You can do it: purple versus the black smokey eye

One look, two shades, with a totally different feel. 

A heft of bravery or a hankering for passion. Which path will you choose?

Black

Chanel's Mirifique

Chanel's Mirifique

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Purple

Chanel's Diapason

Chanel's Diapason

In both looks I applied Mirifique and Diapason in the exact same manner. It's amazing to see the differences in intensity.

Which one is it - black or purple?

Five Playful Pressed Purples by MAC

During my years at Suffolk University I became a creature of habit with my schedule.  On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays you would typically find me in class, studying or reading US Weekly with Diana and MB in an attempt to pass the time whilst we "worked".  Whenever I walked to South Station in lieu of hopping on the T, I tried to make a pit stop at Filene's in order to check out the latest collections at MAC, Benefit and Stila.

I quickly developed a penchant for purple shadows, thus kicking off my addiction to makeup in general. Velvet, frost, satin, veluxe pearl or matte -- you name it, I have it :)

  • Plum was the first taste of purple for me.  It was released by MAC somewhere between 2004 and early 2006.  My weekly visits kind of meld together, but I seem to remember Plum being released within a butterfly themed collection.  Plum is a beautiful aubergine hue with the subtlest hint of shimmer.
  • Petalescent was purchased as a complimentary base for Plum to mingle and chill with. This particular formula is a satin shadow and makes me think of a purple-y dusty rose shade.
  • Creme de Violet is a purple laden with golden shimmer and undertones of magenta.  Yet another playmate of Plum's.
  • If a true purple isn't your thing, you can always opt for Trax -- a golden purple with reddish brown undertones.
  • Zeal is the big sister to Miss Creme de Violet.  Zeal is a rosy pinkish purple with golden shimmer.

I've totally dated myself by featuring three shades which are no longer available for purchase via MAC's website. Oh and I did a bit more digging, Plum was released with the Madame B collection in 2005.

Which purple shades are your favourite?  Too bad MAC didn't do a much bigger vault release.