Mary Kay Compact

8 Reviews

1. 

   vengefulPonie9

   Reply

   While i enjoy the 3 spaces for powder/blusher/contour/highlighter, the other space which is supposed to be for pencils is useless. Even the MK brow liner will not fit. That’s my only complaint. I love tge sophisticated feel of this compact.

2. 

   relievedDunbird6

   Reply

   i really love this product because it keeps all my make up organized and can easily find the perfect color i want also i love how it is magnetic because when a eye shadow runs out you can easily take it out and replace it i love this product!!!!

3. 

   resolvedIcecream9

   Reply

   First of all: I’m uploading two other pictures, because this compact comes on different sizes. The really big one was a special edition here in Brazil and I didn’t get it then (I don’t carry that much make up, so it wasn’t necessary). The regular one fits a lipstick/lipgloss and the newer one is a mini version – and also my favorite.

   So: I think this is a very nice compact. It is brilliant that most of MK products are designed to fit it somehow, so you have multiple combinations. Every 3 MK eyeshadows are the size of a blush or a bronzer or a highlighter. Or you can carry just one powder or one cream to powder foundation. Anyway: multiple combinations. And you have room for some brushes and one lipstick or lipgloss.
   My favorite compact, the smaller one (called mini compact), has no room for lipstick. I simply love this one, since it’s so compact! I carry neutral eyeshadows, one of them is a brown color also perfect for my eyebrows, and since MK also has some mini size tweezers and brow brushes I have brow kit, eyeshadows and blush all in one. Awesome!

4. 

   ashamedPear1

   Reply

   Totally agree with the reviewer below…she said it perfectly! I like to carry tons of makeup around with me and this is the only compact that will handle it all plus tools. I even put magnetic tape on the bottom section of mine to hold extra eyeshadows!

5. 

   mellowTuna6

   Reply

   I also feel compelled to write a review after the first reviewer bashed the MK compacts.

   I’m not a MK rep, either. I’ve read pinktruth.com, read all the other negative reviews about MK’s sales tactics, etc. Since I’m not a MK rep, I don’t have any first-hand knowledge of their questionable selling tactics, but I do have first-hand experience with many of MK products (read my review of MK’s Shell lipstick for my first experience with MK). I have been very pleasantly surprised by the quality of many of MK products. I think most of them are effective, high-quality, and I love that they are fragrance-free and cruelty-free (verified thru PETA). I purchase the vast majority of my MK products from ebay, simply because that’s where I find the best prices.

   I purchased the small compact from a MK rep. I was so impressed by all the different options you have in customizing it, that I was soon scouring ebay for the larger “Pro” compact. I’ve had no problems filling up either compact with my other MK ebay purchases. I really like that the Pro (larger) compact can hold just about everything that you need for a complete face. I have mine filled up with: 1 pressed powder; 6 eyeshadows; and 1 “limited edition” blush which combines 3 colors swirled in 1 pan; 1 lipgloss; and 1 lipstick. I also have room for 2 pencils, both of which are eyeliners, and 2 eyeshadow applicators, 1 blush brush, and 1 powder brush.

   Since the larger compact doesn’t come with a protective carry bag (unlike the smaller compact), I was able to find a modified knitting bag from a seller on etsy.com. I emailed her the dimensions of the compact, and in the fabric of my choice, she sent me a really stylish-looking drawstring bag which has all these nifty interior pockets, which is where I shove a small mascara tube; a small double-ended eyeshadow brush; clean mascara brush (to brush my brows), and my eyebrow pencil. So now, I truly have a complete makeup-kit-to-go — I love that! This doesn’t mean that I’m going to be throwing the Pro compact into an evening bag (that’s what the small compact is for), but I do like the portability factor, and the Pro fits nicely in my purse (a medium-sized hobo-style bag).

