The Scarlet Season: MAC Viva Glam I Lipstick
The Scarlet Season: MAC Viva Glam I Lipstick
MAC Viva Glam I Lipstick ($14.00 for 0.10 oz.) is a retro red if I ever saw one. There’s something about it that’s elegant, timeless, and always gets images of blonde bombshells dancing in my head whenever I pull it out. Can you believe Viva Glam I has been available for fifteen years? It was the first shade launched for MAC’s Viva Glam campaign. So, not only are you getting one stunning, classic shade of deep red, you’re doing good while you’re at it, because “[e]very cent of the selling price of VIVA GLAM Lipstick and Lipglass is donated to the M·A·C AIDS Fund to support men, women, and children living with HIV and AIDS.” Viva Glam I is a creamy red that’s incredibly matte without being flat.
The Scarlet Season is a series of posts showcasing and featuring my favorite shades of red lips–from glosses to lipsticks that runs through December 2009. You can sure expect to see a lot of red this holiday season!
See more swatches and comparison photos…
Plus, here’s a photo of me rockin’ Viva Glam I from quite awhile ago (seriously, this is from 2007!)…
this and ruby woo are the best reds ever and i mean EVER!
Haha! Ruby Woo is SO dry, though, so it kills me 🙁 Wish it was more manageable!
Pretty red! I will have to check this out next time I’m at Mac!
Yay! Hope you love it, Heather!
Wow! This red is gorgeous.
Think you’ll be getting it any time soon, Marta?
My first and only red lipstick. In fact, my first HG product ever!
Aww! 🙂
This is one of my favourite red lipsticks, its such a glass red, you can layer it with different glosses for even better effect. I bought this without realizing it was Viva Glam, and then it made me feel better that I was at least doing good =)
I completely agree with you, Sheila 🙂
Wow, that truely is an elegant and timeless red!
now I want one!
Get it 🙂
I do agree it’s a gorgeous color. But I gave my tube to a friend because it looked fuschia on me. With my skintone, fuschia is not a good thing :c
Oh, wow! Fuchsia? That’s crazy. I can’t believe it turned fuchsia on you!
Love this color! I have a tube of it that I pull out every once in awhile. I do recall the promo’s of this with Rupaul, then KD Lang and Pamela years ago.
Nice! It’s just one of those forever classic shades of red.
this looks amazing on you esp with your skintone must try it out ! ive always been a bit scared of trying a red i normally go for estee lauders coral red as im nc 35/nc40 asian skintone! must get the name of that lippy X
Yes, yes, definitely try this shade. It’s surprisingly flattering on many skin tones!
Christine, Viva Glam I looks fab on you 🙂
I still don’t have it ( I have Russian Red and Ruby Woo) but I honestly think that VGI is the closest to my ideal perfect red shade !
I regret I got the other two before – specially Ruby Woo, it is so dry it hurts !!! Which lip pencil color do you think is better to use with Russian Red ??
Thanks, Claudia! 🙂
Put a little lip balm on my lips before you apply Ruby Woo — may help 🙂
I like Red Enriched!
i just got viva glam 1 today and i am so happy with it!
it’s the perfect red shade for my nc40 skin. i also got red enriched lipliner, as it matches perfectly. i can’t wait to wear this out!
Nothing beats a classic red. This looks so pretty on you, Christine!
Aww, thanks so much, Kate 🙂
Just purchased this 1 for a wedding!! Nothing but great compliments!!! I’ve always been afraid of wearing reds…not this one!! I love it!!
So happy you’re lovin’ VGI, Marisa!
Your hair was sooo long! I think your eyebrows looked a-ma-zing!! Seriously!
I’m a little confused about Viva Glam though. It seems to be some sort of ongoing project? Can anyone fill me in? Thanks 🙂
I know, I miss it so! 🙁
Viva Glam is a campaign for the MAC Aids Fund (www.macaidsfund.org), and basically, they have a set of lipsticks and lipglasses that are part of the Viva Glam family, and when you purchase any of those, it goes towards their organization. They change-up the spokespeople and regularly add new shades or twists on existing shades, so it’s definitely an ongoing project 🙂
I see! Thank you for your answer 🙂 I hear a lot of raves about certain Viva Glams.
When I think of your hair (if ever, LOL), I always feel like you went from “lion” to “cub”. Got a whole Nala-thing going on now, girl, haha! 🙂 (I mean, come on, who doesn’t like Nala, right?)
LOL!!
wow new red to add to my collection
although m very much faithful to my russian red but m going to buy this
as well coz i dont have any of the viva glams
love this post of “RED” scarlet season
i love redsssss
What are some of your favorites besides Russian Red, Rashmi? 🙂
you look so cute christine. i wish you would post piccys of yourself more often!
