From upcoming MAC designer collections, Toledo stole my heart with beautiful packaging design and gorgeous ombre blushes. Although I didn't feel the red lipsticks all that much, the nude lipstick called Oxblood called my name. I also wanted to try the green liner and give the purple palette a go. Here is what my thoughts are for the second part of my picks from MAC. Check the first part of my Toledo Collection review here.
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| MAC Lipstick Oxblood, Intense Eyeliner Chlorafill, Eyeshadow Palette Violetwink and Ombre Blush Kindergarten Red |
There are three palettes in the collection, a blue, a purple and a green one. I would like to try the green, since it looked unique but remembering that the green palette from Simpsons Collection didn't work all that well on me, I settled on to the purple one. Purple is always a safe decision for me but then yet again a hard one because I own so many purple eye shadows, it is hard for a palette to become my favorite. I was once asked to do a "Purple/Plum Favorites" post, let me know if you would like that in the comments below.
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| MAC Eyeshadow Palette Violetwink for Toledo Collection |
After swatching MAC Toledo Eyeshadow Palette Violetwink for the first time, I have understood that I made a mistake by picking this one up. The second and the third colors of my palette are rock hard and the third color literally needed to be scratched from the pan for the swatch below. Fourth color is an iridescent magenta, which is beautiful but wouldn't justify the price all alone. In the States, MAC Cosmetics is a little more affordable than other high-end brands so one can (possibly) tolerate a quality deficiency for one or two of the six colors but in Germany once you pay 45€ for this palette, it should deliver the quality of, say a Chanel eye shadow palette and unfortunately with Violetwink it is not the case.
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| Swatch: MAC Eyeshadow Palette Violetwink for Toledo Collection |
For the look below, I used the second shade on the inner corner, the fourth shade in the middle of the lid, the fifth shade on the outer corner and sixth shade on the crease. I then added the green MAC Intense Eyeliner, called Chlorafill on the lower water line. I usually like green and purple combination but this Chlorafill was a little too dense (is this why it is called intense? lol) with a chalky appearance once applied on its own, so I had to combine it with a deep blue eye liner, Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide On in Tornado, which I also applied on the upper lashes.
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| MAC Eyeshadow Palette Violetwink and Intense Eyeliner Chlorafill for Toledo Collection |
Here is MAC Intense Eyeliner in Chlorafill. I love those type of acid green shades but one should really apply this one with moderation since there it is very soft and pigmented, which is not a bad thing but didn't look all that well after the first application until I brought some blue/violet around it.
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| MAC Intense Eyeliner Chlorafill for Toledo Collection |
I am in love with the ombre blushes from the collection. I had to have all three but unfortunately my deer friend who picked these up from MAC Store in the states made a mistake and picked a second Ripe Peach for me instead of Azalea Blossom. Now I have to wait a little more for that beauty to come to me. Meanwhile I am happily playing with Kindergarten Red. The name made me think a bit but it is really not a red color, it is a gorgeous neutral to cool pink. Some have reported quality issues with the blushes. I am happy to report that my Ombre Blush in Kindergarten Red is very smooth and applies beautifully. It is love!
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| MAC Ombre Blush in Kindergarten Red for Toledo Collection |
There are reds lipsticks in the collection, but I went for the nude one, a matte lipstick called Oxblood. The name is a little misleading, it is a lovely peachy nude, very close to Enchanted One from Alluring Aquatics (swatched here) but warmer and lighter. I love Oxblood but it doesn't hold very long on me, after the first coffee it was already gone. Next time I will try to layer it and blot it to improve the longevity.
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| MAC Lipstick in Oxblood (Matte) |
Here are some swatches of Mac Blush Ombre in Kindergarten Red, layered and separately up and bottom shades as well as Lipstick in Oxblood and Eyeliner in Chlorafill.
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| Swatches: MAC Kindergarten Red, Oxblood and Chlorafill, |
Here is everything in action, below I am wearing Eyeshadow Palette in Violetwink and Eyeliner in Chlorafill on the eyes. I have Kindergarten Red Ombre Blush on the cheeks and Lipstick in Oxblood on the lips. I think Kindergarten Red Blush and Oxblood lipsticks make a gorgeous combination. I ended up wearing this combination for other eye looks during the last weeks.
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| FOTD with MAC Kindergarten Red, Oxblood, Violetwink and Chlorafill |
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| FOTD with MAC Kindergarten Red, Oxblood, Violetwink and Chlorafill |
Final thoughts: From MAC Toledo Collection, I am in love with the Ombre Blushes and Lipstick in Oxblood. Unfortunately my Eyeshadow Palette in Violetwink had quality problems, two of the six shades have poor color pay-off. Eyeliner Chlorafill is nice but hard to make it work, even for a color wearer such as myself.
Availability/Price: Toledo Collection is now available in the states. In March, it will be sold in all MAC Stores in Germany. Ombre Blushes will cost around 32€, Eyeliner is 20€ and eye shadow palettes are 45€.
Have you picked up or are you eyeing anything from this collection?
Disclaimer: The products in this post are purchased by me.