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MAC Work It Out Crystal Glaze Glosses Reviews, Photos, Swatches

Contains: Affiliate Links, Sample Provided

Christine | Updated: 3/01/17March 01, 2017

Flex Appeal

MAC Flex Appeal Crystal Glaze Gloss ($22.00 for 0.41 oz.) is a muted, berry-tinted translucent base with barely-there pearl. It gave my lips a slightly darker, pinker look but did not add a lot of color or coverage. It had sheer coverage, which wasn’t buildable, that lasted for two hours. The consistency was smooth, jelly-like, and comfortable to wear. The formula was hydrating over time.

The Crystal Glaze Gloss formula is supposed to be an “ultra-moisturizing gloss” that has “an intense, glossy shine.” The texture was soft, smooth, and almost jelly-like–but denser and not quite as slippery. It felt balm-like on the lips and had no tackiness at all (completely unlike most of their gloss formulas) and had a very light vanilla scent. MAC recently released this formula in their Makeup Art Cosmetics collection, and it’s part of the upcoming Work It Out launch that debuts on Thursday.

However, only one of the six new, limited shades for Work It Out is described as sheer, and the formula runs sheer, which is where it falls the shortest. This formula is best for someone who likes tinted gloss that’s hydrating and non-sticky but not someone who wants noticeable coverage. I’ll definitely check back on the official description (to see if it changes) when these officially launch, though.

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Sisley Paris Berry (5) (P, $50.00) is darker, more pigmented (85% similar).
MAC Fashion Perk (P, $22.00) is darker, more pigmented (85% similar).
Guerlain Madame Batifole (860) (LE, $30.00) is darker, more pigmented (80% similar).

View Swatches

Flex Appeal

LELimited Edition. $24.00.

C+

8.5

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

77%

Total

Love Your Body

MAC Love Your Body Crystal Glaze Gloss ($22.00 for 0.41 oz.) is a muted, medium pinky-coral tinted translucent base with a touch of pearl. It made my lips appear warmer, brighter, and glossier without dramatically altering the color. It looked more like a tinted gloss than something with actual coverage. The consistency was jelly-like, comfortable to wear, and had a lot of shine while being hydrating. This shade lasted for two and a half hours on me.

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Hourglass Cameo (P, $49.00) is glossier (90% similar).
NARS Chihuahua (P, $26.00) is warmer (90% similar).
ColourPop Easy Bake (DC, $10.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
Sephora Sundress (34) (P, $12.00) is darker (90% similar).
MAC Cha-Cha-Cha (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar).
Chanel Fleur d'Eau (192) (LE, $30.00) is warmer (85% similar).
Bobbi Brown Nectar (LE, $24.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
Chanel Aurora (822) (P, $30.00) is less shimmery (85% similar).
Chanel Bliss (181) (LE, $30.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
Chanel Sensible (15) (P, $34.00) is warmer (85% similar).

View Swatches

Love Your Body

LELimited Edition. $24.00.

C+

8.5

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

77%

Total

Nice Cheeks

MAC Nice Cheeks Crystal Glaze Gloss ($22.00 for 0.41 oz.) is a brownish-tinted translucent base with no pearl. It seemed to add some warmth and deepen my natural lip color just slightly, but it was one of the sheerer and least impactful shades in the launch. The consistency was jelly-like and easy to spread across the lips. It was hydrating over the two hours it lasted.

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

MAC French Kiss (LE, $20.00) is darker (95% similar).
Tower 28 Almond (P, $14.00) is darker, warmer (95% similar).
Becca Fig/Topaz (P, $24.00) is lighter (90% similar).
Surratt Beauty Au Naturelle (P, $32.00) is warmer (90% similar).
Urban Decay 1993 (P, $20.00) is darker (90% similar).

View Swatches

Nice Cheeks

LELimited Edition. $24.00.

8.5

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

74%

Total

Oh My Lunge

MAC Oh My Lunge Crystal Glaze Gloss ($22.00 for 0.41 oz.) is a very light pink with warm undertones. It had sheer coverage–and this shade was actually listed as sheer by the brand–that bordered on transparent as there was so little visible tint. I felt like the only difference was my lips look wet and as a result, a little “darker” compared to being totally bare. The texture was comfortable to wear, jelly-like but not too thick, and non-sticky. This shade lasted two and a half hours and was moisturizing.

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Chanel Bliss (181) (LE, $30.00) is warmer (90% similar).
Bobbi Brown Nectar (LE, $24.00) is more pigmented (90% similar).
NARS Chihuahua (P, $26.00) is lighter (90% similar).
Sephora Sundress (34) (P, $12.00) is darker (85% similar).
Chanel Fleur d'Eau (192) (LE, $30.00) is warmer (85% similar).
Chanel Sensible (15) (P, $34.00) is darker, more pigmented, warmer (85% similar).

View Swatches

Possible Dupes

These are likely to be very similar shades based on our duping algorithm.

NYX Apple Strudel (P, $5.00).

Oh My Lunge

LELimited Edition. $24.00.

8.5

Product

8.5

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

84%

Total

Ripped

MAC Ripped Crystal Glaze Gloss ($22.00 for 0.41 oz.) is a raspberry pink with cool undertones and barely-there pearl. This was one of the more “pigmented” shades in the range, though it still looked like tinted gloss rather than regular gloss or lipstick. It deepened and drew out the pink in my lip color while hydrating my lips. It had a smooth, balm-like feel that had a high-shine finish. This shade wore well for three hours on me.

