A Tartan Tale Smoky Thrillseekers Glitter/Pigment Set Review and Swatches

The A Tartan Tale Smoky Thrillseekers tin (Gah! Fingerprints, sorry!)

How much do I love this set from MAC's A Tartan Tale holiday collection? I love this holiday collection to pieces (it's the combination of make-up, rock & roll and Scotland) and I don't think I've ever spent this much time and money on a single collection before!

This is the Smoky Thrillseekers Pigments/Glitter set, part of my latest (will it be my last?) haul, one of three pigment/glitter sets available in the A Tartan Tale collection. I was drawn to it immediately since most of the pigments it contains I've had my eye on for a long time but have never purchased.

Each pigment/glitter set contains one glitter and four pigments in tiny glass vials with screw-off lids. They're housed in adorable tartan metal tins emblazoned with a gold MAC crest.

A look inside.

The pigments and glitter are sent into a plastic display container that can be kept inside the tin or removed. The tin can be reused for whatever you like, and believe me, this little baby is going to be be used by me! I'm a sucker for tartan!


Included in Smoky Thrillseekers are the pigments Naked (Permanent), Jigs & Jives (Limited Edition), Black Brown (Permanent), Dark Soul (Permanent) and the glitter Reflects Blackened Red (Permanent).


Pretty little vials, all in a row!

L-R: Naked, Jigs & Jives, Black-Brown, Dark Soul and Blackened Red

And then I jumbled up the order to take this photo, oops.

L-R: Reflects Blackened Red, Naked, Black Brown, Jigs & Jives and Dark Soul

See these glorious colours? Tones of dark red, blues, blacks, metallic taupe and warm fleshtones. Loads of shimmer too! Let's look at them one by one.



Reflects Blackened Red (Glitter)

Reflects Blackened Red Reflects (Limited Edition): Cranberry Glitter says MAC. To me it looks more like an orangey dark red/maroon, and pardon the mental image but it makes me think of dried blood. Very pretty and sparkly dried blood from a vampire, of course. It’s tiny micro-glitter and gives a whole bunch of different tones depending on how you look at it -






I tipped over the vial with my finger over the opening to get some of the glitter on my fingertip. I swatched my inside arm and took a photo of my fingertip with the product still on it for these photos as well as the swatch photos.

Swatched on my arm (NC15 skintone)

I admit that I'm not 100% sure how I will be using this, but it's glitter and glitter doesn't come into my day-to-day beauty looks. I'll have to do some research into how I could use this. Anyone have any tips?



Dark Soul (pigment)

Dark Soul (Permanent): Charcoal black smoked with gold according to MAC. I see dark blue and silver and grey. This is GORGEOUS and I've wanted it for awhile. Pigments are a tough purchase for me since I know I will never finish a bottle. They give you such dramatic effect but you use so little of these it's unreal. That's why I love these holiday pigment sets so much. The vials are teeny and seem so much more usable than the regular sizes.

Dark Soul on my finger

See, it's a glimmery silvery black-grey with hints of blackened navy and gold. This would look smashing in a smoky eye look. It's like the night sky.



L-R: Blackened Red Reflects glitter and Dark Soul pigment



Blue-Brown Pigment

Blue-Brown Pigment (Permanent): Brown with blue-green pearl. This is the pigment version of Club eyeshadow, which I'm currently in love with. This pigment reminds me of gasoline and the wings of insects. It's stunning.



Blue-Brown on my finger

This shade is red with blue-green iridescence and will pop on any skintone and with any eye colour. I love the iridescence of Blue-Brown; it looks red-brown at some angles and then flashes green at other angles.

L-R: Dark Soul pigment and Blue-Brown pigment



Jigs & Jives Pigment



Jigs & Jives (Limited Edition): Naked taupe. Named especially for this collection, this is a gorgeous metallic neutral that could be easily used as a highlighter on medium skintones. Jill's lusting after this shade, she's a sucker for metallic neutrals.

Jigs & Jives on my finger

L-R: Blue-Brown pigment and Jigs & Jives pigment

Naked (permanent): Fleshtone shimmer. A soft golden fleshtone pigment that makes a great highlight colour or a soft and lovely natural colour to wear all over your eye. 

Naked Pigment

This shade is wearable on every skintone, that's how soft and natural it is. I own this in the original size packaging and I wear it a lot. Dust it all over your cheekbones for a touch of shimmer and on your browbone for a natural glow.

Naked on my finger

L-R: Jigs & Jives and Naked

I love, love, love this set!!! (can you tell?)

C.