MAC Tartan Tale: Lipsticks Review, Photos, Swatches

Reviews
Christine |

MAC Tartan Tale Lipsticks
Courting Lilac, Cut-a-Caper, Deepest Wish, The Faerie Glen, Full Fuchsia

MAC Tartan Tale: Lipsticks

MAC Tartan Tale Lipsticks ($14.50 for 0.10 oz.) feature four new and limited edition shades and one PRO shade being promoted. There’s an interesting mix of shades here — you have the ultra bright, two more neutral/everyday, one vampy, and one that doesn’t quite fit.

The five shades include: Courting Lilac (sheer lilac mauve with soft gold pearl), Cut-a-Caper (mid-tone peachy pink), Deepest Wish (deep creamy red-brown), The Faerie Glen (pale neutral pink), and Full Fuchsia (bright blue fuchsia). All are limited edition except for Full Fuchsia, which is permanent at PRO stores.

  • Courting Lilac is a semi-opaque, pink-tinged purple with gold shimmer and sheen. It has a glaze finish. It’s not the same, but it has a similar effect as Victorian (from Spring Colour Forecast), but Victorian is a bubblegum pink in comparison. It’s closer in color to Bubblegum (also from Spring Colour Forecast), but the golden sheen is more apparent in Courting Lilac, and it’s not quite as blue-based. It’s also reminiscent of Urban Decay’s Naked but a little more lilac.
  • Cut-a-Caper is a semi-opaque, soft coral-pink with a glossy shine. It has a lustre finish. At first, I thought it might have been similar to Ever Hip, but it’s peachier. It’s actually quite similar to Smashbox’s Splendid. I’m actually reminded of Strange Potion, which was a lipglass. I gotta say that it doesn’t look very much like it does in the tube when swatched or worn.
  • Deepest Wish is a deepened red-burgundy with a glossy shine. It has an amplified finish, but it’s the weakest amplified I’ve tried–it’s a lot glossier and sheerer than other amplified finished lipsticks I’ve tried in the past. It’s a muted version of Media, less opaque version of Kittenish.
  • The Faerie Glen is a semi-sheer neutral beige-peach with soft sheen. It has a lustre finish. It’s a lighter version of MAC Cherish.
  • Full Fuchsia is a neon fuchsia with blue undertones. It has an amplified finish, and it applies nearly opaque. It is brighter and pinker than Girl About Town.

I think Courting Lilac will be the big seller within the lipsticks launched, because it’s a little different than past similar releases and not fully found within the permanent range. Both Cut-a-Caper and The Faerie Glen are wearable neutrals that should flatter both cool and warm skin tones.

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  • Product: 26/30
  • Value: 8/10
  • Ease of Use: 4/5
  • Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: The lustre finishes here actually have decent pigmentation, which is always nice to find. They’re still glossy in the overall appearance, though. Deepest Wish feels too dupeable to be a must-have.

AVAILABILITY: Online now, October 28th in-store

MAC Tartan Tale Lipsticks
Courting Lilac, Cut-a-Caper, Deepest Wish,

MAC Tartan Tale Lipsticks
Deepest Wish, The Faerie Glen, Full Fuchsia

MAC Tartan Tale Lipsticks
MAC Courting Lilac Lipstick

MAC Tartan Tale Lipsticks
MAC Courting Lilac Lipstick

MAC Tartan Tale Lipsticks
MAC Cut-a-Caper Lipstick

MAC Tartan Tale Lipsticks
MAC Cut-a-Caper Lipstick

MAC Tartan Tale Lipsticks
MAC Deepest Wish Lipstick

MAC Tartan Tale Lipsticks
MAC Deepest Wish Lipstick

MAC Tartan Tale Lipsticks
MAC The Faerie Glen Lipstick

MAC Tartan Tale Lipsticks
MAC The Faerie Glen Lipstick

MAC Tartan Tale Lipsticks
MAC Full Fuchsia Lipstick

MAC Tartan Tale Lipsticks
MAC Full Fuchsia Lipstick

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About the Reviewer

Reviewer

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 matches, please read our full Foundation FAQ. For more information on our review process, please read our Review FAQ.

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107 Comments

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Tiffany

Picking up The Faerie Glen, Cut-a-Caper, and Courting Lilac. Courting Lilac looks so wearable for a lilac. 🙂 If only I were confident enough to wear bright pinks enough to use it up… because Full Fuchsia is gorgeous. Thanks so much Christine. Your swatches always help me determine what to order.

