MAC Ablaze Lip Pencil ($15.00 for 0.05 oz.) is described as a “bright apricot.” More like a medium-dark orange with red undertones and a matte finish–can’t say I’ve seen an apricot quite this color before! MAC Temperature Rising is brighter, more orange. MAC Entertain Me is more orange. MAC Lasting Sensation is lighter–the difference is more apparent when worn. MAC What a Blast is more orange. MAC Redd is redder, slightly darker. MAC Throw Me a Line is a bit redder.

It has good color payoff in a single stroke, and it is certainly buildable and yields a fair amount of color. The problem is the texture of the lip pencils is rather dry, so it can be hard to get even, opaque color on the lips. I just find the formula drags and tugs and pulls – I feel like I have to press so hard to deposit the color. I was able to apply this one enough that it looked mostly even, but it definitely took some doing to get it there. My experience with MAC’s Lip Pencils is that they tend to be rather drying when worn alone, but they work better when used underneath another lipstick or gloss to either prolong the wear or add oomph.

MAC Ablaze Lip Pencil

MAC Ablaze Lip Pencil

MAC Ablaze Lip Pencil

MAC Ablaze Lip Pencil

MAC Ablaze Lip Pencil

MAC Ablaze Lip Pencil

MAC Ablaze Fashion Set

MAC Ablaze Fashion Set: Lipstick, Lipglass, Lip Pencil

MAC Ablaze Lipglass over Ablaze Lipstick over Ablaze Lip Pencil

MAC Ablaze Lipglass over Ablaze Lipstick over Ablaze Lip Pencil

MAC Ablaze Lipglass over Ablaze Lipstick over Ablaze Lip Pencil

MAC Ablaze Fashion Set