Thanks, Evangelia 🙂
that looks soo pretty on you!
Thank you!
My mom has been eyeing on this l/s for forever! She never goes around to buying it for herself ’cause she hates to “spoil” herself. Lol. Guess I know what I’m getting her for Christmas!
You look gorgeous as always, Christine! [:
Aww!! That’s so sweet of you 🙂 I know she will love it!
Thank you!
Cristine, that looks seriously AMAZING on you! And I love the length of your hair in that picture! Beautiful & this is one of my favorite reds!(:
Thanks, Holly!
Oh, how I miss my long hair!
You look great Christine!
I love this color. It’s the best red lipstick I’ve had…
Thanks, Karen! 🙂
It is a fantastic, ever-classic red!
you always look great, but this color I think is especially flattering on you 🙂
Aw, thanks, Lindsay!
Pretty!!! I’m going to wear this to the prom 🙂
Awesome! You’ll look so glam!
You look absolutely lovely, altogether in this picture! This lipstick looks amazing with your skintone, and you look very chic with the simple long hair and black shirt! If i ever do want to sport a real red lipstick, i’ll have a mental memo from now on. 🙂
Thank you, Petra! 😀
You look gorgeous! Not painted, not too much, great colour and great attitude. Want to have such a red…
Thank you so much, Andreea 🙂
This Red is gorgeous, I need to check it out!! Christine I bought the Dragon from Chanel and as soon as I got it in the mail I tried it on…well the men at home didn’t seem very thrilled about it (my little brother and boyfriend). I think reds can be tricky, true? You got to have the right eye makeup and depending on your skin tone select the “correct” red. I love red and I want to wear it…advice?? If this helps I’m about an NC30. Thanks a lot!
Do check it out, Mary!
Well, the real question is – did you like it on yourself? I’m NC25/NC30 and I adore it, but my boyfriend hates reds. Period. Dragon or any other red, he’s got no love for it!
Omg, why don’t I have this?! LOL
It looks fab on you!
I can’t believe you don’t! Get it!
Christine!!!
This is my favorite look I’ve seen on YOU!! Photo is great!
Oh, wow! So glad you liked it, Monique! Thanks!
I got this one not long ago, honestly its so nice on a pale skintone like mine, its almost a neutral burgundy red on me……I love it its one of my favourites now!! I think it would suit a lot of different skintones and isn’t it one of the ones Dita Von Teese wears?
Ahhh I love red lipstick!
Aww, yay! I’m so glad this is a favorite for you, Dani 🙂 Yes, I do believe so!
Pretty! How does this compare to Dubonnet? I’m fair and I need a good stage red lip (Im a dancer) I am thinking about one of the two.
Dubonnet has a different texture overall, and I’d say this is a little deeper in red, too. I think either one would be pretty, though 🙂 VGI tends to look good on a ton of people!
Hi Christine, what lipliner do you prefer using with Viva Glam 1?
Red Enriched!
Viva Glam I is the only red lipstick i’d ever consider wearing these days and I do have it, and whenever I wear VG I I have to wear it MAC Mahogany lip pencil. The only other red I’d consider is MAC Chili lipstick which is matte as well and slightly orange/brown/rust compared to VG I, but there’s no shimmer in Chili just like VG I.
Wow- it looks like a great color on you, I hope it’s as good on me! Going to take a trip to MAC this weekend to find out! What eyeshadow did you use for the pic? It goes perfectly with the lip color!
I think it was all Ricepaper on the lid and Soft Brown in the crease!
Hello Christine! I have brown skin and have been looking for the perfect red lipstick for, like, ages. This is such a gorgeous shade! Do you think it will go with brown skin? I will go check out the nearest MAC store for myself soon, but would love an opinion from you 🙂
Yes!!
im loving the looks of this how does this compare to russian red?
Russian Red is brighter and blue-based.
Hi Christine…got this after reading your review and planning to wear it with brick liner. I find that my lipstick is a bit shaky in the tube. I experienced the same with my brick o la too. Have you faced anything similar?
I haven’t!
I have no such problem with my other mac lipsticks. It is only slightly shaky and I hope it doesnt affect the lipstick by getting more shaky in the long run. My Kraft lipstick is a mess because of this too. But others 9I use mostly mac lipsticks so have a ton of them) are fine.
That red looks gorgeous! But I already own Bobbi Brown Burnt Red, can I justify buying Viva Glam I, too? Or is it all too similar?
I don’t think I have that shade!