MAC Film Noir Lipstick ($14.50 for 0.10 oz.) is a deep, reddened brown–very dark, very vampy. It doesn’t go black on me, but it is incredibly dark. On me, the red tones help keep it from being too much of a contrast against my warmer skin tone and potentially washing me out. This is a shade that longs to be the star of a look–just pair it with a little eyeliner, mascara, and a contoured cheek.
Is this the right brown for you? Would you wear it?
The Sultry Season is a series of posts featuring deep, rich shades of brown, berry, plum, and wine lipsticks and lipglosses — just right for autumn — that runs through October 2010.
See photos and swatches…
MAC Film Noir Lipstick
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Christine has normal-to-dry skin with areas of dryness (cheeks, nose, and under the eyes). She has a light-medium skintone with subtle, warmer yellow undertones. Her best foundation matches include: Tarte Rainforest of the Sea in Light-Medium Neutral (best match), Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup in Desert Beige 2N1, Giorgio Armani Maestro Glow in 4.0, Hourglass Warm Ivory Vanish Seamless Finish, Laura Mercier Candleglow Soft Luminous in Dusk, MAC NC20/NC25, Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Liquid in Y305 (140). (For more information, please check the FAQ.)
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I love bold, dark, bright colors, but I think this would be an overstatement on my lips.
Kat
Ahhh, you rock! I’ve been so curious about this lipstick, but never saw a full face with it on. Kind of disappointed now…it’s just too brown! It wish it was slightly more burgundy.
viva
I think it depends on your lip chemistry and coloring. Film Noir looked a LOT different on me, more reddish/brick. And you can just dab it on over lip balm, like more of a stain, so it’s not as deep, too.
For a good year or so I would wear this all of the time with no blush and some eye liner and mascara. But it washed me out a bit so I went for Chelsea instead.
nunuiviet
this colour looks awful
Diana
Yep had this color too in ’92…Revlon’s Toast of New York, I can’t believe these colors are coming back! For me, it’s a trend not to be repeated.
ah! looove 🙂 i think i’ve said this before but i LOVE this lipstick mixed with bronze shimmer by mac. SO PRETTY!
Alexis
Happy Friday, Christine!
Oh you are really making me feel my age. This was my signature look in the mid-90’s wear you didn’t leave the house wearing a brown, brick red color on your lips. For extra sass, I layered this on top of Chestnut lip liner. Okay now the Janet Jackson’s, “That’s The Way Love Goes” is in my head now…
Alexis
oops…meant to say “you DIDN’T leave the house WITHOUT a brown red lipsstick!” haha
I agree with some of the other commenters, I love the name but I wish it had more red in it to escape looking just brown. The name Film Noir makes me think of a really dark red/burgundy vampy lip. It would also be interesting if it was a black lipstick, since most of the Film Noirs that I can think of are in black and white. 🙂
Zombii
That’s gorgeous! I wish I could apply something that dark and intense! Nothing ever ends up neat on my lips. 🙁
DefStef
Despite all the negative comments about this color, Film Noir by MAC is a beautiful shade for women of color. I should know, I’m NC50 and I own it. People leaving comments tend to forget that makeup is for everyone, not just the pale or medium skinned. I rarely see WOC leaving comments saying that some of the lighter shades that compliment lighter skin tones are ugly, awful or too bold. Thanks for the post.
Daphnee
You’re right; Film Noir is beautiful on brown skin….I personally opt for Underworld because my lips don’t have a defined shape.
baby in a corner
Hate to be negative but i think its a little 90s for me, although i heard the brown lips trend is coming back! saying this i love fuschias with purple tones which are also 90s but i just channel my inner claudia schiffer and rock it!
Jezi
This would look awesome with blue-brown pigment on top.
Carrie
Oh man. I love this one. and I’m the kind of person where everybody’s negative comments just make me want it MORE! bwa ha ha
But I guess it makes sense b/c two of my favorite MAC lippies already are Dangerously Hot and Underworld. I am really pale with a very small mouth and so I think dark brownish-red lips look interesting and dramatic on me.
Stacey
I don’t think there is a color you can’t wear!! Looks great on!
I’ve had this color for years and I love it! Sometimes I add clear Lipglass on top, or a golden sparkly lipgloss.