Dawn

I had really liked the look of Cut A Caper and Faerie Glen, but now I can see that they really aren’t going to show up much at all on me, so I’m going to be giving them a miss. On the other hand, I’m surprised to find I like Courting Lilac on. Full Fuchsia is just wow!! I think I will be getting this while it’s on the UK site, as it’s not possible to order online from MAC Pro here in the UK, and if you order by phone they charge postage regardless of the value of your order.

Nicole

I swore I wouldn’t allow myself to want ANYTHING from this collection, but Courting Lilac is so pretty! Luckily it’s the only thing that interests me so far. :p

Denah

Ok, I ordered Courting Lilac last nite. I wasnt sure if I’d like it, but the description sounded like I would:) I didn’t get the matching lipglass, but can’t wait to try it with my new Revlon Lilac Pastelle lipgloss or Milani 3D lipgloss in Movie Star. Full Fuschia looks pretty but wasnt sure if it would be too deep on my skintone. Plus I know its part of their permanent line and it can just wait. The Faerie Glen looks like lancome color fever Mademoiselle Lipstick.

Vickie

im going to mac tomorrow to look at the collection and pick a few items up. im hoping to walk away with just the one eyeshadow palette the 2 blue eyeliners and one eyeshadow….luckily i dont love the lipstick enough to buy one so heres hoping i dont like any of the dazzleglass cremes

Phung

I think I’m getting the first two tomorrow … already have brushes and an eyeshadow palette on hold for me! I also want to get the new pink and peach eyeshadows too! Going to wake up and get to the mall by 10AM tomorrow morning since our mall doesnt open til then anyways. Gosh I hope there are no lines cuz i want to get my makeup done too! Bright and early!

Carrie Ann

Courting Lilac reminds me of Aristo-Cat from Fabulous Felines, which I thought was very unique at the time. I ordered The Faerie Glen (great name) and I was considering Cut-a-Caper, but it looks too similar to other lipsticks I have.

Angel

omg Cut-a-Caper and Faerie Glen really call out to me.. but you’re right Christine, Cut-a-Caper looks a lot like a lipstick version of Strange Potion, which i have :/.

mollie

How close would you say courting lilac is to aristocat from fab felines and faerie glen to to pamper also from fab felines? Is it worth owning all 4? Thanks for swatching this collection…you did an awesome job as always!

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

I wouldn’t say that Aristo-cat is close to Courting Lilac, they’re very different colors. To Pamper is cooler toned and less peach.

I think Aristo-cat is different enough from Courting Lilac to own both. To Pamper and Faerie Glen really just depend on how often you wear nude lipsticks and whether you wear them alone or pair them under colored lipgloss.

Bonnie

I love fuchsia lipstick! I hope there’s still some left on Friday when I get paid, lol. That and Her Blooming Cheek- I’ve been in the mood for bright pinks and fuchsias and I don’t care if they’re not traditional Autumn makeup colors! 🙂

katie

which of these would be good for someone with an nc 5 or nc10 complexion. I’m really pale and I’m worried about the faerie glen and cut a caper especially. i was going to check out fleshpot instead. any advice?

Dana

“There’s an interesting mix of shades here — you have the ultra bright, two more neutral/everyday, one vampy, and one that doesn’t quite fit”

I believe the contrast in shades is meant to replicate the color palette found in a tartan. The don’t always go together, will be a mix of dark, light and bright.

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

Ooh, I forgot to expand on that – more in relation to how all of the products work together – the blushes, lipsticks, and eyeshadows.

Katie

How does Courting Lilac compare to Aristo-cat? Or Deepest Wish to Dark Deed? Is The Faerie Glen alright for someone with an nc5 or nc10 complexion?

Cat

How does Courting Lilac compare to Aristrocat and Purple right lipsticks from previous collections? Do you think if I have those 2 and Bubblegum from Spring Forecast do i need these?

Tiffany

I love Courting Lilac and Full Fushia BUT I have reached my limit this year for lipsticks and gloss. Unless I happen to put these on my wish list and this list just so happened to end up in my fiance’s guitar case! lol

ellie

Cut a caper just looks different at all when worn! It looks like jazzed in the tube but on your lips Christine it’s like nudish pink more of lazy day. Isn’t it?

