In the male-dominated comic book universe, populated by vigilante-style crime fighters (Batman), mutants with knife-like claws (Wolverine), wealthy playboys in powered suits of armor (Iron Man), and even a man whose anger bouts lead him to involuntarily transform into a green giant monster (the Hulk), one female superhero sought to bring peace and order to the universe using love, rather than weaponry: Wonder Woman.
The DC Comics character made her debut in the All Stars Comics #8 published in December 1941, just months before artist J. Howard Miller created his now iconic "We Can Do It!" poster featuring the muscle-flexing, bandanna-wearing Rosie the Riveter, an image meant to encourage housewives to enter the workforce and take on traditionally "male" trades during World War II, while their husbands were off at war, leaving many a job vacant. Over the years, Rosie the Riveter became a symbol of female empowerment, as women clung to the "We can do it!" slogan and celebrated the key role women played in sustaining the American economy during wartime. The fact that the Wonder Woman comic book character was unveiled just as American companies encouraged gender equality at the workplace (albeit for their own self-interest, since they fully expected women to resume their domestic duties upon their husbands' return) is a testament to the atmosphere of the times. In fact, in many of the earlier Wonder Woman comic books, the stylish heroine was shown fighting the Axis military forces and defeating Nazi villains. Talk about art imitating life.
Women clung to these images of female empowerment: Rosie the Riveter encouraged women to take on any workplace challenge, while Wonder Woman urged them to take on the world. Two decades later, another women's right movement blossomed, with activists calling for gender equality in all fields and again championing the passing of the Equal Rights Amendment first introduced in the '20s. Wonder Woman, then, was much more than an illustrated character — she was a symbol of our strength and potential.
The MAC Cosmetics Wonder Woman Colour Collection celebrates the iconic comic book heroine, with products packaged in palettes, tubes and compacts in an apple red and metallic blue, emblazoned with the two stacked Ws constituting the Wonder Woman logo. Each product comes packaged in an illustrated box with images practically plucked from vintage DC Comics pages, each showing Wonder Woman in her strapless leotard and red boots, wearing her star-adorned Golden Tiara, with which she could use as a boomerang, and her bulletproof golden bracelets, and clutching her glowing Lasso of Truth, which forced anyone roped inside its length to utter the truth.
The limited-edition collection's packaging is enough to lure beauty hounds, but can the makeup offerings themselves live up to Wonder Woman standards? See for yourself! Below, you'll find photos of all the products in the collection, along with swatches of each shade.
LIPSTICK
The MAC Cosmetics Wonder Woman Colour Collection features four lipstick shades, each cleverly named to reference a comic book foe, place, or event. The shades are: Marquise d', a creamy, peachy nude; Russian Red, a vibrant red that has bluer, cooler undertones than the shade once featured in the Soviet flag; Spitfire, a bright, blue-toned, medium pink worthy of a Nymphaea Pink Sensation blossom; and Heroine, a statue-worthy bronzed brown with a frosty finish.
Check out swatches of the (from left to right) Spitfire, Russian Red, Marquise d', and Heroine lipstick colors:
Here's another look at all four lipstick shades:
MAC Cosmetics Wonder Woman Collection Lipstick, $15.50. Available at MACcosmetics.com
LIPGLASS
The Lipglass colors in this collection actually correspond almost perfectly with the lipstick shades — Emancipation, for example, is a flesh-y, warm, neutral pink saturated with pearly shimmer; Wonder Woman is a bright red reminiscent of the color of the heroine's garb, with scattered pearl particles adding a hint of shine; Athena's Kiss is a purplish pink that works wonderfully with the Spitfire lipstick; and Secret Identity, an orange-y copper with a soft golden shimmer.
My one issue with the MAC Wonder Woman Lipglass options: the tubes are needlessly thick and large, rivaling the girths of Marks-A-Lot permanent markers. On the one hand, you're getting more bang for your buck; but, on the other hand, these are hardly unobtrusive and will take up way too much space inside your makeup bag or clutch. Still, the shades might be worth any size-related inconveniences.
Below, you'll find swatches of (from top to bottom) the Secret Identity, Athena's Kiss, Emancipation, and Wonder Woman colors:
Here's more swatches of the Wonder Woman, Emancipation, Athena's Kiss and Secret Identity MAC Lipglass options:
MAC Cosmetics Wonder Woman Collection Lipglass, $20. Available at MACcosmetics.com
POWDER BLUSH DUO
The two Powder Blush Duos in the collection explore the most popular blush trends for Spring 2011, with one compact incorporating vivid pink tones an the other zooming in on the golden peach color range (which is best for accompanying the orange lips that we're seeing everywhere).
