Written Reviews

Apparently, I wrote a quick review of this awhile back and it wasn't very good. Since then, Chanel Pirate has become one of my very favorite reds. I outline my lips first with a MAC lip liner (Cherry, I think) and I don't have a problem with feathering. Pirate stays on pretty well, and when it starts to wear off, it's not in an obvious way. I sometimes need to touch it up after eating, but I don't mind doing touch-ups. My new conclusion is that Chanel Pirate is gorgeous and luxurious, and has become my top go-to red for evenings.

I really wanted to love this lipstick, but I don't. The retro matte formula of Ruby Woo is difficult to apply because it is extremely dry and tugs very hard on the lips. I found it especially difficult to apply on mature lips. The red shade is bright and pretty, but the color has no depth to it. It was very drying on my lips and though it stayed on pretty well, it was not nearly as long-lasting as I thought it would be based on reviews I've read. There's a different version of Ruby Woo in a special 2017 holiday mini set. Instead of being a retro matte, the mini is in MAC's regular matte formula, which is much creamier, making it easier to apply and more comfortable to wear. Unfortunately, it is a limited edition. I hope MAC releases Ruby Woo as a full size regular matte lipstick someday.

This is an absolutely gorgeous raspberry lipstick. It is very easy to apply. It goes on opaque in one swipe, but it feels light on the lips. The first time I wore it, after a couple hours I looked in the mirror to see if there was any lipstick left on my lips because I couldn’t feel it, and it still looked perfect! It stays on for many hours, and when it finally fades, it leaves a nice stain, so it isn’t noticeable. The packaging is beautiful and glamorous. The version I got was a limited edition, with black leather that has a graphic pattern printed on it. I took off one star off of this review because it is strongly scented, which is the only thing about this lipstick that I don’t like. This scent will keep me from buying another lipstick from this line.

I received this lipstick as part of a gift-with-purchase ages ago and tossed it into a drawer. I found it yesterday and decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did because Estee Lauder Intense Nude is an absolutely gorgeous rosy nude. It is extremely comfortable to wear and lasts a very long time for a non-matte lipstick. The formula is creamy and opaque with a light sheen, similar to a satin. It's not really hydrating, but it isn't drying at all. (I think I dismissed it for so long due to its ugly packaging, which hid the luxuriousness of the lipstick inside. I know it's packaged this way because it's a freebie, but I didn't notice it in my drawer for so long because it blended in with the drugstore lipsticks that I never reach for. I will probably want to buy this beautiful shade after I use it up, and then I'll finally have the pretty packaging!)

Absolutely gorgeous fuschia lipstick! The version of Flat Out Fabulous that I am reviewing is the mini from the 2017 So Obsessed Snow Ball Mini Lipstick Kit. The formula is different in this limited edition mini (matte) than in the full size (retro matte). It has a typical MAC matte consistency—creamy, easy to apply, dries down to a matte that's not too drying. It does transfer, but it also stays on very well, even through a meal. It leaves a pretty good stain behind on the lips, so when it starts to wear off, it isn't that noticeable. I first heard of Flat Out Fabulous from an Emily Fox swatch video on YouTube in which she said it was her favorite MAC lipstick. When it showed up as part of this mini kit, I decided it was time to try it. I have to say that it is now one of my favorite MAC lipsticks, too. It's bright fuschia, but not so bright that it looks cartoonish, and I can even wear it to work. I receive so many compliments whenever I wear it. I think this shade will look beautiful on most skin tones, from light to dark (I'm MAC NC20). I'll probably buy the full size version of this shade when I use up the mini. I'll be curious to see the difference in formula from matte to retro matte, and will update my review at that time.

I was conflicted about how many stars to give this lipstick. Stone is a strange shade because it looks brownish or taupe on some people, but on me it reads as a straight up gray. On the bright side, it goes on nice and creamy and stays on very well, but with my coloring (MAC NC20), it makes me look like a corpse. I recommend trying it on before buying it.

I was talked into buying this product by a MUA at Saks Fifth Avenue many months ago. This blendable and buildable highlighter goes on very smoothly, gives me a natural glow, and lasts a long time. I've tried other highlighters, but keep coming back to the one. Love it!

On me, this shade looks bizarre and not very flattering, but I didn't buy it to wear by itself. I mixed it with MAC's very dark blue-purple Matte Royal lipstick to make a pretty medium blue. This mix lasted pretty well, even through a glass of wine, but when blue lipstick starts to wear, it's a lot more obvious than with a pink, red, or nude shade. So although this combination looked nice and fun, it was high maintenance.

Ok, here's where I disagree with (apparently) everyone! I am a huge fan of MAC lipstick dating back a couple of decades. I currently have more than 20 MAC lipsticks, mostly mattes and satins, with satins being my absolute favorite. MAC Rebel is a satin. I had high expectations with Rebel, but was left disappointed. The color goes on creamy and is an absolutely gorgeous, rich plum shade that is brighter on the lips than how it looks in the tube. The problem comes with time. It leaves behind a strong stain, but the lipstick wears off very unevenly and starts looking patchy after about an hour. I reapplied several times during the day, trying different techniques, such as blotting and reapplying. But the patchiness kept happening and hour or two later. I tried wiping it off and just going with the satin, but that, too, was patchy. Rebel is absolutely beautiful when freshly applied and I received quite a few compliments, but for me, this is a very high maintenance lipstick, something I don't expect from MAC satins, which usually stay perfect for many hours.

