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MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag Review, Photos, Swatches

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag ($39.50 for 0.198 oz.) features a full-size lipstick and Cremesheen Glass, plus a miniature-sized lip pencil.  Each lip bag contains $15.00 worth of Lipstick, $20.00 worth of Cremesheen Glass, and $5 worth of Lip Pencil, bringing the total value of the set to $40–plus there is a zippered bag that comes with the products. Note, Creme d’Nude and Boldly Bare are both part of the permanent range, while the Cremesheen Glass is a new, limited edition shade–but MAC has released many peachy-beige glosses in the past. The lip pencil drastically changes the way the gloss or the lipstick look, as it is significantly darker and browner than either (this is just a note, whether that’s a good or bad thing is up to you!). I’m not really enamored over this set (or the value proposition of the lip bags this year), and you can consider buying two of three separately.

Softly Lit is described as a “soft beige with pink frost.” It’s a pale, warm-toned peach with pink and white micro-shimmer. It had semi-sheer color coverage, and it applied evenly for the most part (and quite well for such a milky, pale gloss). It lasted an hour and a half on me, which is pretty short on me. MAC Flair for Finery (LE, $20.00) is slightly pinker, less shimmery. MAC Calypso Beat (LE, $20.00) is darker. Chanel Zephyr (377) (LE, $29.50) is similar. MAC Boundless Beige (P, $19.50) is similar. MAC Fashion Whim (LE, $20.00) is less shimmery. See comparison swatches.

Creme d’Nude is described as a “pale muted peach beige [with a Cremesheen finish].” It’s a pale, pink-tinged beige and a faint sheen. It had mostly opaque color coverage, but it can sometimes show “lines” of color if you press your lips together. It wore for three and a half hours on me and was neither drying nor hydrating. MAC Antonio’s Girls (LE, $15.00) is warmer, darker/ MAC Pret-a-Pretty (LE, $16.00) is pinker. Tom Ford Beauty Blush Nude (P, $48.00) is pinker, darker. MAC Luxe Natural (P, $22.00) is warmer. MAC Ruffian Naked (LE, $15.00) is lighter. MAC Myth (P, $15.00) is lighter, pinker. MAC Innocence Beware (LE, $15.00) is pinker. MAC Woo Me (LE, $19.00) is darker. Buxom Nudist (P, $21.00) is similar. MAC Flair for Finery (LE, $15.00) is a little pinker. See comparison swatches.

Boldly Bare is described as a “dirty red brown.” It’s a pink-tinged, medium brown with a matte finish.  It had opaque color coverage.  It lasted six and a half hours on, and it wasn’t really drying, though it felt dry (the way lip pencils often do). MAC Staunchly Stylish (P, $19.50) is browner. MAC Have to Have It (LE) is a touch darker. See comparison swatches.

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Creme d’Nude Lipstick

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Creme d’Nude Lipstick

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Creme d’Nude Lipstick

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Creme d’Nude Lipstick

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Creme d’Nude Lipstick

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Creme d’Nude Lipstick

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Softly Lit Cremesheen Glass

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Softly Lit Cremesheen Glass

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Softly Lit Cremesheen Glass

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Softly Lit Cremesheen Glass

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Softly Lit Cremesheen Glass

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Softly Lit Cremesheen Glass

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Boldy Bare Lip Pencil

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Boldy Bare Lip Pencil

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Boldy Bare Lip Pencil

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Boldy Bare Lip Pencil

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Boldy Bare Lip Pencil

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Softly Lit over Creme d’Nude over Boldly Bare Lip Pencil

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Softly Lit over Creme d’Nude over Boldly Bare Lip Pencil

MAC Stroke of Midnight/Nude Lip Bag
MAC Softly Lit over Creme d’Nude over Boldly Bare Lip Pencil

18 Comments

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xamyx Avatar

I love the lipstick shade, and the gloss is really pretty, but the pencil would most likely pull very orange on me. I also have more pale nude glosses than I care to admit to, so I’m sure I have a close enough dupe. However, I really do like the lipstick shade, but since it’s not LE, I can pick it up on its own.

CatG Avatar

I’d be interested in seeing how Boldly Bare works on me with clear lipgloss (or one similarly shimmery to the one above)! I’ll have to check it out sometime.

Dea Avatar

I went to the MAC counter and was very excited to buy this kit… I love nudes and I love the glam styling this year. But alas. The lipstick on display was the pink one from the other set so when I got home and smeared lippy on I was disappointed to find that instead of a better-then-my-own pink sheen I had a white milky beige tinge that made me look like a corpse. MAC wouldn’t take it back either because it had been used (this being the Netherlands they have very poor customer service). This put a bit of a sour tinge in my mouth for the collection overall. We are broke this year and this was my special treat (along with a fluid eyeliner). The lip gloss is nice (also very pale but can add dimension to other lipsticks) and the lip liner is a lip liner (don’t get excited about lip liner though I know some live and die by them). So for those who have pale lips of their own… You might want to avoid this kit. And if you are at the MAC counter make sure the lipstick you are taking home with you is the same as the one on display.

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