The Amazon Princess Powder Blush Duo, then, incorporates a bright, yellow-based, carmine pink (it looks like a purplish pink in the compact but is surprisingly warmer when swatched) and, along the bottom quarter of the compact, it features a deep, hot pink with a golden pearl finish (the shade looks like a deep plum in the compact but, again, takes on a different form when brushed onto skin).
The Mighty Aphrodite Power Blush Duo, on the other hand, might remind you of the inside of a sea conch, with a prominent peachy coral color infused with soft golden pearl for a beachy effect, and an accompanying deep coral pink saturated with more of the golden pearl particles fro a frostier, more sunkissed look.
Here's what the Amazon Princess Powder Blush Duo shades look like on the skin:
Take another looks at the Amazon Princess shades:
Next, you'll find swatches of the Mighty Aphrodite blush hues:
Here's another glimpse at the Mighty Aphrodite blush colors:
MAC Cosmetics Wonder Woman Collection Powder Blush Duo, $24. Available at MACcosmetics.com
MINERALIZE SKINFINISH
Like all Mineralize Skinfinish compacts, these are meant to be brushed over your visage to give it a luminous glow, help contour features, and accentuate key areas. The two Mineralize Skinfinish options come in pancake-sized compacts and each features three colors, the main one a baked, bronze-y shade.
The Mineralize Skinfinish in Pink Power features a soft, practically matte, terracotta shade at its center, a peachy rose with golden pink shimmer along the rounded top arch, and a soft, near-white, seashell-worthy pink with a glistening pearl finish along the rounded bottom arch.
The Mineralize Skinfinish in Golden Lariat, on the other hand, explores warmer coral an gold shades. This compact features a darker, sweet potato-tinged bronze color at its center, a metallic gold with a hint of coral along the bottom arch, and a coral orange with just a sprinkle of golden shimmer.
Check out the three shades in the Pink Power Mineralize Skinfinish:
Next, here are the three colors in the Golden Lariat Mineralize Skinfinish compact:
MAC Cosmetics Wonder Woman Collection Mineralize Skinfinish, $35. Available at MACcosmetics.com
PIGMENT
Wonder Woman is hardly one for subtleties, so these pigments work perfectly with her bold persona. The Marine Ultra pigment is a an intense electric blue color, while the Bright Fuchsia pigment is a deep magenta that almost borders on red. As usual the pigments are saturated with color and have a smooth, moist yet powdery consistency, making them easy to dust onto lids and blend as desired.
Check out swatches of the Bright Fuchsia and Marine Ultra pigments:
Here's another look at the pigment colors:
MAC Cosmetics Wonder Woman Collection Pigment, $21. Available at MACcosmetics.com
REFLECTS GLITTER
If you ever watched The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, you'll probably remember the vintage silver tone of Lynda Carter's cuffs or the sparkling gold, soaring eagle motif at the center of her red bustier, its golden wings curved so as to cover her bosom and follow the arc of the bustier's sweetheart neckline. The two Reflects Glitter shades in the collection reference these WW fashion essentials. First, there's Reflects Bronze, a deep gold glitter that feels as precious as the gold spun from straw in Rumpelstitskin. Next, there's Reflects Pearl, an Ice Capades-worthy, dewy white glitter with silvery tones.
Here's a look at the Reflects Bronze and Reflects Pearl glitters:
Here's another look at the two glitter options:
MAC Cosmetics Wonder Woman Collection Reflects Glitter, $21. Available at MACcosmetics.com
EYE QUAD
Lady Justice Eye Quad
This eye shadow quad explores the gray and blue color spectrum, with shades like: Bold Babe, a dark, steely, shark-like gray; Deep Truth, a frosty, marine blue with a demure metallic finish; Insurmountable, a dirty-looking, ashy gray with blue undertones; and Lady Justice, a bright silver with white pearl particles.
Below, check out the four eye shadows in the Lady Justice quad:
Here's a closer look at these nuanced eyeshadow colors:
Valiant Eye Quad
The four eye shadows in the Defiance shade speak to the military-meets-safari trend that's set to dominate spring 2011 fashions, with earthy hues in the green, olive, an brown range. The four shades in this palette are: Manila, a frosted, yellow-tinged, creamy color with specks of white gold; Valiant, a yellow lime tart hue with greenish undertones and a smidgen of yellow pearl particles; Spinning Transformation, a deep olive fruit brown with bronze tones and yellow pearl particles; and Diana Undercover, a dark forest green with dusky earthy brown tones.
