MAC Illustrated - Nordstrom Anniversary Event Collection

It is that time of the year again - the Nordstrom Anniversary Event has begun and it will only last until the sixth of August.  Every year, MAC comes out with a new collection that is exclusive for this event, this year the collection is named Illustrated, a series of sets and palettes.  Every year, I look at the new collection that MAC releases and I quickly begin my shopping list.  Starting with the MAC collection and then looking at everything, I can come up with a pretty long shopping list within a matter of moments.  I am really considering applying for a Nordstrom credit card just to shop the event this year, this might be against my better judgement but I can't wait to start shopping.  I don't think that I will have time to drive done to the store this year so I will do all my shopping on the website.

MAC Illustrated appears to be another collaboration between MAC and a famous artist.  Julie Verhoeven is an artist and fashion designer.  She has paired up with many famous fashion houses, including Versace, Mulberry, and Louis Vuitton.  She also has paired with H and M to design a brightly colored, high fashion line of home furnishings.  This time around, she is bringing her unique talents and style approach to creating the packaging for the newest MAC collection.  The palettes are covered with her unique designs and the makeup products in the sets are contained in small makeup bags with her designs.  I love the packaging on the palettes but I don't know that I would use the brightly painted makeup bags...
Here is the MAC collection for Nordstrom's Anniversary Event!

Smoky Eye Plum Kit - Get seductive plum eyes in a flash.  This palette contains three eye shadows,  a Technakohl Liner, a mini Zoom Lash Mascara, and all the tools needed to create a flawless smoky eye look.
- Eye Shadow in Creative Whim - pale lilac shimmer (Satin)
- Eye Shadow in Drawn to Drama - medium blue plum shimmer (Satin)
- Eye Shadow in Moody - deep black plum shimmer (Veluxe Pearl)
- Technakohl Eye Liner in Purple Dash - medium plum
- Zoom Lash Mascara in Zoomblack - black
- #275 Medium Angled Shading Brush and #212 Flat Definer Brush

Smoky Eye Black Kit - Get seductive smoky eyes in a flash.  This palette contains three eye shadows, a Technakohl Liner, a mini Zoom Lash Mascara, and all the tools needed to create a flawless smoky eye look.
- Eye Shadow in Naked Lunch - medium champagne shimmer (Frost)
- Eye Shadow in Wedge - medium neutral tan (Matte)
- Eye Shadow in Carbon - deep black matte (Matte)
- Technakohl Eye Liner in Graphblack - deep black
- Zoom Lash Mascara in Zoomblack - black
- #275 Medium Angled Shading Brush and #212 Flat Definer Brush

Peach x 3 Lip Color and Bag - Frame the art of the lavish lip in a chic bag illustrated with graphic faces by Julie Verhoeven.  Three key pieces for perfect lips in a trio of peach-shade statements. 
- Cremesheen Lipstick in Ravishing - medium peach coral cream
- Dazzleglass Creme  in Sublime Shine - sheer peach with gold shimmer
- Cremestick Liner in Creme Kiss - medium peach
Nude x 3 Color and Bag - Frame the art of the lavish lip in a chic bag illustrated with graphic faces by Julie Verhoeven.  Three key pieces for the perfect lips come in a trio of nude-shade statements.
- Cremesheen Lipstick in Creme d'Nude - medium sheer nude cream
- Dazzleglass Creme in Natural Talent - sheer nude with gold and silver shimmer
- Cremestick Liner in Sublime Culture - neutral nude

Pink x 3 Color and Bag - Frame the art of the lavish lip in a chic bag illustrated with graphic faces by Julie Verhoeven.  Three key pieces for perfect lips come in a trio of pink-shade statements.
- Cremesheen Lipstick in Vivid Imagination - medium cool berry pink cream
- Dazzleglass Creme in Julia - medium pink with silver shimmer
- Cremestick Liner in Pink Treat - medium cool pink

Red x 3 Color and Bag - Frame the art of the lavish lip in a chic bag illustrated with graphic faces by Julie Verhoeven.  Three key pieces for the perfect lips come in a trio of red-shade statements.
- Cremesheen Lipstick in Must Be Red! - medium neutral red cream
- Dazzleglass Creme in Totally Fab - medium neutral red with gold and silver shimmer
- Cremestick Liner in Freehand - medium red

All Over Brush Kit - A modern portrait in detailing, blending, and shading.  A collection of professional brushes are featured in a colorful canvas roll bag illustrated with faces by Julie Verhoeven.  The five-piece brush set conatins a #129 Powder and Blush Brush, #227 Large Fluff Brush, #224 Tapered Blending Brush, #219 Pencil Brush, and #266 Small Angle Brush.

Face Canvas Brush Kit - MAC presents a collection of professional brushes in a colorful canvas roll bag illustrated with graphic faces by Julie Verhoeven.  The four-piece brush kit includes: #187 Duo Fibre Brush, #130 Short Duo Fibre Brush, #282 Duo Fibre Tapered Brush, and #286 Duo Fibre Blending Brush.

I don't really think that I need any of the pieces in this collection, I already own a full collection of MAC lip products and none of these really jump out at me.  The kits are nice but I can't say that any of them would fiull a hole in my MAC collection.  My favorite items are the two eye palettes, I want the Smoky Eye Kit in Plum the most.  I already own shades very close to the Black Kit, but the Plum Kit will help me create a whole new look for the fall.  I am interested in the Brush Kits but I want to look closer at each kit to make sure that I am really expanding my collection and not just adding more brushes that I might not use.

I'm not overly thrilled with this collection, the packaging kind of annoys me and there is nothing that I am all that excited about.  I want the Plum Kit but nothing else really speaks to me.  This might be one of the first time that I want products over than MAC at the Nordstrom Event.  I hope that some other brands have better products for me...

photo courtesy of Nordstrom