The Naturally collection is a fantasia on neutrals. MAC periodically revists this genre — their most beloved interpretation was probably 2008′s N Collection.

Naturally’s promo picture reminds me of a passage from Wuthering Heights: “bees humming dreamily about among the bloom, and the larks singing high up overhead, and the blue sky and bright sun shining steadily and cloudlessly.” It’s a quiet collection, but worth your attention.

Starting with the lips, there are four lipsticks ($14.50). A Perfect Day (Amplified Creme) is a muted, dusty, mauvey pink. Beach Sand (Cremesheen) is a warm tan, a rose-beige-brown. I think J.Crew might sell a knitted sweater in just this color. Sweet Sunrise (Lustre) is a pale, warm pink. Pillow Talk (Cremesheen, and a repromote from the Overnight Sensation Lip Bag in Nordstrom’s 2011 Anniversary Collection) is a warm, rosy brown.

There are also four Lipglass lipglosses ($14.50). Wee Coquette (originally released as a mini in 2010′s Tartan Tale and repromoted in MAC Me Over) is a very pale white-pink with silver sparkles. Fresh Air is warm, sheer pink with multicolored sparkles. Naked Space (a repromote from Neo Sci-Fi) is a soft orange with gold multicolored sparkles. Hot Spell is a warm, burned caramel with multicolored sparkles. All of the lipsticks and glosses are limited edition.

There are three new mineralize blushes ($22, limited edition). Subtle Breeze is a cool, candied rose. Fresh Honey is sherbet orange. Early Morning (my favorite) is a tropical red papaya, a sunrise color with a slight sheen.

Here are heavy swatches.

In what I think was a brilliant move, MAC also repromoted two Mineralize Skinfinish powders with this collection. Redhead and Blonde were two fabulous products to come out of a fabulous collection called Blonde, Brunette, Redhead. Redhead is peach with gold shimmer (and is the slightly more sparkly/shimmery of the two); Blonde is warm pink with a silvery sheen. These might be sheer blushes or highlighters, depending on your complexion. They are $28 each.

There are a handful of Mineralize Eyeshadows ($20). Daylight is a shimmery violet. In the Sun is a shimmery tomato with pale gold sparkles. Summer Haze is frosty peach-pink. The aptly named Cloudy Afternoon is a soft, cloudy, shimmery silver-grey. Twilight Falls is a gently sparkly, almost bruisey black-plum.

The collection also repromotes two permanent Eye Pencils ($14). I didn’t swatch Ebony because it’s black, but I thought you might not have seen Coffee. It’s a dark cool brown.

And last but not least, there’s a new brush in the collection. The 286 is $30 and it’s like a duo-fibre 224. It’s a ponytail fluffy blending brush. Black-and-white fibers usually mean a more sheer application of color (for example, the 187 or 188 stippling brushes might be good blush brushes if you have a heavy hand). Speaking of the 187, it’s repromoted in this collection, at its regular price of $42.

MAC has three “Make It Perfect” brush sets available, each $49.50, and each packaged in a clear plastic bag with a round silver decoration.

The brushes have clear lucite handles with silver sparkles (but they’re solid; the sparkles don’t float).

The Essential brush kit includes the 129 blush brush, the 190 foundation brush, the 275 angled eyeshadow brush, the 226 tapered crease brush, and the 266 angled eyeliner brush.

The Special Edition brush kit includes the 167 bronzer brush, 168 angled blush brush, 212 tightlining/flat eyeliner brush, the 239 eyeshadow laydown brush, and the 217 fluffy blender.

And perhaps most excitingly, there’s a Mineralize brush kit, which includes a 187 large duo-fiber/skunk/stippling brush, 130 short stippling brush (especially great for cream blush, I hear), 282 duo-fiber eyeshadow laydown brush, and 286 duo-fiber blending brush.

