Alice + Olivia is a small but fun collection inspired by the fashion line of the same name. This is not one of those collections that is so dizzyingly large that you don’t know where to begin. Instead it consists of a few carefully selected items that are easy to get to know and equally easy to love.

Pigment lovers will rejoice in the three new shades that are coming out with Alice + Olivia. Later is unlike any other pigment MAC has come out with so far- a black with purple shimmer that is perfect as a crease color or wet as a liner. Partylicious is another color that can’t be matched by any pigment you already own. This one is turquoise with silver shimmer. If It Sparkles is a bit more familiar. This white with pink pearl shade immediately calls to mind Pink Opal Pigment.

Dazzleglass Cremes are back with three shades that are worth a closer look. If It’s Pink is a pearly hot pink that is sure to get noticed. Sparklicious is a pearly milky pink shade that is subtle yet different enough to warrant purchasing as it would look great on top of many different lipstick colors. I.Want.Candy is a pearly yellow but don’t let its yellow appearance scare you off. It’s actually prettier and more subdued on the lips, much in the same way that Spring Bean Lustreglass was anything but green once applied.

The three Nail Lacquers in Alice + Olivia are nothing like traditional nail polish colors. If you never stray from red or pink polish, you probably won’t give these a second look. And that would be a very big mistake. The shimmery bright purple So Rich So Pretty is unconventional without being gaudy. Morning.After is a turquoise polish that is neither too blue nor too green, making it a great starting point for someone who wants to step outside their comfort zone. For the really adventurous, there is the silvery-black Military polish.

Alice + Olivia is full of great colors that push the limits but are still fairly easy to pull off. Don’t judge these shades by how they look in the containers. Give them a try at your MAC counter and you will probably be very pleasantly surprised.

Dazzleglass Creme ($18.00 US / $21.50 CDN)

* If it’s Pink… – Hot pink with soft multi-dimensional pearlized pigments (Limited Edition)
* I.Want.Candy. – Hot yellow with soft multi-dimensional pearlized pigments (Limited Edition)
* Sparklicious – Creamy pale pinky white with soft multi-dimensional pearlized pigments (Limited Edition)

Pigment ($19.50 US/$23.50 CDN)

* If It Sparkles… – White with transforming pink pearlized pigments (Limited Edition)
* Later. – Black with transforming purple pearlized pigments (Limited Edition)
* Partylicious – Turquoise with silver pearlized pigments (Limited Edition)

Nail Lacquer ($12.00 U.S. / $14.50 CDN)

* Morning.After. – Creamy turquoise (Cream) (Limited Edition)
* So Rich So Pretty – Bright purple with pearlized pigments (Frost) (Limited Edition)
* Military – Black matte with silver suede pearl (Matte with Pearl) (Limited Edition)

-Start with a base to neutralize any redness you may have in the eye area and to help your color last all day without creasing. Eye makeup products like MAC Bare Canvas Paint or Too Faced Shadow Insurance are perfect for prepping your lid for a neutral look.

-Swipe a soft neutral shade all over the lid. You can go with a beige, peach, or bone color depending on your skin tone. Matte shades or slightly shimmery ones such as MAC Grain are ideal choices.

-Apply a taupe or brown color in your crease using a rounded crease brush. Avoid red-based browns. A color like MAC Satin Taupe is flattering to most skin tones. After applying, use a blending brush to blend as much as possible so the color fades gradually.

photo credit: ★Debs★

-Use a pencil eye liner in a medium brown color. A soft pencil in a color similar to your lashes like Urban Decay Bourbon or MAC Teddy Eye Kohl gives you the most natural look. A gel liner like the soft shimmery brown MAC Ostentatious applied with a light hand can also look pretty and natural. Liquid liners should be avoided altogether.

-Curl your lashes and then apply one coat of mascara to the upper lashes only. Go with a brown mascara or dark brown if your hair is very dark. Black can look too harsh for natural makeup looks.

-Be sure to fill in your brows. This is an essential step for making your face look complete. Use a powder or soft pencil in a shade that is just slightly lighter than your natural brow color. Follow your natural arch and fill in the brows, being sure to blend well.

-A brow highlighter helps round out your look. A neutral shadow such as MAC Vanilla applied to the brow bone just under the brows adds a little highlight/definition without adding color.

It is very easy to get a natural eye makeup look with the right makeup products and a little bit of practice. After a few tries, achieving this look will become just as effortless as it appears!

Eyeshadow is a great way to emphasize your eyes and create some really pretty looks. Most shadows come in powder format in little pots without any instructions. With so many different colors and brushes, it can be difficult to know where to start when applying eyeshadow. Since this “how-to” is part of our beginner’s How to Apply Makeup series, this is a basic routine for an everyday eyeshadow look. We have instructions on more advanced looks on our eye makeup page.

1. You will need a minimum of three colors to achieve a pretty eyeshadow look. Choose three shades in the same color family: one very sheer, one with a medium tone, and one dark color.

photo credit: Jacklyn DL

2. Begin with the sheer shade. This will be used as a wash over the entire eyelid. Neutrals are best for this purpose. Sweep the color over the entire eyelid all the way to your brows using a flat eyeshadow brush.

3. Next use the medium shade. Apply it only to the lid using a tapered brush and stop when you reach the crease. This color should fill the space between your lash line and the crease.

