Mac Petal Power is Mac Cosmetics 2020 spring collection. Mac released x3 lip gloss (Plenty Of Pout Plumping Lip Gloss), x3 Lipsticks, x1 Highlighter (Mineralize Skinfinish), x1 Setting Spray and x1 Brush in this collection.
It's Spring time! It's that time of the new year when NEW makeup collections come out! For 2020 spring Mac has released their Petal Power Collection inspired by Sakura / Cherry Blossom season. So let's talk about concept and interpretation, as a designer I not only look at packaging but concept and how they materialize it. When Mac initially announced this collection I fell in love, anything Cherry Blossom / Sakura always has me sold. So I was super excited to get it! But reading some of the comments surrounding the announcement, was that it's "Just another" sakura collection since they did release one Sakura / Cherry Blossom collection just last year. I understand where that comment comes from, like how many cherry blossom collection do we really need? and How many cherry blossom collection can Mac do before it's nothing special?
Concept & Packaging :
As compared to 2019's Mac Boom Boom Bloom Spring Collection, I was happy to see that Mac didn't decide to take the literal sense (except in their outer packaging) in concept but took a fresh interpretation of the Cherry Blossom. Instead of printing loads of Sakura images on packaging (which can be beautiful), they conveyed the flower not only through its colour and scent and I feel through a sense of touch. The pink is such a gorgeous soft shade that gives a romantic vibe to it. But what pairs so well with the colour is the velvet texture of the packaging. To me it is reminiscent of touching a flower petal, soft and smooth it really heightens the visual and experience.The choice to keep it simple and emphasize on the velvet finish makes the plastic material look and feel expensive and elegant, together with the soft pink to me really represents Sakura / Cherry Blossoms as a whole. Overall I love the look and feel of this collection the second I held it in my hands.
The images in this post are some of the products I purchased from the Collection.
Products :
Prep + Prime Lip is beautiful hydrating clear lip primer / balm. It's not a limited edition item in the collection, but a limited edition packaging of an already existing product from Mac. Nonetheless, the packaging alone is worth it. After initial application my lips feel hydrated but also tacky at the same time, not in anyway sticky at all. It feels very comfortable on the lips and it smoothens out some fine lines on my lips, as a lip base it really makes lipstick last longer because of the tackiness. Overall really surprised with this product, will definitely will repurchase! (RM91 / USD20)
Plenty Of Pout Plumping Lip Gloss. This is a custom plumping lip gloss formula that is released only for selected collections, this formula for lipgloss is not within their normal range of products (Not available in Malaysia). Now I've tried several lip plumping products, and I must say this is a very nice product. Formula wise it has a non-sticky / tacky feeling but has sheer pigmentation overall, the plumping sensation leans more towards a cooling tingle as compare to a heaty sting. As for scent, it has a peppermint smell which isn't my favourite but is not a deal breaker, will always try to purchase this if its available in future collections! (RM102 / USD19)
Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade is a beautiful pressed powder, described to be a soft candlelit beige with multidimensional shimmer. The shade is an already existing shade in their skinfinish product line, for this collection it just comes in the limited edition Petal Power Packaging. At first glance it looks like a multi-coloured powdered highlighter, it reminds me of one of those colour corrector finishing powder, that you swirl together to brighten and even out the skin tone, for this skinfinish it somewhat works in that way. Definitely more of a subtle glow and even though the powder has very fine micro-glitter, the texture is smooth and silky not chunky and blends evenly. To be honest there's not much pigmentation in this product, I would definitely use this like an overall glow powder instead of a highlight similar to the ambient lighting powders by Hourglass. All I can say is, it's a great product by Mac but depending on what you are looking for. (RM164 / USD36)
Prep + Fix+ is their Holy Grail setting spray. Again not really a limited edition item but the scent is limited to this collection (yes, I can confirm Mac 2019 & 2020 spring collection Fix+ smells different). Now, Fix+ is used and loved by so many that it is definitely a must buy for me. I normally rotate my setting sprays in my routine, but Fix+ is always one of my staples and goes to. Love the Glycerine in the formula, it always makes my makeup blend together and sink into my skin making it look natural. Love love love! (RM115 / USD29)
Lipsticks. For the Petal Power Collection Mac released x3 lipsticks using existing shades (See Sheer, Skew & Craving) that were specifically chosen inspired by the sakura pink shades but just again repackaged. All x3 shades have different formulas ranging from their classic Mac Lipsticks formulas. I purchased on x2 out of the x3. One of the shades I purchased is Skew, which is part of their Frost Lipstick range. Skew is coral pink with a semi-lustrous finish and a pearl like almost metallic look, very smooth and pigmented formula. The other shade I manage to purchase is Craving, which is part of their Amplified Lipstick Range. Craving is a super creamy mauve / plump pink with also a semi-lustrous finish with a full-coverage payoff. Out of the x2 I can't decide which I like better, both have their own uniqueness. Love the fact that Mac choose acceptable colours to show case different lipstick ranges. I would purchase different shades from both ranges because I love them in this collection so much! (RM92 / USD19)
127S Split Fibre Face Brush. Similar with the Fix+ and Prep + Prime Lip, Mac has an existing brush but not in this packaging. For some reason I just absolutely loves that Mac sometimes includes limited edition packaging for Brushes when they release their collections. The 127s Brush is a split fibre paddle shape brush that picks up and disperses pigment really well, the bristles are super soft and helps blend the product beautifully. The paddle shape is really suited for the cheek areas, applies blush / highlighter with a diffused look blending everything together with the skin flawlessly. With the limited edition packaging the brush feels smoother and nicer to hold and handle. (RM192 / USD35)
Overall, there are some Pro's and Con's to this collection like how some items are already existing items and just spacial packaging. But to me, as a collector and as someone who doesn't own any of Mac's "standard range" only limited edition collections, I'm always experiencing something new with all my purchases. It's also kinda of a plus knowing that if I end up loving the item I can always repurchase it and not have it being gone forever. For me sometimes makeup can too beautiful to use, with this Mac is taking more of my money but at least I still get to use the same makeup without actually using it and preserving its gorgeousness for photos! (Yes, super extra giiiirrrlllll)
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!