If you don’t have a Nordstrom counter nearby, and you’d like to help me thank/support the counter that lets me swatch, please visit or call the Nordstrom MAC counter at the Dallas Galleria. Their number is 972-702-0055 — and if you’re ordering over the phone, ask for Kenitha (and see if she can’t help you on shipping).

Before we jump in, let me explain: there’s a collection called Colourizations that launches everywhere (all counters and free-standing stores) on August 4th. That collection includes the Double Feature eyeshadow duos, repromoted Technakohl liners, Zoom Lash mascara, the 222 tapered blending brush, and the 275 angled eyeshadow brush.

Nordstrom (in the United States, and The Bay in Canada) got the chance to sell these items early. So the eyeshadow duos (and the repromoted permanent items) are rolled into this Anniversary (Cine-matics) collection. The OTHER Cine-matics items (lip bags, brush sets, “makeup lesson” palettes) are exclusive to Nordstrom and will not be sold anywhere else.

So let’s talk about these totally fantastic eyeshadow duos ($25). They are magnetized, clear-topped compacts in the style of MAC’s new quads — but they’re half the size. I’ve heard a rumor that later this year, MAC will be selling empty two-pan palettes alongside their empty quads (and pro pans).

Anyway, these duos were explained to me as a bridge between spring/summer and fall/winter (each duo containing one summer color and one fall color). The pigmentation and texture of almost every pair is excellent. Unfortunately, the shades are not individually named (actually, I was lucky to be able to track down the finishes of each shade). I’m still working on putting names to shades, and will update this post if I learn more.

Double Feature 1 contains a gently frosty dirty yellow (Veluxe Pearl) and a satin/frost royal purple (Frost). Double Feature 2 includes a soft-frost lime (Veluxe Pearl) and a a satin, midnight-blue-charcoal (Frost). I was surprised to LOVE Double Feature 3, a matte turquoise (Matte) paired with a matte dark brown taupe (Satin). Both shades are very pigmented and very smooth. I’m tempted, even though I’d probably only use the turquoise as a liner. Double Feature 4 offers a frosty teal (Veluxe Pearl) and a matte camel (Matte).

Double Feature 5 includes a satin ballet-pink (Frost) and a red-brown that reflects sea-green shimmers (Frost). Double Feature 6 is my other favorite, with a matte mushroom/bisque (Matte) and a frosty golden brown (Veluxe Pearl). Double Feature 7 includes a matte fuchsia with ultra-tiny blue sparkles (Frost) and a slightly dry-feeling near-black matte/satin (Satin). Double Feature 8 includes a soft-frost bold tangerine (Frost) and a chalky-but-pretty grey-blue-purple satin (Satin).

Non-North-American markets will not get the Double Feature eyeshadow duos. INSTEAD, they will get empty duo compacts plus pro pan shadows in:

• Performance Art (new, Veluxe Pearl)
• Indie Spirit (new, Matte)
• Vintage Bloom (new, Frost)
• Raving Mad (new, Frost)
• Dressing Room (new, Veluxe Pearl)
• Waterfront (new, Veluxe Pearl)
• Green Room (new, Satin)
• Medallions (Veluxe Pearl)
• Naval (Matte)
• Bows & Curtseys (Satin)
• Look at the Eyes (Frost)
• Melt My Heart (Veluxe Pearl, a silver that appeared in one of the Tartan Tale palettes)
• Lucky Green (Frost)
• Soft Brown (Matte)
• Amber Lights (Frost)
• Naked Lunch (Frost)
• Embark (Matte)
• Shadowy Lady (Matte)
• White Frost (Frost)
• Mystery (Satin)
• Nylon (Frost)
• Purple Haze (Matte)
• Scene (Satin)
• Brule (Satin)

And then, if that weren’t complicated enough, Duty Free shops will receive six “On Screen” duos, which do not correspond to the Double Features duos:

• Duo 1 (Medallions, Veluxe Pearl + Scene, Satin)
• Duo 2 (Amber Lights, Frost + Indie Spirit, Matte)
• Duo 3 (Performance Art, Veluxe Pearl + Mystery, Satin)
• Duo 4 (Look at the Eyes, Frost + Purple Haze, Matte)
• Duo 5 (Waterfront, Veluxe Pearl + Naval, Matte)
• Duo 6 (Naked Lunch, Frost + Embark, Matte)

I know this is a lot to take in at once, but I want you to be prepared, no matter where you live and shop. And I’m still trying to correctly pair those new shade names with the shadows I swatched.

