The MAC Marilyn Monroe Collection for Fall 2012 includes four MAC Large Eye Shadows ($21 USD / $25 CAD each). The collection features limited-edition glossy black packaging with a Marilyn Monroe image on the clear part of the lid.  I have the three eyeshadows to show you here, but you can see more information on the full collection here.

I’m not sure why MAC keeps making the eyeshadows bigger and bigger- it takes forever to finish a single eyeshadow on its own, I think these larger versions are unnecessary. I’d rather see an increase in quality over quantity, especially when the price is being raised so much! Having said that, I was pretty excited for these eyeshadows because the colors look fabulous, and they are all Veluxe Pearl textures! My favorite!

Well… I was quite disappointed.

MAC Marilyn Monroe Collection Eye Shadow Packaging

MAC Marilyn Monroe Collection Eye Shadows

Larger size than regular MAC Eye Shadows (size of Cream Color Bases)

These eyeshadows are nothing like any other Veluxe Pearl texture I own, which are usually intensely pigmented and buttery smooth. These are much more like a Lustre texture (which I intently do not own any of, because I’m not fond of the texutre at all). They are chunky, chalky and really lack pigmentation.

The eyeshadows I have include…

• Preferred Blonde: Pale champagne beige- super frosty, but also super flaky
• Silver Screen: True silver- I was hoping this would be wonderful because I love the greyish silver shade! This one had the least pigmentation out of them all.
• Showgirl: Dark blue grey- this one was the best out of them all, but that still isn’t saying too much. It’s the only one that I would consider reaching for.

Too bad- the colors are phenomenal! They all had quite a bit of fall out and stood no chance of staying on my eyelids without a primer. I’m also not a fan of the glossy black packaging, just like the rest of the collection. I’m especially not a fan of the black sticker on the clear lid- it makes it hard to see what color it is.

This pains me! I really wanted to love these eyeshadows- but, I also question why they were all shimmery… Marilyn Monroe was seen much more with matte eyeshadows. I definitely would have preferred to see neutral mattes, for contouring eyelids to really get that big-eyed Marilyn look.

MAC Large Eye Shadow in Preferred Blonde

MAC Large Eye Shadow in Silver Screen

MAC Large Eye Shadow in Showgirl

Swatches (L-R): Preferred Blonde, Silver Screen & Showgirl

Summary

• Price: $20 USD / $25 CAD for 0.1oz / 3g
• Availability: MAC
• Selection: See the entire collection here
• Overall: I’m very disappointed in these eyeshadows. Not only are they unnecessarily bigger and more expensive, but they seriously lack the quality I’ve come to love in Veluxe Pearl textures. They are much more like a chunky, chalky Lustre finish, seriously lacking in pigmentation. The only one I could possibly recommend would be Showgirl, but even at that- I say to pass on these.
• Rating: D