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MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick Review, Photos, Swatches (2013)

MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick
MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick

MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick ($15.00 for 0.10 oz.) is described as a “light cool lavender [with a] Cremesheen [finish].” It’s a pink-tinted lavender with a soft, pearly finish. MAC Nocturnal Instincts is darker, more mauve, less pink. MAC Budding Love is more lavender. MAC Quite Cute is lighter. MAC Pink Friday is cooler-toned, more opaque. MAC I Like It Like That is more opaque. MAC Blooming Lovely is grayer.

It had semi-sheer to semi-opaque color payoff; it hid most of my lip freckle but there was a slight translucency all around that allowed the natural lip color to come through. The finish has a light, pearly sheen, as it is part of the Cremesheen family. It has a lightly creamy consistency that gets creamier the longer it is held against the lip–it always starts off a bit stiff, but as the first layer wears away, it gets better. I wore Lavender Whip yesterday, and it lasted three hours, which is a bit below average for a lipstick. It was neither drying nor hydrating.

So, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Lavender Whip 2013 Edition is not the same as the Lavender Whip that came out in 2008. When I initially swatched it, it seemed pinker, but I thought I remembered wrong and/or lighting differences accounted for it. I went back into the Temptalia archives and compared my 2008 version to the sample I received this past week–and they are definitely different. I took a snap of the tubes themselves (with my phone’s camera and in my office, so apologies for the quality not being quite as good!) and then just added comparison swatches. This year’s Lavender Whip is pinker–it is much less purple. The newer version reads warmer, less lavender. They’re sisters but not twins. If Lavender Whip was too purple, it will be a happy change, but if you wanted something more decidedly purple, you may be disappointed.

MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick
MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick

MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick
MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick

MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick
MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick

MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick
MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick

MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick
MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick

MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick
MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick

MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick
MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick (2013 vs. 2008)

MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick
MAC Lavender Whip Lipstick (2013 vs. 2008)

83 Comments

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Laurence Avatar

How disappointing!
This was literally the only thing for the Baking Beauties collection I had my eye on, I love the original but thought this looked different in the promos.
WHY MAC why?!

Jae Avatar

Is MAC just really that terrible at keeping record of their color forumlas? Or are they just trying to get one over on the big cult following of the original shade in order to make money?

(Sorry, that came out really bitter and jaded.)

Dusty Avatar

UGH! WHY WHY WHY?!! I get this is more “wearable” for most people BUT there are also SO many reddish/pinkish/warm purples out there. Cool-toned purples and lavenders are SO rarely released…

BOO! That’s all. Just BOOOOOOO!!!!!! HISSSSSS!!!!! I have half a mind to stand outside MAC HQ and actually start yelling that at the building.

Thanks for the extra work though 🙂

18thCenturyFox Avatar

Hallelujah sister! This looks like so many others and MAC obviously knew they had a winner with LW. So now it’s pinkish, shimmery and sheerer? It’s been Housewived of MAC Countied.

JB Avatar

I just told my date I was going to do this, ( who btw put up with me stalking the website every five seconds while we were at dinner) .. SIGH..The things we’ll do. I think they take advantage of the fact they know it’ll sell anyway. Thanks Christine for the honest review.. PASS!!

shantelle Avatar

It is def different! I have the original which is more florescent then the dark one thats now permanent. How could they think we wouldnt notice. It takes away from what made it so special in the first place

fabiola Avatar

Wow! They are 2 completly different colos. As always, you are a big help. I have budding love, I barely reach for it, I guess this is a pass for me. Thank you so much Christine, I am following on twitter, and you must be working so hard, your post are so close to each other. It takes dedication.

A. Mar Avatar

Disappointing! I missed out on Lavender Whip last time and I was so excited to see it was being re-promoted. But with the change in the shade, I’ll pass.

April Avatar

I’m honestly, honestly sick bout this. I’ve waited for them to bring back Lavender Whip for YEARS. My five back-up tubes have whittled down to 1.5 and I’m feeling panicked without my signature shade. I don’t want to believe that MAC would screw this up but your pictures never lie Christine. I really can’t understand how they could get this wrong, or why they had to get all of our hopes up and call this “Lavender Whip” when it’s something so different. 🙁 I think it’s disrespectful to the consumer to assume we wouldn’t notice a difference in color when it comes to one of the most popular lipsticks they’ve put out in the last 10 years.

Christine Avatar

I mean, hey, it could be a really horrific batch difference – my biggest worry that it’s not is just that the whole undertone reads differently between the two. Like it’s not slightly different in consistency or maybe it’s sheerer… the two look different in the tubes, swatched, and it’s not different lighting or anything 🙁

I definitely hesitated, but after comparing them, there were enough differences that it didn’t seem like an inconsistency in the batch!