Shanda
When I was younger I LOVED wearing dark brown lips. I usually love the dark warm hues in autumn, but now that I’m older, not so much. I think that would be too much for my skintone.
Kristine, have you seen Bobbi Brown’s fall lineup? Very nice!!!
Ahhh!!! Film Noir!! This was my very FIRST MAC lipstick!! Like it was sooooooo long ago it had the OLD silver packaging! It was definitely in the 90s!! 🙂
JoElla
I love that color, but I just don’t know if I could pull it off.
Ester
Your teeth look extra hot white with that color. Wow.
Film Noir was my go-to lipstick for many years but now that I’m older and not so goth-girly I can’t rock it anymore. There will always be a soft spot in my heart though. 😀
HovercatMittens
I love it. I used to wear shades like this in high school. So pretty!
Kathy
It’s so pretty, but I don’t think it would work well with my skintone at all. lol!
I also think that “Film Noir” is a very appropriate name for the color. It looks very 1940’s black & white movie-ish to me. 🙂
Angela0804
Love, Love Love this lipstick. I am so going to MAC next week for it.
Emy
I think this would be good for a Morticia look this Halloween, I’m not totaly sold though, still some shopping to do..
Kacie
God that’s totally gorgeous. I B2M’d for Violetta today but I’m kinda wishing I’d gone for this, seriously.
Yes, all shades in the Sultry Season are permanent!
Grace
Wowza! that’s an awesome color.
Roxann
absolute love <3.
Phoebe
Hello Christine,
I enrolled on your site last week.I know you have heard this before a million times however,you have done some fabulous looks,and I am very impressed.
For years I have brought Mac colours and I had never heard of the Back to Mac scheme.Yesterday I purchased Film Noir as my free lipstick.
I wore this colour like other people some years ago,the colour looked quite different on me now as opposed to then.
It use to look more like how it looks on you now.
The pigment on my lips has changed obviously!!
I adore the colour on you though as it reminds me of how I use to look.
It is the first dark colour I have worn in the last decade or perhaps longer.The colour is much much darker on my lips…If at all possible would you advise me on some suggestions as to how I should do my other make up when I am wearing this lip stick.
I adore the way you reply to all your site followers,which makes you different to others.
The only other dark lipstick I own is a red but it is an orange/red which I mixed up myself using 3 other lip colours,so very unique for me.
Look forward to seeing what you can come up with.
Thank you
It’s such a daring color and it looks fabulous on you! I’ll have to try that out next time I’m near a MAC store 🙂
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id never wear it, but thats gorgeous!!! it looks great on you!!
Thanks, Ace!
🙂
I love bold, dark, bright colors, but I think this would be an overstatement on my lips.
Ahhh, you rock! I’ve been so curious about this lipstick, but never saw a full face with it on. Kind of disappointed now…it’s just too brown! It wish it was slightly more burgundy.
I think it depends on your lip chemistry and coloring. Film Noir looked a LOT different on me, more reddish/brick. And you can just dab it on over lip balm, like more of a stain, so it’s not as deep, too.
For a good year or so I would wear this all of the time with no blush and some eye liner and mascara. But it washed me out a bit so I went for Chelsea instead.
this colour looks awful
Yep had this color too in ’92…Revlon’s Toast of New York, I can’t believe these colors are coming back! For me, it’s a trend not to be repeated.
ah! looove 🙂 i think i’ve said this before but i LOVE this lipstick mixed with bronze shimmer by mac. SO PRETTY!
Happy Friday, Christine!
Oh you are really making me feel my age. This was my signature look in the mid-90’s wear you didn’t leave the house wearing a brown, brick red color on your lips. For extra sass, I layered this on top of Chestnut lip liner. Okay now the Janet Jackson’s, “That’s The Way Love Goes” is in my head now…
oops…meant to say “you DIDN’T leave the house WITHOUT a brown red lipsstick!” haha
haha!!
I agree with some of the other commenters, I love the name but I wish it had more red in it to escape looking just brown. The name Film Noir makes me think of a really dark red/burgundy vampy lip. It would also be interesting if it was a black lipstick, since most of the Film Noirs that I can think of are in black and white. 🙂
That’s gorgeous! I wish I could apply something that dark and intense! Nothing ever ends up neat on my lips. 🙁
Despite all the negative comments about this color, Film Noir by MAC is a beautiful shade for women of color. I should know, I’m NC50 and I own it. People leaving comments tend to forget that makeup is for everyone, not just the pale or medium skinned. I rarely see WOC leaving comments saying that some of the lighter shades that compliment lighter skin tones are ugly, awful or too bold. Thanks for the post.
