OK, you win. We’re playing hooky today, but if we’re gonna do this, let’s do it right.
After all, we’re heading to MAC Playland, for goodness sake! I am not about to get sidelined by sore feet.
No, ma’am!
First, let’s ditch the heels in favor of a good pair of walking shoes. We’re going to be covering A LOT of ground today, so we all need to be comfy.
You know I love ya, doll, but I don’t want to hear about your bunions en route to the carousel. 🙂
Hmm…
As for meals, we’ll be feasting upon cotton candy pinks and frozen lemonade yellows, and that’s just to start (you know I’m all about the snacks, yo).
In Playland, there are 22 colorful rides, also known as products, so we should really get going.
I have our tickets right here, but before we go, can I just say that I wouldn’t want to ditch work with anyone else? Just you. 🙂 We’re going to have so much fun today! Makeup partners in crime for life!
The MAC Playland collection
Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink! — seriously, if you’ve ever wanted to rock a ROYGBIV of MAC products on your face, you could do it here. In North America, the collection arrives at maccosmetics April 15, MAC counters, stores and maccosmetics.com April 17, while it docks at international piers in May.
It’s a fantastical voyage to a playground of color — a bright break from the naked 9-to-5 beiges and browns we’ve seen so much of lately.
When a collection features a yellow Lipglass…you pretty much get the feeling right off the bat that the color story isn’t heavily rooted in reality.
Yup, this one’s for the dreamers — the gals and guys who like their makeup with a dose of theatrical whimsy.
Of Playland’s 22 pieces, half of them — 11 — are Lipsticks and Lipglasses. I think of the release as a lip collection, first and foremost, with a handful of multitasking eye and cheek products — three Casual Colors (creams for both cheeks and lips), four Chromagraphic Pencils and four loose Pigments — there to reinforce the idea of makeup playtime.
Make a mental note to check out the Amplified Lippies in this launch because they’re bangin’. I think Sweet Experience, Happy-Go-Lucky, Toying Around and Red Ballon are right up there with iconic MAC Amplified shades like Girl About Town and Impassioned. You’ll want to get on that ride, ASAP.
The 22-piece MAC Playland Collection includes…
- Frost Lipstick in Playland, a frosty yellow gold ($16)
- Amplifed Lipstick in Sweet Experience, a bright pink ($16)
- Amplifed Lipstick in Happy-Go-Lucky, a hot pink ($16)
- Amplifed Lipstick in Toying Around, a hot coral pink ($16)
- Amplifed Lipstick in Red Balloon, a hot fuchsia ($16)
- Frost Lipstick in Head in the Coulds, a red with pearl ($16)
- Lipglass in Bright Side, a creamy yellow ($15)
- Lipglass in Lots of Laughs, a creamy peach ($15)
- Lipglass in Carousel, a creamy pink ($15)
- Lipglass in Live It Up, a creamy orange ($15)
- Lipglass in Pure Silliness, a creamy lilac ($15)
- Casual Color in For Your Amusement, a bright pastel pink ($21)
- Casual Color in Young at Heart, a bright pink ($21)
- Casual Color in Hi Jinks!, a bright coral ($21)
- Pigment in Ever So Yellow, a soft yellow with pearl ($21 and safe for use on eyes, lips and body)
- Pigment in Hi-Def Cyan, a cyan blue ($21 and safe for use on eyes and body, but not for lips)
- Pigment in Neo-Orange, an intense neon salmon ($21 and safe for use on body, but not for eyes and lips)
- Pigment in Golden Olive, a high frosted greenish gold ($21 and safe for use on eyes and body, but not for lips)
- Chromagraphic Pencil in Genuine Orange, a bright orange ($16 and safe for use on lips, but not for eyes and waterlines)
- Chromagraphic Pencil in Hi-Def Cyan, a cyan blue ($16 and safe for use on eyes, but not for waterlines and lips)
- Chromagraphic Pencil in Process Magenta, a matte magenta ($16 and safe for use on lips, but not for eyes and waterlines)
- Chromagraphic Pencil in Black Black, a deep black ($16 and safe for use on eyes and waterlines, but not for lips)
No quads or palettes to limit your creativity here. With so many single pieces, the sky is the limit.
Yeah, there are some out-of-the box things, like hello! — neon orange loose pigment? But there’s also a lot of wearable stuff, too, especially if you beam for bold lips.
If you were lookin’ to wear some crazy-@ss yellow lips, however, you may not get that from Playland and Bright Side — at least not without some effort and helper products.
To my eye, Playland Lipstick looks more like a frosted copper on my kisser, and Bright Side looks more like a sheer tinted yellow than a bright canary.
As for the Casual Color cheek/lip creams, pigments and pencils, fun! — but they almost seem secondary to the lip products to me. You can already find all four of the Chromagraphic Pencils in the MAC Pro line, and High-Def Cyan and Golden Olive Pigments are permanent, too. Since many of them are already available, I don’t feel a sense of urgency, like I do about the new lipsticks and glosses.