RAS

How does Cut-a-Caper compare to Mac’s (discontinued) Giddy? And how does Deepest Wish stack up against Dark Deed? Are any of them different enough that you could justify buying them on a grad student budget? 🙂

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

I don’t have Giddy, sorry! Deepest Wish is different from Dark Deed (they were not close enough, because I did specifically go back to look), but I don’t think you need both unless you wear those colors 24/7.

blusherine

Dear Christine,
I wanted to thank you for the great lip swatches you always do, you know, 3 ways of showing the color, a swatch, the lips, the face. This way I can buy stuff without even trying it out myself, when it’s launch day and it’s busy at the counter, I can just hand the Maccine my list and the colors are always what I expected them to be from your swatches. I am lucky I am an NC 25/30 like you with brown hair and eyes, so what looks good on you, will look good on me. But I wanted to explicitly thank you for the great effort you always make, it is well appreciated!
All the best
Blusherine

tehteh

Hey Christine…

I’m currently looking for something that looks just like Cut-A-Capper (Ever Hip barely shows on me) that is an opaque pinky-coral but where the peach is very noticeable…

Cut-a-Capper probably won’t show up on me though because I have very rosy lips (almost the same color as Ever Hip really)

can you please recommend something in that family? (we don’t have Smashbox, Urban Decay or Nars in Portugal…anything else is fair game)

Laura Hogarth

Courting Lilac looks lovely! Do you think it’s at all similar to Aristo-Cat from Fabulous Felines?

Cut a Caper looks pretty too, but I have Ever Hip and Jazzed so…we’ll see.

The Faerie Glen looks lovely on you but I’m not sure it’d suit me or if it’d be a bit beige. I really hate Cherish so I might skip it if it’s similar.

Courtney

I’m very happy to have stumbled across Faerie Glen. Nudes are tricky for me because they’re either too orange or too brown or too pale, but FG looked very natural on me. I may pick up Full Fuchsia someday, but knowing that I can just pick it up at the Pro store takes off any pressure.

Rose

OMG I looove courting lilac on your lips Christine!! But i tried it myself and because i have such pigmented lips (in a red kinda way) it looked like i had hypothermia and that my lips were frozen 🙁 I’m so sad! I really wanted it!

Sarah

I picked up Courting Lilac and The Faerie Glen today. I’m thinking of going again tomorrow and picking up Cut a Caper. Better to get these now than regret not getting them later. 🙂

Yomna

I think The Faerie Glen Lipstick is more like beige purple not peachy. It sure looks a little on the purple side not the peach side on my lips. I love full fuchia but I would be scared to wear it. Looks great on you though!

Cat

How does Courting Lilac compare to Aristrocat and Purple right lipsticks from previous collections? Do you think if I have those 2 and Bubblegum from Spring Forecast do i need these?

Kelly

Cut a Caper is perfect! I used to love to wear Shy Girl and Ever Hip mixed together, but I never liked the texture of the cremesheens. They are so thick and they emphasizes any dryness. This one is the exact shade of Shy Girl and Ever Hip mixed, but with the silky and moisturizing Lustre feel. LOVE!

Kao

First I thought Cut-a-Caper would be a dupe for Jazzed (Im pretty sure it was LE from “In the Groove”-collection), but it don’t look near as opaque at all. That is a big shame, I think.

Marcela

i just purchased Courting Lilac with the Gone Romancin’ dazzleglass… what a gorgeous combination! Courting Lilac looks so amazing in person (so much more beautiful than the swatches here). in my opinion, you have to add the dazzleglass on top to get the full awesome effect of the lilac color. LOVE!!!

Bubbles

Oh my god people, stop asking about Aristo-cat! That must be driving you crazy, lol. Thanks for the swatches and modeling everything for us! I always research collections on your site first ’cause you’re amazing!

I got Courting Lilac (so gorgeous!), The Faerie Glen, and Cut-a-Caper. Cut-a-Caper actually shows up pretty well on me because I’m kinda pale. I’m afraid it looks a little bright and clownish on me. Do you think I could tone it down with a gloss?

Nora

God I love Full Fuchsia! I would have absolutely nowhere to wear it, not like I’d have the courage to in the first place, but I want it just to have! Faerie Glen & Courting Lilac are pretty nice, too!

justice

christine you have just the perfect skin tone to pull off any shade im to dark for most of the shades( dosent mean in not gonna buy and wear them lol) but love the swatches 🙂

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