Mac Lunar Illusion is Mac Cosmetics 2020 Lunar New Year collection. Mac released x4 lip gloss, x4 lipsticks, x1 highlighter (Extra Dimension Skinfinish), x1 Eyeshadow Palette, x1 powder blush and x1 cushion compact case in this collection all with custom limited edition packaging.
Chinese New Year or also known around the world as Lunar New Year has always been a great time to celebrate, dress up and wear some makeup! I've always loved that Mac and now other cosmetic brands are now bringing out collections or limited editions especially for this time of the year.
Concept & Packaging :
Originally I wasn't thinking on purchasing anything from this collection, but I just love small x9 pan Eyeshadow Palettes and the colour story although confusing at first glance really appealed to me. So decided to buy a few items together with it, but when I received it and really looked at the collection in person I fell in love! The blush and the lipstick packaging was especially stunning to me, the intricate ornate design really gives this oriental vibe. It's almost has a sense of oriental vintage age to the packaging, where I can imagine this packaging design during the 60's or 70's. I believe Mac's vision with this collection was to fuse the traditional with the new, I think they did an absolutely gorgeous job with not only translating that into the packaging but also followed through with the concept by having chosen classic shades in a lineup of top-selling Mac products together with custom limited edition packaging, some what fusing the traditional and current.
The images in this post are some of the products I purchased from the Collection.
Products :
Now & Zen Eyeshadow Palette is a classic x9 pan Mac eyeshadow palette. Shades in this palette range from mattes, lustre & veluxe pearl in texture. Shades were selected based on Mac's best-selling classic shades, so none of the shades in this palette are new or limited edition but this colour story is custom to this collection and packaging. Overall the palettes colour story is very versatile to me, both cool and warm tones are represented here in the palette and the colour story allows you to go from day to night look as well. The formula is Mac's standard eyeshadow formula, silky, buttery and blends like a dream. (RM205)
SHADE DESCRIPTION
Honey Lust : Bronze-dipped peach (Lustre)
Expensive Pink : Pink with duochrome (VLXP)
Soft Brown : Soft golden peachy-brown (Matte)
Cranberry : Red-plum with pink shimmer (Frost)
Phloof! : Frosted off-white (Frost)
Girlie : Rosy-pink with subtle shimmer (Satin)
Omega : Soft muted beige taupe (Matte)
Tilt : Violet with blue-green pearl (Frost)
Black Tied : Black with silver sparkle (Velvet)
Lunar Illusion Lipglass is Mac's hydrating lipgloss formulation. The Lipglass formula range is high in pigmentation considered to be a hybrid between a lipstick and a lipgloss. For this collection Mac released x4 shades which are Heroine, Goldfinch, Ruby Woo and Magically Delightful. Again, all x4 shades are existing Mac lipglass shades just in limited edition packaging. Out of the x4 I only purchased x1 which was the shade Magically Delightful which can be described as a shimmering coral, it has very very tiny micro glitters in the formula but you can't notice it at all. The lipglass formula is high shine, pigmented and lightweight. It's not sticky but if you put too much it tends to be very stingy and gloopy. I own several lipglass shades already and I really do enjoy their high shine pigmented gloss range, definitely recommend if you haven't yet tried it! (RM88)
Dynastic Fantastic Powder Blush is a split-pan blush compact, similar with the eyeshadow palette the shades were selected based on Mac's best-selling classic shades. The shades in this compact are Pinch O' Peach (Peachy Pink) and Modern Mandarin (Red-Orange), can be used swirled / mixed together or separately. The formula is smooth not chalky at all and pigmentation is great! My absolutely favourite items from this collection, the shape is very different from Mac's signature round shape compact packaging. To me what makes this very special is the raised ornate pattern making it look like a mosaic tile piece. Definitely the highlight of the collection for me. (RM117)
Lipsticks. For the Lunar Illusion collection Mac released x4 lipsticks using existing shades (Cockney, Dark Side, Marrakesh & Ruby Woo) that were specifically chosen based on Mac's best-selling classic shades but just again repackaged. All x3 shades have different formulas ranging from their Retro Matte, Matte, Lustre and Amplified. I purchased on x1 out of the x4, only because I have never been into a bright red shade, out of all the shades Marrakesh which is their Matte formulation was the only shade to speak to me. My first matte lipstick formula from Mac, I love the Powder Kiss lipstick formula from Mac so much that so I had to try their OG matte formula as well. Super pigmented and surprisingly creamy, not as matte as I would hope it's definitely more of a satin finish. Overall, very happy with the shade I purchased and my first Mac limited edition lipstick that is not in their traditional bullet shaped packaging. (RM88)
Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Double Gleam is an already existing pressed highlight shade in a limited edition Lunar Illusion packaging. Originally when it first came out, I wasn't sure if I wanted to get this or not, but after seeing so many beautiful images on social media I caved. To be honest this highlight was definitely the star of the entire collection, the pressed Dragon really stole the show but packaging wise it didn't appeal to me. I know myself very well, and I wouldn't end up using it at all. Double Gleam is describe as a beige that break silver, to me its a cool tone champagne shade. Pigmentation is blinding, and a little can go a long way. No wonder this is one of Mac's best selling shade, I would pick up this shade in Mac's original packaging just so I don't have to use this limited edition one and preserve that dragon. Worth it just for the packaging alone! (RM150)
Overall really enjoyed this collection, very something new and different to me when it comes to Mac packaging. Even though I didn't pick up alot from the collect, I'm very happy with what I manage to pick up especially the blush compact. Out of all the items in the collection I would definitely get the blush and the highlighter only for the packaging and for that stamped embossed dragon on it! Really looking forward to Mac's next year lunar collection!
Hopefully you guys manage to pick it up, and love it as much as I do! if not, hopefully you can still pick it up at you local Mac Cosmetic store or Online. Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed it. If you liked it continue reading other post, or come back for more there are daily updates and blog posts!