MAC Heavenly Creatures Lipsticks Review, Photos, Swatches
MAC Cusp of Dawn Lipstick
MAC Heavenly Creatures Lipsticks
MAC Heavenly Creatures Lipsticks ($14.50 for 0.10 oz.) features five shades: Cusp of Dawn (beige pink), Cut a Caper (mid-tone peach pink), Fire Sign (red pink), Pleasureseeker (creamy peach), and Venus (sheer yellow pink with pearl). Both Cut a Caper and Pleasureseeker have been released in previous collections, and all five are limited edition.
- Cusp of Dawn is a soft, warm peach-beige with a little hint of brown and orange-copper shimmer. This has a lustre finish. The color coverage is semi-sheer, depositing more visible shimmer-sheen (almost looks metallic on my lips) while muting any natural pink in my lips. On my lips, it comes out as a subdued beige with a semi-metallic finish. Guerlain Chant d’Aromes is slightly browner and more opaque, less metallic. MAC Viva Glam VI has more red and plum (but it looked a little similar on). Maybelline Coral Kiss is slightly rosier. Guerlain Grace is rosier.
- Cut a Caper is a pink-coral with this really, really subtle purplish iridescence. This has a lustre finish. The color coverage is semi-opaque and very buildable, so you can use almost nothing and get sheer color. Bobbi Brown Pink Seashell is less pink. Chanel Coquette is more vibrant, pinker. NARS Niagara is darker, pinker.
- Fire Sign is a pinky-red with semi-opaque color coverage. This has a lustre finish. Was anyone else wanting this shade to be more fiery? It’s exactly as described, so I don’t take any real issue with it, I just envisioned something more fiery by the name (this has no impact on the review!). Guerlain Pour Troubler is a little more ruby red. NARS Flamenco is comparable. Guerlain Grenade is similar, slightly more muted.
- Pleasureseeker is a dirty peach with subtle warm undertones. This has a glaze finish. It has semi-sheer color payoff, though it has more of a frosted/metallic effect than a lot of color. It seems to warm up my natural lip color and make my lips look a little coral–I imagine this is because it’s semi-sheer, so it’s not adding noticeable peach as a solid color but mixing peach with my underlying lip color. Bobbi Brown Pink Seashell is very similar (perhaps a little pinker in the tube) and also turns my lips to a shade of coral. MAC Razzledazzler is darker, more opaque. Burberry Devon Sunset is more opaque and darker.
- Venus is a semi-opaque subtly yellow-toned medium pink with subtle golden shimmer. This has a lustre finish. MAC Blood Red is less pink. MAC Radicchio is lighter, plummier. Guerlain Bloom of Rose is more frosted.
Four of the five shades have a lustre finish, which isn’t one of my favorites by MAC for two major reasons: 1) they don’t wear very long (anywhere from one and a half to three hours usually), and 2) they’re drying. One shade has a glaze finish, which is similar but slightly glossier (heavier on the shine, slightly creamier), which wears about as well as lustre finishes do, but I don’t find the glaze finish as drying–slightly drying but not too badly. MAC lipsticks are vanilla-scented with no discernible taste and come in black bullet tubes with silver accents.
Yesterday, I tested the wear of Cusp of Dawn (two hours), Cut a Caper (three hours), and Fire Sign (five hours), while this morning, I tested out the wear of Pleasureseeker (hour and a half) and Venus (three and a half hours). All of the shades were on the drying side with Cut a Caper being the least drying but slightly so. Cusp of Dawn and Pleasureseeker will do best on well-hydrated, smooth lips. The sheer and frost combination doesn’t work well on dehydrated lips, as it tends to accentuate any imperfections on the lip, like dryness, flaking, and cracking.
On the whole, I do like MAC lipsticks, and I think there are few brands that provide as many shade varieties as they do (there are so many classics in the permanent range, and plenty of “ooh, I remember loving you” shades that were limited edition). I also think they’re a good option for someone who wants to go high-end but doesn’t want to shell out $20+ for true high-end brands (as MAC is generally considered mid-end, though their price points have been creeping–especially on newer product types–upward into high-end territory, e.g. $20 for an eyeshadow). Lustres just don’t work well on me; they wear off easily and dry out my lips, and since four of the five are lustres, this review certainly reflects those problems.
