One of the reasons for MAC Cosmetics' broad appeal: the brand's celebratory stance towards women of all races and ethnic backgrounds. Foundation, powder and concealer offerings explore a myriad of rosy, coral-tinged, beige, tan, olive, hazelnut, caramel, chocolate brown, and mahogany hues, while lipsticks and eye shadows are developed to flatter this plethora of skin tones. Most recently, MAC collaborated with its Directory of Makeup Artistry for India, Mickey Contractor, on a limited-edition cosmetics collection incorporating foundations and concealers designed specifically for women of Middle Eastern and Indian decent, as well as eye shadows, lipsticks, and lip glosses in vibrant, intensely pigmented, electrifying colors worthy of the Bollywood aesthetic that Contractor himself helped to define.
The collection, then, incorporates Fluidline gel liners in metallic emerald green and deep turquoise blue, nodding to jewel toned Indian sarees; runway-ready electric pink lipsticks matched with neutral, flesh-tones hues; and powder eye shadows in churidar-ready bright greens and fuchsias, as well as an eye shadow quad including deep earthy tones reminiscent of Indo-Islamic architectural structures.
Though the entire collection is rather solid, the standout product here is the Athma eyeshadow quad, which seamlessly incorporates a creamy sandy camel, a reddish brown with plum undertones, a dusky coal black, and a coppery brown with gold glitter particles.
Check out more product photos and swatches below!
EYE SHADOW X 4 ATHMA
If there's a Bombay-tastic bombshell in this collection, the Frieda Pinto of the line-up, it's surely the Eye Shadow x 4 in Athma. This sleek quad features four perfectly harmonious shades that create an exotic melody of color: Jaan, a golden camel beige, reminiscent of the desert-inspired ensembles worn by the male back-up dancers in the Daiya Daiya dance scene, perked up with soft gold pearl particles; Folie, a reddish mahogany brown with a touch of ripened plum for a deeper, more luscious tone; Vivah, a muddy brown with tons of golden sparkle; and Carbon, a matte, dusky black shade.
Below, check out swatches of (from left to right) Carbon, Vivah, Folie, and Jaan:
Check out the shades from a different angle that reveals a bit more detail in terms of texture:
Next, check out a look I created using the Athma quad. I started out by applying the light Jaan shade all over the lids, along the crease, and up to the brow bone. Next, I swept the Folie color onto lids, stopping right at the crease. After layering on several coats of Folie, I applied the Vivah shade atop it, blending it along the crease and creating a bit of a cat eye at the outer corners. I then diffused the color at the crease using the Jaan shade. For a final touch, I applied a hint of Carbon at the outer corners of eyes.
I'm looking down in this photo, so you can get a better idea of how the colors look on lids:
Here's another shot of me looking down, so you can make out the way the Folie and Vivah look when layered together:
MAC x Mickey Contractor Eye Shadow x 4 in Athma, $36. Available at MACcosmetics.com
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EYE SHADOW
The eye shadow colors in the MAC x Mickey Contractor collection are jazzy enough to spice up any makeup artist's choreography. Take, for example, the Rani eye shadow, a fuchsia pink with soft pearl particles that might remind Bollywood cinema buffs of the the two-piece Manish Malhotra ensemble actress Urmila Matondkar donned in Rangeela. The Saffron shade, meanwhile, is a deep sazón orange, an achiote-like color that livens up any look. The Oomph eye shadow, a mystical, blackened green with soft gold pearl particles, and the Marvel eye shadow, a purple shade with light pink pearls, round out the collection.
Here, you'll find swatches of (from left to right) the Marvel, Saffron, Rani, and Oomph eye shadows:
Pictured below, you'll find swatches of (from top to bottom) Oomph, Rani, Saffron, and Marvel:
MAC x Mickey Contractor Eye Shadow, $14.50. Available at MACcosmetics.com
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FLUIDLINE
What would Bollywood fashion be without lovely jewel tones? You'll never have to know with the new Fluidline gel eyeliner shades: Siahi, a deep turquoise blue reminiscent of the embroidered Manish Malhotra saree actress Priyanka Chopra wore to Amrita Arora's wedding in 2009; and emerald green, which looks like the trim of Aruna Irani's canary yellow dress in 1973's Bobby. The gel liners dry rather quickly, but they don't flake, crease, or smudge. Instead, they boast a long-lasting metallic finish that adds to their jewel-like splendor.
