MAC Hautecore Lipstick ($15.00 for 0.10 oz.) is described as a “true matte black [with a Matte finish].” It’s a deep, dark black with cool undertones and a mostly matte finish. The consistency was creamier than the usual MAC Matte finish, so it didn’t tug or drag on the lips, though the color didn’t deposit evenly. It does take some finesse and maneuvering to get the color to be as crisp as one might desire.  I haven’t tried too many full-on black lipsticks, and the only one I could think that would compare was Make Up For Ever #50 (P, $19.00), which is less matte. See comparison swatches. A few readers in the comments (here and on social media) have suggested Illamasqua Pristine as a potential less-fussy black lipstick to work with.

It looks drier in the photos than it actually felt from my initial swatch.  The color payoff is semi-opaque–though I really, really tried to get it as opaque as possible, it wasn’t happening.  You would need to apply a dark lip liner (or maybe black eyeliner) to get something cleaner and more opaque.    It lasted for five hours, and it was neither hydrating nor drying.  The big takeaways that it’s a fussy color, will need some patience and help to maximize its color, and it’s not as matte as you’d expect.

I tried layering this with a few other products, and the one thing I did notice is that because it’s not as dry or as matte as some of MAC’s other shades, it has a tendency to move around when it comes in contact with gloss, which can create a somewhat uneven appearance and encourages the black color from the lipstick to settle into lip lines or gather along the edges of the lips.  I would recommend applying a sheerer layer of the lipstick on first, then adding an additional lip color (gloss or lipstick) on top.  If using gloss on top, use very little and see how it goes.  I thought layering a red gloss on top would be cool, and so I picked a more pigmented shade (MAC Russian Red), but the lipstick seemed to just eat up the color yet applying more improved the reddish-tint I was going for, it also made it more uneven.

This shade will be available online only at maccosmetics.com on Black Friday (November 29th), beginning at midnight. Worth noting, it will also be promoted in the Punk Couture collection, which releases December 26th (but I don’t have much more official information than that). Last year, MAC released Grey Friday, which looked more like a purply-taupe on the lips.

P.S. — If black lipstick isn’t your thing, that’s totally fine, but please refrain from making comments about it being only appropriate for Halloween, stereotyping or insulting the people who might wear it, etc. This is a community where people should feel free to enjoy the products they don’t without judgment from others. Thank you for respecting readers who may have tastes that differ from yours.

MAC Hautecore Lipstick

MAC Hautecore Lipstick

MAC Hautecore Lipstick

MAC Hautecore Lipstick

MAC Hautecore Lipstick

MAC Hautecore Lipstick

MAC Hautecore with Illamasqua Wanderlust on top

MAC Hautecore with Illamasqua Wanderlust on top

MAC Hautecore with MAC Russian Red Lipglass & Love Alert Dazzleglass on top

MAC Hautecore with MAC Russian Red Lipglass & Love Alert Dazzleglass on top