MAC Starstruck & Walk of Flame for Stardom Kissing Stars Lipstick Reviews & Swatches
Starstruck
MAC Starstruck Kissing Stars Lipstick ($20.00 for 0.1 oz.) is a bright, purple-berry with warmer undertones and flecks of cooler violet and blue-violet sparkle and micro-glitter. It had medium color coverage in a single layer, which was most apparent when swatched on my arm and not at all apparent when actually applied.
The issue was in the texture, as the more I tried to built up the coverage, the more the color moved around and created an incredibly uneven lay down of color and shimmer/sparkle that clumped up on itself. I struggled to get product to adhere to the inner area of my lips, and while that can sometimes occur if the area is wet (like you just drank a glass of water), I’m not exactly new to applying lipstick so I can assure you it wasn’t user error!
The texture was emollient without being heavy, and it didn’t feel overly slippery despite looking like it and having that kind of effect (including some product getting into my lip lines). The color stayed on decently for four hours, left a pinkish stain behind, and felt non-drying over time.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Ciate Elektra (P, $22.00) is darker, more pigmented, better quality (95% similar).
- UOMA Beauty Allure (P, $26.00) is more pigmented (95% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Control (LE, $56.00) is darker, more pigmented, warmer (90% similar).
- KVD Beauty Razzle (P, $22.00) is more shimmery, brighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Calypso (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery, cooler, less glossy (85% similar).
- MAC Junie Bee (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- Sephora Sagittarius (97) (LE, $8.00) is less shimmery, darker, more muted (85% similar).
- Bite Beauty Grape Glaze (P, $24.00) is lighter, less glossy (90% similar).
- Milani Automattic Touch (07) (LE, $8.99) is less glossy (85% similar).
- ColourPop Boogie (LE, $7.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (80% similar).
Formula Overview
$20.00/0.1 oz. - $200.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to have "intense, ultra-creamy colour payoff" with an "ultra-smooth gliding texture" that has "even colour distribution and payoff." Just in case you weren't totally on-board with the idea that MAC meant for these to be pigmented, they also go on to describe these as having "an explosion of colour."
The pigmentation varied from shade to shade but over half of the shades had far under full coverage and none had full coverage. The formula struggles to apply evenly, as there's enough slip that the color seems to slide around and sometimes the glitter/sparkle clumped on itself when I attempted to build up coverage. A few shades looked visibly uneven and gritty on my lips, though I'll say they didn't feel gritty like you'd expect--a little texture at times but fairly smooth overall.
The texture was fairly smooth, emollient without being heavy or thick, and they were thinner (without being clingy), yet they had trouble adhering to parts of my lips, especially the inner areas. I was reminded of this line from the movie Clueless, "No, she's a full-on Monet... From far away, it's OK, but up close, it's a big old mess." The shiny finish coupled with lots of sparkle and shimmer--all reflecting light strongly--give the illusion that they aren't so bad from afar (like six feet away), but they are wretched if you look in the mirror (like a foot away).
The only way to make these "work" would be to layer them on top of a better-applying lipstick or lining lips underneath first and then using them to add sparkle. They had a subtle vanilla scent but no discernible taste.
These are also extremely similar to the Tom Ford Lip Sparks from an ingredient list perspective (they are almost the same) as well as from a performance perspective. (Both brands are owned by Estee Lauder.)
Browse all of our MAC Kiss of Stars Lipstick swatches.
Ingredients
Starstruck
LELimited Edition. $20.00.
Walk of Flame
MAC Walk of Flame Kissing Stars Lipstick ($20.00 for 0.1 oz.) is a deep, muted red with subtle, neutral-to-cool undertones and a metallic finish. It had faint sparkle but seemed to have finer, more metallic-like shimmer paired with a lightly glossy finish.
It had medium coverage that was buildable to semi-opaque pigmentation, but as I built it up, the color moved away from the inner area of my lips and didn’t want to re-adhere. The texture was lightly creamy, smooth, and emollient, and while it didn’t slide around, it did sink into my lip lines. It wore well for four hours and was neither drying nor hydrating.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Too Faced Too Too Hot (LE, $22.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Coquette (LE, $6.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Chanel Rouge Ombre (89) (LE, $45.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- MAC Rocker (P, $19.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Sephora Hong Kong by Night (27) (P, $8.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
- MAC Straight Fire (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Ciate Jessica Rabbit (LE, $22.00) is more shimmery, lighter (80% similar).
- Urban Decay Singe (DC, $18.00) is less shimmery, lighter, brighter (80% similar).
