As requested by Sherry of Sherry Blossom Beauty, here are my top 10 MAC eyeshadows. I have about 37 different shades but these are my favorites that I use the most. I would highly suggest these shades to someone who is just starting up their MAC eyeshadow collection. All are permanent shades.
Shroom, Ricepaper, Satin Taupe, Amber Lights, Embark
Shroom (Satin) is a soft beige with shimmer. It is the perfect highlight shade and works well in the inner corners to make you look more awake. It also works well as an all over lid base before applying other colors.
Ricepaper (Frost) is a peachy gold with shimmer. I love to use this as a highlight when I am using golds and browns, or doing a shimmery neutral eye.
Satin Taupe (Frost) is a taupe with slight silver shimmer. This is my favorite MAC eyeshadow ever. Holy grail. It is the only one that I’ve finished multiple times. I believe this is my third pan. Satin Taupe is perfect for an all over wash for everyday wear, neutral and smokey eye looks.
Amber Lights (Frost) is described as a peachy brown with shimmer, but I think it’s more of a orangey gold that leans slightly copper. Really opens up the eyes. Gorgeous on dark skin and especially looks great in the summer with bronzed cheeks. Looks awesome when paired with MAC Cranberry eyeshadow.
Embark (Matte) is a dark brown with red undertones. Perfect for filling in darker brows using an angled brush. Also the perfect crease color. Very pigmented, slightly patchy when swatching but applies better on the lid and pretty easy to blend.
Humid, Cranberry, Nocturnelle, Electra, Carbon
Humid (Frost) is an intense green with shimmer. If you are looking for the perfect green then look no further, this is it. Really makes brown eyes pop. Looks good with other greens as well as golds, browns and even blues.
Cranberry (Frost) is a plum red with pink shimmer. Beautiful as an all over wash to brighten eyes and doesn’t give that sickly looks that a lot of reds give. Gorgeous when paired with coppers and browns, especially MAC Amber Lights eyeshadow. Also looks great with deep plums and burgundy’s on the crease like MAC Sketch eyeshadow and Smoke Signal pigment.
Nocturnelle (Frost) pink based purple with sheen. Very close to Plum Dressing but a little less pink. Looks like more of a plum on the lid and has to really be built up for the best pigmentation. Another beauty for brown eyes and gorgeous when paired with taupes, browns and greens.
Electra (Frost) is a silver with icy shimmer. Perfect for a smokey eye look when paired with a chrome like MAC Knight Divine and black like MAC Carbon. Also looks great on the inner corners to open up the eyes.
Carbon (Matte) is an intense black. Perfect for a smokey eye or darkening the crease of any eye look when applied lightly and blended well. Also perfect as an eyeliner when used with an angled brush, especially when wet.
I cheated and added one more shadow as I could not leave it out of this post…
Soft Brown
Soft Brown (Matte) is a soft golden peachy brown. Perfect to use as a browbone highlight on matte eye looks and neutral eye looks. Also great for blending when using multiple colors. I use this a lot to blend, probably my second favorite after Satin Taupe.
If I could add one more it would have to be Naked Lunch which is perfect as a wash all over the lid and as a highlight, but let me stop cheating… again lol. I am going to have to swatch all of my MAC eyeshadows for you guys soon.
20 Responses
I have Satin Taupe, Carbon, Humid, and Ricepaper and I Satin Taupe is my absolute favorite! I love using this mostly in my crease and sometimes on the lid. I will have to get Amber Lights and Electra one day!
Amber Lights would look great on you and Electra is the perfect silver!
After this I know I have to get humid, satin taupe and shroom. Gorg colours!
They really are and you can create a beautiful look with the three together!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! It’s nice to see what other woman do with their makeup and their reviews. I love your skin tone too! I LOVE Cranberry & Nocturnelle(don’t own these) they look awesome against your skin. I believe I have every other color. I need to use Satin Taupe more I may have been sleeping on it!
No problem Sherry and thank you. Don’t sleep on Satin Taupe, once you start playing with it you will get hooked. Cranberry & Nocturnal are gorgeous, love them so much and Plum Dressing which is in the same color family.
Great post! Some of your favs are my favs as well! Soft brown is my favorite…..I think!
Thank you. Soft Brown is perfect for blending and I think everyone should have it in their neutral eyeshadow collection.
Nice colours. I have only one MAC pigment from the set called Stacked 1. It’s really nice too..
I have a nice collection of MAC pigments too and love them. Some of my faves are Sunnydaze, Violet, Teal, Tan and Smoke Signal
Love the shades!They are gorgeous colors, I don’t know why I don’t wear more shadow, I love how it looks!
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Just a wash of color on the eyes with some liner and mascara can really brighten them up. Trust me 🙂
Thanks for this post. Just got inspired to go get shroom and nocturnelle:)
You welcome. Glad I could inspire you, awesome choices!
I have many of your favorite colors. Some of my other favorites by MAC are Antiqued, Woodwinked, Knights Divine, Deep Truth, Orange, Rule, Lucky Green, and Hepcat.
Nice choices. I have Woodwinked & Knights Divine and use them a lot with my faves shown above. I don’t have Deep Truth but I have an Inglot Eyeshadow which is a dupe and I love it.
Oh dear, I have only Humid from your list. Cranberry looks very pretty….
Cranberry is indeed very pretty!
What do you think of Mac Twinks, Mac Sex & The Oyster and Mac Arena?
Sorry, I don’t have any of these. I stopped buying MAC eyeshadows a while back when my palettes filled up.