You’ve been warned.
OK, so I don’t have a lot of MAC products. Before this haul, I had three lipsticks, two non-neutral eyeshadows (Amber Lights and Trax), a lipgloss, a pearlmatte powder, a paint pot, and two brushes. I never go into MAC stores here because looking for colors stresses me out. However, when Laura, a friend of mine from Canada-land, told me that she could help me out by picking out colors and products (at least in terms of color makeup and brushes) she liked, I couldn’t say no—especially not to help and cheaper cosmetics.
ETA: MAC has a considerable (almost 50%) markup here in the Philippines. To illustrate, the lipsticks are $15 each or about Php 617, but they’re being sold in Manila at Php 1,000 or $24.32. I don’t think they even sell the eyeshadow refill pans here, so instead of paying $12 or Php 493 per color (refill pan), I have to pay Php 1000 or $24.32 per color, even though I’m going to have to depot it anyway. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but the difference adds up.
So this is what happened.
I got the large double palette, two inserts (eyeshadow and blush), eyeshadow refills, blush refills, a paint pot, three brushes, two eye kohls, and five lipsticks. My sister got four lipsticks and an eyeshadow because she is reasonable.
I posted this picture on my Instagram when Laura was just about to ship these off to me, and it took a while for them to get to me, let’s just put it at that. My notice was postmarked April 24th in the Philippines, so I don’t know why I only got it now (May 3), but that is neither here nor there.
Anyway. So I guess, really quickly, I’ll show you my haul sans my sister’s acquisitions.
Again, you’ve been warned. This is a pretty big one.
Yay my first MAC palette! If you have been following MAC’s releases, etc. you would already have known that they redesigned their palettes and not a lot of people are happy about that, though some are. I don’t have the previous one, but I quite like this one. I have a 6-blush insert and a 15-eyeshadow insert. You need to buy these inserts separately.
The three blushes I got were Ambering Rose, Springsheen, and Plum Foolery. Again, these are my first MAC blushes so I don’t have any existing MAC points of comparison.
And here is the hodge podge of eyeshadows I got. I’ve rearranged them in a way that makes more sense after I took these pictures.
Although a lot of the popular MAC shades are neutrals, I didn’t want to get a palette full of them, since I already have quite a lot of neutrals. So, I got some “staples” and “basics,” and threw in a bit of color and bling-y colors into the mix.
I got a paint pot in Bare Study, and this is just a picture to compare it with Rubenesque, the paint pot love of my life. Bare Study is a pretty basic shimmery neutral, so I’m rather eager to start using this.
My first MAC eye kohls in Teddy (a basic brown), and Prunella, a dark, dark purple.
Some brushes: another 239, because I love that to bits, a 211 and a 266. Wish I got another 217 or a blush/face brush, but I can’t wait to try these two new ones 🙂
And here be the lipsticks! I know, I know. I could have easily gone over five. But I didn’t. So go me, yes? No? Oh, okay.
I think this is a pretty good variation, though I don’t know why I didn’t get any lighter nudes. More and more, though I realize that I’ve already found my holy grail almost-nude lip color (I’ll get to that in a moment), so I guess that’s OK. I can’t pull of super-pale colors all that well, I’ve decided.
Anyway, I got Ravishing, which is a beautiful summer peachy orange and a Creamsheen. I also got Twig and Mehr, both of which look like a similar dusty rose mauve-y color, though Twig is a Satin and Mehr is a matte. I also got Plumful, which is obviously a plum and it is a lustre finish, which I enjoy. Finally, I got Impassioned, an “amped-up fuschia” with an Amplified Cream finish that is scaring me a little bit.
Here are my new lipsticks with the rest of my already-owned MAC lipsticks. As you can probably tell, I love love love Jubilee. I wonder why no one really ever talks about it. It’s ze perfect “everyday” non-concealery nude for me, and the aforementioned personal HG-status almost-nude lipstick.
Anyway, that is that. I hope you enjoyed previewing my consumerist demise. I am seriously considering a makeup no-buy from mid-May until October, and I’m pretty much set on that, I think. I will draw up some rules (though I don’t know what the rules could be, aside from NO BUYING OF MAKEUP) and update y’all soon.
Thank you again to Laura who is all kinds of wonderful and beautiful. 🙂
I bought all of these items prior to making my personal cruelty-free pledge, which you can read about here. MAC Cosmetics is a brand that does not test on animals, except when required by law.
Softly Sometimes 
Yay!!! But ouch! I’ve been on the same page about the no-buy. It’s already set in place – starting tomorrow. 🙂 Too bad like a bear going into hibernation, I squirreled away a few more nuts into my stash before it goes into effect. Technically, I have one more day…..So bad. 🙂
Ouch is correct! But yay. I was going to buy these things at some point in the future anyway, so it’s all good.
HAHAHA THAT IS ACTUALLY MY PLAN. Which is why I said mid-May. So, so bad!
Can’t wait till you swatch the shit out of this LOL
Not going to lie, I am a little scared
I am drooling! I do not have MAC at all. I want to have many of them though. 🙂
I am so happy just seeing all those makeup! 🙂
Lucky you!
What’s on your list? 🙂
W O W. I can’t waaait for your reviews on these – especially the eyeshadows! I love it!
