I have always been fascinated by MAC eyeshadows… like any other beauty blogger, obviously! wink
It started when I was studying beauty many moons ago… I have told this story so many times, but we had to buy makeup for our exams and I chose to contain myself in the amount of makeup I bought so I could buy some MAC makeup that I would keep all my life (I hope)(but let’s be realistic, let’s say it lasts several years at least).
Well, I had a discount as a beauty student, which helped me a lot at the time! (oh, how I envy this discount now!!!).
Before we start, I want to warn you that this is a long article. Like really, really long. But I think (hope) the information here will be a helpful! smile
Why did I choose MAC eyeshadows and not those from other brands?
Well, because it’s simply THE reference amongst eyeshadows. When people are talking about this or that colour in any makeup brand, it’s often a MAC shade that is given as a reference.
MAC cosmetics are also usually the ones used by professional makeup artists.
Regarding the overall quality, they got almost everything:
– an insane shade choice (144 eyeshadows in the permanent collection)
– a perfect pigmentation (most of the time)
– the “blendability” (is it even a word???): they apply and blend very well (especially with good brushes of course!)
– the lasting power (especially if you apply a base underneath, they don’t budge)
I spoke of brushes earlier, because of course these type of professional makeup eyeshadows are really suitable for brush application. My 2 favorite MAC brushes to apply are:
– the 217 aka the King of eye brushes: a brush that applies smoothly and blend the colour (I own two of them) (and I’m thinking of buying a third one lol)
– the 239, a shader brush I use to dab eyeshadow on my eyelid (and I usually blend it after with a clean 217)
On the other hand, even though I love collecting eyeshadow palettes (it’s a real addiction, I need to stop !!!), I realize that what I love even more is to compose myself my very own eyeshadow palette that I spend endless time choosing, comparing, trying out…
With the numerous swatches I can find on the internet, it has become much easier than before. Some sites like Temptalia for example are a blessing for makeup addicts like myself.
Most of the time, I buy my eyeshadows in refill rather than individually and I put them in one of my (many) palettes, ready to fill. It’s also cheaper in this format ($10 compared to $16).
It’s very embarrassing but I really have a lot of eye MAC eyeshadows. A lot… I think I have something like 50. Yes, I know, it’s crazy.
I don’t use them the same way. Some are more neutral, some others are very colorful and not always wearable for everyday.
But today, I wanted to introduce the MAC eyeshadows that I use the most, my true essentials.
What is strange is that these are not necessarily my favorite MAC eyeshadows (although some are!), but are the ones I really use often, almost on a daily basis. Those where I dab my makeup brush, without thinking about it.
They are all part of the MAC permanent collection.
My Must-Have MAC neutral eyeshadows:
Yes, these are mostly neutral shadows… Obviously, because they are the easiest colors to wear for a natural and pretty eye makeup!
MAC Paint Pot in Painterly:
I included Painterly even if it’s not a powder eyeshadow because it’s really a great product that I use quite often.
This is a Paint Pot, an eyeshadow cream that can also be used as a makeup base to make your eyeshadows last longer.
It’s a matte eyeshadow and a true “flesh” colour, barely darker than my own skin colour. It’s almost like a foundation for your eyelid… wink
It’s just the perfect color to unify the eyelid and sometimes, especially if I applied a fine line of black eyeliner, it would be the only color that I apply. It really refreshes your eyes and makes you look far more awake. For those who have small veins or differences in pigmentation on their eyelids, it erases everything!
To apply, I’ll share 2 tips:
– use a suitable brush, namely with synthetic bristles and wide enough (the MAC 252 is ideal for this). Well, of course you can also apply it with your finger, it also works very well! But I love applying makeup with a brush, it makes me feel like a real make-up artist, even in my tiny bathroom.
– don’t apply too much product because you only need the smallest amount. If you use too much product, it tends to make your make-up crease instead of setting it.
