Last week, MAC launched one of their newest collections, the MAC Face & Body Collection for Fall 2012. This collection featured three different products; the well-known Face & Body Foundation (which has been permanent for a while) along with two new, limited-edition formulations; the Pro Sculpting Creams and the Pressed Pigments.  There were also two new brushes that launched with the collection (both sold out almost instantly); you check out the entire collection here.

MAC Face & Body Foundation has been a long-time favorite of mine (although I do find that people either love it or hate it). I’ll be focusing on the new products in this review, for which I have been testing out two shades of each.

MAC Face & Body Collection for Fall 2012

Pro Sculpting Creams

The MAC Pro Sculpting Creams ($20 USD / $24 CAD) caught my eye the most out of anything in this collection- we’ve seen contouring powders in the past with MAC, so it was interesting to see these cream formulas. Very similar in texture to the MAC’s cream blushes, these have an almost ‘wet’ texture and they are incredibly pigmented.  I’m really in love with how well they blend into the skin- they really look completely natural and the blend effortlessly.

I’ve been playing with Pure Sculpture, a warm mid-tone beige as well as Coffee Walnut, a cool, dirty brown. For my skintone, neither of these shades worked well as a contour, however when I blended them together, they created a perfect, neutral shade that worked perfectly for me!  They can also be used as blushes if you wish!

I really love these sculpting creams, however a word of caution- contouring with cream products is quite different from contouring with powders… while I find the finished result to be more natural-looking, I do think its more difficult and can take a lot more practice.  Professionals will absolutely love these products, as most pros I know love working with cream complexion products.

MAC Pro Sculpting Creams in Pure Sculpture (left) and Coffee Walnut (right)

Note the size (same size as a MAC Blush)

MAC Pro Sculpting Cream in Pure Sculpture

MAC Pro Sculpting Cream in Coffee Walnut

Swatches (L-R) Pure Sculpture (heavy then blended) & Coffee Walnut (heavy then blended)

Pressed Pigments

The MAC Pressed Pigments ($21 USD / $25 CAD) are a total other story. I was confused to begin with when I saw the promo pictures of these, because of how shimmery they looked, despite being described as having a “pearl” texture.

More like metallic glitter texture.

These pressed pigments can be used dry, as they are, or they can be used wet for a more intense finish. They are quite enough on their own- they actually have a creamy texture to the touch (you can feel the moisture in them).  I’m assuming, being a part of the Face & Body Collection, that these products are meant for highlighting. Perhaps if they were a matte or satin finish, because the only place these products are going are my eyelids.

I’ve been testing out Light Touch, the palest beige shade (equivalent to about a W10 complexion) as well as Spot Lit, a warmer, copper-like shade (equivalent to an NW35 complexion). Light Touch almost lacks pigmentation entirely, and just leaves a glittery texture on the skin. Spot Lit is much more pigmented, almost like a metallic texture.

Since Spot Lit is too deep for me to highlight with anyways, I used Light Touch and I seriously looked like a walking disco ball.  I feel like these products photograph much better than they actually look in real life… while my before & after photos may look impressive, it’s mainly due to the sculpting creams. It’s really too bad how much of a glittery mess the rest of my face looked!

The good news in all this? They really do look beautiful on the eye lid (over primer, of course). At least they aren’t a lost cause- and if you do find a shade that you think you’d love as an eyeshadow, then don’t be afraid to use it as such!

MAC Pressed Pigments in Spot Lit (left) & Light Touch (right)

Note the size (same as MAC Pro Longwear Eyeshadows)

MAC Pressed Pigment in Light Touch

MAC Pressed Pigment in Spot Lit

Swatches, Light Touch (left) & Spot Lit (right)

Before (left) and After (right), wearing MAC Pro Sculpting Creams in Pure Sculpture & Coffee Walnut (50:50 ratio) and MAC Pressed Pigment in Light Touch

Summary

• Price: $20 USD / $24 CAD for 0.17oz / 5g (Pro Sculpting Creams) and $21 USD / $25 CAD for 0.1oz / 3g (Pressed Pigments)
• Availability: MAC (Limited Edition)
• Selection: See the entire collection here
• Overall: I’m in love with the creamy texture and incredible pigmentation of the Pro Sculpting Creams- they blend so beautifully into the skin, and I’m in love with how natural they look! Pro makeup artists are going to love these. I think the Pressed Pigments are a total flop as a complexion product- they left me looking like a glittery mess… so I’m sticking to only using those on my eyes.
• Rating: A (Pro Sculpting Creams) and C+ (Pressed Pigments… saved from an F only by the fact they work well on the eyes).