4. Finally, use the darkest color. This color should be applied sparingly. Remember, you can always add more but if you start out with too much, your look will be ruined. Using an angled brush, apply this color into the crease and then extend it slightly past the outer corner of your eye using a light sweeping motion.

5. Blend, blend, and blend some more. This is the most important step to achieving a natural look. Use a big, soft blending brush and brush in an outward motion from the inside corner toward the outside corner of each eye.

6. To tie the whole look together, you can take the darkest color and use it to line your lower lash line. A wet eyeliner brush can transform dark eyeshadow into a great eyeliner.

All Ages, All Races, All Sexes is our credo. Now M∙A∙C takes the “One World” idea further than ever, with a multi-culti colour story intent on a universal focus – spectacularly shaded and shaped brows for all, because beautiful people come in colours! Miraculously matched to the individual, Impeccable Brow Pencil is the ultimate artist’s tool to fill, lengthen and shape, with a firm tip that sharpens application for high-performance precision. Penultimate Brow Marker, in one shade suits all, has a liquefied glide adept at the all-important arch. But that’s not all: Lipstick, Lipglass, Eye Shadow and Nail Lacquer shade extensions speak your language, a match for every international skin tone.

MAC All Ages, All Races, All Sexes is a collection aimed at everyone. As the name implies, any person imaginable could find something they could use in this collection, and that includes long-time MAC loyalists as well as those who have never visited a makeup counter before.

This collection is chock-full of neutral shades and is reminiscent of the N Collection. In fact, MAC dug out the 5N lipstick from N for the occasion. The limited edition shades of lipstick, lipglass, and eyeshadow offered here are all safe bets for those of us who simply can’t pull off bright colors or don’t want to. One of the most exciting things about this collection is the return of Banshee eye shadow from Rebel Rock, a glittery taupe/mauve that complements every eye color. If you missed out on Banshee the first time around, now is the time to stock up!

Brows are heavily emphasized in this collection, with the Impeccable Brow Pencil, the Penultimate Brow Maker, Brow Set, and Brow pencils. Those with lighter hair will be thrilled with the brow offerings for blondes, who normally don’t encounter as many brow color options as darker-haired women. Well-shaped and defined brows can really help frame the face and complete your look, so it’s great to have so many options joining MAC’s permanent collection. The brow pencils and gels are easy to work with and create a natural look. If you’re not a fan of the drawn-on eyebrow look, steer clear of the Penultimate Brow Maker, which is an inky marker that is very noticeable.

One thing to note is that with the launch of this collection, pigment jars will be shrinking. The traditional 7.5 gram jar is being replaced with a 4.3 gram jar. This would be fine if the price reflected the smaller amount, but unfortunately the price will remain the same. There are two new pigment colors: Universal Mix, a sparkly white, and Rich Life, a very dark brown with a hint of silver sparkle that is perfect for creating a smokey eye.

All Ages, All Races, All Sexes is a great collection if you are looking to stock up on neutrals and a great place to look for shades that are suitable for darker skin tones.

Lipstick ($14.00 US/$16.50 CDN)

* 5N – Plumy sheer brown (Lustre) (Limited Edition) (Repromote)
* Empowered – Creamy mid-tone neutral brown (Satin) (Limited Edition)
* Equality – Light dirty mauve with traveling pearl (Lustre) (Limited Edition)
* Myself – Creamy pale yellow beige (Lustre) (Limited Edition)

Lipglass ($14.00 US/$16.50 CDN)

* Glamour – for All Sheer pale baby pink with pearl (Limited Edition)
* Spirit & Soul – Frosted dark cool brown (Limited Edition)
* Liqueur – Frosted mid-tone pink brown (Limited Edition) (Repromote)
* Naked Frost – Sheer taupe with silver pearl (Limited Edition) (Repromote)

Eyeshadow ($14.50 U.S. / $17.50 CDN)

* All Races – Cool light mauve tapue (Matte) (Limited Edition)
* Cross-Cultural – Dark yellow brown (Matte) (Limited Edition)
* Banshee – Dirty taupe with frost and sparkle (Lustre) (Limited Edition) (Repromote)
* Showstopper – Deep blackened brown (Matte) (Limited Edition) (Repromote)

Pigment ($19.50 U.S. / $23.00 CDN)

* Universal Mix – Sparkly white gold (Limited Edition)
* Rich Life – Dark cool brown with silver pearl (Limited Edition)

Impeccable Brow Pencil ($15.00 U.S. / $18.00 CDN) (Permanent)

* Blonde – Pale yellow brown
* Dirty Blonde – Cool light brown
* Taupe – Mid-tone taupe
* Black – Blackened dark neutral brown

Penultimate Brow Marker ($16.50 U.S. / $20.00 CDN) (Limited Edition)

* Universal – Sheer neutral brown

Brow Set (Permanent)

* Mink
* Clear

Eye Brows (Permanent)

* Lingering
* Stud

Beauty Powder Blush ($19.50 U.S. / $24.00 CDN)*

* Personal Style – Light mauve taupe (Limited Edition)
* All’s Good – Cool deep rose (Limited Edition)

Blot Powder / Pressed (Permanent)

* Medium
* Deep Dark