MAC Painterly Paint Pot is available on MAC website for $21. (and it lasts 1000 years)(well, so I’ve been told)
The highlighting eyeshadows:
MAC Brulé, Orb, Vanilla and Naked Lunch eyeshadows:
These four eyeshadows: Brulé, Orb, Vanilla and Naked Lunch, are really essential for me. These are eyeshadows that I have already repurchased twice for some of them.
This is my palette of “base” eyeshadows (I apply them mostly on my eyelids to unify them) but they can also be used as highlighters (applied under my eyebrow and in the inner corner of my eye).
This type of eyeshadow is also super useful to clean a smoky eyes and blend a darker color.
Brulé: it’s a true must-have from MAC.
It is a flesh color, creamy with rather warm undertones. This is an almost matte eyeshadow, a luminous mat (although in MAC’s chart, it’s classified as a Satin, it’s not really a satin finish on the skin though). It unifies the eyelid and illuminates it, but in a very natural way.
Personally, I use it a lot in summer, because the color is very close to my skin color when I get a little tan (my tan is more a golden/yellow one).
Orb: same principle as Brulé, it’s a flesh color eyeshadow but with colder undertones, almost pink. It’s also an almost matte eyeshadow (a MAC Satin again). I apply it the same way as Brulé, but this one is my winter base eyelid makeup.
Vanilla: a MAC best seller.
Vanilla is an ivory shade with very fine gold glitter, so fine it barely shows on the skin. It’s a MAC Velvet, so it has a sheer finish. This eyeshadow is perfect placed under the tail of the brow to brighten the eyes, but also in the inner corner to make your eyes look more awake.
Naked Lunch: this is really one of my favorite MAC eyeshadow.
Naked Lunch is a frosted beige/peachy pink. It’s a MAC Frost, so it has a pearly finish. This shade is so versatile, I use it both to illuminate the inner corner of my eyes (the effect is less natural than Vanilla, but I don’t mind, it looks so nice) and also on my eyelids. It refreshes the eyes immediately. This is a superb highlighter. The color is pretty universal, it fits many different skin tones.
The natural smoky-eyes eyeshadows:
Now, let’s talk about the colors that I use to do my everyday smoky-eyes. These are mostly neutral colors, so they are easy to wear during the day, but some of them are quite dark and allow me to intensify the makeup and add a more dramatic effect that can be perfect in the evening.
You will see, I prefer color rather in brown tones, moles or plums, because these are the colors that fit best with the color of my eyes (light blue-green).
There are both matte and iridescent eyeshadows. You will need both for a smoky-eye because they don’t have the same purpose:
– Matte eyeshadows are perfect to give depth to the look. Usually, I put them in the eyelid’s crease or the outer corner of the eye. They can also be used as a transitional color, it helps to blend different shades between them (it avoids ending up with kinds of “colour banding” on the eyelids)(I had a teacher who never blended her eyeshadows on the eyelids, looking like small flags, it was quite traumatizing).
– Iridescent, frosted or glitter eyeshadows are highlighting and bring some volume. It helps your eyelids appear bigger for example. This is very appealing makeup, it’s often what I want the most. But I find that paired with matte eyeshadows, they’re even more gorgeous on the eyelids.
MAC Quarry, Jest, Corduroy and Sable eyeshadows:
These four eyeshadows are rather warm colours. These kind of shades bring out the blue in my eyes.
Quarry: it’s a soft browny pink eyeshadow with a matte finish. In MAC’s chart, it’s in the Matte category.
For me, it’s perfect for the crease or to blend, used as a transition shade. Since it’s quite light, it remains discreet and very natural. I often associate it with Sable.
Jest: one of my favorites. For the record, Jest is the first MAC eyeshadow I purchased (with Sketch). I’m already on my third pan (yes, I love it that much).
It’s quite similar to Naked Lunch, but it’s slightly more pinkish. I would describe it as a soft frosted peachy pink. For MAC, it’s a Frost.
I just used it like I’m using Naked Lunch, in my inner corner or on my eyelid. This is my “fresh and awake” kind of shade, I love it.