MAC Heavenly Creatures Lipsticks Review, Photos, Swatches
MAC Cusp of Dawn Lipstick
MAC Cusp of Dawn Lipstick
MAC Cusp of Dawn Lipstick
MAC Cusp of Dawn Lipstick (Diffused Flash)
MAC Cusp of Dawn Lipstick (Studio Lighting)
MAC Cusp of Dawn Lipstick
MAC Cut a Caper Lipstick
MAC Cut a Caper Lipstick
MAC Cut a Caper Lipstick
MAC Cut a Caper Lipstick (Diffused Flash)
MAC Cut a Caper Lipstick (Studio Lighting)
MAC Cut a Caper Lipstick
MAC Fire Sign Lipstick
MAC Fire Sign Lipstick
MAC Fire Sign Lipstick
MAC Fire Sign Lipstick (Diffused Flash)
MAC Fire Sign Lipstick (Studio Lighting)
MAC Fire Sign Lipstick
MAC Pleasureseeker Lipstick
MAC Pleasureseeker Lipstick
MAC Pleasureseeker Lipstick
MAC Pleasureseeker Lipstick (Diffused Flash)
MAC Pleasureseeker Lipstick (Studio Lighting)
MAC Pleasureseeker Lipstick
MAC Venus Lipstick
MAC Venus Lipstick
MAC Venus Lipstick
MAC Venus Lipstick (Diffused Flash)
MAC Venus Lipstick (Studio Lighting)
MAC Venus Lipstick
Hi, is Cut a Caper similar to Flamingo?
@Arianebcandido Flamingo is pinker and lighter!
The colors don’t seem particularly unique, and I hate lipsticks that emphasize lip lines and dryness… I’m curious to swatch these once they hit counters, but I’m afraid I’ll be passing on all of them 🙁 What a shame, I really like the celestial/ galactic idea of this collection!
I love Venus, and Cut a Caper is nice as well. I’m waiting for the collection to launch at nordstrom!
Thank you for such detailed reviews! Really appreciate your hard work and fast pace!
I LOVE Cut a Caper! Such a pretty coral. I was originally going to get Pleasureseeker, but it’s a bit too sheer for me. I think I’ll opt for Venus instead.
Wow, I like Cut a Caper and Venus. I actually like lustres a lot, they can be easier to wear (especially with bright colors) ’cause the sheerness makes them more subtle but they’re less goopy than glosses. Not editorial but good for everyday wear.
Thank you for all your hard work!!!! I think ill be getting cut a caper!!
Lustre is the only MAC lipstick formula that works on my lips. They feel nice and smooth on the lips and never dry them out. I really like all of these shades, but don’t feel like any of them are must-haves.
Are any of these well recommended for deeper complexions, if so which?
@JasmineSmith I don’t recommend any of these shades because of the formula, but color-wise, Fire Sign!
@JasmineSmith I’m an NC47 and so far I love Venus, Cut A Caper, Pleasureseeker and Fire Sign. These are great for the days of not wanting to wear too much makeup.
These swatches of Cut-A-Caper look very different from your previous ones (from a Tartan Tale) did you find any difference in the formula from that collection? I was sold the first time around, now I’m unsure.
It’s completely different lighting (and equipment) now compared to two or three years ago! I’d like to think I have improved my photography over the years, LOL! 🙂 The two are the same – no differences between now and before – I usually check before I write the review so I can note any differences!
@Christine (Temptalia) Thanks so much! I’ll be picking it up for sure then. =D
No problem! Hope you like it! 🙂
P.S. — More recent photos = more accurate, always! Lighting, equipment, software, processing, etc. are all improved/different than a few years ago. I would say the past 18-24 months are fairly consistent, except anything in studio lighting, since that’s been undergoing changes in the past 4 months and I’m still working on it (not 100% satisfied, or even 80% satisfied). I hope that helps 🙂
If it was up to me, I’d have to removed any post older than 2 years, haha!
@Christine (Temptalia) I had to swatch cut a caper myself and compare it to both this and your older swatches and the new one is definitely more accurate! It is in fact very similar to the way it looks on my lips!
