Prepare yourself for a photo heavy post! I have wanted to do this post for a really long time, but if I was going to do it, I wanted to do it properly and I just haven't had the time! But just for you guys, I have finally got round to doing it.
So a bit of background, I don't own that many lipsticks, but the majority of them are MAC. I just feel like MAC has every colour down, so if you're after something in particular, it's easy just to go to MAC because 99% of the time, they will have it. Yes they are expensive, but in reality, they are much cheaper than most high end lipsticks, and I'd rather buy one MAC lipstick and know that the quality is great, than two drugstore ones. Also, a lot of these were gifts (my boyfriend is very attentive when I'm swatching away) so I didn't personally pay for all of these (if I had, I would be so broke).
I keep all my MAC lipsticks in the bottom drawer of this Muji unit, I find it's the easiest way to store them so you can see all the names without pulling them all out.
L-R Faux, Betty Bright, Sunny Seoul, Lovelorn, Viva Glam Gaga, Lustering, Plumful, Brick O La, All Out Gorgeous, MAC Red, Ruby Woo, Russian Red
So here goes, if I have done a separate post on these I'll link them too! Prepare yourself for a lot of pictures of my face (I'm sorry!).
Faux is a brown toned nude that I picked up on a whim one day. I really struggled to find a good nude for me, but I quite like this one. It's brown toned but it's quite warm so it doesn't wash you out. It's a Satin finish but personally, I would say this borders on matte. I tend to reach for this if I've done a smokey eye, or if I can't be bothered with reapplying all day, as the wear time of this is excellent, and when it does fade, it fades really evenly.
Betty Bright was a limited edition Satin finish lipstick that came out in the Archie's Girls Collection. I love the packaging of these but a lot of people didn't (it was a very marmite collection overall). It's a very warm peach lipstick that is quite pink toned (although in the 'group photo' up there it photographed super orange!). I definitely find this a little easier to wear when I have a tan but I do really like it.
Sunny Seoul was my first ever MAC purchase, so I've got a little soft spot for this. It's a baby pink but it's definitely got a hint of peach, which makes it one of those colours that really warms your complexion. It's a cremesheen formula which is definitely my favourite, despite the fact it's probably got the lowest wear time of any of the formulas. It's super creamy though (as the name would suggest) and they're great in the winter months if your lips are a little dry, as they're pretty moisturising.
Lovelorn was the second lipstick I got from MAC (a bit stupid really when you consider how similar it is to Sunny Seoul but clearly I was in a pink lip phase). I find this a little more wearable than Sunny Seoul, though I can't quite pinpoint why. It's not as bright, it's a little more neutral, and a bit more of a true pink. It's a Lustre finish so I find that it's a little bit more sheer than it's Cremesheen relatives, but still quite moisturising. This tends to end up floating around in my handbag as it sort of goes with everything.
Viva Glam Gaga - not gonna lie, I literally bought this because it was Gaga. That was it. It's a cool blue toned pink that packs a little more punch than the previous two mentions. I lean for this on nights out because it's a bit bolder. The blue tones mean that it makes your teeth look whiter too which is always nice. It's a Lustre finish but I don't find this to be particularly sheer. I think this possibly is one of the smoothest to apply, it's almost silky on the lips.
The most recent addition to my collection is Lustering a Lustre finish (No! Really!), bolder pink choice that I am literally obsessed with at the moment. You can really notice the sheerness of this one, you can wear it like I am in the above picture, or build it up for a darker look (like here). It's got red undertones which I don't normally like, but I do in this! I just think this is a really flattering colour and I've been wearing it pretty much all the time. It's not too much if you've got a dramatic eye, but equally if you do something simple, it dresses it up a bit. Firm favourite!
Plumful is one that I'll be wearing a lot more as we head into Autumn Winter. It's quite similar to Lustering, but it's more berry toned. Again, because it's a Lustre finish you can wear it sheer as above, or pack on a bit more. I love that the Lustre finishes are so versatile. Just as with Lustering, you can wear it to pull together a simple look, or to add a little something extra to a smokey eye. I love wearing this with MAC Cranberry Eyeshadow.
Brick O La is another one that's going to get a lot more love as it gets colder. This is the only Amplified lipstick I own from MAC and I really like it, it's got fantastic, full colour pay off from the first swatch. It's almost terracotta coloured, which is mighty strange but it's really wearable. It's sort of a browny orange, and I never would have gotten it if I'd only seen the bullet, but I had seen someone wearing it and I really like how it looks on. The wear time of this can be a bit iffy, sometimes it's fine and other times I feel like it's gone very quickly, but I love this!
Another berry toned, I think All Out Gorgeous may have been limited edition, from the Mineralize range, as I haven't seen this in a MAC store for a really long time. I absolutely adore this colour, it was a birthday present from the boyfriend and he got it spot on (impressive as well since I had literally only mentioned it once, and forgotten about it myself). I love the Mineralize Rich formula, it's sheerer than Lustre finishes, but when you build it up I actually find the colour payoff way more intense than Lustres. This is like my perfect Autumn lip shade!
Onto the Reds! I bought M.A.C. Red for when I want to sport a red lip, but my lips aren't quite in the condition to be going matte, like the other options. This is a satin finish, so it's not as creamy as some of the formulas, but that's good since it means the wear time is pretty damn good. This is your classic bright red, looks good on everyone.
I think Ruby Woo is the red lipstick from MAC that everyone has. The colour is almost identical to MAC Red, but my god it's matte. This might be my most worn MAC lippie, but I really do think this is a little too matte. Like, don't even attempt this if you haven't scrubbed and moisturised your lips within an inch of their lives before hand. This is probably my go to night out shade, I just love how it looks. It's slightly berry-y, so it's quite warming, and it's a great shade for Christmas!
Last one! Russian Red is darker than the other two reds, and probably my favourite of the three (I left it on after taking this photo, and 6 hours later it's still going strong, not one touch up needed). Because it's darker, and not as bright as the other two, I find this one a little easier to pull off in the day. It's a Matte finish like Ruby Woo, but this is nowhere near as dry! I actually find that this applies creamy and sets matte. The wear time is excellent and it doesn't go all over your face either like some reds (ahemmm, Apocalips, Rouge Volupte, Bourjois Colour Boost).
Honestly, if you made it through all of that, I salute you. That's no mean feat that.
I kind of feel like I have all my MAC lipstick needs fulfilled so I can't imagine I'll be buying any more any time soon!
What's your favourite MAC lipstick?