Corduroy: it’s a rather warm dark brown, with a red undertone. It’s a matte finish. For MAC, it’s classified in the category Matte.
I love using Corduroy in the outer corner of the eye or along the lash line (top or bottom). As it’s a rather dark color, it adds the perfect amount of definition to the makeup.
Sable: Another favorite of mine. (quite recent, oddly enough. Where have you been all my life?)
Sable is a bronzy plum, with a shimmery finish (it’s a MAC Frost). This eyeshadow is absolutely sublime. It’s like a mix of all my favorite colors in one shade. I usually apply it on my entire eyelid or in the crease with Jest on the eyelid. And sometimes along my lower lash line… Anyway, I put it all over the place! It’s also one of the only makeups that has my husband say “Hey, I like your eye makeup today.” smile
MAC Satin Taupe, Blackberry, Shale and Haux eyeshadows:
For these four shadows, it’s rather a combination of cool undertone colors. Perfect to make the green in my eyes pop.
Satin Taupe: a real famous MAC eyeshadow!
This is a taupe (a beige-gray) with bronze and purple undertones. Yes, it has so many different shades in one colour! It has a rather pearlescent finish (it’s a MAC Frost). It’s a beautiful shade, it’s totally understandable that this is one of MAC’s best-sellers! It fits everybody, in my opinion.
I love it in the outer corner of the eye, on the eyelid or along the lash line. It’s really beautiful. It intensifies but without being too dark. All in all a very easy makeup!
Blackberry: it’s a plummy brown matte eyeshadow. For MAC, it’s in the category Matte.
This is really a perfect eyeshadow to use on the crease. It’s also very convenient for blending with other colors. I associate it a lot with Shale.
Shale: it’s an iridescent plum/purple shade. (it’s a MAC Satin)
This shade is so easy, it’s a no-brainer. I often apply it to the entire eyelid and I blend the crease with Blackberry. It can also be applied in the outer corner with a lighter color on the eyelid (like Jest for example), emphasizing my lower lash line. It’s not too dark and the result is still very wearable during the day.
Haux: it’s a matte pinky brown eyeshadow but with very fine iridescent particles (for MAC, it’s in the category Satin).
Yes, I know, it looks like Quarry. These two eyeshadows are extremely close. However, I find that Haux has a pinkier undertone than Quarry, which means that I pair it a lot more with my mauvy eyeshadows. But I don’t think you would absolutely need both. Well, I do but as you know, I’m kind of obsessed! wink
I apply it especially on my crease, or to blend shades like Satin Taupe, for example. It’s not very dark, so the effect is very natural.
MAC Soba and Espresso eyeshadows:
I love these two! I paired them very often for a golden brown eye look (one I wear the most).
Soba: What a beauty! It’s one of my favorites!
This is truly a unique color, I love it: it’s like an antique gold shade with a brown undertone and it’s a satin finish. For MAC, it’s in the Satin category. It’s much more neutral and easy to wear than a classic golden eyeshadow, but it really highlights the eyes. Usually, I wear it by applying on my entire eyelid.
Espresso: it’s a neutral dark brown eyeshadow (without those warm undertones like Corduroy) with a matte finish. (it’s a MAC Matte)
I would say that espresso is a very useful shade. It’s perfect to intensify the outer corner of the eye or along the lash line and it can be used with so many different colors! A real must-have!
MAC Omega and Coquette eyeshadows:
I’m using these two eyeshadows for different purposes: they’re my go-to shades for my eyebrows but they’re also very useful to intensify my crease in a very natural way.
Omega: it’s a beigy taupe eyeshadow with a matte finish (for MAC, it’s a Matte). I’m wearing it a lot mixed with Coquette, because these two shades are a perfect match for my eyebrows. It’s also perfect in the crease, applied on top of a fleshy shade. It just gives depth to the look without giving the impression that you are wearing makeup. Perfect no-makeup makeup! wink
* A small hint about the choice of your eyebrows makeup if you have blonde or light brown hair:
I never use a real brown shade for my eyebrows because it’s not natural at all!
