MAC Fashion Sets: Lipstick Review Round-up

In the collection, the lipsticks, on average, were the strongest product. The quality of MAC’s lipstick range is definitely there, particularly with their core, permanent shades. The permanent shades are often overlooked because of the neverending onslaught of limited edition shades coming out each month (and sometimes each week!). Many of these shades have been around for several years and have proven to be bestselling shades for the brand for good reason.  I would recommend the lipstick over the matching lipgloss and nail lacquer for every single shade (which is not to say I recommend every single lipstick, period).

These shades did the best when it came to pigmentation. They’re rich, pigmented, and pretty much opaque across the board, with some being totally and utterly opaque and others being nearly opaque. When it comes to the overall quality and claims, these do well, but some finishes are more drying than others. I don’t find MAC to have moisturizing lipsticks, but for the most part, they are not drying either. Lustres and cremesheen finishes are the most drying for me, while mattes and satins can be slightly drying depending on the individual shade. Frosts are neither drying nor hydrating in my experience.

Generally, lighter shades (think Angel, Myth, Snob, etc.) will not wear as long or as well as richer, deeper shades (think Girl About Town, Rebel, Russian Red, etc.), as those deeper shades (combined with their finish) lead to six hour wear as a result of staining–and staining may be good or bad depending on your preference. Lighter shades typically wear three to four hours with deeper shades lasting four to six hours–and this is based on experience of over a hundred MAC lipsticks over the years. I’m pretty sure it’s way more than that, but I’m not going to guarantee it.

The best shades were:  Girl About Town, Morange, and Russian Red (all As).  Good but not great shades were:  Peachstock, Please Me, Rebel, and Spice.  The most under-performing shades were:  Myth and Razzledazzler.

Availability: Based on the information I have received from MAC, the distribution of these shades is regional. I cannot confirm the extent of non-regional shades being available online for your region (e.g. whether all of these will be available on the UK website). I can confirm only that for North America, all shades are available for purchase online. Only the North America-specific shades will be available in-stores on May 3rd, 2012. Select Macy’s will also carry Latin America & Middle East region-specific shades.

North America: Chestnut, Girl About Town, Myth, Rebel, Russian Red, Snob, Spice; Chestnut and Spice are limited edition–the rest are permanent
Asia Pacific: Angel, Morange, Impassioned, Peachstock, Ravishing, Razzledazzler, Saint Germain; Peachstock is permanent at PRO stores only, Razzledazzler is permanent in Asia only–the rest are permanent
Europe & Africa: Impassioned, Morange, Myth, Rebel, Russian Red, Saint Germain, Spice; Spice is limited edition
Latin America & Middle East: Girl About Town, Impassioned, Morange, Pink Nouveau, Please Me, Russian Red, Snob; all shades are permanent

Reviews, Photos, Swatches

• MAC Angel Lipstick
• MAC Chestnut Lipstick
• MAC Girl About Town Lipstick
• MAC Impassioned Lipstick
• MAC Morange Lipstick
• MAC Myth Lipstick
• MAC Peachstock Lipstick
• MAC Pink Nouveau Lipstick
• MAC Please Me Lipstick
• MAC Ravishing Lipstick
• MAC Razzledazzler Lipstick
• MAC Rebel Lipstick
• MAC Russian Red Lipstick
• MAC Saint Germain Lipstick
• MAC Snob Lipstick
• MAC Spice Lipstick

The Glossover

	MAC Fashion Sets: Lipstick Review Round-up A-
	The quality of MAC's lipstick range is definitely there, particularly with their core, permanent shades. The permanent shades are often overlooked because of the neverending onslaught of limited edition shades coming out each month (and sometimes each week!).
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 8.5/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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Please note that the photos included in this post are for summary purposes only–there are four additional photos for each lipstick shade that have been excluded in this post but are available in the set’s original post: two product photos, one lip swatch (diffused flash), and one lip swatch (studio lighting).  All links to the individual posts have been provided above.

See more photos & swatches!