Okay, getting back on track. This collection repromotes the Technakohl liners ($15, mechanical eyeliners), but I didn’t realize they were part of the collection until too late. I’ll try to go back and swatch these — though Graphblack and Photogravure appear later in this post. (Repromoted shades: Graphblack, Photogravure, Purple Dash, Auto-de-blu, Uniform, and Jade Way.)

Also repromoted are Zoom Lash mascara ($15), the 222 tapered blending brush ($29), and the 275 angled eyeshadow brush ($24.50).

There are two brush sets (Cine-matics Brush Musts). Each is $49.50, in a zip-top, extruded-diamond-shaped soft bag.

The Face brush set includes the 187 (large skunk/stippling brush; black and red bristles), a 190 (foundation brush; magenta bristles), the 168 (angled blush brush; yellow bristles), and the 194 (concealer brush; green bristles).

The second brush set is called the “All Over” brush set… I’d think of it as eye brushes + blush brush. It contains the 227 (eyeshadow laydown/concealer brush; blue bristles), the 129 (blush brush; dark purple bristles; this one had just come out of its brush guard, so the bristles aren’t fluffed out yet), 219 (pencil brush; yellow bristles), 224 (fluffy blending brush; red bristles), and 266 (angled eyeliner; green bristles, though they didn’t photograph very dramatically).

There are four “Triple Feature” lip bags (the bags are the same diamond-shape as the brush bags, but not as long, and they have different colored piping). Each bag contains a Cremesheen lipstick, a Dazzleglass Creme lipgloss, and a full-sized Cremestick Liner (mechanical lip liner). Each set is $38.

Overnight Sensation Lip Bag contains Pillowtalk lipstick (deep, nude, warm/rosy brown), Overnight Sensation Dazzleglass Creme lipgloss (deep, nude, warm/rosy brown — even rosier than Pillowtalk — with subtle sparkles), and Creamola lipliner (warm brown).

It’s a Girl Lip Bag contains Innocence Beware lipstick (pale pink, repromoted from Venemous Villains), It’s a Girl Dazzleglass Creme (pale pink with silver sparkles), and Creme O’ Spice lipliner (muted mauvey-rose).

Nude Scene lip Bag contains Nude Scene lipstick (pale peach), Lightly Prancing Dazzleglass Creme (pale peach-beige with gold sparkles, repromoted from Tartan Tale), and Sublime Culture lipliner (muted, neutral, deep “natural” pink).

I regret that I wasn’t able to fit all four lip bags on one arm, but Reel Drama is my prediction for best seller of the group.

It contains Reel Drama lipstick (mauve-rose), Scenestealer Dazzleglass Creme (papaya coral with silver sparkles), and Softwood lipliner (deep, muted wine-rose-brown). It’s the only lip bag where the lipstick doesn’t match the lipgloss.

Lastly, there are two “Makeup Lessons,” all-in-one smoky-eye palettes (with step-by-step instructions in English and French) in black and brown. Each kit is $49.50, and contains three eyeshadows, a 212 tightlining brush, a 275 angled eyeshadow brush, a full-size Technakohl (mechanical) eyeliner, and a mini Zoom Lash mascara. The makeup lessons are printed on the paper sleeve, and each compact has a big mirror in the lid.

