Hey there beauty lovers! Today we’re diving into one of the most anticipated eyeshadow palette releases of the year – the MAC Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette in the fiery Future Flame color story. As a longtime MAC fan and eyeshadow aficionado, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this baby and put it to the test.
I’ve spent the last few weeks playing with Future Flame, creating all kinds of looks, and gathering my thoughts. I’ve also scoured reviews from other beauty addicts to see what the consensus is. So let’s break down everything you need to know about this hot new palette and whether it’s worth the hype!
First Impressions
When I first laid eyes on promo pics of Future Flame, I was mesmerized by the color story. This palette is serving up major summer sizzle with its curated mix of scorching oranges, smoldering coppers, spicy reds, and rich warm browns. It looked like the ultimate sunset-inspired shadow collection.
The packaging is equally fire. The palette comes encased in a luxe-feeling orange and gold ombré compact with a nice big mirror inside. It’s sturdy and weighty in the hand, yet slim enough to travel with easily.
MAC definitely nailed it with the external presentation. But of course, it’s what’s on the inside that really counts. So how do the eyeshadows themselves perform?
The Formula
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room first – there have been some complaints in reviews about inconsistencies in the formula, with certain shades being drier, stiffer, and sheerer than others. And I have to agree, the quality isn’t 100% consistent across the board.
Most of the mattes are pretty smooth, blendable, and pack good pigment. But a couple of them (particularly the lightest peach shade) take more building up and blending to get an even application. The dark brown is also on the drier side and kicks up excess powder.
As for the shimmers, again there are a few standouts and a few subtle duds. The pop of gold and the rich orange copper are absolutely stunning – creamy, metallic, opaque, the whole shebang. But one or two of the other shimmers are a bit chunky and crumbly, with more sparse micro-glitter than a rich shimmer.
So while the formula isn’t perfect, I don’t find the inconsistencies a deal breaker, personally. With a light hand, some patience, and the right brushes and primers, you can still get the shades to work. Just know there may be a learning curve to get the most out of certain colors.
The Color Story & Versatility
Inconsistencies aside, I am utterly obsessed with the color selection and the looks you can create with Future Flame. As I mentioned, you’ve got a delicious mix of orangey, coppery, red-toned hues that are giving me total Heart of Lightness from The Lion King vibes. Can you feel the love tonight?
The palette has a nice balance of mattes and shimmers, with a good gradient from light to dark. You can easily put together a soft summery daytime look using the lighter peachy and brown mattes, or smoke things out with the rich shimmers for a sultry sunset eye. It’s also easy to incorporate pops of the burnt orange and crimson hues for something more editorial.
Basically, you’ve got tons of combinations to play with, from barely-there fresh to full-on spicy glam. The palette is a dream for warm-toned lovers and would be particularly stunning on deeper skin tones. But I think anyone can find something that works for them.
I will say, while it’s super versatile in terms of the looks you can create, the colors are very curated and distinctly warm. So if you like a broader mix of tones in your palettes, or aren’t a fan of reddish shadows, this may not be for you.
Applying & Blending
We’ve already covered that some shades take more effort to blend than others. But in general, I didn’t find this palette difficult to apply and work with. The kickback from the drier mattes is minimal, and the shimmers apply smoothly with a finger or a dampened flat brush.
One big reason Future Flame is relatively foolproof is that the shades are so harmonious. It’s hard to muddy things up by pairing the wrong colors together, because they all meld and layer so cohesively. The warm undertones really pull everything together, so you don’t get those jarring clashes some larger palettes are prone to.
Because some shades start off subtle, I do recommend using a good eyeshadow primer underneath to really grab the pigment and keep everything locked in place. But with a base, the colors adhere well and stay vibrant all day. Even the glitzier shades have way less fallout under the eyes compared to other shimmers I’ve tried.
Pigmentation & Payoff
Pigmentation is probably where reviews are most split on this palette, and understandably so. Like I mentioned earlier, some shades swatch a bit sheer or patchy, and need to be built up on the eyes. If you’re expecting instant intense color payoff across the board, you may be underwhelmed.
