MAC Betty Boop Red Lipstick Review, Photos, Swatches
Betty Boop Red
MAC Betty Boop Red Lipstick ($18.00 for 0.10 oz.) is a bright, medium red with cool undertones and a satin finish. It had semi-opaque pigmentation that applied evenly and smoothly across the lips. The consistency was smooth, lightly creamy but not too emollient, and comfortable to wear. Though it was listed as a matte finish on the packaging, it did not read matte on me until after an hour and a half of wear. The color wore well for over six hours, left a stain behind, and was neither drying nor hydrating.
This lipstick launches online today (2/14).
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Tarte Juicy (LE, $20.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Tarte Firework (P, $22.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- Urban Decay 714 (P, $19.00) is less glossy (95% similar).
- Pat McGrath Major Red (DC, $40.00) is glossier (95% similar).
- Chanel Rouge Charnel (56) (P, $45.00) is darker (95% similar).
- MAC Nyma Tang (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery, more muted, cooler (95% similar).
- Becca Cherry (DC, $24.00) is more shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
- Tarte Miami Vice (P, $21.00) is darker, glossier (95% similar).
- YSL Rouge Paradoxe (21) (P, $39.00) is darker, warmer, less glossy (95% similar).
- MAC Stunner (LE, $19.00) is lighter (95% similar).
Formula Overview
$19.00/0.1 oz. - $190.00 Per Ounce
MAC Lipstick comes in a variety of finishes, and the pigmentation and wear tend to be dependent on the finish. The sheer finishes, like Lustres, tend to wear for only a couple of hours and have sheer coverage (as designed) and are non-drying.
Some of the original Matte shades have a stiffer, drier formula, while newer ones have a more velvety, silicone-feel to them, and the latter are creamier, more comfortable to wear, and easier to apply, but most Matte shades are quite pigmented and long-wearing, though some are drying.
The Amplified and Satin finishes tend to have good pigmentation, lightly creamy to moderately creamy consistencies with a bit of shine, and moderate to long wear with deeper, richer shades wearing longer. The Frost and Metallic finishes have the most variance between shades with coverage ranging from semi-sheer to opaque with average wear and non-drying to slightly drying formulas. All MAC lipsticks are vanilla-scented but have no discernible taste.
Browse all of our MAC Lipstick swatches.
I was going to skip this. I looked at it first thing this morning but when I saw it was a matte I had decided to pass. BUT OMG it looks amazing on you! And you’re right, it does look like more of a satin on application. I love, love, love reds (and of course Betty Boop) so I just ordered it. Thanks for your review!
No problem, Michele! Definitely felt more like a matte-satin hybrid – not as a thick as MAC’s official satin finish but definitely not as clingy as their regular matte (and I say clingy without it necessarily be a bad thing) nor as velvety as recent matte shades hav ebeen.
This is beautiful and I just ordered it. I am a fan of warm reds an am thrilled it’s not too dying of a matte per your review! Thank you!
Happy to help, Nell!
I love the color! They should have made a design for the lipstick packaging… that would have been great!
It would have been for sure!
Aww, I wish the casing had Betty Boop on it! Pretty color though..
I know! 🙁
Same, I mean it’s just one shade they should have done more with the packaging like with Venomous Villains collection. 😉
For sure. 🙁
The TF blushes you’re wearing – is that the new formulation or the original formulation? Thanks!
The new one.
Oh wow! What a lovely shade! I wished I could wear more red’s (not brave enough unf) as this would be such a beautiful colour to wear! MAC lipsticks are some of my favourites!
Aw, you should try to wear the ones you have already – maybe just around the house to get used to them!
Blogging is the definition of brave! Agree with C. Wear it inside, then somewhere highly public, where you’re not likely to run into people you know. Strangers will not have a bad reaction at all., nor will they understand your discomfort. Then wear it at night, and gradually introduce it to daytime wear. Get one that you like and believe shares your skintone and personality. Or start with sheer. Maybe take home or wear tiny decants of your MAC favorites for a day…no cheating and taking it off! I remember thinking myself too young for reds, but that was an era thing (London mod) as much as anything. Once you get there, you will never understand how you lived without them!
The color is stunning, but this is MAC being lazy here—where is the special packaging on the lipstick itself???
It is really odd that they have done the cardboard printing lately (this and Helmut Newton), mostly as I think they are very hard to store (it’s not even just a slim box!) and many prefer to recycle/toss the extra packaging anyway!
Im glad it’s a good quality for people who want it!!
I feel like a broken record, but I own way too many reds right now. And I’v found my holy grail red. So I’m done looking for now!
Congrats on finding your HG!
What a nice clear, bright red! Sooo tempted to get it, too. The name, for one thing. And a color that lives up to its moniker!
The color is lovely!
It’s really beautiful! I may have to rethink my decision not to get it.
It is pretty!
How did it compare to the Maleficent’s true loves kiss? I loved that color and formulation and am yet to find another MAC that can come close to it.
You can compare any two shades in the Swatch Gallery – or you can enter them right in the fields under “Compare Any Two” found right on this page!
I know there are a million and one reds out there but I have been looking all morning to see what this looks like compared to Russian Red and EVERYONE just shows it next to Ruby Woo! This looks like Russian Red to me more than it does Ruby Woo… blerg! I hate to ask but… thoughts?
Russian Red isn’t as blue-based/pink-based!
What?! Aw man! Now I want it! Argh! Thank you so much for letting me know! Happy Valentine’s Day!
I’d say it’s pinker like Ruby Woo but with the finish of Russian Red 🙂
This lipstick color is amazing! Will definitely buy. Love your blush and highlighter. What are you wearing in this picture?
MAKE-UP LOOK
ON FACE:
Dior Star Foundation
Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder
Tom Ford Ravish Blush
Tom Ford Love Lust Blush
ON EYES:
Zoeva Matte Spectrum Palette
Is it similar to candy cane?
Great color, but I’d have to decorate with stickers, like I did with nose for style. Yet another MAC collection that screamed opportunity missed! for packaging.
Still a great idea to do that for big fans of Betty Boop! 🙂
Wowza! This is beautiful!! I think I’ll try out Ruby Woo with a gloss over it to fake this look 😉
Perfect 😉
I don’t see any cool undertones in that at all – it’s a beautiful warm red and looks gorgeous on you! I had to order it because I love Betty Boop – yes I’m old. My mother loved her too
It is an amazingly beautiful shade of red! Just gorgeous on you Christine.
Damn. Now I think I want this.
Lovely red lipstick. I do love my reds, I have a lot and will, after reading your review and seeing the photos have another one.
Pity they just did something extra with the box, but at least it has the name and the gorgeous colour.
Cute but dupable. I’d probably go with Oh Miley.
I was actually thinking of not purchasing this color because it didn’t look very special in the promo pics and I was sure that I already had something similar. However, after seeing your photos, I purchased it immediately. It’s such a gorgeous red. It looks so much prettier swatched and worn than it does in the bullet. Thank you Chrisitne!
For me this one is kind of drying. I like the color so I’ll find a way to make it work! I had to have it.