Here are the lessons, in case you lose your paper sleeve (click to view at full size so you can actually read it):

And here are the swatches:

Carbon is matte black (always somewhat chalky). Ambience is medium grey satin with a very few, very tiny silver sparkles. It’s also kind of chalky. Bisque is a pinkish off-white matte. Graphblack Technakohl is black.

Sable is warm red-bronzey brown frost. Showstopper is dark, very cool brown taupe (I believe this shade debuted in the Diana Ross collection. I saw it repromoted in All Ages All Races All Sexes, and it was included in one of the Tartan Tale palettes. I’m sad to say it felt a little chalky this time). Retrospeck is pale gold shimmer (I’d forgotten what a pretty color this is). Photogravure Technakohl is dark, cool brown.

I thought we could start by talking about the totally amazing new mineralize eyeshadows, the lips, and the brushes in this collection.

MAC has come such a long way with their mineralize shadows. Three years ago, mineralize shadows could be chunky, glittery, and sometimes needed a little extra help to adhere to your skin. MAC has really improved the formula since those days, and these shadows are dazzling. I swatched these dry, without any kind of base or primer, and I couldn’t believe the smooth texture, the complexity, and pigmentation they delivered.

Mineral Mode is a frosty pink (that reflects white/silver). Unsurpassable is a complex, dirty sea green (sea blue-green) with blue and gold sparkles. Jade’s Fortune is a somewhat-sheer grey-blue-purple with tiny multicolored purple-blue-gold-green sparkles. Hint of Sapphire is periwinkle (light blue-purple) with tiny multicolored blue-pink-purple sparkles. Clarity looks like a butterfly’s wing in the pan, and is just as magical on the skin. It’s somewhat sheer, blue-grey with green and blue sparkles. It conceptually reminded me of the second shade in the Surf the Ocean pigment stack; grey at one angle, magical fairy green at another.

Golden Gaze is a very smooth, frosty antiqued (browned, almost olive) metallic gold. Faux Gold is orange shimmer with tiny gold multicolored sparkles. Quartz Fusion is bright pink frost with slightly bigger silver sparkles. Rare Find is purple taupe shimmer with tiny multicolored sparkles. Blue Sheen is insane. It’s intense, smooth sapphire shimmer. It looks like one solid color, but in sunlight you can see it’s full of tiny blue and pink sparkles. Dark Indulgence is an intense, blackened green shimmer. Smoked Ruby is a smooth, deep, red-brown frost. Each of these is $20.

There are four lipsticks ($14.50 each). Lush Amber is a sheer warm beige pink. I found the color to be nudifying, but sheer on my lips. Gem of Roses is flamingo pink. One of a Kind is a sheer berry mauve. Musky Amethyst is deep red-wine-purple with red sparkles.

There are five Cremesheen Glass lipglosses ($18.50 each). Pure Magnificence is milky white-pink. Natural Flare is nude peach tan with tiny shimmers. Geo Pink is red coral with tiny shimmers. Looks Like Sin (a repromote) is browned red berry, or raisin rose. Richly Revered is browned purple berry, or browned plum.

Oh. Em. Gee. The brushes. MAC created four limited edition brushes for this collection, and I could have stood in the store petting them all day — they are so ludicrously soft and lovely.  Like Batman villain Two-Face, each one is one thing on one side and something else on the other.

The natural hairs are for powder products; the synthetic are for wet/cream products (but hey, use them as you see fit!) — both are super soft. For a closer look at the head shape of each brush, click to view the image at full size.

The 234 is a long-ish shadow/concealer brush (whose shape reminds me most of the 194 concealer brush, I think). It’s $22.50.

The 235 is an eyeshadow laydown brush, $30.

The 128 is a blush brush, slightly smaller and denser than the 129 blush brush. It’s $32.

The 179 is an angled buffer, $47.

Tomorrow: part 2 of the collection!

The collection includes two tortoiseshell eyeshadow palettes (each $60, with 8 shadows). The compact opens to reveal the top four shades, and a drawer slides forward to reveal the second four.

