You’re cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway on your way to meet friends for dinner. The sun just set, and the sky’s a mix of orange, pink and violet where it meets the sea on the horizon. Your swimsuit fits in all the right ways, and you’ve got the windows down to dry your hair. You don’t really know the hot boy who sits in dangerously low-hanging board shorts in the passenger seat, but he seems sweet. You’ll get to know him better soon.
That is MAC Turquatic. Light and watery, it’s like a cleaner, crisper, less sugary sweet version of Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue, and it’s my absolute favorite MAC scent, hands down.
When rumors surfaced earlier this year about it being discontinued, and it started disappearing from MAC counters, stores and the MAC website, I freaked!
But it turns out MAC was just phasing out the old bottle (WHEW!) and replacing it with a stylish new one that’s like a fresh sea breeze. Come August 11, Turquatic docks permanently on counters and in stores, in three sizes, a Rollerball ($20 US; $24 CDN), a small 20ml bottle ($27.50 US; $33 CDN; the exact same size as the old bottle), and the super-sized 50ml bottle shown here ($49.50 US; $59.50 CDN).
The fragrance hasn’t changed, but its attire has. Officially, the fragrance notes are still sparking mineral water, fresh lotus leaves, Corsican cedrat (a citrusy fruit similar to lemons and lime) and a warm blend of anemone (a flowering plant in the buttercup family), orris (root of the iris plant) and blue cedar.
The new 50ml bottle (on the left) with the old 20ml Turquatic bottle (on the right)
Unofficially, I describe Turquatic as the scent of summer crushes and stolen kisses beneath a boardwalk pier before lounging on a beach in the midday sun. Then, oranges peeled for a picnic desert and a quick nap in the back of a Jeep Ranger with the top down while Bob Marley sings me to sleep.
It’s my ultimate summer scent, and even though the scent doesn’t last long, only about four hours before I want another spritz, I could (and often do) wear it every single day.
PRICE: $20 – $49.50, depending on the size
AVAILABILITY: Returning Aug. 11 to MAC counters, stores and online in North America; internationally, this September
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A (I absolutely love the scent, but I wish it lingered longer)
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
marisol says
July 26th, 2011 at 10:11 amRollerball? Hell yeah!
This is one of my top 5 scents.
AK says
July 26th, 2011 at 10:11 amshoot! I might need to check that baby out. LOVED the intro to the story. I love citrus scents to pieces. I’m currently crushing on Bobbi Brown’s Beach scent though.
Karen says
July 26th, 2011 at 10:13 amI wear that scent too! We might be fragrance twins. 🙂
What other “beachy” scents do you like?
AK says
July 26th, 2011 at 9:24 pmMaybe! I don’t know if this is considered ”beachy”, but I do always love Clinique’s Happy. It’s a classic and it really does cheer me up.
My mom just gave me Premier Bouquet by Van Cleef and Arpels for my birthday – such a beautiful scent. Flowery, but not too much. LOVE. And it reminds me of her. I think the scent is most loved if it’s tied to a memory.
This quote from the movie Rebecca reminds me of this convo:
“I was just thinking …if only there could be an invention that bottled up memories like scent. And the memory never faded and never got stale and then when you wanted it, the bottle could be uncorked and it would be like living that moment all over again.” – Rebecca
Iram says
July 26th, 2011 at 10:30 amOooh I’m loving the look of this!
Iram recently posted … A Love of Louboutins & Leopard Print
Karen says
July 26th, 2011 at 10:35 amThe bottle’s so pretty, isn’t it? Have you ever smelled Turquatic before?
Vijaya says
July 26th, 2011 at 10:31 amI never buy fragrances more than $10, ’cause I’ll never wear them.
Vijaya recently posted … Urban Decay Eyeshadow: Acid Rain
Karen says
July 26th, 2011 at 10:35 amOh well!
Nina says
July 26th, 2011 at 10:40 amfor a while, i was worried that turquatic was gone forever …. i am glad its back, and sporting a lovely bottle to boot!
so.so.so. happy!