I found that all the taupy shades, whith gray or almost khaki green undertones work so much better on my eyebrows (the hair from my eyebrows have a cool undertone). So a brown shade would appear orange in my eyebrows.*
Coquette: it’s a gray taupe eyeshadow with an almost matte finish (it’s very slightly iridescent but it doesn’t show when applied on the skin). This is a MAC Satin. It almost has some green in it. It’s an eyeshadow that I use mostly for my eyebrows, mixed with Omega. It’s slightly darker than Omega, so it’s perfect to slightly intensify the color of the eyebrows.
And there you have it! These eyeshadows are not all my favorites, but these are really the ones I use the most, especially when I don’t want to think a lot about my makeup (let’s say almost every morning ;)).
All the MAC eyeshadows are available in the MAC counters or online, in MAC website.
And you, what are your must-have neutral eyeshadows (in MAC or in other brands)? Some recommendations (just in case I would “need” more eyeshadows^^)?
Photos credits: bonnie-garner.com
Cet article est aussi disponible en français: Mes fards à paupières MAC neutres indispensables
Great review Bonnie and look like great shades, just came across your site and I love the details in your reviews, great read.
So back to the topic, the first ones seem pretty pale don’t they?. In my quest foe the perfect neutral eye shadow could you recommend to give me that perfect natural look.
With a pale complexion which neutral shades are worth the investment if I were to choose only 4, which ones would you recommend I start with? I feel like I should follow what you have as I value your opinion. So which 4 should I star with? I’ve heard a lot about NYX too, what do you think of them?
Hi Sarah, thanks for your lovely comment! :)
Starting with 4 MAC eyeshadows is perfect because IMO, it’s really all you need for a perfect everyday makeup look!
So, first you need a pale fleshy shade to even the eyelids and to brighten (that’s why I always chose very pale shades, to brighten everything out) like Brulé for example, and also a matte transition shade to put in the crease, like maybe Quarry or Coquette if you prefer a cooler shade.
And one nice shade to put all over the lid like Satin Taupe which is a MAC classic (because it pretty much goes with every eye color) or Sable which I just love. And of course, you would need a shade to highlight your eye’s inner corner like Naked Lunch, again, a classic, or Jest if you’re more into pinky shades.
About NYX, I’m sorry, I never tried their eyeshadows, just their lip products, which I love! Maybe I should try them! ;)
Thanks heaps for compiling such a helpful guide on MAC neutral eyeshadows!
Thank you for your lovely comment!
Hi Bonnie!!! That was a great and very helpful guide! What do you recommend as the best shades for light brown eyes? I have light/medium skin. I already have a Mac quad with all that glitters, soft brown, woodwinked and brown script. Im looking for a second quad for everyday use. I would love satin taupe for example amd some medium matte brown shade for the outer “v”, and I would love something pinkish for the lids… Oh I have a question, if you apply painterly you need another shadow as a base? And last question, what exactly is a blending shadow? Do you always need one in a quad? I really hope you answer!!! xoxo
Hi Connie!
Thank you so much for your lovely comment! :)
You’re so lucky because with light brown eyes, you can apply any shades, everything will suit you perfectly, even blue (especially navy blue, it’s so pretty with your eye color) or pink and even green! You have a great choice for your eye makeup! :D
So my suggestion for your 2nd quad would be:
– Corduroy for the medium matte brown shade for the outer V (it has a slight hint of red which works perfectly with Satin Taupe)
– for the pinkish shade, I would go for Jest, which is more a pink champagne shade but you can also use it as a inner corner highlighter (and let’s admit it, Jest is just one of my favorite MAC eyeshadow ever ah ah aha)
– and if you want a blending shade, Quarry will work perfectly with that eyeshadows combination! ;)
But of course, the best way to know if you like the colors will be to go to a MAC store and ask the makeup artists to apply them on you!
