanogold – Sheer yellow beige with pink pearl (Lustre) (Limited Edition) (Repromote)
* Perky – Light salmon pink (Satin) (Limited Edition)
* Straw Harvest – Frosty light yellow-orange (Veluxe Pearl) (Limited Edition)

Crush Metal Pigment: ($32.50 US/$38.50 CDN)

* Stacked 2! – Pale gilded beige, yellow gold, green gold, copper gold (Limited Edition)

Plush Lash Mascara ($13.00 US/$15.50 CDN)

* Plushblack – Black

Blush Ombre ($25.00 US/$30.00 CDN)

* Ripe Peach – Light coral (Limited Edition)

Nail Lacquer ($12.00 US/$14.50 CDN)

* Malibu Peach – Bright creamy tangerine (Cream) (Limited Edition)

Creations ($25.00 US/$30.00 CDN)

* MV2 – Cool, calm, and classic. Vanilla teased with lemon, melted with lavender creme, and then given a warming shot of vanilla bourbon mixed with vanilla mousse and heliotrope. (Permanent)

SPRING COLOUR 3 FORECAST

Lipstick ($14.00 U.S. / $16.50 CDN)

* Hang-up – Deep berry (Cremesheen) (Permanent)
* Radicchio – Sheer mid-tone blue-mauve (Lustre) (Limited Edition)

Lipglass ($14.00 US/$16.50 CDN)

* Lavender Wind – Lavender with pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
* Purple Rage – Dark berry with pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)

Colour 3 Eyeshadow Quad ($36.00 US/$43.00 CDN)

Four limited-edition eyeshadows specially selected to complement the plum/burgundy palette of the Spring Colour 3 Forecast Collection. Featuring a square design, clear lid and magnetic closure, this marks the debut of our new eyeshadow x 4 compact.

* Black Tulip – Frosted dark grape (Frost) (Limited Edition)
* Bruised Plum – Frosted mid-tone dirty mauve (Veluxe Pearl) (Limited Edition)
* Jungle Moon – Blackened deep eggplant (Matte) (Limited Edition)
* Mink Pink – Neutral soft pink (Veluxe) (Limited Edition) (Repromote)

Blush Ombre ($25.00 US/$30.00 CDN)

* Vintage Grape – Mid-tone violet pink (Limited Edition)

Nail Lacquer ($12.00 US/$14.50 CDN)

* Imperial Splendour – Deep creamy violet (Cream) (Limited Edition)

SPRING COLOUR 4 FORECAST

Lipstick ($14.00 US/$16.50 CDN)

* Beigeland – Frosted light pink beige (Frost) (Limited Edition)
* Bronzilla – Frosted mid-tone yellow brown (Frost) (Limited Edition)

Lipglass ($14.00 US/$16.50 CDN)

* Almondine – Pale gold with pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
* Gold Dust – Mid-tone copper with pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)

Colour 4 Eyeshadow Quad ($36.00 US/$43.00 CDN)

Four limited-edition eyeshadows specially selected to complement the copper and gold palette of the Spring Colour 4 Forecast Collection. Featuring a square design, clear lid and magnetic closure, this marks the debut of our new eyeshadow x 4 compact.

* Aztec Brick – Frosted true copper (Veluxe Pearl) (Limited Edition)
* Creole Beauty – Frosted dark golden brown (Frost) (Limited Edition)
* Flip – Bronze gold (Frost) (Limited Edition) (Repromote)
* Manila – Paper Pale frosted white gold (Veluxe Pearl) (Limited Edition)

Blush Ombre ($25.00 US/$30.00 CDN)

* Springshine – Neutral suntan (Limited Edition)

Nail Lacquer ($12.00 US/$14.50 CDN)

* Abalone Shell – Light creamy warm beige (Cream) (Limited Edition)