Jessica says
July 26th, 2011 at 11:12 amO.M.G!! wheeeee. you just made my rainy day!
A few months ago i panicked and went and bought two bottles! im so happy this is coming back, perfect smell for the summer and my rainy day! Cannot wait for the JUMBO bottle….
gio says
July 26th, 2011 at 12:02 pmI’m loving the new bottle, it’s gorgeous!
gio recently posted … Product Review: Liz Earle Foot Scrub
Sheena says
July 26th, 2011 at 12:15 pmI love this scent, but it the smell tends to wear off too soon 🙁
Stephanie says
July 26th, 2011 at 12:29 pmwhich good-smelling fragrances actually last a whole 8-hour day on you? 🙂
Jessi says
July 26th, 2011 at 12:50 pmI think I prefer the old packaging! The new one is a little busy for my tastes. Next time I’m at my MAC counter I’ll have to give it a try just because of the image you created. I wish my swimsuit fit in all the right ways, haha!
Jessi recently posted … Mmm, My Nails Smell Like Grapes
Kim says
July 26th, 2011 at 1:00 pmI like everything about this. The bottle is outstanding and I can’t wait to try the scent (your copy is very persuasive). 🙂 Of course, I wouldn’t buy the bottle when there’s a rollerball option.
Molly says
July 26th, 2011 at 2:09 pmOh this sounds awesome! I can’t wait to try it. I’ve been wearing Jennifer Anniston’s new perfume and I think it smells super beachy! The Twirliegirls just posted all our fave summer scents—http://twirliegirls.blogspot.com/2011/07/our-favorite-fragrances.html.
Annaham says
July 26th, 2011 at 2:17 pmI looove aquatic scents, so I may have to check this one out!
Kajal Couture says
July 26th, 2011 at 2:22 pmI actually liked the old packaging…is that weird? I’m glad this is back because it was my fave of the mac fragrances and when I heard it was DC’d, I checked all my counters and they were all sold out of it.
tricia c says
July 26th, 2011 at 9:34 pmcould you please tell mac to bring back the limited edition turquatic heat perfume. i think it was release with cool heat collection.
Serena says
July 26th, 2011 at 11:10 pmYou make it sound so yummy. 😀 I’d love to try this fragrance for myself.
Also I love the new bottle – so much cuter than the old.
bella says
July 27th, 2011 at 6:28 amHi Karen,
I will have to try this.
My new favorite scent is Jennifer Anniston.
It smells so summery and beach.
I love it, but it doesn’t last at all!
Twenty minutes tops!!!
Karen says
July 27th, 2011 at 9:57 amHi Bella,
That’s a pretty scent. I don’t like it on me (there’s something about the jasmine notes that doesn’t sit well with my chemistry), but I’ve smelled it on others and it’s very girly and femme.
Gauri says
July 28th, 2011 at 5:31 amI haven’t tried this yet but I’ve only heard raves about it so far. I need to check this out.
Gauri recently posted … 5 Ways to Transition Your Beauty Regimen Into Monsoon
Tati says
July 31st, 2011 at 10:16 amBest news I have heard all week!! I can’t wait till August 11. I LOVE the perfume!!
Theresa says
August 1st, 2011 at 9:02 amOMG this entry made me so happy! Turquatic was my favorite MAC scent also and I can attribute its scent to a bunch of fun summertime memories! I am so happy I’ll be able to pick one up again so soon! Yay!
Taryn says
January 2nd, 2012 at 10:28 pmHi! Thanks for this review, what a lovely picture you paint in my mind. I just discovered this fragrance, and I love fresh, clean fragrances, so I just ordered a 20 ml bottle from MAC. Can’t wait til it gets here! 😀
Domestic Goblin says
July 26th, 2014 at 2:05 amKaren, I love your unofficial description of Turquatic. I have been trying this fragrance out this week for the very first time and the first thing I thought of was a mermaid swimming in the Mediterranean… 🙂