A blending shade is totally optional but for me, it became mandatory in my eye makeup. It will basically give dimension to your eyes makeup and above all, it helps to blend the shades together, without seeing too “sharp” lines between them.
A good eye makeup is when you’re not sure how many shades had been used, they’re just perfectly blended together and it creates a beautiful color “halo”. I hopes it makes sense! ;)
Usually, you choose it according to your skin color. For me, it’s usually something like a medium shade, usually a beige brown (like Soft Brown), a pinkish taupe kind of shade (like Quarry) or a taupe grey like Omega for example.
I discovered the importance of blending not so long ago, and believe me, it changes the way your eye makeup looks. Everything just looks perfect all together! And to achieve a good result, you may consider buying a blending brush like the very famous MAC 217, which is perfect to apply these kind of shades! ;)
About Painterly, I usually use another eyeshadow base underneath (the NARS one) because my eyelids are terribly oily but if it’s not your case, it can work as a base perfectly. :)
I hope my answer helps! :)
Dear Bonnie:
Actually your answer help me a lot!!! Thank you for your kind and fast answer. I don’t live in the United States but thankfully I travel frecuently to Miami and New York, so be sure that next time I will pick my next eyeshadows thinking about your advice.
Thanks for all the info, I love makeup so I will be checking your blog for more!
Xoxo
Connie
Ah ah, my pleasure!
Please, feel free to come back and tell me what you got! ;)
Hello!
I have fair, cool, pinkish skin / v dark brown hair / dark brows / dark hazel eyes. I have smaller eyes.
I am looking for a basic 2-3 color eye palette for every day wear/natural. I do not like a heavy makeup look. I am not a huge fan of frost/shimmery stuff. I like more matte and maybe satiny. Can you suggest some colors for me? I’ve been to the MAC counter 2x and they have been unhelpful. They have me all that glitters and it was wayyy too shiny/gold for my skin. From your article, I picked up on vanilla, orb, quarry, blackberry and shale….but I’m not sure how to put any of those (or any other recommendations you have) together! Any help is much appreciated. Thank you! :)
I do have the paint pot in painterly as a base, p.s. hehe
Hello Kate!
The ones you picked from my post would be great! :)
Maybe you don’t need Vanilla and Orb together though, you can choose one between these 2 because they look quite similar on the skin.
Quarry, Blackberry and Shale would look great on your eyes, I’m sure.
You can apply Vanilla or Orb all over your lids as a base (and also on your inner corner to brighten), Quarry in the crease, Shale on your eyelid and Blackberry on your outter V and along your lower lash line!
But the best thing if you want to be sure is to ask a sales assistant/makeup artist to apply them on you the day you’re going in a MAC counter. ;)
I hope it helps! :)
Thank you very much for the helpful information! :)
Do you have any other shade recommendations for me? I have a hard time picking colors for myself. Is there a color that would look nice as an all over lid color on its own?!
Again – this is so helpful for me and I greatly appreciate it!
Well, actually, I would also have advised something like All That Glitters, it’s one of my favorite MAC eyeshadow and it looks so good and luminous on everybody, in my opinion! ;)
But in the same kind of very easy, luminous shade, you also have Naked Lunch or Jest which are more pink. Maybe, you’ll like it better?
And you can also look at some of the classic shades / those that will suit everybody, like Soft Brow or Cork.
But, really, the best to do is go to a Mac counter and let a makeup artist apply the shades you’re wondering about on you, and then you’ll know! :)
What is the same color for Soft brown in Mac.
Hi Dimu,
If you have the same issue as we have here in Dubai, that the Soft Brown is difficult to find and that some sales people will actually tell you it is discontinued (rather than explain the reality) then the alternatives you have are a) check out places like the Mac US website or b) if you travel outside of the gulf area drop into a Mac shop. If I misunderstood your question, please let me know what you meant :)
This blog post was so helpful, I’ve never tried MAC Eyeshadows before and have recently became interested in trying some. I’ll definitely be trying some of these that you recommend! X
Thank you very much! :)
If you decide to give them a go, please feel free to come back here and tell me your thoughts about them! :)
Oh my god! Girl, you just got yourself a new follower. This is amazing! <3 I have binge-read (is that a real word??) your blog posts, and I'm completely sold.