There are also two new limited edition Rich Lip Color SPF 12 lipsticks (my new favorite formula) — $22 each. The third lipstick you see in the display is Bare Pink. And there are three High Shimmer Lipglosses (also $22 each).

Finally, the collection includes an adorable cigarette-case-style mini brush set ($55).

The display also holds Lash Glamour mascara (repromote) and Caviar gel eyeliner (repromote).

My sales associates said they’d recommend the Sand eyeshadow palette for folks who wear Bobbi foundations in shade 3.5 or lighter. The shades are Ivory (matte, soft bright white), Hot Stone (matte chocolate milk taupe), Terracotta (new for this palette; matte peach), Desert Sand (new for this palette; a Metallic shadow; shimmery beige pink), Antique Rose (new for this palette; a sweet, matte, muted warm pink), Black Chocolate (a matte near-black), Sandy Rose (new for this palette; a Metallic shadow; shimmery mauve), and Gold Bar (a Sparkle shadow; sparkly/shimmery warm white-gold).

My sales associates recommended the Bronze palette for folks who are foundation shades 4 and darker. Bronze contains Banana (matte, muted manila-mustard yellow), Gold Nugget (new for this palette; a Sparkle shadow; sheerish, sparkly shimmer, very yellow gold), Olive (new for this palette; a Sparkle shadow; olive-brown sparkly shimmer), Bronze (new for this palette; a Metallic shadow; warm, frosty, light cocoa), Tiger Eye (new for this palette; a Metallic shadow; more “tiger” than “tiger eye,” a orangey, gingery shimmery copper), Espresso (a matte near-black), Copper Cocoa (a Shimmer Wash shadow; deep, warm, brown shimmer), and Amber (new for this palette; a Shimmer Wash shadow; apricot with sparkly gold shimmer).

Soft Nude is a mauvey rose. Twig is warm red brown. Bare Sparkle is a clear/sheer beige pink with yellow and silver sparkles. Beach is beige rose brown with pink and yellow sparkles. Citrus is bright warm pink with tons of pink and yellow sparkles (it’s the sparkliest of three sparkly glosses).

The brush set is a very slim leatherette case containing a mini blush brush, a mini eye sweep brush, a mini angled eye brush, and a mini ultra fine eyeliner brush.

Sam’s brush line, Real Techniques, delivered on my expectations. The prices are quite reasonable (especially with a coupon and/or a buy-one-get-one-half-off sale — Real Techniques is sold exclusively by Ulta), and the brush bristles are very soft (taklon bristles, which means they’re also cruelty-free). The handles are aluminum, and the back end of the handles are flat (so you can stand them up if you need to switch brushes mid-application). The sets are packaged in carrying cases with a velcro closure, and by shortening the nylon strap, you can fold the case backwards into a brush stand. The only trouble I had was wrestling the rubberized end of the brush handles past the elastic.

Sam also made a series of tutorial videos specifically for the Real Techniques site. Some just introduce the brushes, some are step-by-step guides for a specific look, but they’re very nice for giving you a clearer view of the size and shape of the brushes, in case you don’t have an Ulta nearby. (So far I’ve only seen the Travel Essentials set in my local Ulta… I assume the other pieces of the collection have yet to arrive.)

The line includes:

• powder brush, $9.99
• angled foundation brush, $7.99
• shading brush (I would call this a small eyeshadow laydown brush), $5.99
• lash and brow groomer, $5.99
• blush brush, $8.99
• stippling brush (which looks like MAC’s short, dense skunk brush, the 130), $9.99
• angled kabuki brush, $9.99

Then there are the sets:

• Core Collection (aka face brushes), $15.99. The brushes in this set are not sold individually. The set includes a “contour brush” (which in pictures, looks sort of like a MAC 165 highlighting brush), a pointed foundation brush (which seems a bit small), a “detailer” brush (for concealer; doubles as a lip brush), and a buffing brush.
• Starter Set (aka eye brushes), $15.99. This set contains a “base shadow brush” (from the videos, it looks like this brush might have a slightly different shape from the individual “shading brush,” but they’d serve the same purpose), a deluxe crease brush (for crease and/or blending), accent brush (a small eyeshadow laydown brush ideal for adding some drama to your outer V), “pixel point” eyeliner brush, and angled brow brush.
• Travel Essentials, $15.99. This set includes the essential foundation brush (which, from the videos, looks like it could be slightly wider than the pointed foundation brush in the Core Collection), a domed shadow brush (which looks similar to the “base shadow brush” from the Starter Set and individual “shading brush”), and a “multi-task” brush for blush, bronzer, and powder (which looks wider, more rounded than the individually sold, somewhat egg-shaped blush brush).

Are these brushes must-haves? I won’t be throwing away any of my current brushes, but Real Techniques seems like a good way to fill in gaps in your brush collection. A nice foundation or powder brush can be pricey, so I always appreciate a solid drugstore option. I am looking forward to finally seeing the whole collection face-to-face… the Core Collection looks pretty tempting online.

This year, MAC has done something a little different with their bags: they’ve turned them into purses, and each one comes with a strap so you can wear it cross-body. Even if you’re not a small-purse person yourself, you probably have a younger sister/niece/cousin/friend who could put it to good use. I think the idea is adorable.

The brush sets are $49.50 each; each one includes five brushes.

Starting from the bottom of the display, She’s Got It All (Define & Line) brush bag includes the 224 fluffy blender, the 275 angled eyeshadow, the 194 concealer, the 266 angled liner, and the 204 spoolie (for combing brows — or combing lashes after mascara application, if you don’t use a metal lash comb). Also note that the She’s Got It All bag is a different shape than the other two.

Sweep Me Off My Feet (Sweep & Define) contains the 129 blush brush, the 190 foundation brush, the 227 large laydown eyeshadow brush (I learned to love this shape when I tried something similar in an Ecotools set), the 275 angled eyeshadow brush, and the 212 flat eyeliner brush (also called a “push” brush or a tightlining brush. Tightlining is applying eyeliner to your top lashes from the underside. It makes your lashes look fuller because you see less skin between the lashes).

A Lady and Her Tricks (Buff & Line) contains the 187 large skunk brush (good for applying liquid foundation… some use it for pigmented blush. Maybe you could even use it for applying highlighter to the cheekbones?). It also contains the 168 angled blush brush, the 252 eyeshadow brush, the 219 “pencil” brush (great for smudging color along the lashline… it’s also a dense crease brush, if you want a very defined crease), and the 209 eyeliner brush.

The collection includes a zippered “Denim & Rose” palette, three new click-pen, brush-tip “Face Highlighters,” a sparkle eyeshadow, a gel eyeliner, a shimmer lipgloss, a new shade of Extreme Party mascara, and a brush set. Everything is limited edition.

The palette is $60. It includes four eyeshadows: Navajo (a permanent shade) and Gray Denim (new to this palette) are Bobbi’s “regular,” matte eyeshadow formula.  When I swatched Pink Granite (Sparkle eyeshadow) I thought I’d seen it before… but my mind was playing tricks on me. The grey-pink shade is only similar to Moonlight in the Holiday 2009 Chrome Palette.  Dark Rinse (Shimmerwash eyeshadow) is a black-blue with sparkle.

Pink Rose blush (which I swatched at light-to-medium intensity) is a pretty mauvey pink.

And then the lip colors! Disregard the names, Cool Rose (Creamy Lip Color) is a pretty, warm pink with small, subtle sparkles. The two lipglosses, Iced Lilac and Hot Rose are really liquid, like someone squeezed lipgloss into a square pan and troweled it flat and even. Iced Lilac is not lilac; it’s a clear gloss with delicate silver sparkles (like a Bobbi Brown version of MAC’s Rock Out). Hot Rose could be applied more sheerly than I swatched it here. Indie Rose is a beautiful deep raspberry, and the model in the promo pic is purportedly wearing Indie Rose + Hot Rose. The lip colors were my favorite thing about the palette, and I generally hate lip stuff in palettes.

