Saturday, May 4th, 2013

MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick
MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick

MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick ($15.00 for 0.10 oz.) is described as a “matte cool red [with a retro matte finish].” It’s a deep, medium-dark red with strong cool undertones and a matte finish. MAC Ruby Woo is absolutely similar–it’s very, very similar. RiRi Woo is inspired by Ruby Woo, but the difference is very slight–there’s a noticeable difference in darkness and undertone when the two are swatched side-by-side, but applied, it is incredibly difficult to tell.

Other possible dupes include: MAC Ronnie Red is pinker, has more of a sheen. Rimmel #111 is not as blue-based and has a glossier sheen. MAC Charmed, I’m Sure is pinker. MAC Runaway Red is similar in darkness but it is slightly brown in comparison. NYX Chic Red has a slight sheen but it is somewhat similar. NARS Mascate is darker and brown-toned in comparison. NARS Dragon Girl is cooler-toned.

The retro matte finish is drier and stiff; it’s the type of texture that I think you can apply best with a lip brush, because it allows you better control and precision.  Because it can be stiff, it will tug/pull on the lip while you’re applying it, which means you may use too much force and it will easily jag outside the lip.  The color is incredibly pigmented, though; one swipe and you will see fully opaque color coverage.  RiRi Woo has Rihanna’s signature etched around the side of the lipstick itself, but there was nothing on the packaging or exterior packaging.  The color is a classic, retro red with cool undertones, but if you have Ruby Woo, RiRi Woo will feel redundant.  This just arrived about an hour ago, so I haven’t worn it for long, but so far it feels much like Ruby Woo, so I would expect six to eight hours of wear, some staining, and possibly be slightly drying over time.

P.S. — Watch for a giveaway of RiRi Woo soon! I purchased mine, but I received a press sample this morning, so I’ll be giving away the one I purchased here on the blog.

The Glossover

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RiRi Woo

A-
The color is a classic, retro red with cool undertones, but if you have Ruby Woo, RiRi Woo will feel redundant. If you missed out but love Rihanna, when it re-releases in June (and I think it will have special packaging), will make it standout more.

Product

8.5/10

Pigmentation

10/10

Texture

8/10

Longevity

10/10

Application

4/5

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Wednesday, May 1st, 2013

MAC Altered Beige Lipstick
MAC Altered Beige Lipstick

MAC Temperature Rising Lipsticks ($16.50 for 0.10 oz.) will be available in four new and limited edition shades: Altered Beige (creamy yellow beige, lustre), Caliente (super dazzle violet, dazzle), Feel My Pulse (vivid magenta violet, cremesheen), and Sheer Seduction (super dazzle bronze, dazzle).

Altered Beige is a warm-toned, pinky beige with a frosted finish and semi-sheer to semi-opaque color. I felt like the frost made it appear more opaque, but a lot of the natural lip color will come through, given that it’s a lustre (which is a sheerer formula). It lasted two and a half hours on me. Giorgio Armani Moonlight Beige #4 is similar. MAC Pure Zen is pinker. Giorgio Armani #111 is similar, slightly warmer. MAC Tropical Mist is very sheer on me but the two have a similar effect. MAC Japanese Maple is similar. MAC Marquise d’ is pinker. Revlon Creme Brulee is also similar.

Caliente is a brown-toned burgundy with red, copper, and burgundy sparkle. Dazzle finish isn’t one that pops up often, but it is a very sparkle-packed lipstick; the grit is less than glitter, but it’s more than shimmer. I find that these are moderately gritty about halfway through wear, and some of the sparkle travels outside of the natural lip. The effect can be very interesting and fun, but there are some downsides that you’ll have to weigh. Because of the sparkle, it can feel a little rough (not painful, not horrible, but not as creamy or as smooth) when applied. The other thing that I’m not crazy about with the Dazzle finishes is that they tend to have splotchy base colors. Caliente is true to form; slightly gritty after two hours, a definite grit you can feel in the bullet itself, some sparkle goes on a voyage across the plains of your face, and the color isn’t totally even. It lasted three hours on me. MAC Infused with Glam is warmer, more coppery. MAC Snazzy Dazzle is more plum, pinker. MAC Oh, Oh, Oh is more plum, less brown. MAC Subverted is browner, redder, deeper.

