This afternoon I had my way with 11 of the 23 pieces from MAC’s upcoming A Rose Romance collection (arrives April 23), and judging from these plums and pinks, the collection looks hella cool — as in tones. 🙂
Most of these shades draw from the cooler end of the color spectrum. With my coloring that means I may have to inject some warmer colors into the mix to pull them off, but pale beauties who look good in cooler colors could easily rock these shades in a heartbeat.
Lips
See Thru Lip Colour
Tender Tryst tube
Tender Tryst wand
Tender Tryst on lips
A Rose Romance tube
A Rose Romance wand
Secret Crush on lips
Lipglass
Steal My Heart tube
Steal My Heart wand
Steal My Heart on lips
Virgin Kiss tube
Virgin Kiss wand
Virgin Kiss on lips
Lipstick
Way to Love lipstick
Way to Love on lips
A Rose Romance lipstick
A Rose Romance on lips
Eyes
Eyeshadows
Et Tu, Bouquet? eyeshadow
Of Summer eyeshadow
Pigment
Circa Plum Pigment
Swatches
Swatches from left to right: Of Summer, Et Tu, Bouquet?, Circa Plum
Cheeks
Beauty Powder
Summer Rose Beauty Powder
Gel Blush
Just a Pinch Gel Blush
Swatches
From left to right: Just a Pinch, Summer Rose
From left to right: Of Summer, Et Tu Bouquet?, Circa Plum, Just a Pinch, Summer Rose
A few notes…
Lips
- Lipsticks: Both Way to Love and A Rose Romance apply very sheer and look almost identical on my lips.
- Lipglasses: Steal My Heart and Virgin Kiss pack a ton of silver glitter and apply with medium pigmentation.
- See Thru Lip Colour: Of the lip products I tried these are my favorites. Both Tender Tryst and Secret Crush are lip stains, with a watery yet highly pigmented formula that imparts a subtle, cooling sensation upon application. Ahh…
Eyes
- Eyeshadows: Et Tu, Bouquet? feels gritty to the touch, while Of Summer feels velvety smooth.
- Pigment: Circa Plum is a super cool-toned plum — pretty, but almost too cool for my tan.
Cheeks
- Beauty Powder : Summer Rose applies a lil’ chalky and sheer. It may not work for me, but I bet it looks gorgeous on my pale-skinned beauties.
- Just a Pinch Gel Blush: This is one of my favorite items so far… It’s highly pigmented yet easy to apply and blend, YES!
What do you think of these colors? Is MAC’s A Rose Romance stealing your heart?
I’m reserving judgment until I’ve seen the remaining items up close and personal, but I’m getting the feeling there’s a lot here I may not easily be able to wear. Hmm…
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Marisol says
April 14th, 2009 at 7:38 pmYou hussy… I can’t believe you had your way with these products. LOL
I am really looking to the beauty powders & the Fix+Rose. And now that I am getting a tax refund (whoo hoo!) I may splurge.
Marisol´s last blog post..I really want to go to this show
xtina says
April 14th, 2009 at 7:43 pmI’m verrry tempted to get a few See Thru Lip Colors 🙂
L says
April 14th, 2009 at 7:47 pmI love how the beauty powder has a rose outline on it. Do you think they’d work well as a blush?
Citrine says
April 14th, 2009 at 7:49 pmOoooh, I think I might get that cheek stain after reading the muse’s review as well as yours.
Jessica says
April 14th, 2009 at 8:01 pmI love your notes at the end…very helpful and honest- exactly what we all need! I want one lipstick, the gel blush and MAYBE a see through lipcolor 🙂 I’ll have to go play!
Jessica´s last blog post..Peach and Purple Look
Paris B says
April 14th, 2009 at 8:36 pmThe pigment caught my eye – I can do cool purple yay! 🙂 The beauty powder print reminds me of the print on the blushes and eyeshadows of The Body Shop Moroccan Rose collection!
Paris B´s last blog post..Pink-ing of the Shu Uemura Pink Collection
Glosslizard says
April 14th, 2009 at 8:44 pmI’m crushing on Tender Tryst, and Of Summer looks like a lovely wash of iridescent pink! Sign me up! 🙂
Shiny says
April 14th, 2009 at 8:46 pmYeah this looks to be too cool for me, probably for the best… I need a new foundation, bronzer, a fluidline and tanner so I need to save my dollars.
Note that I said ‘need’ not ‘want’ haha.
Kate & Zena says
April 14th, 2009 at 9:23 pmY’know, I have a blush that’s nearly the same shade as the Summer Rose beauty powder. Besides the See Thru and some of the lipglass colors, the other colors look a bit too cool for your skine tone like you said. I have to go out and get some new blush soon.
Shivotra says
April 14th, 2009 at 9:31 pmI really want the see thru lipcolor but I get a feeling that a rose romance color is exactly like the one from the emanual unagro collection last fall? can you please confirm, Kare?
I am definitely gonna get at least one of the see thru lipcolors. I (heart) those a lot. And I also want the Fix+Rose.