You’re right; Film Noir is beautiful on brown skin….I personally opt for Underworld because my lips don’t have a defined shape.
Hate to be negative but i think its a little 90s for me, although i heard the brown lips trend is coming back! saying this i love fuschias with purple tones which are also 90s but i just channel my inner claudia schiffer and rock it!
This would look awesome with blue-brown pigment on top.
Oh man. I love this one. and I’m the kind of person where everybody’s negative comments just make me want it MORE! bwa ha ha
But I guess it makes sense b/c two of my favorite MAC lippies already are Dangerously Hot and Underworld. I am really pale with a very small mouth and so I think dark brownish-red lips look interesting and dramatic on me.
I don’t think there is a color you can’t wear!! Looks great on!
Aw, thanks Stacey 🙂
yuck this lipstick looks awful on you
Sorry!
this is gorgeous on you, christine! =)
Thank you, Aretha!
I’ve had this color for years and I love it! Sometimes I add clear Lipglass on top, or a golden sparkly lipgloss.
When I was younger I LOVED wearing dark brown lips. I usually love the dark warm hues in autumn, but now that I’m older, not so much. I think that would be too much for my skintone.
Kristine, have you seen Bobbi Brown’s fall lineup? Very nice!!!
The Denim launch or something else?
Ahhh!!! Film Noir!! This was my very FIRST MAC lipstick!! Like it was sooooooo long ago it had the OLD silver packaging! It was definitely in the 90s!! 🙂
I love that color, but I just don’t know if I could pull it off.
Your teeth look extra hot white with that color. Wow.
LOL! White teeth are always a good thing!
Film Noir was my go-to lipstick for many years but now that I’m older and not so goth-girly I can’t rock it anymore. There will always be a soft spot in my heart though. 😀
I love it. I used to wear shades like this in high school. So pretty!
It’s so pretty, but I don’t think it would work well with my skintone at all. lol!
I also think that “Film Noir” is a very appropriate name for the color. It looks very 1940’s black & white movie-ish to me. 🙂
Love, Love Love this lipstick. I am so going to MAC next week for it.
I think this would be good for a Morticia look this Halloween, I’m not totaly sold though, still some shopping to do..
God that’s totally gorgeous. I B2M’d for Violetta today but I’m kinda wishing I’d gone for this, seriously.
Violetta is still amazing, though 😛
Christine – you can wear anything and make it beautiful! 🙂
Aww 😛 Thank you!
Now this is a brown the Dude can abide.
…except I’m not Jeff Lebowski, and I actually find Film Noir quite pleasant. xD
At first I liked then then it got too dark,,, maybe a light hand would work.
It is all about options and taste, while some people hate, I love how this lipstick looks on you and can’t wait to try it myself.
Thanks, Ana!
Is this a permanent color?
Yes, all shades in the Sultry Season are permanent!
Wowza! that’s an awesome color.
absolute love <3.
Hello Christine,
I enrolled on your site last week.I know you have heard this before a million times however,you have done some fabulous looks,and I am very impressed.
For years I have brought Mac colours and I had never heard of the Back to Mac scheme.Yesterday I purchased Film Noir as my free lipstick.
I wore this colour like other people some years ago,the colour looked quite different on me now as opposed to then.
It use to look more like how it looks on you now.
The pigment on my lips has changed obviously!!
I adore the colour on you though as it reminds me of how I use to look.
It is the first dark colour I have worn in the last decade or perhaps longer.The colour is much much darker on my lips…If at all possible would you advise me on some suggestions as to how I should do my other make up when I am wearing this lip stick.
I adore the way you reply to all your site followers,which makes you different to others.
The only other dark lipstick I own is a red but it is an orange/red which I mixed up myself using 3 other lip colours,so very unique for me.
Look forward to seeing what you can come up with.
Thank you
It’s such a daring color and it looks fabulous on you! I’ll have to try that out next time I’m near a MAC store 🙂