MAC Angel Lipstick

MAC Angel Lipstick

MAC Chestnut Lipstick

MAC Chestnut Lipstick

MAC Girl About Town Lipstick

MAC Girl About Town Lipstick

MAC Impassioned Lipstick

MAC Impassioned Lipstick

MAC Morange Lipstick

MAC Morange Lipstick

MAC Myth Lipstick

MAC Myth Lipstick

MAC Peachstock Lipstick

MAC Peachstock Lipstick

MAC Pink Nouveau Lipstick

MAC Pink Nouveau Lipstick

MAC Please Me Lipstick

MAC Please Me Lipstick

MAC Ravishing Lipstick

MAC Ravishing Lipstick

MAC Razzledazzler Lipstick

MAC Razzledazzler Lipstick

MAC Rebel Lipstick

MAC Rebel Lipstick

MAC Russian Red Lipstick

MAC Russian Red Lipstick

MAC Saint Germain Lipstick

MAC Saint Germain Lipstick

MAC Snob Lipstick

MAC Snob Lipstick

MAC Spice Lipstick

MAC Spice Lipstick

MAC Rebel Lipglass, Lipstick, Nail Lacquer

MAC Rebel Lipstick ($14.50 for 0.10 oz.) has been such a top-seller that it has now inspired a Lipglass ($14.50 for 0.17 fl. oz.) and Nail Lacquer ($16.00 for 0.34 fl. oz.) to complement it. This shade is part of the North America and Europe/Africa regions of the collection, so it will only be available both online and in-stores. Rebel is described as “mid-tone cream plum.”

The color of the lipgloss matches the lipstick extremely well; at worst, it’s slightly less red-toned, but it’s hard to tell. The only major difference that’s easy to see visually is in the opacity–the gloss is less opaque than the lipstick. Once again, however, the nail lacquer is not much of a match for the lipstick nor lipgloss. It’s much, much darker–it’s a very vampy shade. It looks more like Rebel does in the tube, but I’d still say it comes out darker. It doesn’t have enough red undertones to really match and complement the lip products. When you apply the lipgloss on top of the lipstick, the end result is a very even, semi-opaque berry-red with a glossy shine.

Rebel Lipglass is a berry-red with a little purple tint. It applies semi-opaque, but it doesn’t apply completely evenly; there are some splotches in the end result. If you were hoping for a MAC All My Purple Life dupe, this is definitely not it–it is very red and berry in comparison. Tom Ford Wet Violet is purpler, less red. Dolce & Gabbana Amethyst is redder, less berry. NARS Bougainville is just a little lighter and redder. MAC Ban This! is a bit redder. (9, 9, 9, 9, 4, 4; B+)

Rebel Lipstick is a berry-red with a slightly frosted sheen. The color coverage is mostly opaque, but there’s a little sheerness. It has a satin finish, and it is part of the permanent range. Guerlain Nuit d’Amour is a bit redder. It’s darker and more vibrant than Guerlain Bee but deeper than Dolce & Gabbana Orchid. YSL Forbidden Burgundy is lighter, redder. (9, 9, 9, 10, 4, 4; A-)

Rebel Nail Lacquer is a deep burgundy with a little purple tone to it. It was mostly opaque after two coats, but it was surprisingly less pigmented for such a dark shade. I also found it streaky on the first coat and a little streaky on the second coat. The formula was very thin. Dior Graphic Berry is a closer match, as it has stronger red undertones and isn’t as dark. Illamasqua Vice is lighter and redder. China Glaze Loft-y Ambitions is very similar but has shimmer. Rescue Beauty Lounge Bruised is lighter with redder tones. (8.5, 9, 8, 9, 3.5, 4; B)

MAC Lipsticks are vanilla-scented but taste-free. Satin finishes like Rebel typically wear four to six hours on me, and Rebel wears anywhere from five to six hours on me (sometimes longer) as it does stain. MAC Lipglasses are also vanilla-scented but taste-free. They are very sticky and have a thick, borderline-goopy consistency. If you prefer gel-like, cushion-y glosses that feel lightweight on, I don’t recommend MAC Lipglass. Because of the tackier texture, MAC Lipglasses do tend to wear a full four hours on me, with some of the darker shades lasting up to six hours (with mostly the color lingering at that point).

Note: I am reviewing each “set” together. After I’ve reviewed all sixteen sets, I will do round-ups for each product type (so all lipsticks together) to deliver an overall Glossover rating. This rating is more indicative of the product type, as the rating that follows this post is an average across three totally different types of products. You can also see the individual scores listed after each product, which are listed in the same order as they are in the Glossover.