I received a free mini version of this lip color when I bought a Tarte palette. The texture feels mousse-like when you first put it on. After awhile it feels velvety, but it isn't drying or moisturizing. It doesn't dry down completely, so it can transfer even hours after you put it on. It faded slowly over a few hours, and was gone after lunch. On the plus side, it's a beautiful mauve color and it has a fresh, minty scent. This is a lipstick you will have to apply several times during the day.

Matte Royal is deep blue-violet. It goes on creamy and smooth, no tugging. It is matte, but not too dry. It feels typical of a MAC matte. Because it is such a deep, cool color, it is hard to see in warm evening lighting, and can look almost black. This makes it a poor choice to wear for a night out at a bar if you're hoping to show off the blue color. To get the full effect of this lipstick, wear it during the daytime or where it will be brightly lit.

I really wish I could give lipstick this higher marks. NYX Jet Set is a rich true blue liquid lipstick. It goes on smooth and creamy and sets to a beautiful satin-matte finish. But within an hour, in which I didn't do anything that would cause most lipsticks to break down, it started cracking at every wrinkle in my lips, making each wrinkle show up pink against the blue lipstick. It didn't feel particularly dry, oddly enough. Being a liquid lipstick, it would need to be completely removed and reapplied, as touch-ups don't work. Very disappointing.

I bought this in the mini-sized version because although this is a shade I've had my eye on for some time, it's also similar to so many lipsticks that I already own. When I saw the mini version of Whirl, I decided to just go for it. At this writing, you can still get Whirl in the small size. This lipstick goes on very nice and creamy and lasts a long time, through hot coffee in the morning and then through lunch, with just a minor touchup. It's not drying or moisturizing, but it feels comfortable. When this little tube of Whirl runs out, I may buy a full size...but only after I use up some of my other pink-brown lipsticks.

I got the little mini-sized version of this lipstick. The vampy burgundy color is nice, but it is quite dry and tugs very hard when I try to apply it. I'm glad I didn't spend the money to buy the full size version.

I decided to buy an Amuse Bouche lipstick based on the amazing reviews they get. This particular shade, Rhubarb, is a close dupe to MAC's Mehr (one of my favorite MAC lipsticks), but the finish is completely different, so although the shades are close, I don't see it as a real dupe. Mehr is matte, whereas Rhubarb has shine to it, giving a completely different look. Rhubarb goes on creamy and smooth, and feels hydrating and luxurious on the lips. It was impressively long-wearing for a lipstick with this type of finish, but I did touch it up a couple times over the course of the day. There was a little feathering after a few hours, which is the reason I took away a star in the review. The last thing I'll mention is the gorgeous, citrus smell of this lipstick. It's subtle and not overpowering, and every once in a while I would catch a quick whiff of it as I wore it throughout the day, which was nice. I think it even had a mild citrus taste, too!

I find this color to be a bit chalky and difficult to use as an eyeshadow on its own. However, it works pretty well as a base color over primer, and makes a smooth canvas for other colors to go on top of it. So I do use it every day in this capacity.

London Fog is a beautiful, bright, true red lipstick. Putting it on is a bit of a chore, though. The slightest touch will stain badly. The first time I tried putting it on, I got a little on my finger and then my finger touched my cheek, and BAM...big red stain on my perfectly made up cheek! Not to mention my stained finger. And it took effort to get the stain off my finger. What I learned about applying this lipstick is to wipe excess off the applicator on the edge of the tube and put a thin layer on. Go extra s-l-o-w-l-y and be extra careful to stay within the lines. Then keep hands, hair, etc. away from the face for 30 minutes and try not to close the lips too much. Just let it dry down and set. That might sound annoying, but the payoff is AMAZING! Once this color sets, it's is incredibly comfortable and gorgeous. Being an Ultra Satin, it will feel a bit matte-like, yet not drying. It can transfer, so be careful even after it dries. But once set, this lipstick will stay on for a long, long time, with no need for touchups, even after eating and drinking. London Fog will be replacing my MAC lipstick as my go-to red lipstick quite often because despite the difficulty of putting it on (and it IS more difficult than the MAC lipstick), once set, it is a reliable, no-maintenance lipstick. And just $6!!!!

This is a very pretty terracotta lipstick. It goes on creamy, smooth, and opaque. I was moved to write this review after wearing it for the first time today. I put it on at 7:30 a.m. and went to work. Nine hours later, after eating and drinking during the day, it was still going strong without a single touch up! I had put on a bit of Kiehl's lip balm in the morning about 20 minutes before applying the lipstick, as I always do, which may have helped it stay on without feeling dry, but I think the Colourpop Ultra Satin formula is pretty amazing.

This is a beautiful lavender. I love Colourpop's satin formula because it's almost matte, just not as drying. Molly is highly pigmented and is opaque with one swipe. It's a perfect purpleIsh color for me. Not too pale, not too dark. It's edgy, but I can just get away with it at the office. It's also very long-wearing. And it has a cute name. Tip: Let it set for five minutes before closing your lips.

I had high hopes for this lipstick, since I generally like taupe lipsticks and it looked so pretty on Christine in the review. But for some reason, this color reads gray and muddy on my lips, like clay. Ugly gray clay. I've tried it on a dozen times with different makeup, in different lighting, but it just makes me look dead. I gave it three stars because the formula is nice and it looks great on other people. Just not me. 🙁 Did anyone notice that this color is actually called "Gone Griege"? I wonder if the misspelling was intentional!!!