However, I think it’s important to remember that MAC shadows are designed with a “buildable payoff” ethos in mind. The idea is that you can start sheer and soft, and layer up for more intensity, rather than going full throttle right out the gate. So while these aren’t the most pigmented shadows on the market, I don’t think they’re trying to be.
With that said, most of the colors do end up looking rich and saturated on the eyes with a couple layers. The darker mattes in particular really deliver the drama when you want a deep smokey look. And a glitter glue or setting spray does wonders for amping up the shimmers.
At the end of the day, you may just have to adjust your expectations and application techniques with this palette rather than writing it off as low quality. The pigmentation is intentionally buildable, not instant or one-swipe.
Longevity & Wear
Here’s where Future Flame really shines, in my opinion – the wear time is incredible, especially for a palette with such rich, blendable formulas. With primer, these shadows seriously do not budge, crease, or fade on me all day (and I have extremely oily eyelids).
Normally with such warm, red-toned shadows, I get nervous about the colors turning muddy or morphing throughout the day as my natural oils mix with them. But these stay true and vibrant from morning to night, even through humidity and sweat. Major props to MAC for somehow creating oranges and burgundies that don’t oxidize.
The shimmers also retain their luminosity and sparkle without shedding glitter all over my face. I don’t get that dreaded disco ball fallout halfway through the day. Everything just stays where I put it, beautifully melded and glistening.
Value
MAC palettes continue to be a relatively premium price point compared to many brands at Sephora or Ulta. For an Ounces palette with this number of shades, you’re looking at spending around $45-65.
However, I do feel the sturdy packaging, large mirror, and carefully curated shade selection help justify the cost. This isn’t just another cheap plastic palette that feels like it’ll fall apart. It’s got that signature MAC quality where you can tell thought went into every detail.
In terms of price per shadow, it breaks down comparably to other high-end brands like Urban Decay or Too Faced. And you’re getting good sized pans that will last a while, even with frequent use. So while it’s an investment, I do believe it’s worth the splurge if the color story speaks to you.
All in all, as long as you’re not expecting the world’s most intensely pigmented rainbow palette, I think Future Flame offers good value for what it is – a luxurious, warm-toned capsule collection with endless looks in one sleek compact.
The Bottom Line
The MAC Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette in Future Flame is a stunningly curated collection of spicy-meets-sultry shades that is sure to set any warm-toned lover’s heart ablaze. No, it’s not the most pigmented or consistent palette in the world. But what it lacks in instant opacity, it makes up for in blend-ability, versatility, and beautiful color pairings.
If you’re a die-hard colorful shadow fan who needs majorly bright, bold pigment, this likely won’t make your favorites list. The buildable formula and narrower color story just won’t scratch that itch if you prefer a bolder look.
However, if you love a good warm smokey eye in shades of orange and burgundy, and want a compact palette with endless options for soft or smoldering looks, Future Flame could be your new summer staple. The shadows layer and wear beautifully throughout long, hot days, and the luxe packaging feels well worth the price tag.
Personally, as someone who loves a good “sunset eye” and values wearability over pure pigment, I’ve fallen head over heels for the palette and have been wearing it non-stop. The mix of scorching mattes and mesmerizing metallics never fails to make me feel fiery and confident.
So while I totally understand the mixed reviews, and agree the formula has some minor weaknesses, I still consider Future Flame a must-have for the dog days of summer. If you’re even remotely drawn to the color story, I highly recommend heading to your nearest MAC counter to swatch it in person and see the magic firsthand.
Because let’s be real – even if it takes an extra minute to blend out some of the lighter shades, the end result is straight up fire, honey. I’ll be rocking Future Flame all season long, and I have a feeling you’ll be just as lit once you give it a go.
Stay spicy and keep serving those sizzling summer lewks, loves. Until next time, xoxo!
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