April Avatar

Christine, you are so wonderfully thorough. Trust me, I know when you say two lipsticks are different, they’re different! I’ve had a hard day and this just made it worse. I’m going to contact MAC and try to get someone to give me some answers. This is obviously not the same shade. I’m hoping maybe they can send me a tube or two of the correct color, but even if they don’t, I just want to make my complaint heard.

beck Avatar

Keep us posted, I am thinking they have not made the original color since the first time it came out 🙁
It’s long gone I would imagine

18thCenturyFox Avatar

I’ve been waiting so long to get this as it looks like a dead ringer for an old Hard Candy lipstick from 1998. It was my signature color and I learned about LW too late after the release, so I’ve been building up the excitement and now 5,000,000 collections and they had to change one of ther most unique shades. I can find a sheered, pinky, pearlized lipstick in any brand. Wtf. *growl*

Michelle Avatar

Hi April! I just wanted to let you know that you CAN get the color back! There’s a website called threecustom.com , they engineer discontinued shades of lipstick, blushes, whatever! Just send them the tube of your lavender whip and they will process you another one, of the exact same color!! 🙂

Danielle Avatar

Speaking of differences and products (and MAC), I have a Well-Dressed blush that is significantly different than one I bought a few years ago. (We’re talking shades lighter!) So I’m sort of happy that there is a difference with the lipstick because I thought it was just me being paranoid about the blush.

kia yummy411 Avatar

this happens often with products.. this happened to me with c-thru.. it came out with a limited launch and was different than the perm one.. lighter and a bit sheer. then i went to nars inquiring about the old angelika blush versus a current angelika…it was indeed different. =s

LuLu Luvs Makeup Avatar

I don’t care either way. Missed out on the old one, so I’m getting the new one. I actually hate fuschias, purples, and even lavender lippies because my lips have a mauve undertone naturally. All fuschias look purple on me. A lot of pinks look lavender. Even angel looks straight up lavender. Which is why I always look for yellow-toned pinks and even then they end up looking purple-y on me 🙁

Ok on to more important things, can we please just take a moment to comment on how insanely awesome Christine is for this post!!!! Christine is awesome, in general, of course but Christ, this is on a whole other level. I never ever doubted her credibility but this post to me really cements the fact that Christine is, and always will be the best of the best, of all time, like, ever. Woman, you can DO no wrong. I know you’re just doing your thing but I appreciate you, and your blog, and you some more! xx

Nikki Avatar

I like that Budding Love is more lavender than Lavender Whip…

It’s pretty. I wasn’t particularly interested before, but now that it’s slightly more pink I may give it a shot.

Lee Avatar

I thought it looked different in your initial swatches but thought maybe my monitor was off. Even tho’ it’s not an unusual color, I love pinky lavenders and will probably wear this one more than my original Lavender Whip so it’s a buy for me.

Victoria Avatar

There is a difference but its so nominal, I’ve wanted this color since it came out many years ago. I’m getting this regardless of the pink undertone. I prefer this color, more suitable for my NW45-NW47 skintone 🙂 thanks for your review!

Wwendalynne Avatar

purple plagues me.. trying to find purple blush and purple lipstick that do not ultimately go pink on me.. This is a disappointing pass. I do not have the original either 🙁

Rachel Marie Avatar

that’s odd about the color, you’d think they’d keep track of those things. Oh well, I’ll probably pick it up or at least check it out in store regardless

Erica Avatar

Shame on MAC for trying to fool Old School wearers with a Stepord Wives dupe. I too had the original 2008 Lavender Whip lipstick. I’m all for new and improved versions of old favorites. This however is just plain old fakery. There are enough pinkish purple (and cheaper) lippies out here. Thanks Christine for the comparisons. Your diligence is greatly appreciated. Boo MAC! No money for you. Imo, this entire Baking whatever collection is for the birds.

Adele Avatar

I think both versions are gorgeous, but it’s still a shame about the color change! Viva Glam Nicki 2 didn’t seem to be very well-received, so I wonder if they wanted to go for a safer light purple.

Ester Avatar

I’m getting really frustrated with MAC lately. This lipstick is already sold out online, and the collection isn’t set to launch for a whole week! I just don’t understand.

Laura Avatar

Nordstrom! Just got mine! I checked last night, and macys has the collection up but lavender whip was already sold out.. So I knew nordstrom would put it up soon and sure enough 6 am east coast it’s available!!!

Laura Avatar

Nordstrom has it now, I just ordered mine! I’d hurry! Last night when I ordered my powder from macys, lavender whip was already gone.

Ellie Avatar

I never had the original one but I did pick the new one up…it looks ok..but I did want something a bit more cooler toned…like the original one..but I can always make it like that by tweaking it at home.. 🙂

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