The Glossover

	MAC Rebel Lipglass, Lipstick, Nail Lacquer Review, Photos, Swatches B+
	Rebel is a great shade fall, and the lipstick is permanent (and the best of the three products that are in the set), so you might put it on the backburner if you think it's too vampy for right now. The lipglass is a nice complement to the lipstick, though!
	Product 8.5/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 9.5/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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See more photos & swatches!

MAC Rebel Lipglass, Lipstick, Nail Lacquer

MAC Rebel Lipglass layered over Rebel Lipstick, Rebel Nail Lacquer

MAC Rebel Lipglass layered over Rebel Lipstick (Diffused Flash)

MAC Rebel Lipglass layered over Rebel Lipstick (Studio Lighting)

MAC Rebel Lipglass layered over Rebel Lipstick

MAC Rebel Lipglass

MAC Rebel Lipglass

MAC Rebel Lipglass

MAC Rebel Lipglass

MAC Rebel Lipglass (Diffused Flash)

MAC Rebel Lipglass (Studio Lighting)

MAC Rebel Lipglass

MAC Rebel Lipstick

MAC Rebel Lipstick

MAC Rebel Lipstick

MAC Rebel Lipstick (Diffused Flash)

MAC Rebel Lipstick (Studio Lighting)

MAC Rebel Lipstick

MAC Rebel Nail Lacquer

MAC Rebel Nail Lacquer

MAC Rebel Nail Lacquer

MAC Rebel Nail Lacquer

MAC Rebel Nail Lacquer

MAC Rebel Nail Lacquer

5 Holiday Lipsticks

These are five of my favorite (trust me, I could have probably done a dozen or more!) picks for your holiday lipstick this season!

1. MAC Rebel — true berry
2. Dior Nocturne — played-down red with copper shimmer
3. NYX Chic Red — bright red
4. Guerlain Gigolo — deep red with a glossy finish
5. MAC Ruby Woo — retro matte red

What are your favorite holiday lipsticks to wear?

5 Beautiful Berry Lipsticks

Reader Brittany requested a five ways post for berry lips, so here are five of my picks for berry lipsticks (and I’ll do glosses next!) My trick for wearing darker shades like this is to keep eyes soft and neutral–think your-lid-but-better kind of colors with a medium-dark brown, taupe, or plum in the crease.

• MAC Rebel Lipstick — really rich, vibrant red-based berry
• Guerlain Gigolo Rouge G Lipstick — luxurious berry-red with ruby micro-shimmer
• MAC Odyssey Lipstick — medium-dark berry with a hint of plum
• NYX Violet Ray Lipstick — deep, dark berry with red tones
• Thierry Mugler Dream Rouge Unique Lipstick — purpled berry with a very glossy finish

What’s YOUR favorite berry-hued lipstick?

MAC Me Over: Lipsticks

There are eight shades of MAC Lipstick ($15.00 for 0.05 oz.) launched with MAC Me Over. They include: Offshoot (mid-tone neutral pink), Oh, Oh, Oh (plum bronze with pearlized pigments), Peachstock (neutral peach), Prince Noir (deep blue-purple), Rebel (vivid pinkish purple), Runaway Red (rich red-blue), Secret Lover (pale pink with yellow pearlized pigments), and Smoked Purple (deep eggplant purple).

