Review: M·A·C Cosmetics - 'M·A·Cnificent Me'.

"Whoever you are, whatever your style…put your heart and soul into it. Be passionate, be yourself, be M·A·Cnificent! Out of the many thousands of inspiring individuals who entered our contest, we found six who are truly 100% MACnificent, transforming them into the faces of our fall colour collection. Now, be inspired to celebrate your own STYLE, HEART and SOUL with M·A·Cnificent Me!"

M·A·C Cosmetics have released some killer collections this year. We've had makeup inspired by everything from dogs and laundromats, to hat designers and discotheques. In quite possibly their most relatable release to date, M·A·C have launched the 'MACnificent Me' collection, inspired by real people. As a quick run-down, a short while ago, M·A·C prompted fans to provide a photo and answer the question, 'What makes you M.A.Cificent?' From the countless entries, a diverse group of individuals were picked and collections were crafted based on their unique looks.

The winners, Ji Won, Ben, Luzmaria, Trésor, Selena and Vanessa, became the faces of this campaign and the M.A.Cnificent Me website, which you can (and should) check out HERE. The campaign itself feels very genuine and touching, and the broad range of winners really showcases the spectrum of beauty. To be honest, M.A.C really knocked it out of the park with this one.

M.A.C were rad enough to send us a few highlights from this collection, which we're totally in love with. Check out our review below...

 'A LITTLE LUSTY' POWDER BLUSH - RRP $46 NZD

This blush should come with a warning 'cuz it's highly pigmented. I was silly enough to put it straight on my face without swatching the colour first (10/10 would not recommend - I looked like a clown). That being said, once you actually get the hang of this blush (i.e. build it up slowly), the colour is really beautiful. It's quite fruit-esque in colour, sort of like a berry or a dark red apple, and I can see it suiting a range of skin tones. It comes with a subtle shimmer which looks really pretty when the light hits your cheeks. 

'CHEER ME ON' EYE SHADOW - RRP $38 NZD
This bright orange eyeshadow comes from the Luzmaria and Trésor-inspired looks, so I take my hat off to both these women for bringing us this gorgeous colour. I don't think I'll ever see the day when get sick of orange make-up (but not foundation, you know), and this particular shade is a perfect pick-me-up. It's super pigmented and super fun to play with for various looks. If you're daunted by the thought of having bright orange on your face, you can always apply this in a more subtle way, which I've done in the picture below. My recommendation is to blend it in and soften the punch with a dark brown or counteract the brightness with a dark blue. Or, if you want to rock bright orange eyelids all over, I applaud and encourage you 100%. 

Pictured: 'A Little Lusty' blush and 'Cheer Me On' eyeshadow.

'OWN THE LOOK' MATTENE LIPSTICK - RRP $40 NZD 
If the word 'Mattene' sounds new to you, it's because these lipsticks aren't a permanent piece in M.A.C stores. They've been released in previous collections over the years, and now they're back for a limited time. Mattene lipsticks contain all the pigmentation and punch of matte lipstick, but they're also super hydrating and creamy. Long story short, they're like a little sister to M.A.C mattes. 'Own The Look' is a medium-dark purple with a teensy, tiny shimmer. Upon application, this Mattene has a very silky feel and the colour payoff is everything you'd expect from M.A.C. My only qualm is that these shades would come in the traditional bullet casing, 'cuz these feel just a little too slimline to apply easily in one slick (maybe it's just me, though). As for colour dupes, when I first saw this, I was concerned that this shade might be a little too similar to colours like 'Heroine' or 'Rebel', but as you can see below, it's entirely unique.

The 'M·A·Cnificent Me' collection is available in NZ from authorised M·A·C stores now.