MAC has an amazing number of highlighting eyeshadows!
I must say, any makeup addict might be tempted to hoard all or most but you in no way need this many!.. well, unless you are a MUA working on a remarkable variety of skintones and looks.
It is wise to mention that as the swatches of most of the colors look close enough to be thoroughly confusing so visiting a store and trying it on your skintone is the best option!
I would recommend having at least one matte and one shimmery highlighter to begin with. On a bit more advanced mode, it’s good to have one neutral, one yellow based, and one pink based highlight – but it is not absolutely necessary!
I hope that you find this helpful in your search for the perfect highlighting eyeshadow from MAC!
• GESSO
Finish – Matte
Color – Stark white
I would advise to use this only if you want a very strong highlight, or if wearing purples, yellows, blacks or greens. The texture is a bit chalky.
If you would like one similar to this with shimmer I would suggest you to go with MAC Crystal Avalanche or MAC Vapour.
• CRYSTAL AVALANCHE
Finish – Veluxe Pearl
Color – Highly frosted bright white
It can be an interesting shade to use, because of both its brightness and the frostiness of its finish, so using a light touch with it may be best. It’s the perfect inner corner/brow bone highlight shade, especially if you have fair, porcelain skin. Dark skin tones might find this a bit bold and bright. It’s a really pigmented shimmery white that makes you look more awake, and it really makes your eyes look bigger. I compared this to White Frost, and this is a much more pigmented eyeshadow, and it blends really well.
• VAPOUR
Finish – Velvet
Color – Peach pink with violet pearl
I would prefer to describe it a wash of pink with a HINT of lavender. Because of the slight bluish tone, I think it pairs easily with other MAC colors such as Shale, Steamy, & Surreal.
• BLANC TYPE
Finish – Matte
Color – Creamy beige
This is a perfect matte highlight. It is great for blending out other colors or toning down anything a bit too extreme or harsh looking. It’s also one of those shades that looks classic on its own. It does a great job of covering up any discoloration under the brow.
• VANILLA
Finish – Velvet
Color – Ivory with slight pink undertones
Vanilla is a thumbs-up shade for fair, light and even medium skintones. There is a tiny bit of sparkle in the pan, but it doesn’t really translate to the eye. It’s soft and easy to work with and has good pigmentation. Orb is similar but more pinky/peachy.
• MYLAR
Finish – Satin
Color – Creamy white with shimmer but it is more like a subtle sheen
I think it is great to wear when you want to do a neutral no-makeup look. Mylar has a mostly-matte finish though MAC enlists it under satin. It can look a little chalky because of its finish and color, though the payoff is good and application is smooth.
• BRULE
Finish – Satin
Color – Soft creamy beige
Brule is a close match to most light skintones. It can be used as an all over wash or a very subtle highlight and also for for transition blending. Just like Mylar, MAC calls it a Satin, but Brule appears nearly matte on the eye.
• SHROOM
Finish – Satin
Color – Beige with shimmer
Although MAC considers it a Satin, I think it is much more like a frost. This color is extremely popular since it is a very neutral highlight, meaning it does not lean pink or yellow. If you like a noticeable shimmer in your highlights Shroom might be a good option for you!
• DAZZLELIGHT
Finish – Veluxe Pearl
Color – Soft beige
MAC says Dazzlelight is a neutral with shimmer but I think it is more of a soft beige white with a hint of warmth. Goes quite well for all light to dark-medium skintone range. Most people love to wear it in the inner corners of the eyes! This and Vanilla are my eternal fav!
• NYLON
Finish – Frost
Color – Pale gold with shimmer
It is one of the frostiest eyeshadow I have ever seen. This is a very shimmery and pigmented pale gold eyeshadow. It gives a perfect glow that almost looks ‘wet’. This eyeshadow is perfect to use as a brow highlight, in the inner corner of the eye, or to add a bit of glow to the tops of your cheek bones.
• RICEPAPER
Finish – Frost
Color – Peachy gold with shimmer
Has great texture and is very smooth! It is versatile, shows up well, and does not fade. Really brightens up the eyes. You can wear this color alone or blend which a darker shade such as ‘Cocoa’ ‘Charcoal’ or ‘Chimney’. For skintones NC 44 onwards, it might show up as a bit whitish but still is good for highlighting brow bones and inner corner of the eyes.
