The MAC Selena collection (coming October 1 to the MAC website, and to stores October 6 through November 17, 2016)
¡Finalmente! The MAC Selena collection!

Fans of beloved Mexican-American singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez, whose life was tragically cut short in 1995 at 23 years old, made this collection happen, and MAC heeded the call.

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While I was testing and reviewing, I learned a lot of things I didn’t know about Selena, like how her favorite colors were purple and black and her favorite flower was a white rose.

I’m sorry to say that I didn’t know much about her before this release, but I did know that she rocked bold red lips and sang a couple of songs that were very popular when I was in college.

Her artistic legacy and spirit inspired the 13-piece MAC Selena collection, which Selena’s sister Suzette helped create. It includes three new shades of lipstick ($18 each), including a dupe for a red taken from the makeup case Selena took with her when she went on the road; five new eyeshadows ($17 each); a new blush duo ($29); a new gloss ($17); and three re-promoted items from the MAC permanent line ($18 Opulash Mascara, $21 Boot Black liquid Eye liner and the $35 129SH Powder/Blush Brush).

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Cats & Makeup Sweatshirt ??

$ 42

Shoppa nu

MAC select obsessed & devoted members (MAC’s version of Sephora VIB) get early access to the collection in an exclusive pre-sale September 28. For everyone else, it arrives October 1 on the MAC site and in stores October 6 through November 17, 2016.

The MAC Selena collection Eye shadows ($17 each)
MAC Selena Techno Cumbia ($29)

MAC Selena Collection Lipsticks ($18 each)
Everything about this collection feels intimate and personal to me, from the names of the products, several of which are named after Selena songs, to the purple and black packaging.

MAC Selena Collection Lipglass ($17, an online exclusive)
Mad about the mattes

Please forgive me for my accent when I say, “Aye, Dios Mio!” (I have the worst Spanish accent ever) over the matte eyeshadows.

They’re absolutely fantastic! I was freakin’ going nuts when I swatched them for the first time because it was like dipping a finger into soft whipped cream…

MAC Selena Collection liquid liner ($21) and Opulash Mascara ($18)
They’re feathery and lush like the urban Decay matte eyeshadows (but with considerably less fallout), and when I blend them, I can’t really tell where one shade ends and the next shade begins.

Another look at the packaging
All of the three mattes are also neutrals — a warm brown, a light beige with pink undertones and a deep blackened navy — which is completely on point for the ’90s revival happening now.

MAC Selena collection Amor Prohibido Lipstick
The two shimmer shadows — a warm pink and a pearly violet — blend just as well, and I think they’re fine for adding some color, but really, I think the stars of the show are the mattes.

MAC Selena collection Bidi Bidi Bom Bom Lipglass (an online exclusive)

Selena’s signature bold lips

Selena rocked bold lip colors, and two of the three lipsticks in the collection reflect that. I don’t think you can go wrong with either of the bolder colors.

MAC Selena collection Como La Flor Lipstick
I thought I was going to need a liner to pull off deep red wine Dreaming of You (MAC’s Matte finish) and muted cherry Como La Flor (Amplified finish), but I’m able to use both colors straight from the tubes. Plus, one layer is enough.

Both shades feel reasonably thick, which helps to keep them in place, and that’s key.

Trust me — it’s so NOT fun when a slippery red or red wine lippie ends up beyond your lip line. I’ve done it before (running around town unintentionally looking like the Joker), and it ain’t cute.

MAC Selena collection Dreaming Of You Lipstick
And, of course, being the completely predictable nude lipstick fiend that I am, I completely and completely love the nude shade, Amor Prohibido. It’s a pinkish mid-toned brown with MAC’s Glaze finish.

I know it looks sheer in the swatch, but oh, baby! — when you get it on…

MAC Selena collection Eye shadows in Is It The Beat, No Me Queda Mas, missing My Baby, Fotos y Recuerdos, and Selena
Closing thoughts…

The silver glitter flecks in bubblegum pink Bidi Bidi Bom Bom Lipglass are on the bigger side, so it’s very sparkly.

But it’s also slightly gritty, and I’m not too crazy about that…

I also have mixed feelings about the matte blushes in the Techno Cumbio blush Duo…

Yes, the brown side is very soft (just as soft as the eyeshadows), but the pink side isn’t. It’s harder and very sheer.

The colors are also a little challenging for me to wear (I’m an NC42), so I dunno… The brown practically looks like a taupe-ish pink on my skin, so it might be better for contouring, which I’m not really into at the moment.

MAC Selena collection Lipsticks in Dreaming of You, Como La Flor,Amor prohibido
Mac Selena Collection Techno Cumbia
Mac Selena Collection Lipglass i Bidi Bidi Bom Bom
Mac Selena Collection Re-Promotes: Boot Black and Opulash Mascara

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Visst, jag tror att matt ögonskuggor och alla tre läppstiftarna är totes värda din tid. Tänk på de rosa och lila skimrande ögonskuggorna, om du är en fiend för färgstarka ögonblick.

Din vänliga stadsdel charm missbrukare,

Kare