The List of MAC Dupes for Makeup Geek Eyeshadows

While I’ve been using Makeup Geek shadows more often in my tutorials, I don’t expect all Makeup Geek viewers to have all the shades at their disposal — and even those that have bought some of the Makeup Geek shadows may still have some suitible colors in their MAC collection.
This list is for those of you coming from the MAC world and either want to migrate your collection to Makeup Geek, those that want cheap alteratives to MAC, or those that want to find alternatives to the colors I used in a video.
I think we did a pretty good job of listing dupes I was aware of, but if you see some that MAC dupes that are missing, please feel free to list them in the comments below and we’ll try to update this list. Also, if you think the dupe listed isn’t close enough, or if you know of a better one, let us know as well
Thanks!
Makeup Geek Appletini : MAC One Off (see swatch comparison)
Makeup Geek Bada Bing : none
Makeup Geek Bleached Blonde : MAC Gorgeous Gold
Makeup Geek Brown Sugar : MAC Mulch or MUFE 312
Makeup Geek Chickadee : MAC Rule (see swatch comparison)
Makeup Geek Cinderella : MAC Jest (see swatch comparison)
Makeup Geek Cocoa Bear : MAC Brown Script
Makeup Geek Corrupt : MAC Carbon (see swatch comparison)
Makeup Geek Country Girl : none
Makeup Geek Cupcake : MAC Perky or Soft Flower or MUFE 112
Makeup Geek Dirty Martini : MAC Velvet Moss (see swatch comparison)
Makeup Geek Duchess : none
Makeup Geek Envy : none
Makeup Geek Fairytale : MAC Purple Haze
Makeup Geek Fuji : MAC Bitter or MUFE 171
Makeup Geek Galaxy : MAC Charred (see swatch comparison)
Makeup Geek Glamorous : none
Makeup Geek Gold Digger : none
Makeup Geek Goddess : MAC Coppering
Makeup Geek Homecoming : none
Makeup Geek Ice Queen : MAC White Frost
Makeup Geek Last Dance: MAC Folie
Makeup Geek Mandarine: none
Makeup Geek Mango Tango : MAC Firecracker (see swatch comparison)
Makeup Geek Mercury : MAC Electra
Makeup Geek Mermaid : MAC Steamy
Makeup Geek Mocha : MAC Ground Brown (see swatch comparison)
Makeup Geek Moondust : MAC Patina (see swatch comparison)
Makeup Geek Neptune : MAC Cobalt or MUFE 159
Makeup Geek Ocean Breeze : none
Makeup Geek Peacock : MAC Plumage
Makeup Geek Poison Ivy : MAC Sumptuous Olive
Makeup Geek Poolside : MAC Cool Heat (see swatch comparison)
Makeup Geek Preppy: none
Makeup Geek Pretentious : MAC Romp
Makeup Geek Purely Naked : MAC Arena (see swatch comparison)
Makeup Geek Purple Rain : MAC Indian Ink (see swatch comparison)
Makeup Geek Razzleberry : none
Makeup Geek Sea Mist : none
Makeup Geek Sensuous : none
Makeup Geek Shimma Shimma : MAC Shroom (see swatch comparison)
Makeup Geek Shimmermint : MAC Warm Chill (see swatch comparison)
Makeup Geek Stealth : MAC Print
Makeup Geek Taupe Notch: none
Makeup Geek Twilight : MAC Illegal Cargo (see swatch comparison)
Makeup Geek Unicorn : MAC Parfait Amour
Makeup Geek Vanilla Bean: Mac Blank Type
Makeup Geek White Lies : MAC Gesso (see swatch comparison)
Makeup Geek Wisteria : MAC Red Violet (see swatch comparison)
Makeup Geek Yellow Brick Road : none

What a great idea!!! Even more reason to get these incredible shadows! Why pay more when you can get the best from MUG!!! Loves it
Thank you so much, Marlena! I’m just wondering if you have a color that’s like MAC’s Expensive Pink. I really want that eyeshadow, but my MAC eye shadows aren’t very pigmented! I’m sorry if I missed it in the list of dupes.
The closest one would be Mango Tango, but it’s not too similar…
Nice job Marlena and team!! Just a thought it would be great to post pics of swatches side by side…xxxx
We have some side by side swatches (still working on others)
Just click the links that say “see swatch comparison”
We didn’t want the post to be full of images though — we figured text with lots of links would be better.
Thank you so much for doing this! I was just curious if there was going to be a colour similar to MACs brule?
Thanks
Probably, but we have others in the pipeline first. Unfortunately, the development process for each color is a month or so sometimes, so it might be a while.
thank you for letting me know!
I agree that Brule would be a great color for MUG to dupe. It’s such a great matte finish highlighting color. *crosses fingers*
I am holding out for this too! At the moment i’d say Vanilla Bean is as close to?
Hey guys,
I think the closest color to MAC’s Brule would be Makeup Geek shadpw in Vanilla Bean
MAC Mulch is listed twice both for Homecoming and Brown Sugar although these seem quite different from each other in the store. Is this intentional? xoxo
I’ll take the listing off for Homecoming for now — that didn’t seem like a good match to me.