• NAKED LUNCH
Finish – Frost
Color – Minimal pink with shimmer
It’s a warm peachy-beige shade that comes off almost looking champagne coloured when applied. Due to it being a frost shadow it adds just the right amount of shimmer to open up the eye area and pulling a little bit of focus. You can wear it as a lid shade, but it makes a great highlight, especially if you are doing a look with other pinks! It’s pigmented yet discreet, so you can definitely wear it on an everyday basis even though it is a frost eyeshadow.
• ORB
Finish – Satin
Color – Soft peachy-beige
A soft pinky-peach beige color, Orb is ideal for warm skin tones. You can use it on the brow to warm up a look or blend away harsh lines when working with pigments. Great all over or brow bone color for neutral looks.
• BISQUE
Finish – Matte
Color – Soft muted pink beige
This functions much like Orb. It has more of a tan base, is a little deeper in color than Orb and looks especially great when paired with brown as a neutral combination.
• PHLOOF
Finish – Frost
Color – Pinky-beige
It has good color payoff and applies smoothly. It helps define and brighten eyes with a little sparkle. looks fab on lighter lovelies and darker divas alike. Because it’s neither too cool nor warm, it’s a little unlike many other highlighting MAC eyeshadows like Shroom and Vex. I think it works well on a wide range of skin tones.
• VELLUM
Finish –Lustre
Color – Iridescent white with bluish-violet shimmer-sheen
In the pan it looks like a simple white shade, but on the lid it transforms into a gorgeous off-white duochrome infused with iridescent light purple and blue. The color payoff is decent but not great, though the uniqueness of the shade tends to make it worth the effort. It has good pigmentation for a frost finish, applies smoothly.
• VEX
Finish – Frost
Color – Grayish-beige-pink with a tinge of olive-green
It has good color payoff, and it’s one of the more unique shades by MAC. A light wash all over the lid makes me look fresh and awake. Since it has a pink/green duochrome it pairs well with tons of shadows, from purples to greens to neutrals. If applied heavily, might look stark for skintones beyond NC 40.
• WHITE FROST
Finish – Frost
Color – Shimmery soft white
It has a smooth feel. Some people have color payoff issues with this shade. I find it to be fairly buttery and blendable. The shimmer is subtle, and keeps the color from looking chalky unlike matte whites. I sometimes use it for lighting up dark shadows and blending harsher colors together. But dark-medium beauties, proceed with caution as it might look a bit too light.
• GRAIN
Finish – Satin
Color – Soft, warm beige
It’s like a lighter version of MAC Arena. Goes with almost anything and everything. This is the perfect nude shadow that gives a no-makeup correction to the eyelids. Lovely low sheen, no glitter here. It really seems to brighten my eyes without being glittery or shiny.
• RETROSPECK
Finish –Lustre
Color – Paled gold
Really nice subtle beige gold shade. It’s a little rough and a tad bit glittery but the color is beautiful. It has a slightly gritty texture which makes it prone to fall out. This is a perfect highlight color for a brown/gold/black smokey eyes.
• HUSH
Finish – Frost
Color – Peach-pink with a subtle iridescence
It is a light peachy beige, with subtle pink duochrome effect. Sheerer color than one would expect after seeing the pan. A lovely brightness comes through without any noticeable shimmer, MAC has got the balance just right and it is very useable as a highlighter, all over lid colour or a good base.
• JEST
Finish – Frost
Color – Light-medium peach
Jest which has a more pinkish tone than Naked Lunch. It’s a frosty peachy beige, blendable and brightens up eye area. Medium to dark skintones will find this to be a good highlighter.
• SAY YEAH
Finish – Veluxe Pearl
Color – Apricot pink with a golden shimmer-sheen
Incredible color. When I want a glowy natural look I use this. comparatively, Expensive Pink but far more peachy. It has a hint of pink and yellow, but not much at allIt’s quite shimmery, and the color payoff/pigmentation is good. Again, a blessing for medium to dark skintones.
Most of you may have tried quite a few of these shades. Which one is your favorite?
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