For suggestions; have you tried Mulch? I find it soo pretty as a wash of colour, blended with either omega or soft brown in the crease. It's gorgeous!
Aaaaw, thanks you so much for your lovely comment, I really appreciate it! :D
I purchased Mulch several years ago but it’s lost somewhere in my big MAC pro palette. But you’re absolutely right, it’s stunning and I definitely need to use it again!
I recently bought Soft Brown and it’s really a perfect soft transition shade, don’t know why I waited that much time to try it lol… ;)
Hi I know this is a really late comment but I just found your website now. I’m looking to get a mac eyeshadow palette cause I currently have no good quality eye shadow. I’ve hazel eyes and thinking of getting 12 shades in one of their customisable palettes and I’d really appreciate any recommendations
Hello Rosie!
You know, after a few years, I noticed that I don’t use my MAC eyeshadows that much anymore… I still have some favorite but I would really recommend that you have a look at the Makeup Geek eyeshadows instead! They’re cheaper and I find the pigmentation usually better. I didn’t have the time to do a proper review yet on the ones I have here on my blog, but you have 3 bundles which could be very pretty with you eyes color:
– the starter kit
– the autumn glow bundle
– the fall 2016 bundle
Be careful, you need to purchase the palette separately. I usually put them in a Z-palette.
They’re my favorite eyeshadows at the moment, the color choice is phenomenal, and the quality is great (probably better than MAC in my opinion).
I hope it helps! :)
Thanks so much for your reply I’ll definitely take a look at those
This article was amazing. Well researched and articulated. I’m at my wits end in picking colors and you helped a great deal
Thank you for your very kind comment, Jennifer!
I’m happy my post helped you in your choice! :)
Wow what a roller coaster! Just getting back into makeup after a 4 year hiatus travelling and don’t know where to begin- researching Mac eyeshadows and loved every inch of this post, truley! I examined every sentence and comment, recording ideas for a big 15 pallet! Then I reached your comment saying you prefer makeup geek now! Haha!! It’s ok i get it, makeup is always improving and changing. But I’m totally lost again! Actually had a stab of panic when I read your comment haha. Please please write a new article exactly as detailed and amazing as this one about your must have makeup geek eyeshadows! I would really appreciate it…makeup geek is so much cheaper then Mac….haha I have a husband so you know ;) oh and also if possible some advice- I am fair, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes, I don’t like dark shades, I feel they make my eyes look small, but rather, pinks, purples, nudes and natural colours…also colours and shimmers that make my eyelids look big. But truely an in depth “must have” article like this one would be so very fun to read!!
Hi Connie! :)
I guess your adorable comment is the little push I needed to write this blog post I was supposed to write months ago! I totally want to do this blog post, and actually, maybe it will be several blog posts because there is a lot to say about these eyeshadows! :D
And I think we share a similar taste for neutral/ pink/ purple shades (my eyes are blue-green and I have dark hair too ;) ) so I hope you will enjoy my color selection.
However, it will probably take a little bit of time to write these posts and I did a small one on Instagram sharing my 10 MUG must-have warm eyeshadows. Maybe it could help in the meantime? :)
Hi Bonnie! This blog post was exactly what I was looking for! haha thank you so much for taking the time to do this, even tho I can clearly see that you like doing this, hahaha. I would like to ask you something if you don’t mind giving me advice… I have very fair skin, blue eyes (want to make the “pop”) and my hair is.. well… i use to be platinum blonde but now i’m that… with like 12cm of ash blonde roots. The thing is I want my first MAC quad, I would like it to be just for a neutral or mayble cool toned, earth-golden-brownish smokey eye, suitabble for day time but with a shade with some shimmer for night time.