Catherine says
April 14th, 2009 at 10:56 pmWoooo… I agree with you, those lip stains look awesome. Will have to check them out in person. And here I thought I was gonna skip the entire collection. lol…
Catherine´s last blog post..Yesterday’s Mermaid Eyes FOTD
sylvia says
April 14th, 2009 at 10:59 pmi think i might have to get the gel blush .. it looks gorgeous and blushes are my number one makeup pleasure
Stephie says
April 14th, 2009 at 11:01 pmWoo! I am so excited you approved of the gel blush. Wah! That makes me excited too 🙂
wenvers says
April 15th, 2009 at 12:58 amWhow, thank you so much for the swatches Karen! I love this collection! I cant wait until my goodies arrive!
Miss QQ says
April 15th, 2009 at 1:25 amHi Karen. I’m excited for this collection! Thanks for the pics!
Tali says
April 15th, 2009 at 2:26 amIm going to buy pretty much everything but only 2 eyeshaddows!
Im looking foreward to this one.. in particular Fix+ rose
Tali´s last blog post..Elizabeth Arden, Neal’s Yard and more..
Bisbee says
April 15th, 2009 at 5:06 amI think the 2 See Thru lip colors and the gel blush will be coming home with me!
Rachel says
April 15th, 2009 at 7:06 amThis collection is beautiful, so romantico! Is it just me or does the gel blush look condensation-y?
Stacie says
April 15th, 2009 at 7:47 amCirca Plum looks pretty–I think I could rock it! 🙂
Nicole15 says
April 15th, 2009 at 8:05 amI really want to love the lipsticks because they look like such beautiful colors, but the color pay off in your picture totally stinks. They don’t show up much. Me sad 🙁
Circa Plum looks like a dupe for Mauvement pigment in the picture. Karen, could you tell in real life what the difference was in the two?
I would love to see the Beauty Powder on your cheeks. That color swatched on your hand looks really pretty.
I am warm-toned as well so am not too sure how much i can pull off from this collection but am definitely willing to try. It is just so darn pretty! 🙂
Nicole15 says
April 15th, 2009 at 8:07 amKaren – Hope that didn’t come across wrong regarding your picture of the lippies. I don’t mean your picture stinks, just the way the colors show up. I thought they would’ve been more pigmented. Sorry if that sounded bad. Whoops!
Nicole15 says
April 15th, 2009 at 8:10 amStacie – Circa Plum looks to me to be similar to Mauvement pigment and if I am right and it is, then I can assure you that you will definitely be able to rock it & you should. I use Mauvement pigment in a lot of my looks & it is just a beautiful color that can be played up and/or toned down. You will get a lot of use out of it. I think you should put Circa Plum on your definite “maybe” list & surely try it out at the MAC counter when it debuts next week. Would love to know if it works out for you. *fingers crossed* 🙂
Amanda says
April 15th, 2009 at 9:56 amhm-I’m a pale, cool girl so these would probably work for me…..BUT nothing is really calling out to me. (except for the blue pigment!!!) Steal my heart is really, really pretty to look at, and I love me a good stain-both super pretty too. Do they *ACT* like stains? I mean, really stain and leave behind color for hours? I’ve been wanting to check out the dazzleglasses eventually so maybe I’m browse these too, but really, nothing I can’t live without I think.
Dao says
April 15th, 2009 at 12:00 pmI love See Thru lip colors! My first encounter is Not So Shy! from the Ungaro LE and I have to say it’s been overutilized lately. I need to get these 2 new ones as well 🙂
Dao´s last blog post..She’s a Doll FOTD
cloudburst says
April 15th, 2009 at 12:58 pmUmmm I love tender Tryst, Way to Love, Rose Romance, steal my Heart…damn I thought I wasn’t going to be spending that much money ont his one!
How do you like the beauty powder, is it pigmented enough to be used as a blush?
lesley says
April 15th, 2009 at 3:07 pmI’m kind of on the fence on this collection. Though I love the colours, the colour play off doesn’t seem to be as good as I hoped so I guess the final decision for me will have to be how it goes on me when it comes out in stores. I am looking forward to the gel blush though, but I’ll still have to see how it goes on me in real life 🙂
Hope you’re having a good day!
AnneMarie says
April 15th, 2009 at 4:56 pmI really like pinks – but I was wondering if anyone could tell me if I’m a “pink person” — I have blonde hair, blue eyes, light complexion. I’ve never quite caught on to the cool/warm tones and how that works with my complexion. Thanks for any help!
Michelle says
April 15th, 2009 at 5:49 pmI really like the See Thru Lip Colour’s and gel blush, I’m definitely going to check those out.
The Fashionable Housewife says
April 20th, 2009 at 6:52 pmI want them all!
The Fashionable Housewife´s last blog post..Is It Worth It To ‘Go Organic’?
Danielle says
April 21st, 2009 at 11:37 pmI am really enjoying the look of this collection all the way around. I want both beauty powders– all three LE e/s AND maybe the gel blush, AS MUCH AS I WANT THE LE L/s and l/s an l/g I have to refrain somewhere. 🙂