I completely disagree with a couple of these (I haven’t seen all these colors so I can only speak for the ones I know)- Mac shale is nothing like unexpected. I would say unexpected is much closer to Quarry, like a cross between quarry and haux. It’s more purple and more pigmented than quarry. In the pan it looks just like Haux. And satin taupe is nothing like taupe notch. Taupe notch is closer to something like cork with a little shimmer to it. It is a very brown color (unless the one I got was mislabeled), not silvery or taupey at all. I’ve used it on my eyebrows and I’m a red head. It’s that brown. I do wonder how close mac plumage is to mug peacock, does anyone know?
okay, here’s another one, I hate to be critical, but sensuous like beauty marked? beauty marked is almost black!
okay, I need to quit looking…I do love dupe lists and I’m very grateful for them, but I found another. Mac steamy looks much closer to mermaid than sea mist to me. I don’t know of a MAC dupe for sea mist. I swear this is my last comment. I really am grateful for the list.
@Shelley — actually, thanks for the feedback! I’ve removed those comparisons and we’ll dig in more tomorrow.
So for MUG’s “Corrupt”, the picture shows MAC’s “Black Tied” when it should be MAC’s “Carbon” as listed.
hi! i saw swatches of eyeshadow ”lemon drop” and ”punkin”’ somwhere, but they are not here and i don’t see them at the makeupgeek store… am i just blind? so confused because i clearly remember seeing the swatches
They aren’t released yet. We only have pre-production samples.
Thanks for the dupes! MAC’s trax is close to Burlesque.
Hi! Thank you so much for this list!
I wondered if Paradisco would not be the best dupe for Mango Tango? Is it possible?
I could be totally wrong, since I don’t have the MUG eyeshadow to compare side-to-side, but it seems like MAC’s Plumage would be a close dupe for the MUG Peacock.
They’re both a matte finish peacock blue. The MAC one may be a little darker and have a little more green in it, though. But online, they look pretty close.
Just throwing that one out there.
P.S.
I have to say that after sampling the MUG eyeshadows, I’m not as happy with my MAC eyeshadows now, haha.
The MUG ones are SO pigmented!!!
Is there a MUG dup for MAC’s satin taupe? I have been looking for that dup forever! If not, is it something that can come out in the future? wink wink, nudge, nudge
Please make a dupe for MAC Parrot!
Nick, when the descriptions of the individual eyeshadows say “shimmer”, does that mean there is glitter? Or does it mean there’s a sheeny, perhaps satin finish? I’m thinking of getting Sea Mist but I don’t like glitter.
Hi BooBooNinja,
I have sea mist, and it is a beautiful satin finish but NOT GLITTER so dont worry!
thx for the dupe list that does help a gal out. (you did great job on these e/s girl~ oh can u still do a video(I know u mentioned doing it before) on a few looks using the maybelline color tattoo pots.( I got excited when u showed them and got all of them) could u show a few looks, i have never bought shadow creme pots before and I guess intimidated by them but excited. thank you and I know u get asked to do alot of videos and are a busy gal. ur my fav site and I tell all my other makeup artist buds about ur site! your very organized and easy to watch and listen and learn from(great teacher). thx again(stay happy and healthy) to you too.
Do you have any dupes for the Solar Bit colection from mac? Like the bronzescape the one I didn’t get. Darn. They ran out so quick.
Ladies + interested gents: Check this out. IDK whether or not the MUGs were swatched on a primer, + the MACs were not, but the skin underlying the MUGS look INFINITELY better than the skin under the MACs! Not only a better, more price conscious product, but arguably better for the sensitive eyelid skin! Many kudos; your team rules!
This is great!
Thank you so much!
Thanks, that’s very fair that you still post dubs, even if you have your own Makeup-Line now! It’s nice to see that you still stick to the original idea and spirit of Makeupgeek. Was a bit afraid, that you will start to promote only your products now (I don’t know them & I’m sure they are good) .I’m watching your channel since 2009 now and will definitely continue to do so. What you do is great!
Any dupe shadows you could add to the list for the new MAC shop collection? I LOVE “call me bubbles”
I really like the swatch comparisons! Such a great resource!
Thanks!!!
Wish corrupt was compared to carbon instead of black tied though.
This is such an awesome list! Thank you for sharing! I love that your eye shadows are cruelty-free
I received MUG cocoa bear today and it seems a good match to MAC’s Beauty burst from the barbie collection.
Also quick question, the information on the website says the mug eyeshadows are talc free but the packaging lists talc as an ingredient. Is that an error? Thanks
Great job by the way eyeshadows are way better than my MAC ones.
Thanks this is great getting my palettes ready cheeeeeeeeeee hoooooooooo!
I don’t know… To me the swatches only prove that the MUG shaddows are NOT REALLY like the MAC ones. Some are really different, which makes me doubt all the other “dupes” that have no swatches.
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Hey! Love the list! But I was wondering if there is or is going to be a dupe for MAC’s dazzlelight? I really want it but its just so expensive!