• Offshoot is a pink-plum with subtle red undertones. This shade has a cremesheen finish. The color coverage is nearly opaque, but it has the drier texture of a cremesheen, so it doesn’t feel thick or overly creamy. It is similar to Maybelline Bit of Berry but more muted. It is plummier than MAC Craving. Hourglass Nocturnal is slightly redder.
• Oh, Oh, Oh is a pink-plum with gold shimmer. The color is semi-opaque but true to the lustre finish. This shade has a lustre finish. It is sheerer and less burgundy than Benefit Breakup Rumour. It is plummier than MAC Capricious. Looks like it is similar to Plum Dandy but pinker.
• Peachstock is a light-medium beige with the warmth of peach. It’s opaque when applied. This shade has a satin finish, and it is permanent at PRO stores. It’s a bit lighter than MAC Imagine This and OCC Trick.
• Prince Noir is a deep, dark burgundy with red undertones and subtle shimmer. This shade has a matte finish. The color coverage is opaque, and I can see that this would would have a tendency to bleed around the edges, particularly if you find you are prone to that (I am not, but it did bleed a bit on me). It reminded me of a better quality Chanel Maniac. Make Up For Ever #49 is much purpler.
• Rebel is a rich burgundy with a fuchsia shimmer and vibrancy. The color is mostly opaque when applied. This shade has a satin finish, and it is permanent. It is darker and more vibrant than Guerlain Bee but deeper than Dolce & Gabbana Orchid.
• Runaway Red is a medium-dark blue-based red with a subtle fuchsia sheen. It’s mostly opaque on lips, but there is a hint of translucence. This shade has a satin finish. Make Up For Ever #48 and MAC Dark Side are browner. Guerlain Gwen is closer but not quite as dark. MAC Digna is similar but not as opaque.
• Secret Lover imparts no real color but lots of beige and pale gold shimmer. This shade has a lustre finish. It is similar to MAC Pretty Please.
• Smoked Purple is a dark eggplant purple with cool undertones. The color is mostly opaque, but the lipstick itself is quite dry so it’s difficult to get a really even layer. It will tug and drag across the lips. This shade has a matte finish, and it is permanent at PRO stores. Dolce & Gabbana Lust is less purple, while Make Up For Ever #48 is closer, it’s less purple/browner. MAC Faultlessly F/W is darker, purpler.

MAC Lipsticks are vanilla-scented, and the texture and color vary depending on the finish. Lustre lipsticks tend to have sheerer color with a glossier finish. They are supposed to be moisturizing, but I have always found them drying, and they have a tendency to wear off within two to three hours–faster if the shade is light. Satin lipsticks are more opaque with a creamier finish and tend to wear longer (four to five hours). Matte lipsticks wear well (four to five hours) but can sometimes be dry.

MAC Me Over is a 51-piece collection for fall, which will launch in North America on August 25th, 2011 and internationally in September 2011. It will launch online approximately August 23rd but there is no concrete online launch date. All products–unless otherwise noted–are limited edition.

The Glossover

	MAC Me Over Lipsticks Swatches, Photos, Reviews B+
	There is a good variety of colors within the eight lipsticks (wow! eight!) launching in this collection, which is nice, because you are sure to find the right shade to pair with the various blushes/eye products in the launch, too.
	Product 8.5/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
Login or Register to be able to add this to your Vanity or Wishlist! Plus rate and review!

See more photos & swatches!

MAC Oh Oh Oh Lipstick

MAC Oh Oh Oh Lipstick

MAC Oh Oh Oh Lipstick

MAC Oh Oh Oh Lipstick

MAC Peachstock Lipstick

MAC Peachstock Lipstick

MAC Peachstock Lipstick

MAC Peachstock Lipstick

MAC Rebel Lipstick

MAC Rebel Lipstick

MAC Rebel Lipstick

MAC Rebel Lipstick

MAC Runaway Red Lipstick

MAC Runaway Red Lipstick

MAC Runaway Red Lipstick

MAC Runaway Red Lipstick

MAC Secret Lover Lipstick

MAC Secret Lover Lipstick

MAC Secret Lover Lipstick

MAC Secret Lover Lipstick

MAC Smoked Purple Lipstick

MAC Smoked Purple Lipstick

MAC Smoked Purple Lipstick

MAC Smoked Purple Lipstick

MAC Offshoot Lipstick

MAC Offshoot Lipstick

MAC Offshoot Lipstick

MAC Offshoot Lipstick

MAC Prince Noir Lipstick

MAC Prince Noir Lipstick

MAC Prince Noir Lipstick

MAC Prince Noir Lipstick

The Sultry Season: MAC Rebel Lipstick

MAC Rebel Lipstick ($14.50 for 0.10 oz.) is a deep, fuchsia berry with a glossy finish and very subtle, nearly imperceptible shimmer.  It’s almost opaque (you can just barely see my freckle peeking through), but it applies easily, smoothly, and is a great shade to brighten up your skin tone.  It’s bold without being too dark or vampy–but still not a red, not a fuchsia.

Is this the right berry for you? Would you wear it?

The Sultry Season is a series of posts featuring deep, rich shades of brown, berry, plum, and wine lipsticks and lipglosses — just right for autumn — that runs through October 2010.

See photos and swatches…

MAC Rebel Lipstick