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

NARS Glow Pink (LE, $26.00) is warmer (90% similar).
Too Faced Like a Boss (P, ) is more pigmented (90% similar).
NARS Easy Lover (P, $26.00) is warmer (90% similar).
MAC Rhythm (LE, $21.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
Sephora Pin-up Pink (17) (P, $12.00) is darker, more pigmented (90% similar).
Sephora Raspberry Punch (21) (P, $12.00) is darker, more pigmented (90% similar).
MAC Petite Indulgence (LE, $20.00) is more pigmented (90% similar).
Revlon Berry Allure (DC, $7.99) is more pigmented (85% similar).

View Swatches

Ripped

LELimited Edition. $24.00.

B-

8.5

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

81%

Total

Sixxx Pack

MAC Sixxx Pack Crystal Glaze Gloss ($22.00 for 0.41 oz.) is a bright, light-medium pink with cool, blue undertones and barely-there pearl. It had very sheer coverage that brought out the natural pink tones in my lips but did not really add coverage or color. It looked more like a glossy stain, but it didn’t actually stain as it only lasted for two hours on me. The gloss was non-sticky, jelly-like but not thick, and hydrating while worn.

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

NARS Marquesas (LE, $26.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
NARS Tetiaroa (LE, $26.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
Sephora + Pantone Universe Foxglove (LE, ) is warmer (90% similar).
Bite Beauty Three (Watercolor) (LE, ) is lighter, more pigmented (90% similar).
Urban Decay Obsessed (P, $20.00) is brighter (90% similar).
MAC Tender (P, $22.00) is lighter, more pigmented (90% similar).
NARS Istria (P, $26.00) is lighter (90% similar).
NARS Orgasm (P, $26.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
LORAC True Beauty (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).

View Swatches

Sixxx Pack

LELimited Edition. $24.00.

8.5

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

74%

Total

MAC Flex Appeal Crystal Glaze Gloss

MAC Love Your Body Crystal Glaze Gloss

MAC Nice Cheeks Crystal Glaze Gloss

MAC Oh My Lunge Crystal Glaze Gloss

MAC Ripped Crystal Glaze Gloss

MAC Sixxx Pack Crystal Glaze Gloss

Makeup Look

On face:

Guerlain Lingerie de Peau Foundation
Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder
Benefit Dandelion Twinkle Highlighter
ColourPop Iced Super Shock Cheek

On eyes:

MAC In the Flesh Eyeshadow Palette
Marc Jacobs Earthquake Eyeliner
Marc Jacobs Mist Me Eyeliner

On lips:

MAC Flex Appeal Crystal Glaze Gloss

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26 Comments

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Comments on this post are closed.

kjh

Not at all WYSIWIG, one would think, looking at the pot, they’d be a lot more pigmented. Boy, is that one run-on sentence. Impulse buyers will be very disappointed, if they pick these up, expecting significant color differences. At least the lipcare aspect is good.

Christine

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

Yeah, I feel like these are missing some info re: sheerness on the listing so we’ll see how it gets updated, if it does, when these launch on Thursday.

Eraser

Wow, I LOVED pot glosses back in the day and wish they’d come back. I see at least 3 shades that I must have.

Christine

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

Awesome to hear!

Patricia

They look so pretty on the pots, too bad they don’t perform so well!

Christine

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

They’re hydrating, just not long-wearing or very pigmented!

Nancy T

Medium, Olive, neutral undertones. Combination skin.

Question to ask myself: would I really spend $22 on a glossy tinted lip balm?
I’m not so sure. And yet I can definitely see their usefulness. Having one could seriously come in very handy when our very dry, hot season kicks in. Like lip-saving handy. I might get Ripped or Flex Appeal, in that case.

Christine

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

I feel like one is useful, but totally unnecessary to have more than one or two of this type of product to me!

Rachael

Just heads up …. they are 40% off right now so they are about 12 bucks. I picked 1 up and it’s really good balm for a natural day!

Ouineque

I kind of like these: it’s like a lip balm that looks like a gloss. But I made a pledge not to buy anything limited edition from Mac. So too bad for them!??

Christine

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

Money saved!

Rachel R.

Lightest, Neutral undertones. Normal-to-Oily skin.

Wow, these are all nearly identical on the lips. I hate it when glosses look bright in the pot or tube and are almost colorless on the lips.

Christine

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

Yeah, they run together!

Shannon. N

Light Plus, Yellow, strong yellow undertones. Dry skin.

Flex appeal, and nice cheeks are pretty!!!

I wont be picking any up, because I’m one of the types that only needs one sheer lip product, and I already have mine!!

Christine

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

Makes sense to me! 🙂

Erin

Lightest, Neutral undertones. Combination skin.

Ripped is the sheerest red I’ve ever seen!

Christine

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

lol!

lunasol

Light Medium, Neutral undertones. Normal-to-Oily skin.

So disappointing. Years ago they made colored balms in a pot that were pigmented that I loved. These are nothing close to that.

Christine

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

I’m guessing these are designed to be sheer, though they don’t actually say so.

Stephanie | theFantasia

Light Medium, Yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin.

What a bummer! I don’t know why MAC would come out with these – it’s not exactly the most convenient, sanitary or easy to use product with this format. I like the colour range though!

Christine

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

I can see their purpose, but I think they need a better description of these since they run very sheer!

Meredith

These will be wonderful for those who aren’t comfortable with makeup. Will give a polished but unmade up look for summer, sports, work outs, etc. Also nice for young girls/women who aren’t allowed much makeup. I would have died for one of these in jr. high. There’s something for everyone!

Christine

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

Reminds me of the Chanel neon jelly glosses!

Hex

it’s like you have to choose a colour based only on what makes you happy when you open the jar and see it in there before u apply haha. i feel bad for anyone who buys more than one of these. there’s nooo difference between em! i feel like there’s no market for these in 2017. disappointing.

Sophia

Are these similar to the tinted lip conditioners MAC used to sell? I personally LOVED those and got so excited when these came out. I hope they are!

Christine

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

The texture is pretty different!

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