The “loose” items include the new Denim (Sparkle) eyeshadow — I assume this is regularly priced at $20. The shadow reminded me of the Metallic Cream Eyeshadows in Bobbi’s Beach collection: the color was complex (greyed blue with gold sparkle), but a lot of sparkle in not much pigment.

Denim Ink gel eyeliner is deep, sparkly, dark-wash denim. Bobbi recently discontinued her blue gel eyeliners (Cobalt, Sapphire, and Indigo), so it’s nice to see one sneaking back in. Denim is closest to Sapphire, but the colors aren’t identical. I assume Denim Ink is regular priced at $21.

There’s a Shimmer Lipgloss (with a brush wand): Raspberry. It’s rose with a fine silver shimmer. And there’s a limited edition shade of Extreme Party Mascara: Denim (of course). Lip glosses are regularly $20; Extreme Party Mascara is regularly $22.

The Face Highlighters are new ($32 each). They’re click pens with brush tips. Bronze is surprisingly dark. Opal is white with pink opalescence. It’s quite sheer; definitely a highlighter. Rose is actually more of a lilac. You’d probably use this on your cheeks.

Finally, there’s a brush set for $55. It contains a blush brush, an angled shadow brush, a flat, domed synthetic brush labeled eyeliner (but the bristles seem long?), and a lip brush.

The lip pencils are limited edition, and $13 each. Life’s a Breeze is bright, cool pink (like Barbie in Miami); Temperature Rising is panic orange.

The glosses are also $14 each. Easy Lounger is a really pretty beige pink with silver sparkle. Flurry of Fun is Tang orange with Tinkerbell green (and blue) sparkles. Splashing is opaque cool pink.

The Lustre Drops (liquid luminizers in puff-paint bottles) are $18.50 each. I first saw them in Style Warriors at around this time last year; To The Beach repromotes Pink Rebel and Sun Rush.

The Bronze Body Oil is $22, oil with bronzey glitter particles. It feels ever so slightly gritty when you rub it in, but, blended out it would be the perfect thing to rub over your arms, shoulders, and decollete before a night on the town someplace tropical.

To The Beach repromotes two brushes, the 130 ($38, a short, dense skunk, released with the Mineralize cream foundation — my friend Soaper1 says she likes it for cream blush) and the 131 ($40, a long, tapered skunk released with Colour Craft, intended for use with the MSFs). I took a bunch of pictures of these.





There’s also a To The Beach tote bag — it’s $49.50.

And then you also get a cork clutch; an eyeshadow laydown brush (not exactly like MAC’s 239, but the same basic idea); a flat, domed synthetic brush (most often used for concealer or other cream products); and a round, domed synthetic brush that I don’t understand at all.

The set is $20.

The brushes are made with a mix of natural and synthetic fibers, and I wouldn’t say you’d confuse them for a luxury brand with your eyes closed. But they’re very good brushes (convenient shapes and sizes, non-scratchy bristles) at an excellent price.

Sonia Kashuk is sold exclusively at Target.

There’s more to the Natural collection of course.  There’s also the Knock on Wood brush set (cork case, flat-top blush brush, weird round domed brush again, eyeshadow laydown, and a tightlining brush; $12.99); the Wooden Wonder Kabuki brush ($12.99); the Straight from Nature Foundation Brush ($16.99); the Straight From Nature Bamboo Powder Brush ($19.99); the Spring Awakening Eye and Lip Palette (three shadows, three lip glosses; $16.99); and finally the Straight from Nature Three-Piece Bamboo Brush Set (eyeshadow, “definition” brush, and crease brush; $19.99).