Yay, I’m so glad you’re excited, too! Stay tuned 😀
Can’t wait to see swatches! Yea after attending IMATS I am at a no-buy right now haha. Anyways the best time to buy makeup is during Black Friday/Cyber Monday so you should just wait it out til then! At least that’s what I told myself I am doing hahaha lets hope I stick to it! hopefully being broke helps that XD
I wish I could go to IMATS! 🙂 When is Black Friday usually? Around December? I thought of October because my birthday is in late September, and a girl’s gotta get a gift for herself! 🙂
Haha that’s true. Being broke is a huge factor, lol.
It is the day after thanksgiving so I think it’s the third Friday in November, but def you should treat yourself!! Yea it sucks being broke lolol yea it was my first time at imats and it was awesome!! If you ever can you should def go!
Ah, thanks then, I’ll watch out for that day. 🙂
Whoa, Carina, this is an EPIC HAUL!!! I don’t own a whole lot of MAC, so I’d love to hear what you think! If anything’s great I’d love to look into it too!
I know, I’m not even sorry, LOL. I think this will be an interesting journey for me, though I love everything I’ve tried so far!
This is insane! Haha but seriously these are lovely. Can’t wait for the looks you can create with these 🙂
;_; I know. Haha I got them fairly cheaper, though, so it’s really not as bad as it looks. Thanks, Krysty! 🙂
That’s like $300 bam! Gone! You could own a beautiful Coach bag, but you chose the makeup. lol You’re just like me. I don’t have a ton, but here they charge $25 an eyeshadow, so a 100bucks does not last long… Still worth it through and through. I like your choice of everything.
LOL I’m not one for designer bags anyway. Yup, the reason why I took my friend up on her offer is because MAC here is kind of expensive.
Thank you. 🙂
First of all, hoarder alert! ;p What shade in MAC are you?
Haha I don’t think it’s hoarding, since the shades are all pretty different, but that’s just me.
I’ve never been shade matched, so I don’t know.
A hahahaha it seems you went a little cray cray. Hope to see some swatches soon!
LOL can’t say no to a good price! Will do 🙂
I am envious.
Donut be! I am a hoarder in the making and that is worrisome.
i thought i’d cured myself of the makeup obsession, but your blog brings back all the lemmings! i’ve been on the fence about buying the mac paintpots for a while – it’s been between painterly and bare study, but your endorsement of rubenesque is making me rethink, haha.
excited for your swatches of plumfoolery, twig and mehr! i thought i was over hoarding mac lipsticks, but you’re definitely making me think twice! my favorite mac lipstick is craving – was looking to buy rebel, but it was too pink and craving is just this really pretty plum. it’s a little strong for everyday, so the one i use most often in viva glam vi.
Oh no, stay cured! LOL. I would recommend MAC’s Rubenesque, though. I don’t think I’ve seen a color like it. If you’re more cooler-toned, though, I think Bare Study would be a better pick. Painterly is less shimmery, if at all, if I’m not mistaken. But IDK I’m sure the other ones, you can find something you already own, maybe?
I rather like Rebel (my sister has it), though I can see why you think it too pink.
i kind of just want the paint pot to brighten up my eyes, since my eyelids are a little pigmented and i think that makes me look tired? i think painterly has no shimmer but then i’m thinking that i might as well use concealer if i do that. so maybe rubenesque or bare study? haha. problems of the vain!
You could also try this Jumbo Pencil by NYX called Milk, if you wanted a no-shimmer, white base. I prefer Rubenesque to Bare Study, but I think it’s also because I’ve had a bit more time with Rubenesque. 🙂
WOW! Can’t believe you already have a post up about this!! It was my pleasure helping you out, I was sad that I wasn’t able to get some samples in the parcel as well! I felt the need to ship your makeup out to you asap, and therefore didn’t have the time to sneak some goodies in before I had to catch an impromptu bus to Ottawa. But I have your address now. 😉
By the way, I received your postcard. SO CUTE! Thank you!!
LOL I was very, very excited, as you can probably imagine. No worries, and thank you so much 😀
Yay, I’m glad, I was about to ask but I didn’t want to “ruin the surprise.” 🙂
The whole thing is crazy awesome, but in particular I LOVE the colors you selected for the eyeshadow palette. It’s probably the closest thing to my ideal palette I evar seen. You could create a bazillion looks from those colors alone, and I look forward to seeing what you do with them!!
Yay, thank ya! I thought long and hard, lol. I wish I had gotten some of the richer browns, though of course I don’t need any more brown eyeshadow so it’s cool.
(Lol really, that means a lot to me. I take color selection verver seriously.)
I am envious… I have been trying to use up most of what I have so I can finally start some sort of starter kit from MAC.
wow so many goodies! Lol. i never got into mac, but i have a 2 shadows (espresso and concrete i think?? i know at least i have concrete and one that is very similar looking in the pan lol) anything else i ever had i swapped or gave away! You should share a pic of you wearing jubilee 🙂
OMG! How awesome is this haul? You should post some looks you’ve done with the shadows and blush combinations!
Love to see a good haul.you have picked some awesome colors. How did u write the names on the eyeshadows.
Thanks! It’s just on there through photoshop 🙂
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