(The only shade I have currently is courderoy, which I bought to pair with a clinique pallete for a color for outer V)
Any advice??? Thank you so much
Hi Tina! :)
With your eye color, warm neutral shades look lovely IMO! :)
Here are some suggestions you may want to look at:
– Saddle: a matte warm medium brown, perfect as a transition shade or all over the lid. This kind of warm shade is super pretty with blue eyes.
– Woodwinked: a warm bronze, in a metallic finish. This one is a staple, especially for blue eyes.
– Soba: easy to wear all over the eyelid on a daily basis.
– Amber Lights: the “fun” one, a beautiful warm amber color, in a metallic finish. It looks gorgeous with blue eyes and really makes them pop!
I hope it helps! Feel free to come back here to tell me which ones you chose at the end! ;)
Hi Bonnie,
I just found your amazing blog and I must say that i love the review you have written. It is so detailed, yet precise. I have been planning for a long time to get a few MAC eyeshadows but was always torn between the many choices they have and my uncertaintity as to what colors would look good on me. I have a rather pale neutral undertone, ash blonde hair and light green eyes. I seem to be able to pull off a warm golden look, yet for some reason i seem to reach out more to cool toned shadows. i feel that they make my eyes stand out more (maybe it is just my imagination, but let me know what you think),and i am trying to get that eyecolor pop (who doesnt lol). I highly appreciate any advice you could give me on a few shades to start off with for a perfect natural look. i live in Shanghai and the MAC counter make up artists always seem to be perplexed and uncertain when i ask them what looks good on light green eyes. A bit of help from you would be much appreciated. Looking forward to your reply! xoxoxo
Hi Desi!
Yes, neutral cool tones like slightly purple shades will definitely emphasize the green in your eyes, I agree! :)
For your eyes and your complexion/ hair color, I would definitely go for Sable, this shade would look stunning with your eyes. Satin Taupe would also be a great option.
Woodwinked is also a staple IMO (it’s a bronze shade). I also really like All The Glitters or Naked Lunch for every day (and they’re also great to put in the inner corner for a highlighting effect). Jest is also great if you want something pinker (it looks stunning in the inner corner with green eyes)
And if you want a matte shade to apply in your crease to give a little bit of depth, Soft Brown, Saddle or Corduroy are great neutral warm options. I also really like Quarry, it has a cooler undertone.
I hope it helps! :)
Dear Bonnie,
Thank you so much for the information! i am going to head over to the MAC counter and get what you recommended. BTW, I love your blog, i managed to read a few more blogposts by you and they were all amazing! I am going to read it regularly! thank you!
Thank you for your lovely comment ❤️
I have been looking for a review on MAC eyeshadows, particularly the neutrals, and I am so lucky to have found yours. I am a mature woman with green eyes with newly natural salt and pepper hair and neutral beige tone. As a former brunette with green eyes I always was drawn to the pinks, lavenders, plums and gray eye shadows to complement my look. Now I am on a mission to find the right balance of colors for my eyes, skintone and new haircolor. I am shying away from frosted and will continue to entertain satin finish along with matte. I look forward to any recommendations or suggestions you wish to share.
Your blog is amazing and I am enjoying each and eary post.
Hi Olga!
Thank you very much for your comment! :)
I still think the plum and lavender would look great with your green eyes! Maybe you can also try Satin Taupe if you don’t have it already ;)
If you want to go for something very neutral, Soba is one of my go to as well. They’re both satin finishes.
And for the mattes shades, I think the ones I talk about in my blog post should all work with your eyes, skin tone and hair color! :)
It’s Aug 2018 and I just googled looking for an eyeshadow similar to Mac naked lunch and found this post… just wanted to let you know how helpful it was even 3 years after it was posted :) Thank you!
