These new $22 MAC Electric Cool Eye Shadows are electric!
But no…not literally electric. You do not have to plug them in, nor will you experience a jolt if you touch one of the springy, soft pans with your finger, but wouldn’t that be weird if it actually happened?
Oddly, I can see it being a thing someday in the not-too-distant future — women paying good money to get mildly electrocuted by their eyeshadow — because, I mean, people already pay to put snail slime on their faces, so getting zapped by an eyeshadow isn’t much of a jump.
In this case, though, by “electric,” I’m referring to intense pigment and frost; in other words, a whole lotta fun. 🙂
You might remember this family of shadows from A Novel Romance last year, within which were eight Electric Cool Eye Shadows (a few of which reappear here), and I guess MAC deemed them worthy of a comeback, because they’re back in their own 16-piece limited edition collection, and it’s available now on the MAC website and coming to MAC stores and counters August 6 through September 17.
So, watt (get it?) are they?
Sorry. Couldn’t help it. 🙂
Much like Chanel’s Illusion D’Ombre cream shadows, they have a soft, springy texture, and when you press down on them, they actually bounce back! The formula isn’t quite a cream or a powder; it’s something in between.
There are 16 shades in the release, some of which are re-promotes from A Novel Romance (frosty white rose Love Power, light shimmery taupe Superwatt, coppery bronze Coil, rich cobalt Switch to Blue and rich purple with pink pearl Highly charged), and the others are new (pearly white Iced, bright silver Electric Illumination, soft gold Photosphere, light warm neutral In Orbit, slate gray Electroplate, coppery neutral Gravitational, lime Brilliantly Lit, peach Dynamo, magenta Infra-Violet, emerald green Emerald Power and black with green pearl Black Sands).
With these, how glittery, frosty and pigmented they are varies. Some of the lighter neutral ones are like what I call “glitter topcoats,” because they’re essentially pots of glitter without a lot of pigment, and they’re for pressing on top of finished eye looks to add extra sparkle.
And then some of the brighter shades like Switch to Blue and Emerald Power are more pigmented but less glittery and frosty, so there’s some variety.
I think if there’s a trick to really rocking these, it’s to stay far, far away from domed or tapered fluffy brushes for applying them.
For blending, yeah, fluffy brushes seem fine, but for application, at least for me, they just sort of scoot the shadows around. I was getting frustrated with how little of the actual product I was getting on my lids until I figured it out (boo-hoo sad panda).
A brush with a flat, compact brush head like a MAC 242 or a 239 — or better yet, a finger — seems to work much better with these. I like using my fingers to apply them because I can really get into the pots and pick up a lot of product. Then I apply directly to my lids using a pressing, instead of a swiping, motion (and, of course, clean fingers, ya filthy beast!).
After you place the color on your lids, then go back in with a blending brush to gently buff out the edges, but it should be SO easy to do because these Electric Cools get mega props for easy blending.
Oh, and ya know what? I don’t use primer with these. Even on my combination oily/dry lids (ugh, I feel like a broken record whenever I type that, but it’s true!), these shadows last eight or nine hours with very little movement or fading.
If you’re curious about these and want to start with one, first figure out if you’d rather get a glittery accent shade that you can use to add dimension to your looks, or if you’d rather get a new workhorse color with lots of pigment.
For more of a glittery topcoat accent, check out the lighter shades, but if you’re looking for more of an everyday workhorse color, go for the deeper neutrals and brights.
Whatever you do, keep ’em out of your bottomless makeup bag (the one that’s always overloaded with products), because they’re pretty delicate (notice the few busted pans?).
OK, one last rand-o thing! — I’m looking at the eyeshadows from the new MAC Electric Cool collection and trying really, REALLY hard not to think about the electric slide.
Oh, stop that sh*t! Don’t even pretend like you don’t know what the electric slide is. It’s a staple at all Filipino parties (especially weddings), where the DJ always plays the electric slide song (I can’t remember what it’s called, but when you hear it, you MUST respond), and when he/she does, it’s like a herd of buffalo as everyone heads to the dance floor.
I’m serious, don’t even try to resist the dance-inducing power of the electric slide. 🙂
It’s electric!
PRICE: $22 each
AVAILABILITY: Limited edition, and available now in 16 colors online (coming to MAC stores and counters August 6)
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A-
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I love the brights.
I agree that the colors are wonderful and those electric-like pigments look great at night. But the TEXTURE of the shadows are lousy. I have tried both sponge tipped applicators and mini brushes, and each time, the shadow crumbles and falls all over the rest of my face. It’s really messy. And of course, when I wipe the dirty spots, they spread out and things become even worse. In one article I read, someone said that using your finger is the best way to apply this shadow. I tried it, and yes it worked for the eyelids, but what about under the eyes? I can’t apply shadow using my finger under my eyes! So I say, I will stick to the traditional shadows which don’t flake and cost even less. That electric cool eyeshadow is not worth the higher price. Actually, I wouldn’t buy it even if were the same price as the traditional one!
How strange. I ended up getting Infra-violet, and I have no trouble using brushes with it. It doesn’t crumble at all. It’s very similar to a Colour Pop shadow in texture. I can’t speak for the other shades, though. I use primer.
Yes they are pretty and electric but not ELECTRIC like my UD ELECTRIC palette! :p which I love madly by the way.
This is why we’re kindred spirits. The Electric Slide. Dude, WHY IS IT STILL A STAPLE AT SO MANY FAMILY GATHERINGS?! Yeah, sorry I screamed that at you. It’s just so funny how somethings live on- well past their time. I can see it now- picture it. Family reunion at the local park. That one uncle that all the kids run from gets the “party started” with the electric slide & a red plastic cup in his hand. All while wearing a linen suit that’s too hot to wear during the summer. Ahhh, the good ole’ days! Oh and those shadows are purr-ty, too. Totally drawn to the more vibrant/colorful ones 😉
I have Highly Charged and Infra-Violet from the other collection, and they pair really well together! I’m loving the other colors out now, too. I haven’t used Highly Charged and Infra-Violet a lot but they are super pretty. I bought them as dupes for UD Fishnet (the Infra-Violet is similar in its own way), and Taboo (an OLD shadow from Victoria’s Secret – a gorgeous, shimmery deep purple).
I have Photosphere and Infra-Violet and I like ’em. The texture is weird at first though! So… bouncy, lol. It definitely takes some getting used to.
I like Electroplate!
I always feel sad when I see shattered eyeshadow… Do these feel like the Colourpop at all?
I had no idea about the electric slide…
Those colors are amazing. MAC is amazing… Be safe in those fires
I love playing with eyeshadow!! Can’t wait! Its so hard deciding what two you want to try first! Decisions, decision’s..
I hate making decisions when it comes to makeup. I’m very indecisive!
So we will see which ones I choose!
I really want 4 of them tho! Ugh!!
See Ya!!
Thanks for the video! All these years and I never saw it but I played it at my own wedding. Classic song and classically bad 80s fashions!
I haven’t paid much attention to them but you’ve made them look pretty tempting lol. I’m really digging the fun colorful ones like the bright pink and lime
Wow, these look dope!
I would stick with ColourPop for formulas like this; they are $5 and the same result and texture! I would have liked to see you compare them on this blog post. They are such an affordable option for shadows like these for those viewers/markets who can’t spend $22 on one eyeshadow OR who want almost 5 shadow for the price of one MAC one!