We may be living in the digital era, but paper is still an integral part of most artists' creative process — from fashion designers' sketches to architects' blueprints. And what would kindergarten be without a string of paper dolls holding hands in unison? MAC Cosmetics' Prêt-a-Papier collection strips away the bright colors and shimmering finishes, deconstructing the realm of cosmetics to the most basic of components. The collection, then, relies on mainly flesh-toned, taupe, soft peach, light bronze, pale copper, and muted coral hues — from sandwich bag-ready brown to parchment paper beige and a toasted brown worthy of the aged, cracked corners of paper scrolls.
Personally, I'm not in love with this collection — the idea is inspired, but the colors feel more like the foundation on which to erect a masterpiece, as opposed to the materials with which one would build this design. In other words, they're the canvas, not the colors on the artist's palette. Sure, there are some gems in here but, for the most part, the collection doesn't make me feel like dashing to the store.
But of course, I'll let you all be the judge. Pictured below are all the products in the collection, along with swatches of a few products.
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LIPSTICK COLORS
Dressmaker, Dressmaker
Made To Order
Kraft
These lipstick colors are probably my favorite part of the collection since every woman can use some subdued colors for when she's going for a no-fuss look. The collection includes colors like: Archetype, a sheer light gold; Made to Order, a dirty coral; Dressmaker, Dressmaker, a light peachy coral; and Kraft, a warm brown.
I had the chance to try the Kraft color, and I enjoyed its creamy texture, as well as the color, which reminds me of a glass of Yoo-hoo!.
Here's what the Kraft lipstick looks like:
MAC Cosmetics Lipsticks, $14 each. Available at MACcosmetics.com
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PAINT POT HUES
Groundwork (left) and Coral Crepe (right)
If you're going for more of a lip stain effect, check out these two limited-edition paint pots: Groundwork, a taupe hue, and Coral Crepe, a fleshy coral.
MAC Paint Pots, $16.50 each. Available at MACcosmetics.com
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CHROMAGRAPHIC PENCILS
This is probably one of the more interesting releases in the collection. The Chromagraphic Pencils can be used to line eyes or lips (or maybe to create funky designs) and are available in two flesh-toned shades. I actually like lining my eyes with the NW25/NC30 pencil (the darker shade) and then applying a darker shadow since the lighter base softens the overall look and brightens the face.
MAC Chromagraphic Pencils, $14.50 each. Available at MACcosmetics.com
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IMPECCABLE BROW PENCILS
Brows are stronger, thicker, and more geometric this season — which, of course, means brow gels and pencils galore. To fill in any sparse areas or extend the brow line, you can simply grab one of these Impeccable Brow Pencils, available in Dirty Blonde or Taupe.
MAC Impeccable Brow Pencils, $15 each. Available at MACcosmetics.com
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EYE SHADOW SHADES
From left to right, by row: Cut to Fit, Bamboo, Tissue Weight, Memorabilia, and Gazette
Five eye shadows are featured in this collection — most of them fairly dusky and matte, with only two frosted shades in the bunch. The colors include: Tissueweight, a frosted light peach; Bamboo, a matte light beige with peach undertones; Cut to Fit, a frosted bronze with sepia undertones; Gazette Grey, a dark olive green gray; and Memorabilia, a matte dirty purple.
I checked out the Memorabilia eye shadow and, while the bruised eggplant purple color is a nice addition to any woman's makeup collection, it's not as noteworthy and splendid as prior offerings, such as the Very Violet eye shadow.
Check out what the Memorabilia Eye Shadow looks like:
MAC Eye Shadows, $14.50 each. Available at MACcosmetics.com
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TINTED LIPGLASS COLORS
Fold and Tuck
C-Thru
Prêt-a-Papier
The Prêt-a-Papier collection includes three new Tinted Lipglasss colors: C-Thru, a shimmering beige with peach undertones; Fold and Tuck, a mid-tone coral hue with just the faintest bit of shimmer; and Prêt-a-Papier, a bronze with dark red tones.
MAC Tinted Lipglass, $14 each. Available at MACcosmetics.com
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POWDER BLUSH SHADES
Garb
Instant Chic
Blush has been making a big comeback over the past few seasons, as more women strive to give their visages a dewy, radiant look. This collection offers two new shades: Garb, a deep taupe with golden tones; and Instant Chic, a light coral pink with a golden sand finish.
Here's what the Instant Chic blush looks like on skin:
MAC Powder Blush, $18.50 each. Available at MACcosmetics.com
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MINERALIZE BLUSH COLOR
Light Over Dark
With summer's arrival, many women are opting for a more bronzed cheek color that provides a healthy sun-kissed glow. The MAC Light Over Dark Mineralize Blush fuses together a baked terracotta color with bruised peach tones, for the perfect midway color between a blush and bronzer.
MAC Mineralize Blush, $23. Available at MACcosmetics.com
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NAIL LACQUER HUES
From left to right: Originality and Brown Bag
These new nail lacquers touch upon two of the season's most prevalent color trends: creamy nudes that create a "mannequin hands" effect (which you can attain with the MAC Brown Bag lacquer) and lush metallics (such as Originality, a luminous copper bronze).
MAC Nail Lacquers, $12 each. Available at MACcosmetics.com
