MAC Port Red Lipstick

The Scarlet Season: MAC Port Red Lipstick

MAC Port Red Lipstick ($14.00 for 0.10 oz.) is a gorgeous ruby red with gold sheen. I really love this shade, and it’s neck-and-neck with Queen’s Sin as one of MAC’s better red lipsticks. They aren’t identical, as Queen’s Sin is a little deeper, with more berry as an undertone and doesn’t have the same gold shimmer. I love the gold flecks that you see in this lipstick. Port Red isn’t too orange or too blue, it’s just that right shade of true red. Surprisingly, it was launched in May of 2008 (so you may have to do some hunting to find it, e.g. on eBay), but it’s an amazing shade of red for the holiday season as well.

What about you? Would you wear this red?

The Scarlet Season is a series of posts showcasing and featuring my favorite shades of red lips–from glosses to lipsticks that runs through December 2009. You can sure expect to see a lot of red this holiday season!

See more swatches and comparison photos…

MAC Port Red Lipstick

MAC Port Red Lipstick

MAC Port Red Lipstick

MAC Port Red Lipstick

Illamasqua Encounter Lipstick

The Scarlet Season: Illamasqua Encounter Lipstick

Illamasqua Encounter Lipstick ($20.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a matte, bright true-red with a slight touch of orange in its base. While some of Illamasqua’s lipsticks can be drying, Encounter is about as dry as I’d expect for something this matte–but I noticed it didn’t really dry my lips out after wearing it, which is something I do find can happen with some of the drier mattes I’ve tried (e.g. MAC’s Ruby Woo). It also applies very evenly, despite being a matte texture, and it goes opaque in just one layer. I’m personally not a big fan of matte lips, so I tend to gloss things up. This works really well with Illamasqua’s Lily Rose Sheer Lipgloss, as seen here.

What about you? Would you wear this red?

The Scarlet Season is a series of posts showcasing and featuring my favorite shades of red lips–from glosses to lipsticks that runs through December 2009. You can sure expect to see a lot of red this holiday season!

See more swatches and comparison photos…

Illamasqua Encounter Lipstick

Illamasqua Encounter Lipstick

Illamasqua Encounter Lipstick

Illamasqua Encounter Lipstick

Clinique Parisian Red Lipstick

The Scarlet Season: Clinique Parisian Red Lipstick

Clinique Parisian Red Lipstick ($14.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a glossy, just-bitten red with pinky tones. Parisian Red is part of Clinique’s Butter Shine Lipstick line-up, which is described as “wearable color” with sheer to moderate coverage. Parisian Red was a limited edition shade from Clinique’s holiday collection last year, but you can still find Parisian Red at Nordstrom! :) The formula itself is creamy, smooth, and incredibly moisturizing. It does feel like a very glossy lipstick, actually. The color itself is opaque enough to give lips plenty of pop, but they’re not completely opaque. I really love this particular shade of red for the formula itself, because it’s so easy and comfortable to wear.

What about you? Would you wear this red?

The Scarlet Season is a series of posts showcasing and featuring my favorite shades of red lips–from glosses to lipsticks that runs through December 2009. You can sure expect to see a lot of red this holiday season!

See more swatches and comparison photos…

Clinique Parisian Red Lipstick

Clinique Parisian Red Lipstick

Clinique Parisian Red Lipstick

Clinique Parisian Red Lipstick

The Scarlet Season: Guerlain Rouge Sultan Cashmere Lip Gloss

Guerlain Rouge Sultan Cashmere Lip Gloss ($28.00 for 0.28 oz.) is a liquid lipstick in the shade of vibrant, orange-based red. It’s a fiery red that’s definitely a showstopping shade of scarlet. It has a semi-matte finish (even though it’s described as matte), because it still has a slight sheen to it. I would describe Guerlain’s Cashmere Lip Glosses to having a similar feel as Chanel’s Rouge Allure Laques, but they’re thinner and a little more drying on the lips (though I wouldn’t say that they are drying!). Rouge Sultan wears incredibly well, because it really hugs lips and lasts me hours and gets through a cup of coffee. Although Rouge Sultan is a limited edition shade from Guerlain’s Terracotta collection, it is still available for purchase through both Nordstrom and Sephora.

What about you? Would you wear this red?

The Scarlet Season is a series of posts showcasing and featuring my favorite shades of red lips–from glosses to lipsticks that runs through December 2009. You can sure expect to see a lot of red this holiday season!

See more swatches and comparison photos…

The Scarlet Season: Urban Decay Gravity Lipstick

Urban Decay Gravity Lipstick ($22.00 for 0.13 oz.) is a rich, ruby-esque shade of red with maybe a little tinge of raspberry in it. It has a very soft microsparkle of red, but overall, it has a creamy, glossy finish. All of Urban Decay’s lipsticks have a faint sweetened caramel brulee kind of scent, though I don’t find much taste in the lipsticks from my experience. Gravity applies easily and leaves lips hydrated, with the color wearing four to six hours easy. I’d say this is definitely one of my favorite shades I’ve discovered so far during the series.

What about you? Would you wear this red?

The Scarlet Season is a series of posts showcasing and featuring my favorite shades of red lips–from glosses to lipsticks that runs through December 2009. You can sure expect to see a lot of red this holiday season!

See more swatches and comparison photos…