MAC Instigator Lipstick ($15.00 for 0.10 oz.) is described as a “deep blackened plum [with a Retro Matte finish].” It’s a deep, berry-wine with a satin finish. Officially, it’s labeled as a matte (not a Retro Matte), but it has a noticeable sheen for the first hour of wear. It had mostly opaque color coverage. This shade wore well for six hours and left behind a noticeable berry stain. It was neither drying nor hydrating. NARS Train Bleu (P, $25.00) is very similar–just more matte. MAC Potent Fig (LE, $16.00) is purpler. MAC Yung Rapunxel (LE, $16.00) is lighter, less matte. MAC Smoked Purple (LE, $16.00) is slightly purpler, less berry but comparable. See comparison swatches.

Punk Couture Lipstick ($15.00 for 0.10 oz.) is described as a “deep blackened grape [with a Retro Matte finish].” It’s a cool-toned, medium-dark purple with a satin finish. I had trouble getting the color to apply evenly, as it had a tendency to gather/clump in places. It had mostly full color coverage, but I would apply this with a lip brush to improve the evenness.  The color lasted for five and a half hours, but it did seem to settle into lip lines as it wore on. Illamasqua ESP (P, $24.00) is brighter, less cool-toned. MAC Potent Fig (LE, $16.00) is a bit darker, less pink/red. Illamasqua Kontrol (P, $24.00) is a more muted, grayer purple. See comparison swatches.

Both shades are sold out online, and the only real way to get them would be to track them down at a store/counter, or possibly, if MAC restocks it online (but you can’t count on a restock, and you never know when it might occur!). Also, just as an FYI, my Punk Couture lipstick arrived smashed against the top of the inside of the cap, and it had fallen entirely out of the base (so it was loose).

MAC Instigator Lipstick

MAC Instigator Lipstick

MAC Instigator Lipstick

MAC Instigator Lipstick

MAC Instigator Lipstick

MAC Instigator Lipstick

MAC Punk Couture Lipstick

MAC Punk Couture Lipstick

MAC Punk Couture Lipstick

MAC Punk Couture Lipstick

MAC Punk Couture Lipstick

MAC Punk Couture Lipstick