These non-stop collections are getting out of hand. The only breathing room [for me] was between Danse and Ballonacy. Fortunately for me, I have very specific notions of what interest me, primarily eye colors, and beyond that a product has to be beautiful and unique to warrent me purchasing it. I think a lot of this comes down to people needing to become [more] discerning customers.
One thing that has begun to irk me about some of these collections is the gimicky nature of the products, like the Mineralize Eyeshadows. I am going to look into them, but I fail to see how swirling 3 colors together, baking it, and charging $16-$17 for one is somehow better or althogether different than making a normal eye shadow for $14.
I think the Mineralize Eyeshadows are perfect example of how general consumer v. artist driven MAC has become. Don't get me wrong, I love MAC, but honestly, what professional makeup artist is going to cart around these oversized, delicate mineralize shadows and use them on a client? The LE nature of these collections appeals to the general consumer, not an artist. If I were a professional makeup artist, how could I afford to stock my kit with LE items that I won't be able to find 3 months from now? It only then makes since that the Pro Line extension is permenant.
Anyway, I get the feeling that as soon as I swatch these colors on my hand they are going to look like shadows in the perm. collection. Already some of the swatches in the Flastronic thread look like Cranberry, Fade, and Sumptious Olive. And I the only who sees this?
Another gimicky item are the Lip Gelees. People, they are sheer, nearly completely sheer, with the tiniest bit of color, and yet there are 2 dozen different shades, not to mention LE shades. I will admitt, the texture is smooth, some have slight shimmer, and they might give a diff. look than clear gloss (and def. a different feel than the MAC Clear Lipglass), but considering they are so sheer, why make so many shades? Really wouldn't 3 or 4 be fine? And at $14 a pop, is it really wise to spend money on multiple Lip Gelees in the C-Shock collection when you could get the more unique eye shadows and lipsticks featured in the collection? Especially when you have already expressed your need to save for other upcoming collections?
The same is true of the Tendertones. They are pots lip balm. That is it. I remember one MA trying to interest me in them, and I gave her a cold, "You must be kidding" look. I go to MAC because they make unique products that other companies don't, and yet they are releasing glorified lip balm?
I also feel that a lot of this is just MAC Addicts getting caught up in the hype that is MAC about every product. Don't get me wrong, I love MAC. I have a what most would consider a large collection, and I love everything that I have, but I think that there is some unfair and unnecessary hype about a lot of their products, and if people could just see that other companies make similar and better products that are permenant then they could save some money on the LE items.
Take for example the glitter eye khol liners from Ballonacy and previous collections. Urban Decay (and Sephora too) has been making glitter eyeliners for the longest, and they are permenant, so why rush out and get MAC's simply because they are LE and you are afraid you will never get them if you don't get them now?
Or what about everyone's excitment about Novel Twist. Folks, check out the color stories, these Norstrom Exclusives are always dull and boring and full of repromotes of perm. colors! The lip palettes are a joke (but I don't like lip palettes to begin with, so I am biased) and the eye shadow palettes have 6 colors where 4 are perm. collection colors and 2 are LE, but can easily be duped by anything in the perm. collection. There are the travel brushes, but if you can't get them now, you can always get them are Christmas. These travel brush sets are promoted twice a year, every year. So what is the point? And yet everytime I come onto Specktra the Novel Twist thread has been bumped by some new post. I am baffled.
Now if you are truely a MAC Collector, I understand and totally respect that. I think it is very cool that some people were collecting MAC when I was still in diapers. When I look at the sheer amount of stuff MAC has come out with, I am almost overwhelmed, and def. respect (and envy to some extent) anyone who has a large collection of products, palettes and postcards dating back to the early, mid, and late 90s. But for the rest of us, who love makeup, and love MAC, who own a lot, but far from everything, but who relish in each new collection (myself included) but also have to set bugetary limits, please take off the must-by-everything blinders. We are feeding this cycle of non-stop collections that we resent, and honestly, some of these product aren't worth our dollars.
