MAC A Tartan Tale Collection Part 2: Face Kits & a special friend!

Now that MAC's Holiday 2010 collection, A Tartan Tale, has been officially launched practically everywhere, we're probably going to see a lot of these posts. However, I had promised in my previous post to show you what else came home with me after last week's preview event.

I don't remember if I have mentioned this before,  but if there's one thing that I could never walk out of the house without, that's blusher. I have quite a nice collection of blushes and face powders, but believe it or not I only own one MAC one... and it's smashed to pieces!! (in case you're wondering, it's the gorgeous Golden Kitty/Primpin shimmer duo which I wore on my wedding day - and a thousand times after that - and therefore keep for sentimental reasons even though I should probably throw it away!)


Anyway, because of my almost neutral skin tone, I am lucky that I can wear both cool-toned and warm-toned blushes. Still, after the coral-crazy summer, I felt that I needed to add to my pink blusher collection and chose Hark The Heraldry Face Kit. That was actually a good move, as when I got home and I opened the little cotton tartan bag they gifted us with at the end of the event I found the other face kit, A Triumphant Blush, snuggled inside!

The outside boxes are embossed with a MAC crest, while the actual product box inside has a tartan velvety-type cover on the lid with a metal crest applied to it. The orange tartan box holds A Triumpant Blush face kit, while the red one is Hark the Heraldry.

Each kit contains a beauty powder (which as we all know  we can be used all over the face or as a blusher) in the bottom tray, and two blushes, one shimmer and one powder in the upper sliding tray.

Peach-based A Triumphant blush is on the left and pink-based Hark The Heraldry is on the right.

A Triumphant Blush Face Kit (top to bottom, see product photo above): Peachtwist (permanent)is a lovely shimmery golden/bronzy peach, which unfortunately came out pinker in the swatch, as did Melba (permanent), a matte brownish apricot shade, that I feel may risk being over-applied, but which gives a nice healthy flush if applied well; Smooth Harmony  (Limited Edition but also repromote) is an orangey bronze beauty powder which looks like a natural light tan on my face.

All in all, a nice kit which I will definitely use a lot, especially in summer when I have a bit more colour on my face. All shades are smooth and have good pigmentation, though Peachtwist being a sheertone blusher is of course more on the sheer side!

Hark The Heraldry Face Kit (top to bottom, see product photo above): Oh So Fair (repromote from Venomous Villains 2010) is a light baby pink beauty powder, similar to Benefit's Dandelion or Thrrrob which gives a subtle healthy glow; Dame (permanent) is a pink with blue undertones, which is slightly chalky when swatched on my arm and a bit powdery when you swipe your brush over it, however on the cheeks it blends in easily and look very very pretty; Plum Foolery (permanent) is a slightly frosted rosy plum which I find really gorgeous, absolutely my kind of shade.

Again, a nice kit which I'll get some good use from. Although these two kits are not must-haves, especially if you already own some of the permanent shades, I'm really enjoying using them as I find them pretty and practical. I don't have a personal favourite at the moment between the two, I just go with the mood of the day! The kits retail for 40 euros each.

Of course, the ONLY reason I went to the MAC preview was to get my hands on Sir Teddy! Why wouldn't you want to take him home with you? My boy went to pre-school with it the day after the preview and I didn't see McTeddy...I mean, Sir Teddy for two whole days as my son supposedly left him in his little bed...although to tell you the truth, I started to think that perhaps one of his teachers had casually dropped inside her bag and smuggled him out!!

Here's Sir Teddy nicely settled at home enjoying his plate of pasta :))))

Sir Teddy is the Limited Edition special project for Kids Helping Kids made by GUND especially for MAC. All proceeds (he costs 32 euros) will directly benefit children affected by HIV/AIDS. He is adorable and, in my opinion, the real star of the holiday collection!! (FYI, the key chain version of Sir Teddy is not available for purchase in Italy :( ).

While I'm at it, I decided to include swatches of two other items that were included in the Holiday 2010 collection and which I already own. One is the famous Viva Glam V Lipglass (sold with Viva Glam V Lipstick as part of the 'Tis Noble To Give Viva Glam Lip Bag), which doesn't really need an introduction! Described as a neutral pink shade with pearl, it is one of my gloss staples and it's actually what I wore on my wedding day. It might not look good on all skin-types but I think it's a pretty versatile shade.

I also already own one other product, Engaging Mineralize Eyeshadow (from Mineralize 2009 and part of MAC Glamourous Mineralize Kit): this duo consists of a light pink quartz shade and a punchier golden bronze with rose veining throughout.

This mineralize duo has a frosty finish, the pigmentation is quite sheer, so the two colours tend to almost disappear on my eyelids, leaving behind just a lot of sheen & shimmer. It's not a must-have, but I do wear it occasionally, it's not just sitting at the bottom of my drawer doing nothing.

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My overall (mixed) considerations on A TARTAN TALE collection: thinking about it, I should have probably skipped Glamora Castle eyeshadow (from my previous post) as it's quite sheer and not special enough; I still highly recommend all Pearlglide eyeliners; I find Her Blooming Cheek Blush very pretty if applied carefully (it's a really hot fuchsia, very pigmented, perfect to fake that "I've been roasting chestnuts in the fireplace all night while drinking mulled wine in this gorgeous chalet with my handsome man" kind of sexy flush!); I didn't think any of the lipsticks were must-haves, though the two neutrals Cut-a-Caper (very peachy) and The Faerie Glen (beigy-peach) are cute and safe bets, and Courting Lilac, an interesting mauvey colour with golden shimmer, is special enough to take a second look; lip and eye palettes were mostly cute but nothing outstanding. And, one last thing...GO OUT AND BUY SIR TEDDY NOW!!!!!




Phew! That was long, but hopefully helpful! Anyway, I hope you all had a spooky Halloween and be sure to let me know in the comments what you got or what you're thinking of getting from MAC's Holiday collection!


Anna xx