MAC Viva Glam 26 Lipstick Review & Swatches
Viva Glam 26
MAC Viva Glam 26 Lipstick ($20.00 for 0.1 oz.) is a vivid, medium tomato red with subtle, warm undertones and a semi-matte finish. It was richly pigmented in a single stroke, which yielded even coverage that glided across my lips without tugging/dragging.
The texture was firmer and dense but not stiff, so it didn’t slide around while worn. This shade lasted well for over six hours, left a stain behind, and felt non-drying over time.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Trust Me (P, $6.00) is more muted (95% similar).
- NARS Don't Stop (P, $26.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Makeup Geek Beauty Queen (P, $12.00) is darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Red Pocket (LE, $7.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- MAC High Heels (LE, $21.00) is more muted (90% similar).
- NARS Inappropriate Red (P, $26.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Giorgio Armani Lucky Red (403) (P, $38.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Lancome Rouge Vintage (178) (LE, $32.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- Chanel Camelia Rouge (357) (LE, $40.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Sephora Always Red (P, $14.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$20.00/0.1 oz. - $200.00 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.
Viva Glam 26
LELimited Edition. $20.00.
MAC Viva Glam 26 Lipstick
MAC Viva Glam 26 Lipstick
MAC Viva Glam 26 Lipstick
MAC Viva Glam 26 Lipstick
MAC Viva Glam 26 Lipstick
MAC Viva Glam 26 Lipstick
MAC Viva Glam 26 Lipstick
This is a seriously gorgeous tone of red! I do have YSL Scout’s Red, which when I did the side by side comparison, is nearly a perfect match. So, I will probably pass on this even though I love it so much. Oh, and I so desperately miss wearing regular tube lipstick when I go out. Especially my favorites, like Scout’s Red!
I like supporting the Viva Glam program and usually pick up each one, regardless of whether I would actually wear the shade, since I have people I can gift the lipstick to. I don’t enjoy warmer based reds. They don’t flatter my skin tone or my 66 year old teeth. It will look wonderful on my daughter so I have someone I can gift it to already in line. It is a worthwhile cause, IMHO, so I will be getting this.
Viva Glam doesn’t count, I think, as the money goes to a great charity so this one is now on my list. It is so pretty, I mostly wear cooler reds, but I can wear warmer as well and I can see a lot of use from this one. A good colour for all seasons.
What a perfect red! Love tomato red and this one looks so smooth & pretty.
Holy Mamma – what a red!
Viva Glam Rosalía is the perfect red lipstick. Pigmented, medium red for everybody, matte but moisturizing and full coverage.
I think MAC wanted to represent here the spanish passion and that’s why they chose the spanish singer Rosalía for this Viva Glam 26. I’m going to wear it a lot this Christmas.