MAC Hello Kitty: A Review

NOTE: For promo images and product information, click HERE. For photos of the MAC Hello Kitty unveiling/preview, swatches and photos of cosmetics/accessories, click HERE.





All in all, the Hello Kitty collection has a little something for everyone, but of course it screams juvenile, but we all nurture the child in us, don't we? I am not a die-hard Hello Kitty fan, but I admit, I grew up with Hello Kitty and Sanrio, but Hello Kitty wasn't my favorite Sanrio character (my favorite was My Melody, I think she was a - bunny? - but she was quickly scrapped off the Sanrio character list. I'm still mourning My Melody's demise up to this day). I remember the days when you were the most popular girl in school if you got the latest Hello Kitty pencil box (the ones that fold infinitely with a built-in sharpener and ruler), lunch box, back pack, and what not. I admit looking through this new MAC collection brought back a lot of childhood memories. Some of the colors, however, were not as exciting to me as I already have a lot of similar shades, but I believe MAC has struck a goldmine with this concept, especially in Asia where Hello Kitty is hella big. Even here in America, a lot of items have sold out a few hours (minutes?) after the collection went up on the MAC website. It was insane. It's like MAC Barbie all over again.

The colors are definitely for spring, but there is a sprinkling of dark colors to smokify looks and to bring out the wild side of every kitty out there. There are two sides to every MAC Hello Kitty as depicted on the website: the Mild and the Wild. The concoction and combination of colors in the collection bespeak this synergy of hues.



The two eyeshadow palettes have a good mix of light and dark shades. Lucky Tom is the palette from MAC Hello Kitty's "Mild" side. It has Stylin', a midtone violet blue with multi-dimensional pearl; Lucky Tom, a dark charcoal brown with gold pearl; Paradisco, soft bright pinky-coral with golden shimmer; and Creme Royal, yellow wheat gold. Since I am warm-toned, I believe the colors in this collection would suit my complexion better. Most of the colors are quite pigmented, with the exception of Paradisco that seemed to be a bit sheer to me. However, I believe its beauty would be really showcased with a good base (shadestick or paint pots) and packed on the lid using the 239 brush. I am loving Lucky Tom as I don't have a color as complex as that. Charcoal brown is already a pretty complex shade, and adding gold pearl shoots it off the charts.

Too Dolly palette is part of Hello Kitty's "wild" side. I was not interested in this palette from the very beginning because I already have Romping from the C-Shock collection, and the other colors are easily dupeable. Romping is a rich magenta with pink pearl, Stately Black is a rich blue with silver sparkle, Too Dolly is a frosty midtone mint (I have a bajillion mint shades), and Yogurt is a soft pale pink. If you don't have these shades yet, and if you are not afraid to wear bold colors, then Too Dolly is the palette for you.


(Check out link on top of this entry for more swatches)


Well just how cute is the Kitty imprint?? I would have gotten all the shades if I actually wear those colors, but the only lipstick I wanted in this collection is Fashion Mews because (as I have said many times), I love lavender/purple-based lipsticks. If you are not, there are still some pretty shades that will probably get your vote from this collection. Most Popular is a sheer deep berry that is a winner as well. Strayin' is a bright pink that is one of the prettiest from the collection in my opinion. Cute-ster is a sheer peachy pink with pearl, Big Bow is a sheer bright intense blue pink, and Fresh Brew is creamed coffee color.

Pink Fish tinted lip conditioner (see pic above) is pure LOVE. It smells like birthday cake with lots of sprinkles, Mmmmmmm!! I love the pretty pink it gives my lips, and it totally makes my lips moisturized, soft, smooth and ready for my lip products, and my morning kiss. ;-) It is also one of the first products to be sold out at my neighborhood MAC freestanding store during the Hello Kitty launch.



I LOVE the pigments from Hello Kitty. Milk is a beautiful silvery pink but I see a lot gray than silver, and Deep Blue Green literally describes itself. The latter sold out on the day of the unveiling at my MAC store, so I know it is a really coveted product as it is just gorgeous. Milk has been described as identical (or close to) Kitschmas and Helium, but I disagree. It is a little better in texture, and the grey undertones of Milk make it much prettier in my opinion than the two other pigments mentioned.




(Check out link on top of this entry for more swatches)

I noticed that the lipglasses from this collection are a little bit on the sheer side, but they have very nice finishes and the sparkles are just gorgeous. From the minute I saw She Loves Candy, I knew it was going to be mine. It is such a beautiful pale blue pink with gold pearl, and the finish on the lips is one of the prettiest I've seen from MAC's lipglasses. It is a definite must in my book. Sweet Strawberry is a sheer berry with blue pearl, with emphasis on sheer, so it doesn't really look dark on the lips. It just gives this just-bitten luscious look that I love. The rest of the lipglasses are pretty but not my cup of tea. Mimmy is another popular one, a light creamy pink with pink and gold pearl, but I have similar lipglases. Nice to be Nice is a sheer bright intense orange with pearl that reminds me of Miss Dynamite dazzleglass. Nice Kitty is a sheer neon pink with blue pearl, and Fast Friends is a sheer bright intense purple with pearl that kinda reminds me of Atmospheric from the Smoke Signals collection.



I loved the colors of the nail lacquers from this collection. On The Prowl is such a gorgeous, albeit unusual creamy grey, and it's next on my nail polish rotation for this week. Something About Pink is a blue pink fuchsia; it would be a pretty pedicure color for spring and summer.



If there is one product that I would not hesitate to pick up from this collection, it would be the beauty powder blushes. I love, love, love the texture, shimmer, finish and subtle glow this product emits. It gives off a truly lit-from-within sheen that I dare say is finer, subtler, and classier than some of the mineralize skinfinishes. I believe this formula is the new and improved formula of the beauty powders from the Barbie collection, namely Pearl Blossom and Pearl Sunshine, because the fine, ethereal glow it exudes is the same. Tippy is a pretty midtone blue pink that is quite bright, so a light dusting is recommended. I also like buffing it in to tone it down if you have fair skin. Fun & Games is a soft orange peach that complements my skintone. If you don't have enough money for the full collection, I highly recommend getting at least one of the beauty powder blushes, especially if you love shimmery blushes. The shimmer is not over-the-top, nor is it frosty. It is just a beautiful glow that de-flats the complexion.

Sadly, though, in as much as I love the beauty powder blushes, the Hello Kitty beauty powders left me cold. They are not even as pretty as the Barbie beauty powders, and as I said, I believe the latter have been reincarnated as the beauty powder blushes. Hello Kitty beauty powders are very powdery and they really don't show up on my skin, and they don't give the ethereal glow I crave. So skip them I did.



Lastly, the glitter liners. I was never a glitter liner gal until I saw Her Glitz. I love that it's not the in-your-face kind of glitter color - it is a blackened gold which would look amazing on night-outs or on special occasions, and I reserve it for those fun nights. It would look gorgeous over black liner to really make the gold pop out. It was a popular product, so popular that my MAC store sold out of Her Glitz the night the collection was launched. Unbelievable.

All in all, Kitty's got something for every little girl in us, whether you're 15 or 55. Some colors might not be that unique, but the concept, packaging, and winner products like the beauty powder blushes, lipsticks, glitter liners and nail lacquers make this a true collector's collection, and will be remembered for years to come.