my MAC palette progress

Ah, MAC palettes. Is there anything out there that can make amateur makeup lovers feel more legit than a build-your-own palette? I feel like an artist, carefully selecting my shades, arranging them in the perfect order, and then holding my palette in my left hand and my brush in my right, just like a painter. And my canvas is my face.

I got my 15-pan MAC palette maybe 2 years ago and have since been slowly building it up.  It’s not a priority of mine to finish it quickly – I mean let’s be honest, it’s not as if I’m not acquiring other shadows and palettes in the meantime!

If I remember correctly, I started with Vanilla, Omega, Satin Taupe and Smut in a four-pan palette, and moved onto the 15 a few months later.  These are four great, multi-purpose shades that look great on most people. Satin Taupe is my all-time favourite and definitely what I’d recommend to anyone who wants to purchase just one MAC eyeshadow – it’s great for a subtle daytime look or a soft smokey evening eye. love love love. On days when I don’t feel particularly creative and am not sure what eye look to do, this is always what I reach for.

 

The other shades in my palette are:

Vanilla – a pale cream tone with just a bit of shimmer – great as a subtle eyebrow highlight
Naked Lunch – beautiful pale pink with shimmer – a great all-over lid shade
All That Glitters – sparklier, deeper version of Naked Lunch with peach tones
Omega – a very neutral matte light brow – I use this on my brows as it’s a rare brown that isn’t too warm
Woodwinked – really warm-toned gold with great pigmentation
Mulch – deep bronze that pairs beautifully with Woodwinked
Shale – a matte purple-grey shade. Unfortunately while the colour is gorgeous, the formula is kind of chalky so it’s not the most user-friendly. As you can tell from my swatch, it’s almost invisible!
Smut – a dark shade with purple undertones that’s great for a smokey eye without being too black or over-powering,
Cranberry – beatiful warm, shimmery red
Sable – a sparkly bronzy shade with pink undertones – so beautiful worn all over the lid
Trax – a sparkly mid-toned purple, and frankly the biggest regret of this palette. I never wear colours like this – what was I thinking?

Also, let’s just take a moment and consider how economical MAC palettes. A regular MAC shadow is $19 CAD and a refill is $12, so it’s definitely worth it to start building a palette if you think you’ll be acquiring more shadows over time (I think the palette itself is $12). Also, it’s so much easier to just carry around one slim, flat palette than a whole bunch of eyeshadows – so travel friendly!

I’m not 100% sure yet which three more shades I want to finish off my palette – or, let’s be honest, four shades, because Trax is definitely being kicked out!  I’ve browsed MAC so many times, in addition to taking notes from other bloggers/Youtubers, and I think the ones I want are:

• Concrete
• Copperplate
• Coppering
• Haux
• Charcoal brown

(I know that’s 5…. shut up!)

…. but who knows! I get tempted by so many shades when I got into MAC stores!  Which MAC shadows are your favourites that you think I need?  I love hearing other people’s suggestions so please, let me know in the comments below!