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MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass Review, Photos, Swatches

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass
MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipstick ($16.00 for 0.10 oz.) is described as a “cool mauve with red frost.” It’s a sheer, gray-ish tinted gloss with iridescent pink and silver shimmer and sparkle. MAC Reckless Desire (LE, $15.00) is pinker, finer. Chanel Songe (191) (LE, $29.50) is finer shimmer. MAC Vacant (LE, $15.00) is more lavender. MAC Icescape (LE, $15.00) is pinker. Bobbi Brown Firefly (P, $24.00) is more silvered. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

The base is almost clear, though there’s a general cool/gray vibe that translates onto lips by giving them a more muted, toned down look. Otherwise, it is primarily shimmer/sparkle that gets noticed. I wish MAC had thought to include/indicate that it was a sheer gloss in the description or else amped up the pigmentation to actually fit the description. I think it’s a shade that is best for layering, as it adds a pretty sparkle over anything you may layer it over. It’s thinner than the average Lipglass but still tacky and thicker on. The color lasted three hours on me and was neither hydrating nor drying. This shade will be available for the next six months, and it comes with a metallic red, rubberized cap instead of a glossy black one. Viva Glam is one of the best charitable causes in beauty, as every cent of the selling price goes to the MAC AIDS Fund.

See more photos & swatches!

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass
MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass
MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass
MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass
MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass
MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass
MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass
MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass & Lipstick
MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass & Lipstick

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass & Lipstick
MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass & Lipstick

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass & Lipstick
MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass & Lipstick

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass & Lipstick
MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipglass & Lipstick

Makeup Look
On face:
  • Giorgio Armani Maestro Foundation
  • Urban Decay Naked Loose Finishing Powder

64 Comments

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Ginny Avatar

Looks soft and pretty on you. I don’t know if I would get much use out of either of these colors, but I don’t know, I might get them. “Cause you know, it’s Viva Glam.

Ginny Avatar

I can see it over some lip pencils, like Half Red or Beet or oooo Nightmoth. And as someone said, I would at least try the lipstick as a cream eye shadow. Would I donate $32 to charity? Of course. Why not get two lip products out of it?

Ryou Avatar

For some reason the pink sparkles look almost silvery to me. I like how the shimmer particles are larger than Chanel Songe, though. It would look absolutely gorgeous layered over a matte or cream lipstick as well.

xamyx Avatar

This is really pretty, and I may end up grabbing a backup (or 2!), as I can see this being used over quite a few lipsticks in my stash!

I don’t mind the sheerness, and I just always assume *any* gloss will be sheer, as it’s the nature of the product, especially given the obvious iridescence in the tube. What I find misleading is the fact there is no “red frost”!

xamyx Avatar

I’m just stuck in my ways-when I started wearing makeup, you wore lipstick for “color”, and gloss for “sparkle/shine”, and if you wanted a shiny color, you layered. It’s just something that’s been ingrained in me, and I actually find it odd when a gloss is pigmented, LOL!

Jenn Avatar

I had to compare it to Reckless Desire. But it is really sheer! So was RD, but it seems in pictures it’s REALLY sheer and barely any sparkle. Bummer, I wanted it. But hey, I can at least channel some of that into some holiday collections. 🙂
I don’t like Mac sticky glosses. They’re more for places that aren’t windy or summer where the light reflects better. Considering I live in San Francisco, nope.

Wednesday Avatar

On its own..it’s very meh..so what.. but paired with the lipstick..me likes! I’ll be happy to support a good cause and pay too much for a stupid lipgloss in the process. Yeah, I’m really quite up for it. no sarcasm either :D..

Edgy mood today.. it’s been insane here. My one horse was colicky this morning..vet out to treat. My little miniature dachshund just killed a giant rat. He tried to choke the damn thing down whole. It’s so disgusting. I had to pull the bleeding dead thing out of his damn mouth. My lawn tractor just threw a blade and I still have 3 to 4 bloody acres to cut. It’s hot as a witch’s *** and yes, Thank goodness for beauty products. I just stepped in the house to cool down for a minute or two and was looking forward to this. Don’t care it’s only a C+.. I really don’t 🙂 I’m buying it~

Elizabeth Avatar

A little off topic WWendy, but my mini dachshunds have been killing rats like mad. We have had some major flooding and the rats have been coming up through the sewers and my doxies have been on a spree. It is yucky work and to take my mind off of the disgusting mess they have made and brushing their teeth twice today, I decided to come here and visit and look at pretty things to get those icky visions out of my mind. Back on topic, I do like the lipstick quite well, the lipglass, well, so so. I really like a bold red lip, or just a bold lip, and the gloss just isn’t doing it for me. I have been mostly into matte finishes lately, so it doesn’t even appeal to me even as something to layer. I have also found when I apply a gloss over a lipstick, the lipstick doesn’t last as well, and I don’t want to have to keep touching up.

Hope your horse is feeling better. I know colic is pretty serious when it comes to horses, and you know how doxies are. Stubborn, tenacious, and once they get their little minds focused on one thing, that’s it. I have locked mine in my bedroom so I can have some peace. The Mr. has been told he is on dead animal duty until further notice, and no kisses for the grrrls until they stop putting yucky things into their mouths, eeww!