Formula Overview
$20.00/0.1 oz. - $200.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to have "intense, ultra-creamy colour payoff" with an "ultra-smooth gliding texture" that has "even colour distribution and payoff." Just in case you weren't totally on-board with the idea that MAC meant for these to be pigmented, they also go on to describe these as having "an explosion of colour."
The pigmentation varied from shade to shade but over half of the shades had far under full coverage and none had full coverage. The formula struggles to apply evenly, as there's enough slip that the color seems to slide around and sometimes the glitter/sparkle clumped on itself when I attempted to build up coverage. A few shades looked visibly uneven and gritty on my lips, though I'll say they didn't feel gritty like you'd expect--a little texture at times but fairly smooth overall.
The texture was fairly smooth, emollient without being heavy or thick, and they were thinner (without being clingy), yet they had trouble adhering to parts of my lips, especially the inner areas. I was reminded of this line from the movie Clueless, "No, she's a full-on Monet... From far away, it's OK, but up close, it's a big old mess." The shiny finish coupled with lots of sparkle and shimmer--all reflecting light strongly--give the illusion that they aren't so bad from afar (like six feet away), but they are wretched if you look in the mirror (like a foot away).
The only way to make these "work" would be to layer them on top of a better-applying lipstick or lining lips underneath first and then using them to add sparkle. They had a subtle vanilla scent but no discernible taste.
These are also extremely similar to the Tom Ford Lip Sparks from an ingredient list perspective (they are almost the same) as well as from a performance perspective. (Both brands are owned by Estee Lauder.)
Browse all of our MAC Kiss of Stars Lipstick swatches.
Ingredients
The C+ is like a shining star in this less-than-stellar collection so far.
Okay, so I have Starstruck and it applies way better than this to my lips. I’m just not sure *why* the extreme difference in adhesion? I don’t believe yours is “user error” either, but quite possibly batch issues or body chemistry issues with whatever is in this formula. I’ve seen others love it, yet seen others have the clumpy mess effect, too. Very strange for MAC.
Walk Of Flame will also be mine! I tried it on and wore it home last week and just loved its richness and that it didn’t turn pink on me the way PMG Rebel Red always has on me (I don’t even wear it anymore because of that).
I was just about to say the same thing! I bought Starstruck and it’s beautiful! Full color and sparkly. I plan on wearing it as a topper for a dark purple lipstick. It could be a batch issue.
Too bad Starstruck turned out to be such a pain to work with. What a beautiful color!
I find it so strange that these lipsticks are so bad. Years ago, Mac did a whole bunch of LE “Dazzle” finish lipsticks, most of which were quite good and which had the same sort of sparkly effect that they’ve gone for here. I don’t know if the price of making that formula went up too much for them to make a profit but this seems like a pretty weak substitute. If it wasn’t a matter of a price increase on raw ingredients then I don’t see why they tried to reinvent something they’d figured out quite a while back.
Both of these shades are just gorgeous. Too bad they are so problematic. I mean, they wouldn’t even work well as a topper. Back to the lab, MAC.
I did purchase Walk Of Flame so I got the best of the lot. I’m hoping I like it better than you did!
I’m so bummed these didn’t perform better. :/
It’s pretty dismal when the best rating shade of the bunch is a C+ -the Walk of Flame is a pretty shade.
I was really looking forward to these lipsticks when I first saw them. I’m very disappointed now. Get it together, MAC!
What a disappointing release! That said I really want these two. I might get the Ciate dupe instead of Starstruck and just buy Walk of Fame.
I so wanted all of these to be stellar as I love shimmery lips and the colours looked so beautiful.
Darn it MAC, you can make lipsticks, why screw these up!?!?!
“I’m not exactly new to applying lipstick” LMAO! Well said. ? sounds like a lame product, as cool as it looks! Thanks for your reviews, as always!
“I’m not exactly new to applying lipstick” … I love that line, too!
And MAC isn’t exactly new to making lipstick, so what happened?!
Wow, all these lipsticks … wth MAC? Starstruck looks flawless in the angled arm swatch — why can’t it look like that on the lips?
I purchased Starstruck but haven’t had a chance to try it on. Will be doing that this weekend and if I have any problems, back it’ll go. I was advised at the counter not to swipe the lipstick too hard as the formula was soft (to get the star patterns) and a patting motion was suggested instead.
Just wanted to add my two cents….I bought Starstruck and it is beautiful! I haven’t had any of these issues so far. I plan to wear it mainly as a topper over dark purple lipsticks but it’s full enough to wear on it’s own. It’s just a little to sparkly and intense for my liking on it’s own.