Feel My Pulse is a magenta purple with a soft, almost frosted sheen. It has mostly opaque color payoff with a little bit of translucency. It looks a bit purpler in the tube than on, which I imagine is the natural pink tones pulling out the pink on the lip. It lasted four and a half hours on me. MAC Heroine is purpler. Maybelline Brazen Berry is similar but glossier in finish. MAC Seductive Intent is purpler. MAC Style Curve is close in color but has a slight pearl in its finish. MAC Love Forever is pinker. MAC Spitfire is a bit pinker.

Sheer Seduction is a warm, orange-copper with copper sparkle. This shade also has a Dazzle finish, so it does feel a little gritty when initially applied, and as it wears away, the texture of the sparkle becomes more noticeable on the lips. The color payoff is more semi-opaque and even compared to Caliente. There were a few stray sparkles that abandoned lips while I wore it. It lasted three hours on me. OCC Authentic is darker and more metallic (rather than sparkly). LUSH Vibrance is brighter with more of a golden shimmer. Chanel Sari d’Eau is redder in tone. MAC Hot Sass is more subdued.

When it comes to Caliente and Sheer Seduction, they’re going to be love-it-or-hate-it products, because of the finish. If you love the sparkle, you might not care about the texture. But if you’re really concerned about texture, creaminess, and comfort, you’ll probably dislike this finish on the whole. It’s just one of those formulas that leaves something to be desired but the finish may be unique or fun enough to put up with (for some).  Altered Beige and Feel My Pulse both feel like shades we’ve seen from MAC quite often and recently.

The Glossover

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Altered Beige

C+
These were gorgeous in their tubes and fun to photograph, but I wasn't loving the wear and feel of the Dazzle finishes. The other two were better but less interesting given recent releases.

Product

7.5/10

Pigmentation

8.5/10

Texture

8.5/10

Longevity

6/10

Application

4/5

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Caliente

B-

Product

8/10

Pigmentation

8.5/10

Texture

8/10

Longevity

7.5/10

Application

4/5

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Feel My Pulse

A-

Product

9/10

Pigmentation

10/10

Texture

8.5/10

Longevity

8.5/10

Application

4.5/5

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Sheer Seduction

B-

Product

8.5/10

Pigmentation

8.5/10

Texture

8/10

Longevity

7.5/10

Application

4.5/5

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Thursday, April 25th, 2013

MAC Angel's Kiss Lipstick
MAC Angel’s Kiss Lipstick

MAC Nudes & Metallics Lipstick ($15.00 for 0.10 oz.) features four shades of Nudes Angel’s Kiss (sheer soft pinky nude with pearl), Nearly Nude (sheer warm pink nude), Wholesome (sheer warm mid-tone nude); there is also Restrained (sheer neutral mid-tone nude), which I don’t have.

Angel’s Kiss is pale, lightly warmed-up peach-beige with a satiny sheen (though it’s an amplified officially). Much like the eyeshadows, which were all described as sheer, this is not sheer; this is mostly opaque. Where this shade differs slightly from a lot of MAC’s paler nudes is that it is warm-toned, rather than cool and pink-toned. It lasted four hours on me, and it was neither drying nor hydrating. MAC Fleshpot is pinker. MAC Naturally Eccentric is a smidgen darker. NARS Madere is not as warmed-toned, lighter, and matte. MAC Creme d’Nude is a smidgen darker and pinker.

Nearly Nude is a light-medium, peach-beige with warm undertones and a satiny sheen (and officially it is an amplified). It has mostly opaque color coverage with a lightly creamy consistency that made it easy to apply. This shade wore for four hours on me, and while it wasn’t hydrating, it wasn’t drying either. OCC Trick is more beige. MAC Cherish is slightly darker and less peach. MAC Pure Decoration is slightly yellower. MAC Peachstock is very comparable.