I’m so happy my article was helpful, you made my day ❤️
Your dope! I love the colours you chose u should start a YouTube channel I’m def picking up the colors you recommended and thanks for the tip on getting refills it’s 18$ in Canada for a eyeshadow so that’s a good save
I’m happy my post helped you, Malvina! Thank you for your lovely comment <3
I too am a total MAC addict, from the time I was allowed to wear makeup at 12, through cosmetology school, as a MUA and as a model, I almost solely used MAC, only in the past 3 years have I really explored other brands, I don’t think I stepped foot in a Sephora or Ulta until my 20s (I’m 31 now).. I currently have about 60 MAC singles, though I have duplicates of about 5 shades that I know I’ll hit pan on first (orb, wedge, embark, satin taupe, Amber lights.. oh and phloof and nylon)
It’s funny, I have about 70 palletes, yet I always reach for my singles, especially if I’m in a hurry, something about them just makes it so easy to do an eye look, and I’ve never NOT owned or used Painterly.
My personal faves for inner corner highlight and brow bone highlight are phloof and nylon. I love cool neutrals and own almost all of them.
I’m so sad Mac isn’t talked about more on YouTube.
I agree, there’s just something super quick and easy about using single eyeshadows, I completely get what you mean!
And it’s true that the brand is not as hyped on YouTube as it used to be but I think a lot of people are still using them a lot, including myself! :)
Hi Bonnie, I googled cool toned mac eyeshadows and eventually found your blog which I’ve read in full! I’m from the UK and I’ve just celebrated my 50th birthday but am lucky to look and feel (a bit) younger! I love make up :) Would love to treat myself to some Mac eyeshadows to revamp my eye look. I have denim blue/grey eyes and fair/blonde hair. My skin tone is ivory/rose and I suit cool colours but I’m not ultra pale, sort of the next level up. I’m confused as to whether I should be going for cool toned eyeshadows to go with the rest of my look or contrast with warmer eyeshadows as I’ve heard copper etc brings out the blue of your eyes. Any recommendations? I need to get ready quickly as I am up early and commuting into London for work, so want to buy four colours that are fool-proof! Thanks in advance.
Hi Johanna, thanks for the lovely comment! :)
I would actually recommend warmer eyeshadows because they’re really flattering with blue/ grey eyes!
Everything coppery, or gold is usually very pretty with your eyes color. Amber Lights is a beautiful shade, Expensive Pink also (this one is perfect for summer!). I also really like Saddle (it’s a matte one).
But the best thing if you want to be sure is to go directly to a MAC counter and ask a sales assistant/makeup artist to apply them on you. They’re usually very helpful!
I hope it helps! :)
This is such a great blog, I am obsessing over MAC eye shadows again and have so many pallets but reach out for my neutral single shades, one of my fav brown tone is called Saddle from MAC for all over the lid plus it contours your eyes and looks neat.
XOXO
Oh I love Saddle, such a great crease color 👍👍👍
hi. Bonnie,
I started with Charlotte Tilbury, but all that glitters and sheen is not my cup of tea, so I have started to look for quality matte eyeshadows so here I am, new to the party of Mac eyeshadows..,Even in 2021 your review is still very informative and I can see you have put a lot of effort into it. Loved how you arranged the eyeshadows in handy quads and it seems better than the large pro palettes I’ve seen. Greetings from Amsterdam!
Thank you very much Melissa! :)
Great site Bonnie! I’m totally new to makeup and am very interested in trying out Mac eyeshadows. What do you think about the Bobbi Brown Eyeshadows? I saw on this site (https://www.glisserati.com/categories/eyeshadow/) that Lisa Eldridge likes them.
Hi Jennie!
I haven’t tried these, sorry! :(
Hi, Bonnie.
Thank you for this post.
I am going to try to the MAC Omega for my eyebrows, but in case that might be too dark for me, do you have a sense of what would be identical but one shade lighter? (i.e., a taupe-beige with a matte finish). I was looking at Cozy Grey, but perhaps that is a bit too pink/flesh-toned?
Thank you.
Hi Susan, I’m not sure! I haven’t tried this particular shade! But maybe I would avoir if there’s pink in it, not sure if it would work :/
Hi Susan!
I’m not sure, I haven’t tried this particular shade, sadly!
But if it’s too pink, Im’ not sure I would use it, personnally. :/