Review & Swatches: MAC Reel Sexy Nail Lacquers

Availability: MAC Stores & Online
Price: $16.00

This review is for the 3 limited-edition Nail Lacquers releasing with MAC’s upcoming Reel Sexy Collection. This post includes photographs and swatches of the following colors:

• Screening Room (cream): Bright mid-tone teal
• Vivid Effect (cream):Vivid orange coral
• In the Dark…Purple (cream): Vivid violet

Packaging: 8.5/10

These polishes come in standard glass MAC jars with rubbery-plastic twist-off caps. I think the design is a little funny (the jars narrow as you go top-to-bottom), but this is a completely personal preference, so I don’t consider that in determining a score. What I do consider is the bulkiness of the top, which is what you hold onto when you’re applying the polish. It’s wide, which makes it more awkward to hold onto when you’re applying.

Quality: 9.75/10

Screening Room is a medium teal green. Vivid Effect is a bright orange and looks nearly identical to Oriele Orange. In the Dark…Purple is a medium-deep violet.

All 3 colors leave a jelly finish. Surprisingly, all 3 colors can also be worn with just a single coat. They won’t be completely opaque, but they do go on evenly–something MAC polishes rarely do, particularly when it comes to their cream formula colors.

Ease of Use: 9.25/10

MAC’s polishes have a long plastic brush applicator. The applicator’s length gives you less control over the application than a shorter brush would. Luckily, these colors can be applied with just a single coat.

Price: 6/10

Standard MAC nail polishes used to be $14.00 each and still contain 0.34 fl oz. They now cost $15.00 $16.00 each. I think this is a close-to-absurd price to pay for a single nail polish. Even high-end nail polish companies like OPI, China Glaze, and Essie don’t charge that much for their nail polishes.