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MAC Nutcracker Sweet Holiday 2016 Gift Sets: The Warm Eye Compact Eye Shadow X 9

October 19th, 2016 by Karen 9 Comments

mac nutcracker sweet warm eye compact
Wearing MAC Era, Woodwinked, Lady Fingers and Twelve Chimes on my lids

So, that shade right there? — one-two-three-four from the left? That’s Woodwinked.

I know! I didn’t realize it until I was halfway through an eye look yesterday morning. I was scooting along, doing my makeup, when I thought, “That one looks really familiar,” but it didn’t look too familiar, so I flipped it over, saw the name and said, “Holy sh*t! That’s Woodwinked. How can that be Woodwinked??”

I couldn’t believe my eyes. I had to keep flipping the compact over, back and forth. One of my favorite MAC colors of all time (here’s a look with it from 2013!) is in this palette, but it doesn’t look or feel like the Woodwinked I know.

M∙A∙C Nutcracker Sweet
Available online October 20, 2016
Available in stores on October 27, 2016 through December 8, 2016
#MACNutcrackerSweet

Basically, that set the tone for how I feel about the Warm Eye Compact Eye Shadow X 9 palette, one of three X 9 palettes in the MAC Nutcracker Sweet holiday collection.

Like the other two — Smoky and Cool — it has nine eyeshadows, a dual-ended brush and snazzy packaging. Some of the colors are re-promotes, like Woodwinked, Era and Showstopper, and some are new.

I really like the Cool palette from this collection, but it set a high bar for me, and I think that’s influencing how I feel about the Warm palette now.

The Warm Eye Compact Eye Shadow X 9 ($39.50) — Showstopper (Matte), Twelve Chimes (Lustre), Beyond Gorgeous (Veluxe Pearl), Unwind (Veluxe Pearl), Lady Fingers (Matte), Era (Satin), Woodwinked (Veluxe Pearl), Filament (Lustre) and Whirling (Lustre).

It’s one of three X 9 palettes in the MAC Nutcracker Sweet holiday collection (the other two are Cool and Smoky).

The set also comes with…

The 214/213 Dual-Ended Brush

mac nutcracker sweet smoky eye compact
MAC Nutcracker Sweet Warm Eye Compact Eye Shadow X 9
MAC Nutcracker Sweet Warm Eye Compact Eye Shadow X 9
Top row swatches (from the left): Filament, Whirling, Era, Woodwinked, Unwind; bottom row: Lady Fingers, Twelve Chimes, Showstopper, Beyond Gorgeous

What I mean is that I don’t normally love the shadows in MAC’s holiday palettes. Oftentimes I feel like they aren’t made as well as the shadows in the permanent collection or the shadows in the palettes MAC releases the rest of the year, but the Cool palette blew me away. Its shadows are just as smooth and pigmented as I’ve come to expect from MAC over the years.

The shadows in the Warm palette, however, aren’t. Maybe it’s just me being X-Files about it, but I don’t think so. They aren’t as pigmented as usual, don’t feel as smooth to me, and they kick up lots of powder.

Woodwinked is normally pigmented and easy to blend, but even after applying three layers, I couldn’t get this Woodwinked to look like it usually does. I also ended up with a lot of fallout, which was a bummer because I did my foundation and concealer first.

Among the three X 9 holiday palettes this year — Smoky, Cool and Warm — the Cool palette is my favorite by far, followed by Smoky.

Next time I get the urge to wear Woodwinked, though, which will probably happen, like, I don’t know…five minutes from now, I think I’ll grab my MAC single pan instead.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

MAC Nutcracker Sweet Holiday 2016 Gift Sets: The Warm Eye Compact Eye Shadow X 9 / Originally published October 19th, 2016

There are 9 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Collections, Eyes, Kits and Sets, MAC Makeup

The products in this entry were provided by the manufacturer for consideration. For information about my posting policy, please see my Disclaimer.

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Next Post: MAC Nutcracker Sweet Holiday 2016 Gift Sets: The Mini Lip Gloss and Lipstick Kits

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Comments

  1. Chris25 says

    October 19th, 2016 at 12:40 pm

    Yeah, it looks pinker than the Woodwinked I own. Other than that I like all the shades.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      October 19th, 2016 at 6:51 pm

      Yup, definitely different.

      Reply
  2. Becky says

    October 19th, 2016 at 2:23 pm

    That looks very weird compared with my Woodwinked! There’s a huge difference! I think I’ll be skipping this one!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      October 19th, 2016 at 6:50 pm

      Save your tacos for the Cool Palette! ?

      Reply
  3. Kiss & Make-up says

    October 20th, 2016 at 2:12 am

    Yeah, I also notice inconsistencies between MAC singles and palettes. WHich is why I have a ton of MAC singles and not many (big) palettes.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      October 20th, 2016 at 4:33 pm

      The singles are awesome. You can never have enough!

      Reply
  4. tatiane breda says

    October 20th, 2016 at 10:17 am

    Delighted with this palette! commented on instagram, I loved the swatches of it, is really a perfection!
    huge beijao

    Reply
    • Karen says

      October 20th, 2016 at 4:34 pm

      Hi Tati,

      I think the one on Instgram was the cool toned one? That one’s my fave!

      Reply
  5. Rachel B says

    October 29th, 2016 at 12:39 pm

    It’s so funny because I just bought this last night and I fell in love with it right away, I swatched in-store and then played with it when I got home, and the shadows are very pigmented and smooth! I wonder if somehow you got a bad one?? I’m really loving the colors. I want the other two as well!

    Reply

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