   It’s true the MK compacts aren’t as slim as some dept. store palettes, but you really can’t compare them because those palettes are not customizable, and they don’t hold nearly as much as MK’s Pro compact. Where else are you going to find a compact that can hold foundation/powder/eyeshadows/blushes/lipstick/lipgloss/pencils/applicators/brushes? When you’re carrying everything but the kitchen sink, you can only go so far in miniaturizing it. I just looked at Bobbi Brown’s “Eyes and Cheeks to Go” palette at Nordstrom. For $60, you get a palette filled with non-customizeable colors consisting of 8 eyeshadows and 1 cream blush. There’s nothing for foundation or powder. There’s no room for applicators or anything else. I’m not dissing Bobbi Brown or any other cosmetics company, but all I’m saying is that if you’re going to compare apples, then compare apples to apples.

   As an aside note: for those of you who are interested in purchasing a protective bag for your Pro compact, check out etsy.com, click on the drop-down menu, and select “Sellers”. Type in “Ruddawg” in the blank search box. I measured the box that the Pro compact came in and gave the seller, Brenda, the dimensions as 7.25″ x 5.75″ x 1.25″ . Based on those measurements, the seller, Brenda recommended the “Mini KIP Bag”, which she modified for me in that she changed the orientation of the bag to “horizontal”, just like the compact, versus the original vertical orientation as a knitting bag. The bag comes with satin cord drawstring, 2 cord locks, and 6 nifty interior pockets sewn into the lining (4 narrow pockets on the sides, 2 large pockets on the ends). The price was $7.50, plus $2.50 shipping. And, no, I’m not in any way affiliated with Ruddawg, other than being a satisfied etsy customer.

6. 

   wornoutPiglet2

   Reply

   Being a former consultant and having first hand experiences with the compacts I have mixed feelings.
   I have had both the small and large compacts.
   While the large compact is great for storing eyeshadows, I never completely filled it up and had tons of wasted space(in the area of were eyeliners and such were supposed to go). I actually would have liked this area to be used for more shadows instead.
   With my small compact, I only kept my foundation and brush. For the size, I wish it was able to hold more. Like the first person said, it is really bulky, and takes up a ton of space. Same for the large compact.
   I wish instead of it being so rounded, it was more flat. I know this is so you can put your lipstick/glosses in there and it makes it look even, but to me it was wasted space. And most of the ladies I know who have it, don’t have a MK lipstick/gloss they use anyways.
   I just got rid of my large one, and as soon as I finish my foundation, the small one will be going in my swap list.

   I will say I did like the big mirrors and that it was magnitized. Its durable and definately not cheaply made. If you regularly use MK products I recommend getting the compacts. If you are a sometimes user like me, I recommend getting a different compact and customizing it to your own liking. Or get an ELF 4-pan compact and take out the plastic inside and just keep the metal plate inside and customize as you want.

7. 

   emptyOryx4

   Reply

   I saw the review below and knew I had to give my humble opinion. I have the smaller compact as well. Mine holds 3 mineral eyeshadows, 1 blush, either a lipstick or gloss, and the little brushes that come with it. I haven’t had any problems handling it, but I could see where a hassle could come in if you were switching out colors every other day. Though I hadn’t planned on having it, I loved the convenience of it on my graduation day. I’d say at least look at it and then pick your fave colors to put in it. * I am not a Mary Kay rep.*

8. 

   gutturalCaviar0

   Reply

   I believe that this is the latest version of Mary Kay’s refillable compacts. I got the small compact that holds either 6 eyeshadows or 3 eyeshadows + 1 blush or 1 highlighting powder and either a lipstick or gloss. There is also a well for the compact blush brush or eyeshadow applicators which must be bought separately. The picture I posted is of the large Compact Pro. The small and Pro compacts are both designed the same way. While I though that the little side button that pops out the pans for easy removal was clever, I deeply regret this purchase as this compact is perhaps the bulkiest and most poorly designed compact ever. It’s also awkward to open and handle, and is so bulky that I don’t even care if it might hold my other oddly-shaped pans that don’t currently fit into any of my empty palettes. The compacts are not flat but weirdly curved, which makes them so bulky and gah! I hate mine so much that I’m about to toss it into the trash. I prefer slim compacts like those from MAC Cosmetics, Stila, or MAC. Forget about swapping this piece of junk. This was definitely a bust and I will not be repurchasing anymore Mary Kay. Heed this warning: do not ever go to a Mary Kay party unless you know that you can say no to the nice woman who invited because you will end up buying crap that you hate.