Wow I looked at your other review of Cut a Caper yesterday and the colors look so different! And that’s interesting, Lustres are the only MAC formula that DON’T make my lips horribly peely. I ordered Venus yesterday sight unseen, and from your swatches I’m glad that I did! Thanks!
My lips are super gross today after wearing lustres all day yesterday 🙁 I’m so glad they work for you, though!!
I like Venus and Fire Sign, I’ll probably take one of these. M.A.C offers a wide range of textures, yes definitely it’s mid end make-up but very good mid end which is not the case with other brands.
Your swatches are pretty, give a very good idea of Heavenly creature lipsticks.
I’m not a huge fan of lustres, but I love all of these colors, so I’ll be looking into the listed dupes for those. I love that you lay those out in your reviews. I like knowing what else out there is similar, so I have options 😀
Hi Christine!
So excited for your reviews and swatches, and enjoyed your “zebra” cheek story, great way to start the day with a laugh!
I’d like to ask how Cut A Caper compares to Flamingo?
Thank you in advance!
@blkrox Flamingo is pinker and lighter!
They all look absolutely beautiful on you, Christine! I’m considering Venus and Fire Sign, though I don’t feel a pressing need to run out to get either one.
Surprisingly, I thought I would hate the two lighter ones, but I actually like all of these. Not enough to buy all of them, but it was a pleasant surprise. My favorites are Cut a Caper, Venus and Fire Sign and I’m bummed that Cut a Caper is apparently already sold out. Do you know if this collection is going to be available at Nordstrom?
@Cat Ray It will be at Nordstrom, Macy’s, Dillard’s, Bloomingdale’s!
@Cat Ray Just keep looking on the website, I’m sure they’ll have more. It’s just part of their “hype” building. I ordered a couple of LE products a while back that were a few months old, and they said they were in stock, then I got an email stating they were on back order, but they *would* be available. I ended up cancelling though, as it wasn’t worth the wait. The point is, I’m sure all of the “sold out” items will be up within a week or so.
i prefer mac lipstick matte. i loved your blue make up. what´s the brand of your eye pencil on the picture?
Thanks Christine!
One question though – How comparable are Cusp of the dawn and Marquise D?
@Carla Souza Marquise d’ is pinker, less yellow.
@Christine (Temptalia) Thank you very much! From this collection, what itens do you think are must-have ?
@Carla Souza Either Light Year/Star Wonder MSF. I find the wear on mineralize products to be a little disappointing, so nothing is really a must, must-have!
You might not love them but daaaang girl they look good on you 😉
Love them all. On you.
The lip colors are the only things in this collection that have caught my attention. Just ordered Venus and Cut-a-Caper. Hope I like them!
Getting back on the coral issue, do you think Fire Sign is sort of coral-y? I feel like it might work on my NC42 skin. Love the blue tones on your eyes! I think you’re neutral/warm, Christine. Because a true warm (me) would look ghastly in those eye shadow colors.
I think it would work on NC42 skin, though I’d say it’s too cool-toned to be called coral!
Christine, would you consider Fire Sign a dupe for Viva Glam Cyndi?
VG Cyndi is more coral/warmer!
I’ve heard that Revlon’s Cherry Tart is a dupe to Cyndi, but I’m wondering if it would be a better dupe, both in formula and price to Fire Sign? You don’t have a swatch, but do you own it to compare? I’m trying to look at your Fire Sign swatch vs. swatches on other sites. Thanks!
@melissavanost I don’t have Cherry Tart 🙁
I love them on you, Christine! I like Cut-A-Caper and Fire Sign.
Venus reminds me of MAC’s Sweetie Lipstick and Cusp of Dawn reminds me of a cross between MAC’s Honey Flower l/s and High Tea l/s. Christine do you know how do these colors compare?
Sweetie is darker, more subdued. Honeyflower is darker, more orange/brown. I think High Tea rosier.
one of them looks like the marquise’d of the collection d wonder woman?
Nothing to do with the lipsticks but your makeup looks gorgeous here! xx 🙂
Venus are Fire Sign are so pretty ♥
Yay! Lustres are actually my favourite formula from MAC, surprisingly! (Think Plumful and Capricious!!) SOOO I think I’m gonna have to pick Cut a Caper and Fire Sign up! 😀
I’m torn. They’re all gorgeous colors, totally wearable, but for that little amount of wear time? Ugh.