Here are swatches of (from left to right) the Manila, Yellow Tart, Diana Undercover, and Spinning Transformation eye shadows in the Valiant quad:
Here's another glimpse at the Valiant eye shadow colors:
Defiance Eye Quad
Purple- and lilac-tinged pinks dominate the Defiance eye shadow quad — which, along with the Lady Justice Eye Quad, shines as bright as the star on Wonder Woman's tiara. The palette features the following colors: Defiance, an iridescent, frosty white with hints of lilac and pink; Paradise Island, a warm pink befitting of tropical flora; Star Studded, a mid-tone violet pink; and Real Drama, a plum-tinged dark burgundy with a tad of pink pearl particles.
Below, you'll find swatches of (from left to right) the Defiance, Paradise Island, Star Studded, and Real Drama shadows:
Here's a closer look at the four eye shadows in the Defiance palette:
Below, you'll find photos of me wearing shadows from the Defiance palette.
I started out by applying the Paradise Island color, establishing a warm pink base that was satin-y and not too glittery. I then applied the Star Studded color to lids, building up the intensity of the lilac-toned pink. Next, I brushed the Real Drama color to the outer corner of eyes, sweeping it onto the middle of lids and onto the crease area. I then applied a bit more of the Paradise Island shadow to the crease, blending it with the Real Drama for a more seamless effect.
I lined eyes with the Make Up For Ever 4L liner and coated lashes with MAC's Studio Fix Lash mascara. Done and done!
MAC Cosmetics Wonder Woman Collection Eye Quad, $40. Available at MACcosmetics.com
OPULASH
Since Wonder Woman was an Amazonian babe, it's only fitting that the collection would include mascaras that will make lashes appear more corpulent. The collection, then, features four Opulash mascaras: Bad, Bad, Black; Themyscira, a navy blue; Army of Amazons, a lush, kelly green shade worthy of jungle vegetation; and Victorious, a deep and slightly mysterious purple.
MAC Cosmetics Wonder Woman Collection Opulash Mascara, $15. Available at MACcosmetics.com
PENULTIMATE EYE LINER
This black, marker-like eye liner features a pointed felt tip so you can draw it onto your upper or lower lash lines effortlessly and make a fierce cat eye a cinch.
MAC Wonder Woman Collection Penultimate Eye Liner, $19.50. Available at MACcosmetics.com
NAIL LACQUER
The two nail lacquers in this collection are a testament to Wonder Woman's patriotism — all that's missing is a white shade and this could be a visual homage to the U.S. flag. The collection, then, features the red Obey Me polish and the navy blue Spirit of Truth lacquer, both of which are imbued with a slight sheen.
MAC Cosmetics Wonder Woman Collection Nail Lacquer, $15. Available at MACcosmetics.com
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MAC COSMETICS WONDER WOMAN ACCESSORIES COLLECTION
As if the color cosmetics collection weren't enough to appease Wonder Woman lovers, MAC is accompanying this makeup line-up with an assortment of cheeky accessories ranging from roomy, zippered makeup bags in metallic red and blue to a round compact mirror packaged in a golden pouch and two brush sets tucked inside gold utility belt bags. Check out the details on the MAC Wonder Woman Accessories collection below!
MAC WONDER WOMAN UTILITY BELT FACE BRUSH SET
If you're a Wonder Woman in the makeup universe, you probably carry around a hefty arsenal of brushes with which to rescue the visages of those needing a cosmetics pick-me-up. So how do you keep the brushes organized and readily accessible? Check out the MAC Wonder Woman Utility Belt Face Brush Set, a metallic gold pouch with a zip-up closure that includes a belt handle so you can slip the accompanying golden belt strap through it and wear it around your waist or hips.
MAC Cosmetics Wonder Woman Utility Belt Face Brush Set, $49.50. Available at MACcosmetics.com
MAC WONDER WOMAN RED MAKEUP BAG
The metallic red hue of this makeup bag recalls the sculpted, gold bird-adorned bustier Lynda Carter wore in the Wonder Woman TV series and the crackled finish add a nice bit of texture. A medallion-sized, rubber disc bearing the Wonder Woman MAC logo dangles from the zipper tab. I do wish the disc were a bit smaller or that it had been crafted out of a gold-plated metal since it would make the whole bag look a bit more refined. Still, the bag has a kitschy cute factor many will find magnetizing.
MAC Cosmetics Wonder Woman Red Makeup Bag, $30. Available at MACcosmetics.com
MAC WONDER WOMAN BULLETPROOF BLUE MAKEUP BAG
All that's missing from this royal blue makeup pouch to make it look like it was cut from Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman bloomers is a white star print. The square-shaped pouch is roomy enough to fit your face makeup, mascara, eye shadow compact, lipstick, and gloss, so you'll be fully prepared for any beauty battle.
MAC Cosmetics Wonder Woman Bulletproof Makeup Bag, $30. Available at MACcosmetics.com