Below, you'll find swatches of the Siahi and Ivy Fluidline colors:
Take another look at the Siahi and Ivy Fluidline colors:
MAC x Mickey Contractor Fluidline, $15. Available at MACcosmetics.com
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LIPSTICK
As soon as I saw caught a glimpse of the Gulabi lipstick, an electrifying Madagascar pink sapphire shade, I thought of one particularly stunning gown actress Deepika Padukhone wore in the seminal Om Shanti Om film. The collection also includes the colors Mehr, a creamy, matte,1800s-esque mauve-ish pink with brown undertones; Yash, a deep neutral shade with a matte finish; and Mocha, a peachy khaki brown shade with a satin finish.
Below, you'll find swatches of the Gulabi lipstick (at top) and Mehr lipstick (at bottom):
Check out a closer view of the Gulabi and Mehr lipsticks:
MAC x Mickey Contractor Lipstick, $14.50. Available at MACcosmetics.com
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LIPGLASS
The MAC x Mickey Contractor collection only includes two Lipglass colors: Lust, a dirty muted pink, and Flesh, a yellowish nude brown with a glazed finish.
I had the chance to try the Mehr shade, a fleshy color with undertones reminiscent of curry powder and mustard seeds. It's not a particularly groundbreaking tone, but its bound to suit many women with warmer skin tones. Below, you'll find a swatch of the shade:
Here's another look at the Mehr Lipglass:
MAC x Mickey Contractor Lipglass, $14.50. Available at MACcosmetics.com
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SELECT MOISTURECOVER
Why would anyone humor the notion that green- and blue-based concealers could accurately address the needs of women of all skin tones? In order to hide blemishes, scars, dark circles under eyes and other skin imperfections, you first have to neutralize them. A yellow-based concealer helps to neutralize blue-based bruises and dark under-eye circles but, if you have darker skin, you'll need to layer on a bit of color so you don't wind up with a reverse raccoon eye effect. This dual-sided concealer features a mustard yellow end and coral brown tip — both with a sponge applicator tip — so you can camouflage any blemishes, hyperpigmentation spots, dark circles, red patches, and more. You can, of course, use these independently or blend them together as needed.
Here's what the two Select Moisturecover colors look like:
Next, check out what happens when you blend the two colors together:
MAC x Mickey Contractor Select Moisturecover Concealer, $21. Available at MACcosmetics.com
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POWDER BLUSH
Two powder blushes are incorporated into the collection: Gana, a frosty, champagne-like white gold; and Sur, a baked brown with a hint of ripened plum. The Sur blush is a bit severe if you're on the lighter end of the skin spectrum, and it won't blend as well as a bronzer, so you should probably bypass it if you're not a nice café au lait color or darker. If you have a nice brown skin tone, however, you'll love the way it helps to draw attention to the apples of cheeks without being excessively red or rosy. The Gana shade, on the other hand, is a bit more universal -- regardless of your particular skin tone, you can use it to contour cheekbones and illuminate the face (albeit with varying results).
Here are swatches of the Gana (below, at left) and Sur (below, at right):
MAC x Mickey Contractor Powder Blush, $18.50. Available at MACcosmetics.com
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SELECT MOISTURECOVER CONCEALER
This collection includes four concealers designed for women with yellow and olive skin tones: NC23, NC43, NC44, and NC 45.5.
Pictured below, you'll find swatches of the NC 45.5 shade (below, at left), which features slightly rosier tones than its counterparts, and the NC44 shade (at right), which has more of an ochre tint. Clearly, neither one would work particularly well for those with my skin tone but the swatches should help to guide you in determining whether they'd suit your complexion.
MAC x Mickey Contractor Select Moisturecover Concealer, $16.50. Available at MACcosmetics.com