If you do decide to take one or more of the Chromagraphic Pencils or Pigments home, be sure to double-check the boxes and/or inserts to make sure they’re approved for use the way you’d like to use them — on eyes, waterlines or lips. Even though the loose pigments and pencils are referred to as “multi-use products,” they come with small print. Some of the shades, like Genuine Orange and Process Magenta, aren’t approved for eyes or waterlines, so be mindful of that.
I hope you had fun with me today in Playland. 🙂
If I may, don’t miss the lip products if you come back, in particular those beautiful Amplified Lipsticks.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I always love reading your reviews!! very pretty!
Hi Karen,
Glad you enjoyed this post! 🙂 What do you think of the lipsticks in this launch?
I def want sweet experience and toying around….I might get the yellow one just for fun. Not sure yet! I was so sad when this collection did not launch last week! 🙁
Does not compute! So much pretty everywhere! Oh my gosh I love these pictures. I have to get my hands and lips on those lipsticks.
Definitely. Which ones your fave so far?
This collection is really gorgeous and perfect for spring. I am surprised I haven’t heard about it until yesterday! The lipsticks look great, especially Happy Go Lucky!
Hi Agata,
Yeah, the lipsticks in this are killer. Do you think you might pick any up?
Most definitely, I just cannot decide which one and which one will look best on me 🙂
You could really do any color, but I think Happy-Go-Lucky would look striking with your hair and eyes.
When are you headed back home to Poland?
I think I will just have to stop at a Mac counter and see them live to pick the best match for me. I am going to Poland in two weeks and I am freaking out a little bit, I feel so unprepared!
I love Red Balloon! It’s the perfect bright-lip-neutral-eyes color for spring.
Yes! I will have to wear it with neutral eyes soon. Thanks for the idea, Chris!
LOVE the cotton candy background! (Im assuming thats what it is!) I love everything here…even the yellow lipstick! My faves are the Toying Around Lipstick and the Golden Olive pigment!
You don’t have to wait to get Golden Olive. It’s permanent and available now at MAC counters. 🙂
I’m so glad they’re released so many beautiful lipsticks!! I love the frost lipstick in playland! x
http://leahpaigejones.blogspot.co.uk/
Super pretty color!
omg all those colors look soooo good..
I need more money to buy all the things..
Yes, such a pretty collection!
WOW – I can almost pass on MAC most of the time because I have so much other stuff too but…
AMPLIFIED is my FAVORITE MAC lippie formula of all time. I think I’m going to have to break here and get at least a couple of the new lipstick shades. I’m safe for now in the gloss arena.
Hi Majick,
Yeah, me too. Do you have Impassioned? It’s my fave Amplified shade, and it’s fantastic for summer.
Thanks for the swatches Karen, I hope I can snap up every single item, lovely colours for spring
You’re welcome, Nki. 🙂 I hope you love the lipsticks just as much as I do. If you end up getting one send me a pic of you wearing it! I would love to see it.
Love Toying Around and Red Balloon lipsticks, but I wish they would have done an orange-y one to go with that lipglass!
I hear ya. You could probably do the orange pencil with the gloss! That would be pretty.
Toying Around looks gorgeous! I can’t wait for this collection to launch in the UK!
Bea x
Bea’s Beauty Blog
Yes, so fun!
Oh how fun! Not surprisingly, I’m eyeing Toying Around and Golden Olive. Red Ballon is really gorgeous as well!
Great colors! You can get Golden Olive right now; it’s permanent.
Wow! That yellow Playland lipstick is GORGEOUS! It’s been a really long time since I’ve really wanted a MAC product. I guess it had to happen some time, right?
You’ll have a lot of fun with it. It has a ton of mixing/matching capabilities. 🙂
I actually love Playland and Brightside on you! I was hoping they’d be more in your face but I like how wearable they are. Luckily, I don’t think I have to have any of the other lipsticks. They look pretty dupable. So just the yellow lippies for me. Hopefully one of those Casual Colors don’t end up in my basket too lol
Have fun with the yellow! They’re definitely great for play.
Love reading your creative posts, Karen! You’re the best. What fun shades, and I love your cotton candy backdrop.
Thank you, Allison. 🙂
I’m on a spending ban until my birthday (July 16), but I really want Toying Around. [sigh]
Maybe an early birthday present?
I’m surprised how much I love the yellows! On you they are really great! I might actually consider the yellow lip gloss because it looks like a cooler yellow and might make an interesting shade with my natural color!
Yeah, it just adds a little something-something. 🙂
Ooooooo cyan… should I? Hmm mmmm
Do it, do it! Are you thinking the Pigment or the Pencil? 🙂
I love how colourful and fun this collection is! Everything looks gorgeous, especially the lipsticks!
Yes! I hope you pick up an Amplified or two. 🙂
All the lipsticks look gorgeous on you, Karen! I’ve got to try Red Balloon, Happy-Go-Lucky, and Toying around for myself. The Golden Olive pigment is beautiful, and I really like the Process Magenta pencil.
I love, love, love your setting for these pictures. One word: heavenly 🙂 And your swatches are great as always. I originally planed to skip on this collection, but I’m no longer sure after your review… 😉
Much love from Germany,
Alexandra
I am really intrigued by that golden Playland lipstick. It actually looked wearable in your lip swatch. You should throw together a look centered around that lipstick color! 🙂
Also that golden olive pigment looks like a million bucks on your lids. I’ll have to give that one a go next time I’m at a mac counter!
