There are so many fantastic reds available on the market these days, but I managed to narrow it down to this list of five that I think would make an incredible ruby red pout for Valentine’s Day.
NYX Too Chic — subtly blue-based red with a semi-matte finish
MAC Fall Colour Lipsticks ($14.50 for 0.17 fl. oz.) includes eight (yes, eight!) shades: Fleshpot (pale muted pinky beige), Fusion Pink (bright coral), Neon Orange (bright clean orange), Plum Bright (purple), Ruby Woo (vivid bluish-red), Show Orchid (vivid hot pink), Violetta (bright clean violet purple), and X-S (dirty red chestnut). These are part of the MAC Fall Colour Collection, which debuts in North America on September 29th, 2011 and rolls out internationally in October. Plum Bright is the only new and limited edition shade, while X-S used to be permanent, I believe it was discontinued (I have old, old swatches of it but it’s not listed online any more). Ruby Woo is permanent at all MAC locations, and the other shades are permanent at PRO stores.
Fleshpot is a pale, beige nude with just a hint of pink. It has a satin finish, so it has a creamier feel and appearance with opaque color coverage. This shade is similar to NARS Madere, MAC Supremely Confident, and MAC Happy Hibiscus.
Fusion Pink is a bright red-coral with a fuchsia sheen. It has an amplified finish, so it is creamier and more opaque but still has a shine. Make Up For Ever #37 is more coral. MAC Insanely It is pinker, as is NARS Funny Face.
Neon Orange is a bright, medium-dark orange with an amplified finish. It’s creamy and opaque. There are a fair amount of dupes for this shade in the gallery, among them: MAC Good to Go, Clarins Clementine, and MAC Morange.
Plum Bright is a reddish plum-purple with semi-opaque color coverage and a glossy shine. The information I have lists it as a satin, but it feels like a lustre or glaze (and looks like it, too). It has a lot of slip and less color payoff than a satin and lacks the overall creamy texture. My tube is a sample and doesn’t have final labeling, so I can’t confirm either way. MAC Bust Out is lighter and purpler. It’s less red compared to Thierry Mugler Dream and MAC Riveting Rose.
Ruby Woo is a blue-based red with a matte finish and nearly opaque color coverage. It’s one of the driest lipsticks I’ve ever used; it’s kind of my benchmark for dry, actually. It does pull and drag a bit, but it wears like a champ (but it’s drying after four or five hours of wear). It is similar to a lot of other blue-based reds.
Show Orchid is a vibrant fuchsia-pink with fuchsia-purple iridescence. It has mostly opaque color coverage and an amplified finish. NARS Schiap is pinker and doesn’t have the fuchsia sheen.
Violetta is a reddened violet purple with soft shimmer. It has most opaque color coverage and an amplified finish. I can’t think of a dupe for this shade.
X-S will be reviewed when I am able to purchase it!
This set of lipsticks includes a lot of my personal favorites. Most of these shades are rich in color, comfortable to wear, and wear on the longer side (because they’re more intense, so they’re more apt to stain, while the finishes are creamier so they cling to lips). MAC lipsticks are vanilla-scented, and I typically get three to six hours of wear from them. With amplified and satin finishes, I tend to get four to five, though shades like Ruby Woo are so dry and matte that they wear closer to six.
For the record, I’d like to state that releasing eight lipsticks in a full color collection this one is borderline ridiculous!
Most of these are permanent at PRO stores, which can be bought year-round, so if you're on a tight budget, you can always pick these up later!
Product
9/10
Pigmentation
9.5/10
Texture
9/10
Longevity
9.5/10
Application
4/5
Loading ...
Login or Register to be able to add this to your Vanity or Wishlist! Plus rate and review!
Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
MAC Cosmetics on September 29th, $14.50 each
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
A series of posts showcasing must-have products from MAC Cosmetics’ permanent line of products. Selections are based on quality, universality, uniqueness amongst the line, and the like. Limited edition shades are deliberately excluded to make buying easier.Readers’ comments act as a supplement to these lists of their favorites and must-haves. You can find the entire series here.
Russian Red lipstick is a matte, super bright blue-based red. This is pretty much a standard red lip for anyone. I’ll admit it doesn’t always work on me, since it can run too blue, but you can always pair it with a lip liner or gloss to make it more your tone.
Viva Glam I lipstick is a matte, retro red. Retro red is kind of a deeper, more muted red. This is a very wearable red for all skin tones, and it is one of my favorite reds on me.
Dubonnet lipstickis a deep red with a slightly burgundy tone to it with a creamy, slightly glossy finish. This is another flattering shade on a variety of skin tones.
Loading ...