You know, I wasn’t crazy about Cut a Caper when it was originally launched, but… you’re kind of turning into a lemming monster, Christine 😛 I never want anything from MAC collections until I see them on you!!
I’m blaming the photos, this time around — your new lighting setup makes everything look (even more) flawless. It’s all Photoshopped-perfection, minus the Photoshop! //flailing
But I thought you mentioned in your older post that MAC Sweetie was your favorite pink lipstick. Wasn’t that a luster?
Years ago when all I knew was MAC and didn’t know that other brands or better products existed, sure! Sweetie was one of my favorite lipsticks and first lipsticks ever. I haven’t worn it in forever! I used to wear it with a gloss on top most of the time, which is definitely one way to help with a drying lipstick be less drying (I think I actually gave this tip in the video review for this collection) 🙂 I couldn’t tell you if Sweetie was drying since it’s been so long since I’ve worn it – I know that some lustres are more drying than others, but overall, they’re on the drying side (as these four were). It’s still a really lovely shade.
I’m much, much more vigilant, detailed, and aware of a brand’s claims when I review products now than I was six years ago when I was just using makeup for fun.
Do you have Lady Bug? If so, how does it compare to Fire Sign?
I don’t think I have Lady Bug!
REALLY WANNA TRY THE FIRE SIGN LIPSTICK! <3
nice review as always, thanks! xx 🙂
vizzilys.blogspot.com
Christine, which is the difference between lustres and glazes?
@BunnylaJoya Nothing really major – and on the surface, they really feel quite similar. Glazes are less metallic/frosted and maybe have a bit more slip.
All these colors look beautiful on you. You’re really gorgeous.
Fire Sign is gorgeous!
what a shame mac instists on making most of their lipsticks in limited edition collections lustre finishes!! i would definitley buy a lot more if they were matte, amplified cream or frost finish. to me lustres are a pointless wash of colour, and only last around an hour on me.
@evadivadancer To be fair, there were quite a few amplifieds in recent collections. 😉 I bought Watch me Simmer, Saluté and Reel Sexy.
there’s someone on ebay selling these lipsticks and using your lip swatches, what a cheek they’ve got!
What foundation are you wearing in these photos? You look flawless ! <3
@JenniferSwift MUFE HD
Cut a Caper looks amazing on you Christine, I wish I knew for sure it would look that good on me!
@Christine (Temptalia) Is Cut A Caper at all similar in colour to Reel Sexy? I know the finish is very different in pigmentation.
@Emme I’d say it’s a little more coral – Reel Sexy seems a bit more orange.
Hi Christine! How comparable are Cut a Caper and Ever Hip?
@Margaux115 Ever Hip is pinker/brighter!
Cut a Caper looks a lot like a satin finish version of Shiseido’s Glowing Matte Lipstick in Sugar Babe on my very pigmented lips.
I normally don’t comment too much but I think your eye makeup looks wonderful on you!
Personally, I think all of these colors look so pretty on you!
Christine, did your tube of Fire Sign happen to feel really dry and firm when you first used it?
I got mine on Thursday and just used it today, and it felt really weird compared to other lustres I own. I had to press down really hard on my lips just to apply it.
Wondering if I got a defective one and need to return it, or if this is just a quirk of that shade TIA!
I don’t remember it having that feel at all! I think I would have noticed if it was as firm as you’ve described.
Hi Christine! Would you say that Venus is very similar to Gem of Roses? Thanks!
It’s pinker, brighter – less muted!
I got the Venus lipstick randomly when this came out. I didn’t really open it until a month later bec I thought it’s kind of a normal-looking shade of pink then it became my favorite pink lipstick color. Now I find myself wishing this isn’t limited edition. I have to find something close in the permanent line, whether regular lipstick, longwear or lipglass. I hate when MAC does this to me. 😛
Hi Christine! Would you say that Fire Sign is very similar to Guerlain Chamade (164) Rouge Automatique? Thank you for your time!
Chamade is brighter and lighter 🙂
How does Cut a Caper compare to YSL Peach Passion, Tender Peach, or Peach Faubourg?
Pinker 🙂
Cut a Caper – limited edition + gone? :/