Wednesday Avatar

OMG Elizabeth~ Loved reading your message. I’m incredibly passionate about Dachshunds. It’s a dog breed that speaks to my heart, and I have had many animals in my life. I have so many stories of the insane ferocity of our little guy, Digger. What hasn’t he killed: mice, squirrels, porcupines (3 times!), a groundhog as big as he, a baby turkey!… and he took on a young male coyote and now has the war wounds to prove it (good thing he had a big thick leather collar on that day..we could have lost him). The rat–we have huge barn complexes and animals and feed..so there are always a few lurking around–repulses me so much but that’s just my own reaction to the vile creatures. The biggest hurdle for me with the Dachshund breed though is their spine issues; otherwise, we would have a house full of them. 4 years ago Digger had spinal surgery on his neck. Once again, we almost lost him. It happened dramatically fast and he was physically in agony. We spent almost 10K in surgery and faced a recovery that took 6 months of confinement which is sheer torture to a Dachshund and in some ways worse than the surgery itself. It’s was a challenging time and the scary part being, it could happen again. On a bright note: they are resilient tough little mofo’s with great humour and energy and so incredibly loyal, and they impressively face their challenges with that very positive energy and it sees them through it, know what I mean?. I am intensely attached to this dog.

I better mention makeup. I do not like lipstick/lipgloss combo that much either because I agree, it really messes with wear and longevity. Still, every once in awhile, I like wearing the two because it feels rather glamorous. And getting away from the farm, even for a couple of hours, wearing nice clothes, wearing a pretty face.. it just makes me feel wonderful and gives me a good boost. 😀

Helene Avatar

My black standard Schanuzer dug up som mice when he was like 6 months, I dragged him away as soon as I saw the first little mice child. He still have disgusting habits though. Two days ago he found this “treasure” a bird that had been dead a couple of days, I had seen it but then I thought it was gone. It wasn’t. He pounced, grabbed the smelly bird and didn’t want to let it go (of course) so I had to bend open his mouth, shaking, gently, so he dropped it, quickly removing the dog from the bird once it was out of his mouth.
The next day, yesterday, he, the dog, threw up, a lot. Evening and morning food. Today he’s not eaten a lot, but he’s been drinking. I hope whatever it is passes so he doesn’t have to go to the vet. Dogs!
Dachshunds are really fantastic dogs, I like them a lot.
I hope the horse is on the mend, Wwendy.
Oh, this was so OT I’m ashamed. Dog talk here.
I like the lipglass, now back On Topic 🙂

Wednesday Avatar

Me too Helene.. so OT.. Have had that happen with ours (I have four dogs). Hope yours is feeling better today. My horse is still not 100%, but he’s eating and drinking a bit and slowly improving. It’s not a twist or impaction, vet thinks it is a gas colic (far less serious..Thankfully).

Helene Avatar

Thanks for the update.
We went to the emergency vet yesterday as Stubbs, the dog, threw up, didn’t really drink enoug and showed no interest in food.
Just before we went to the vet he did throw ap a lot, and seemed better for it.
At the vet he got a litre of fluid under his skin, and we got to go home. Today he is much more himself again.
Expensiv, but so worth it.
Now it’s diet food and meds to mend the gastrointestinals..
Please keep us updated about the horse.
One thing about me, I love animals, all of them domestic and wild.

Melanie B. Avatar

I love this combo personally! I think it would go really well on my neutral-leaning-cool-toned skin very well. And I’m a sucker for purples so honestly this speaks to me from all angles.
I can see where it would be tricky for the masses though.

Miss J Avatar

I wish the gloss was more opaque, but I still like the look of the lipstick and this gloss combined. I like that they went out of the box on this instead of just giving us a nude, pink, or red.

Susan Dowman Nevling Avatar

When seeing each product on its own, I strongly disliked them. When you put them on together, what a difference. I loved them and will consider purchasing. No lipstick stays on me anyway so longevity isn’t an issue. Great with your coloring BTW.

Cinzia Avatar

I think it works super well over the lipstick, but on its own its not too special. I think I might just pick up the lipstick since it’s something different and it’s for charity!

Sylirael Avatar

Although I wish it were opaque in one sense, I actually really like the ethereal vibe it has! I’m not usually one for layering glosses over lipsticks (just feels/ends up messy on me, LOL!), but this one does rather beg experimentation!

Hm…if every cent goes to the AIDS fund, perhaps my principles will allow me a little break in my MAC ban? 😉

Christine Avatar

Viva Glam is truly an amazing charity/cause, just because it’s not 100% proceeds, 100% profits, or the worst – “a portion of the proceeds” but “Every cent of the selling price.” I stopped bothering with BCA products for charity, because so few of them actually disclosed how much or they would cap donations at X amount (but you would never know if and when they hit that number).

Helene Avatar

I actually like this lipglass a lot. I think there is a bit of greyish lavender in it, as you said, Christine. I will absolutely buy it, to wear on it’s own mostly I think. I’m slowly getting to a place where I kind of like the lipstick as well. Will probably get both.
I love MAC lipglasses. To me they feel so right.

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