MAC DSquared Swatches and Review

It's the time of the year once again for MAC to showcase its designer-inspired collection, this time a collaboration with Canadian twin designers Dan and Dean Caden, simply known as "DSquared". In Gordon Espinet's (MAC Vice President of Makeup Artistry) interview, he had mentioned that DSquared and MAC share things in common, stating that DSquared, like MAC, is a brand that has a sense of humour about itself, a distinct brand that is glamourous yet edgy. In fact, the products from the DSquared collection were used to create looks from the runway show. Thus, these products exude a certain "devil-may-care" air about them, a kind of "'rock-on' makeup that is effortless and not overly done or perfect." They say that the inspiration is makeup a la Olsen twins or Lindsay Lohan, a kind of "charmingly wrecked look." Is there even such a notion? Apparently, there is.

Sculpt and Shape Powder:





Let us start with the Sculpt and Shape powder. These are duos in compacts that feature a contour/sculpting powder on one side and a highlighter on the other. The first time these were released, MAC featured four shades of these duos, so I am wondering why these are now down to two (apparently two of them didn't sell that well?). I've had my Accentuate/Sculpt compact from the post-Holiday collection in 2007, which I got together with my 138 and 223 brush:



I must say I really like Sculpt powder, but I hardly use Accentuate because I have a bajillion other highlighters. This is a great tandem though and I really love Sculpt- it's matte but neither too dark nor too light; it's perfect for my skintone. The matte finish lets you sculpt or contour your face subtly without drawing attention to it, as is usually the case with shimmer bronzers. The subtle quality of the product lets you sculpt the sides of your nose as well (using the 165 brush) without anybody noticing it, but the effect is rather remarkable. For the cheeks, though, I prefer to use my 138, 109 or 169 brushes to contour.

Greasepaint Sticks:





As I said in my MAC Style Black review, these greasepaints are amazing, perhaps some of the best eye primers I've tried. I love the spectacular pigmentation, the buttery glide on the skin, and the staying power. "V" is a beautiful bright blue violet, while "B" is a bright yellow blue, and these can be used either as an eyeshadow base, an eyeshadow or even an eyeliner. These are really amazing, and are probably the best products from this collection.

Lipsticks and Lip Erase:





The lip products are likewise interesting. The lipsticks are a nude and deep fall color. Nude Rose is a sheer light neutral pink and Blood Red is a clean deep berry, which is not the color of blood at all. The most interesting lip product from this collection is Lip Erase in Dim - said to be similar to N37 which neutralizes the natural color of the lips to create a very neutral lip effect.

Tinted Lip Conditioner:



Another one of my favorite things from this collection is the tinted lip conditioner in Fuchsia Fix. I like how deep the color is in the pot, but goes on sheer with a slight berry stain that makes for kissable just-bitten lips.

Feline Kohl Power Pencil:





Feline Kohl Power pencil is a repromote from the Smoke Signals collection, but it is amazing in the sense that it is very, very, very, creamy, and is the deepest, blackest black liner MAC has ever come up with. It is great for the waterline and to tightline, and also for creating the smokiest of eyes. The downside to this product is that it is so creamy that it can easily smudge if the skin is not primed. It is therefore a must that both the upper and lower lashlines are primed with an eyeshadow primer in order to prevent the product from migrating to the undereye area. Remember: prime your lashlines well when using this product if you don't want to create raccoon eyes at the end of the day. Another way to prevent smudging is to set the line with black eyeshadow, although the eyeshadow primer is still a must.

All in all, there are a number of interesting products from this collection. I highly recommend the greasepaints and the sculpting and highlight powder duos. Also, like its counterparts from the previous years (Alexander McQueen and Emanuel Ungaro), the DSquared collection is housed in special packaging with the name "DSquared" emblazoned on the front of each item. Honestly, though, I prefer DSquared over these prior collections, mostly because of the products I'd mentioned. Check them out at your MAC counters and stores to see for yourself.