Wholesome is is a light-medium, peach-orange with a satiny sheen (though it is an amplified). It has full color coverage, and it applied evenly and easily. It lasted four and a half hours when I tried it, and it was slightly hydrating. MAC Cozy Up is a bit darker/more orange. NARS Biscayne Park is a smidgen darker, a touch pink. MAC Posh Tone is darker. MAC Fashion City is darker and glossier.

All three applied rather well, and they lasted a good length of time (about average).  None of these were drying, and Wholesome felt a bit hydrating while I wore it.  These seemed more dupable, though, so if you have several go-to nudes already in your beauty arsenal, then it’s quite likely these will feel redundant.  They are, of course, not as sheer as described, as they’re all mostly opaque to fully opaque–so that may or may not be a happy accident for you.

P.S. — The Nudes & Metallics Collection may be frustrating to find. When it launched in PRO stores on the 18th, every store I called was sold out of over half the collection already. The online launch date has been pushed to mid-June (no specific date was given). It is supposed to be for PRO only, which may mean that it is restricted to PROs only even online, but you should be able to call MAC PRO at 1-800-387-6707 and order (for anyone, PRO and non-PRO alike) per a LiveChat I did this morning.

The Glossover

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MAC Nudes & Metallics Lipsticks Reviews, Photos, Swatches (Part 2)

B+
These would have been rated higher had they not been described as sheer (A- instead), so if you prefer more opaque color, then you're in luck. If you like your nudes sheer, I'd look elsewhere!

Product

9/10

Pigmentation

7.5/10

Texture

9/10

Longevity

8.5/10

Application

5/5

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Thursday, April 25th, 2013

MAC Dominate Lipstick
MAC Dominate Lipstick

MAC Nudes & Metallics Lipstick ($15.00 for 0.10 oz.) features four shades of Metallics: Dominate (deep metallic purple), Pre-Raphaelite (deep metallic dirty berry), Show-All (heavily metallic deep red), and Subverted (metallic brown).

Dominate is a reddish purple with a frosted, metallic finish. It has mostly opaque color, though it doesn’t look as even as would be desired for such a deep color. It lasted five and a half hours, but it was slightly drying. MAC Yung Rapunxel is purpler, not metallic. Urban Decay Apocalypse is sheerer and not metallic. NARS Train Bleu is darker, matte. MAC Smoked Purple is purpler, less red-toned, and mostly matte.

Pre-Raphaelite is a berry-ish red with warm undertones and a frosted, metallic finish. It turned surprisingly warm on me, even though it didn’t see particularly warm-toned in the tube or swatched initially. It had mostly opaque coverage, but it did not apply perfectly even. It wore for six hours and was somewhat drying towards the end. MAC Good to Be Bad has no metallic finish. Rimmel Metallic Seduction is lighter. MAC Dark Side is less brown and has no metallic shimmer. MAC Endless Drama is darker, less warm-toned, and doesn’t have the metallic shimmer.

Show-All is a warm, deepened red with red, metallic shimmer and frost. It is distinctly warmer compared to Pre-Raphaelite, but there are some casual similarities. It had opaque color payoff, and this shade applied more smoothly than the previous two. It lasted five and a half hours, and it was also lightly drying. MAC Legendary has no shimmer and is browner. MAC Extended Play doesn’t have a metallic finish. MAC Extended Play isn’t metallic and is more plum.

Subverted is a medium-dark brown with strong, red undertones and a copper metallic shimmer. It has mostly opaque color coverage, and it applied somewhat evenly. It lasted five and a half hours when I wore it, but it was a bit drying. It is browner and a bit warmer than Show-All. MAC Legendary is close in color, but it doesn’t have a metallic finish, so it appears more subdued. CoverGirl Smoky is much browner. NYX Brown Sugar is less red-toned but has a slightly metallic finish, at least.

I think the metallic finish is interesting, but with it, I found myself paying for it as all four were slightly drying. Not so drying that my lips were peeling or bleeding, but the last hour or so of wear was somewhat uncomfortable as I was itching to apply some gloss or balm. The consistency is a somewhat creamy, so during application, they didn’t tug or pull, but they didn’t leave a thick layer of product behind, which helped them adhere better to the lips–and all of these lasted five hours or longer.

