MAC Eye Shadow in Hypnotizing Violety - Taupe Lovelyness and All Races Eye Shadow - Matte Meh

It's been a long time since MAC Cosmetics has come out with a new Taupe eye shadow. Well it's been almost since August. Between then and now MAC has released 94,984 new limited edition collections (this might be a slight exaggeration). Today I bring you MAC frost formula eye shadow in Hypnotizing from the Love Lace Collection and MAC matte formula eye shadow in All Races from the All Races, All Ages, All Sexes Collection.

Let us start with the Taupe shall we? Taupe comes in many different shades. THIS taupe is a plummy greyed taupe, or according to the MAC website it is a frosted greyed mauve. Oh it really is stunning. The moment I saw it swatched on KarlaSugar's little arm (HERE) I knew it had to be mine. Upon laying eyes on this magnificent violet, silver shadow I gasped. The MAC sales Associate (SA) looked at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ears. Oh the frost finish made Hypnotizing look almost metallic. The violet merged with the silver and grey making a delicious smokey taupe. Oh yes. I was so buying this. The MAC SA approached me cautiously and asked if there was anything that she could help me with. You know what? Come to think of it, she had a giant day glow pink flower painted on her face covering her eye and cheek. HOW DARE she look at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ears. SHE's the freak. SHE's the one who looks strange. Just because I was drooling over the display and fondling the taupe Hypnotizing eye shadow like it was THE RING from Lord Of the Rings and I had crouched down on the floor like Golum chanting "My Precious." over and over again is no reason to have mall security on hold while she eyes me cautiously. I mean really.


The second shadow I picked up was from MAC's 7,687th collection of the year (note. number may be slightly exaggerated). It is a light dusty mauve color called All Races, et. al. When I saw the swatch on KarlaSugar's arm I had no intention of buying it (see it HERE), but when I saw it In Real Life (IRL) I knew that this mauve putty colored gem had to be mine too. I did not have the same reaction as I did with the taupe eye shadow so there was no need for Mall security to get out their zip ties and "cuff" me this time. Jerks! Anyway. I picked up both because I saw that they would work really well together. All Races is MAC's Matte formula and not the Matte2 formula, which does make a difference. Matte2 shadows are slightly softer, more pigmented and and less chalky than the regular Matte shadows. Unfortunately this matte shadow is hard, chalky and didn't even show up when I tried to swatch it for this review. It makes a decent highlight with a frost shadow and would look nice as an all over wash for a quick cool toned eye, but I'm not sure if I'm going to keep this shadow.

Both shadows are consistent with MAC quality. They are on the hard side and have very little, if any, powder fall out. I will say that I have been completely spoiled by the MAC Starflash formula; so soft, so creamy, so opaque...I sound like peppi le pew don't I? Anyway. I have been spoiled by the starflash formula so when I went to use these new shadows I was surprised at how hard the shadows are. That's not a bad thing. It's just different. Honestly I think ALL of MACs shadows should be changed over to the Starflash formula. So if you are reading this MAC executives (yeah right) you need to make this change ASAP and bring back Stereo Rose MSF and Rubia Lipstick while you're at it. Kthxbai!

Do you NEED this? Hypnotizing - Well it's a cool taupe and very violet so if you are very warm I say pass, but if you are neutral to cool you will love this. All Races - No. I say pass on this one no matter what your skin tone.

MAC Hypnotizing all over lid, MAC All Races on brow Bone and blended intoHypnotizing, Chanel Nior Lame cake liner, Shu Uemura The Basic Mascara and Maybelline Colossal Volume Mascara