Can anyone like, define the differences in the way mac defines their colors? i.e lusture, matte, frost, ect. I see these on all their products but never understood the difference.

MAC doesn't really define their colors. The terms frost, matte, veluxe, etc. refer to finishes, which is basically the way the shadow looks. Mattes are matte, lustres are sparkly, frosts are frosty/shimmery, etc.

Here's the breakdown from MAC:

FROST
An iridescent shine that adds a highlight to any colour.

LUSTRE
Smoothly pearlized; intensely frosted with deluxe ultra-fine "conditioned" finish.

MATTE
Hi-colour pay-off in a no-shine matte finish.

SATIN
Pure colour in a satin-style finish. Provides a soft subtle non-frost, light-refractive sheen.

VELUXE
Superfine pigment rich and very luxe. Supple to apply. Provides silky smooth matte finish.

VELUXE PEARL
Vibrantly-toned. Velvety soft. Shimmeringly metallic. Veluxe eye shadow, now overlaid with high-shine pearl.

VELVET
Soft look finish with high-colour intensity. Has a plush velvety look and feel.

thats so perfect thank you so much!

Anyone know some colors that are labeled as "velvet"? I can't think of any of the colors I own or that I've seen with such a classification. Hmmm... Now I wanna go search my collection.

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--Caitlin

trax, beauthmarked, sketch,stomp, contrast, vanilla, biter, vapour, juiced, textured, smut, mulch, black tied.

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Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it
Psalm 139:14

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http://www.pleasantfaces.com/index.html

Thanks!!!! I have Trax and Vanilla, I just didn't realize they were velvets. Makes sense though. They do feel really nice. Thanks for giving me a list to look at, that was really sweet!

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--Caitlin

Not to be a bummer, but I'd love to add to the above MAC list that Lustres are almost always dry and chunky and prone to falling apart/onto cheeks and that Mattes are almost impossible to blend The new Frosts that came out with Madame B are incredible, though.. I've been converted from a Stila fanatic to a MAC junkie since then!

As a tip for blending mattes: Don't use a "wet" base like a paint, I like to use a shadestick so the color goes on smoother. A brush like 224 will give a gorgeous air brushed look with mattes. Try not to use goat haired brushes because then mattes get harder to blend. (but these brushes are awesome for frosts, etc.)

Lustres are... bleh. They are pretty to look at in the pan, but application wise, are only really nice for smaller, intense patches of color like your inner lid, etc.

I agree about the lustres, such pretty colours, but they make a mess, and never stay put all day. I have even tried over paints or an e/s base and they just don't work for me. My favorites are the veluxe or veluxe pearl. They are the easiest to work with.

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:holysheep:

I've never met a lipgloss I didn't lick

if you go to nordstroms.com, they break the shadows into groups by the textures. so you can see what colors are what textures.