Get ready, there’s a lot to see here. I probably should have broken up this post into several reviews, but unfortunately because I’m quite behind on reviews, I thought I’d get it all out tonight at once.   The new MAC Styleseeker Collection for Fall 2012 is a fairly large collection, full of bold, beautiful hues reminiscent of autumn. I have a few things to show you, but you can see the entire collection here.

Inspired by colors, textures and various styles around the world, this collection is truly one fit for the fall season. The rich oranges, vibrant reds, earthy tones and more remind me of the colors of the trees changing colors.

MAC Styleseeker Collection for Fall 2012

Eye Shadow X2 Palettes

The collection contains four different MAC Eye Shadow X2 ($27.50 USD / $33 CAD) palettes, each containing two full-sized MAC Eye Shadows.  These palettes seem to be very hit-or-miss, and don’t have the best reputation of maintaining MAC’s high quality eyeshadows in the past… this collection is no different.

Whims & Fancies

One of the eyeshadow palettes I’ve been playing with, Whims & Fancies, was pretty awful. The light, shimmery silver shade, Performance Art, was okay… but the real bummer was in Shadowy Lady- a deep matte purple that was chalky, patchy and overall poor quality. We’ve seen Shadowy Lady before from MAC, and it hasn’t been this bad in the past- not sure what happened here, but I would avoid this palette simply because that shade is just so hard to work with.

RATING: C

Marché Aux Puces

The other eyeshadow palette, Marché Aux Puces, actually impressed me quite a bit. The light, golden orange shade, Chessa, was beautifully pigmented and blended nicely. Indie Spirit, a matte chestnut brown, wasn’t the best matte I’ve seen from MAC but it was certainly good enough to make this palette a winner. I love the warm mix of orange and brown, and I love how the look I did with it turned out as well.

RATING: A-

MAC Styleseeker Eye Shadow X2 Palettes

MAC Styleseeker Eye Shadow X2 Palettes

Note the size

MAC Eye Shadow X2 in Whims & Fancies

MAC Eye Shadow X2 in Whims & Fancies Swatched: Performance Art (left) & Shadowy Lady (right)

MAC Eye Shadow X2 in Marché Aux Puces

MAC Eye Shadow X2 in Marché Aux Puces Swatched: Chessa (left) & Indie Spirit (right)

Lipsticks & Lipgloss

The collection contained several lip products as well, the well-loved (but not permanent) MAC Mattene Lipsticks as well as a few MAC Lipglass shades.

Mattene Lipsticks

MAC Mattene Lipsticks ($15 USD / $18 CAD) are an incredible semi-matte formula. The color is rich and incredibly pigmented, the finish has a soft sheen (but if you want that super-matte look, simply blot it with a tissue) and it won’t cake or dry out your lips. Overall, it’s a great wearable matte that feels nice and stays put- the best of both worlds!

The two shades I’ve been wearing lately include Fashion Nomad, a bright orange-red as well as Eden Rouge, a cool-toned red.  I totally have a thing for orange lips right now, and even though I don’t wear them too often, I still adore the way it looks! Fashion Nomad is an incredible, rich orange and Eden Rouge rivals my latest red lip wonder, the Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur The Mats in 203 (from their Fall 2012 collection)- the formula is quite similar, but the price tag is so much more easier to stomach from MAC!

Either one of these shades makes an awesome statement lip- but I would definitely recommend starting off with a lip liner… the formula is super creamy, making it a little difficult to be precise straight from the tube.

RATING: A

Lipglass

The MAC Lipglass ($15 USD / $18 CAD) in Restless is a stunning burnt bronze with gold shimmer.  It feels smooth on the lips, not gritty (which is nice, considering there is quite a bit of shimmer), and the color is a beautiful shade for fall. It is a bit more on the red side than the bronze side, but its a beautiful, unique shade that I think is worth checking out.

RATING: A-

MAC Styleseeker Collection Lip Products

MAC Styleseeker Mattene Lipsticks

MAC Styleseeker Mattene Lipsticks; Fashion Nomad (left) & Eden Rouge (right)

MAC Lipglass in Restless

Swatches (L-R): MAC Mattene Lipstick in Fashion Nomad, MAC Mattene Lipstick in Eden Rouge & MAC Lipglass in Restless

Wearing MAC Mattene Lipstick in Fashion Nomad

MAC Mattene Lipstick in Eden Rouge

MAC Lipglass in Restless

Blush

This collection also contained three powder blushes, including this MAC Powder Blush ($20 USD / $24 CAD) in Hidden Treasure.  This burnt red blush is a velvet texture, and while it looks really intimidating, it actually looks beautiful on the skin. This blush is incredibly pigmented, so you have to start off with a very light hand and build the color as you go.

Red blushes give a natural-looking flush when used properly- but make sure not to apply it too close to your nose or you may look like you just got back from a long run!  I can definitely see myself reaching for this blush this fall- it’s a beautiful hue for the cooler season.

RATING: A

MAC Blush in Hidden Treasure

MAC Blush in Hidden Treasure

MAC Blush in Hidden Treasure

MAC Blush in Hidden Treasure, Swatched (heavy on left, blended out on right)

Nail Polishes

Last but not least, a few MAC Nail Lacquers ($16 USD / $19 CAD) from the collection. I have two out of the three to show you, including Styleseeker, a shimmery red and orange duochrome, as well as Gadabout Girl, a blackened plum cream.

Styleseeker

If you like duochromes, you’re going to love Styleseeker. It’s very pigmented and only needs two coats for an opaque finish. It has a gorgeous metallic finish that evens out nicely and is really eye-catching! I do think that it’s quite dupable if you look around a little bit, especially with metallic and duochromatic nail polishes being so trendy right now (and the price tag on these polishes aren’t very wallet-friendly)!

RATING: B+

Gadabout Girl

Gadabout Girl needed three coats for a totally opaque finish, and I’m not really a huge fan of the color anyways. It’s so dark… it just looks black (which is definitely fine for some people, but it just wasn’t a color that I would be crazy about).  It also went on a bit streaky- so unless you’re head over heels with the shade, I’d pass on it.

RATING: B-

MAC Styleseeker Nail Lacquers

MAC Nail Lacquers in Styleseeker (left) & Gadabout Girl (right)

MAC Nail Lacquers in Styleseeker (left) & Gadabout Girl (right)

MAC Nail Lacquer in Styleseeker

MAC Nail Lacquer in Gadabout Girl

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Summary

• Price: Individual prices listed above
• Availability: MAC
• Selection: See the entire collection here
• Overall: This collection really has some beautiful colors and textures, but overall I’m not blown away with it.  It’s very much a hit-or-miss, with some lovely lip colors and the blush being amazing, yet I wasn’t too impressed with the eyeshadows and nail polish.  Not a bad collection, but just choose wisely if you’re going to pick up a few pieces!
• Rating: B+ (For the collection as a whole; individual products rated above)