Note, all of the metallic shades were sweating heavily upon arrival, but in my experience, this occurs during the hotter months when things are shipped (and these went ground and sat an extra day in New Mexico, before hitting California and being delivered in 80 degree weather) but doesn’t seem to impair the texture or color. The droplets can leave “stains” as they dry on the edges (think water spots on glassware).

P.S. — The Nudes & Metallics Collection may be frustrating to find. When it launched in PRO stores on the 18th, every store I called was sold out of over half the collection already. The online launch date has been pushed to mid-June (no specific date was given). It is supposed to be for PRO only, which may mean that it is restricted to PROs only even online, but you should be able to call MAC PRO at 1-800-387-6707 and order (for anyone, PRO and non-PRO alike) per a LiveChat I did this morning.

The Glossover

product

MAC Nudes & Metallics Lipsticks Reviews, Photos, Swatches (Part 1)

B+
I think the metallic finish is interesting, but with it, I found myself paying for it as all four were slightly drying. They were also a bit uneven when applied, and since they're all rather dark colors, it is more noticeable.

Product

8/10

Pigmentation

9/10

Texture

8.5/10

Longevity

9.5/10

Application

4.5/5

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Wednesday, April 10th, 2013

MAC Pure Decoration Lipstick
MAC Pure Decoration Lipstick

MAC Pure Decoration Lipstick ($15.00 for 0.10 oz.) is described as a “light white peach [with a Cremesheen finish." It's a warm-toned, light-medium peach with warm, orange undertones and a soft sheen. MAC Peachstock is darker. Guerlain Guerlinade is darker, browner. MAC Salute has a little more yellow in it.

It had mostly opaque color coverage once applied, but it had a tendency to cling to the lips. I highly recommend exfoliating lips prior to applying this, because even though I had, it still made my lips look a bit dry because of the way it clung. The consistency was somewhat creamy, but there was a little tugging when I used it on the lips.  Pure Decoration lasted three and a half hours on me, and it was slightly drying but did not ravage my lips (it was consistent with my experience with Cremesheens--slightly drying).

The Glossover

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Pure Decoration

B-
A lot of Cremesheen lipsticks are somewhat drying in my experience (which is the opposite of what they're supposed to be), and Pure Decoration was consistent with this. It was also less flattering applied to the lips as it seemed to cling a bit.

Product

7.5/10

Pigmentation

9.5/10

Texture

8/10

Longevity

8/10

Application

4/5

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Wednesday, April 10th, 2013

MAC Raspberry Swirl Lipstick
MAC Raspberry Swirl Lipstick

MAC Raspberry Swirl Lipstick ($15.00 for 0.10 oz.) is described as a “light white blue pink [with a Cremesheen finish].” It’s a cool-toned, light-medium blue-based pink with a soft sheen. OCC Digitalis is lighter, bluer. MAC Snob is slightly darker/grayer. MAC Saint Germain is a touch purpler. MAC Pink Nouveau is brighter, pinker. MAC Naughty Saute is brighter, pinker, glossier. MAC All Styled Up is slightly pinker.

It has mostly opaque color coverage, and the consistency was creamy enough that the lipstick glided across the lips without pulling or tugging but not so creamy that it felt thick or was prone to creating lines of demarcation once applied.  Raspberry Swirl lasted four hours on me, and it was neither drying nor hydrating (but this is an improvement, as many Cremesheens are a bit drying on me).  It definitely felt creamier than other Cremesheens I’ve tried.  I noticed that this color did pull the yellow out of my teeth, which this kind of color can sometimes do.  I think that MAC does this color quite a bit, some are closer to this than others, but there are many variations of it and most of them are by MAC.

The Glossover

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Raspberry Swirl

A-
I think that MAC does this color quite a bit, some are closer to this than others, but there are many variations of it and most of them are by MAC. It does have a very "raspberry sorbet" kind of feel.

Product

8.5/10

Pigmentation

10/10

Texture

9/10

Longevity

8.5/10

Application

4.5/5

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