Love it Karen! Your creativity never fails to impress! What’s your take on Toying Around? Is it pretty similar to Impassioned?
LOVE the yellow pigment mixed with the olive pigment on you!! Also really feelin Toying Around lippy. Thanks for sharing, gorgeous!!
I can’t wait to get my hands on the playland lipstick, it looks so gorgeous! The pigments are pretty too, perfect for a summery look!
What, no Kitty Purry references?
Toying Around and Red Balloon are two shades I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for once they arrive in Melbourne. Oh, and Bright Side really surprised me – it reminded me of Ev Rev, just not as pink.
Me likey.
I think the liners and pigments are the best things in this collection! The lipsticks are nice, but not really anything beyond what’s in MAC’s usual collection/releases. I wish they’d actually gone all the way and made the yellow gloss opaque, too.
I love MAC amplifies and I don’t lie, I want every single one of these products! Great vibrancy and knowing MAC similarly good pigmentation.
Glossedonbeauty.blogspot.com
Such an amazing collection. those golden lipstick turned out to be wearable.. but rest lipsticks were great!!
I would love to try all the pencils and pigments here.. 😀
I love all your posts! We have pretty much the same skin tone so if it looks good on you then it will on me he he 😉
Anyway reading so much conflicting info. I saw on another post it will be on US .com on April 10th. Is this correct?
I forgot to add you are so elegant and playfully beautiful!
I wish they would’ve released some bold shadows because I’m not a huge pigment girl thought the olive is beautiful. Im hoping to get the lipglass in lots of laughs & toying around and sweet experience lipstick.
*though
Playland, Head in the Clouds and Toying Around look gorgeous on you Karen!
I love Golden Olive!! The lipsticks are a real head turner, I quite like Toying Around!
Darn it! I was hoping you’d do a Genuine Orange eye. I’m so bummed to hear it’s only safe for lips. 🙁 Still, I think you did a beautiful, spring look. It says “Easter” to me, in a good way. 🙂
The Playland lipstick looks really pretty on you!
Wow! I never thought the yellow Playland lipstick would actually look good on anybody, but on you if definitely did. Head in the Clouds also looked stunning, love the red fierce color. I can’t wait to check out this collection in Holland. We’re always behind in Holland…*sigh*
Do you think that Playland could be easily layered over vampy shades like deep reds and plums? Maybe even purples? If so, I think the results could be stunning, especially for this fall!
Ohh I know where my tax return is going bahaha
They all are so beautiful. Definitely puts you in the spring mood. I think I will get Red Balloon and Happy Go Lucky. I got Pink Poodle and Glam last week, and I really didn’t like either. Do you think these two are similar to Red Balloon and Happy Go Lucky. So many times I buy these lipsticks and get them and they look so similar to other MAC colors I already have.
Neo-Orange is my favorite MAC pigment, I get so happy when it gets repromoted.
Gotta get sweet experience, looks gorgeous!
The lipglasses look beautiful!! 🙂
Hurry to Macys.com (in the united states)they have it for sale now! Just placed my order. I don’t know how they got it early but take advantage!
Soooo I just placed my order this morning and I ended up going with 2 of the live it up lipglass, one lots of laughs lipglass and toying around lipstick. I had sweet experience in my cart but at the last second I took it out because I did buy patentpink recently (mind you I will be trying it in store) prep + prime radiant rose highlighter & we’ll dressed also ended up in my cart lol
I’m so excited to get them and the express shipping code MACEXP still works if anyone’s shopping today
Ps it’s snowing here north of Toronto so I needed a ill color to cheer me up :p
You always write the best reviews Karen!
Thanks for doing what you do! 😉
Also, have fun in Georgia! Wish I was joining you! Nicatero is an inspiration and seems to be just a down to earth fun loving guy.
Take lots of pics!
Hi, Angela. I totally agree with you about Greg Nicotero. Glad you enjoyed that post. Wish I could say it was really happening…but it was an April Fool’s joke. 🙂 It’s been kind of a tradition of mine.
Omg, I totally missed this at the Mac counter today. I picked up Impassioned and a few others, but did find a sample of hi jinks that the MUA handed me.
I am abolutelly in love with Toying around
xx
nAiLee
Hey Karen!
This is my first time on your site and I love it! How close do you feel Sweet Experience is to Viva Glam Gaga #1 lipstick? I also can’t decide if I want Happy Go Lucky or Candy Yum Yum because I hear they’re similar?
Thanks for your help!
Emily
I missed this collection and now most of the things I wanted are sold out!
I stumbled onto your blog and I am happy that I did! You did a great job of introducing the collection and describing each product. The pictures are awesome! You made me want to go out and buy each lippy. Mac should take notice.
Im just getting back into makeup and Ive NEVER used MAC..dont judge..ha..Im using it now, at age 46, I’m a MAC girl for sure now. Im late to the play land party but I did find a few of the amplified lipsticks. Can’t wait to try them. I will be on top of next one launched. Good review of this. Helped me a lot.