MAC Alluring Aquatic Collection: Extra Dimension Eyeshadows Silver Sun & Lorelei

Today I'm happy to share with you my two color selections from MAC's Alluring Aquatic Collection: Extra Dimension Eye Shadows in Silver Sun and Lorelei.  Admittedly, it's been awhile since I bought LE items from MAC (Spring's lipstick is a notable exception), so I wasn't prepared at the number of stores I had to call before tracking both of these down.

They're both relatively small (1.3g/0.04oz), and retail for $19.50 each.  Each eyeshadow comes in the fantastic LE teal packaging.  The two shadows couldn't be any more different, yet it turns out that they're perfectly suited to one another (and the matching 233 brush).

According to MAC's website, these are "A liquid-powder Eye Shadow with prismatic reflections in six shimmering tints. Impact ranges from sheer crystallized light to a highly polished metallic effect. Lasts up to six hours. Limited-edition teal packaging, dramatically accented with sheer water droplets."

There were/are six shadows in this range, but just these two stood out to me. While Silver Sun's dirty metallic edge made me think of shades I've loved in the past, I had a feeling that Lorelei's understated warmth would be a perfect match for so many looks this summer.

First, let's talk about Lorelei.  MAC's description of "golden beige" sells this short. It's a shimmering, light rose gold tone that lightens up any eye.

 

One quick note on the stamping- after a few days of testing, the MAC imprint is gone, and I'm working on the waves.

It's hard to see this on my light skin, but it's the perfect summertime shimmer. It warms up my eye area brilliantly.

Outside, in the sun:

Outside, not in the sun:

I've tested Lorelei in two different ways. First, as an all-over color with a colorful eyeliner it's lovely but not terribly unique. I've found the other way of wearing it (up to the socket, paired with Silver Sun) to be the winner.  It's warm and adds luminosity to the eye without drag-queen or club-like sparkle.  The MAC 217 was the best brush for maximizing performance, in my opinion.

Now, let's talk about Silver Sun. It was the shade that literally stopped me in my tracks when Temptalia posted swatch photos.  MAC's description of "Midtone dirty seafoam green" fits but again undersells the beauty of this shade.

 
It's a classic summer hue for me- greenish yet wearable. I've worn this on the lid, both working with Lorelei and alone. This is what I was hoping MAC Malacca would be.  It's a shimmering wonder that somehow isn't frosty. Yet somehow it's distinctly and apologetically metallic.

A few swatches:

Outside, in the sun:

Outside:

Inside with flash:

Once I brought it home, I thought that I might have some similar shades in my stash.  I've swatched a couple of comparisons:

It's dirtier but just as metallic as Stila Mystic, and much darker than Chanel Jade Shore. It somewhat surprised me that I owned at least two other similar shades!



Finally, a word on wear.  I typically wear NARS eyeshadow base, so that's what I tested these with.  I couldn't get 8 hours of wear out of either shade, no matter how hard I tried. If you're going to wear these to the office (as shockingly I will), make sure you bring them in your bag for mid-day touch-ups.  Yet they're beautiful enough to warrant the extra work.

And yes, I actually wore this combination to work (I'm actually wearing it today). It's that versatile, which is another reason why I'm so happy.

Overall, I'm pleased with these shades. This is the type of collection and items that bring me back to MAC- I just wish I hadn't had to call so many places to find them!  The collection is almost sold out everywhere online, but call your local counters- they probably still have stock since this was only released last Thursday.