Mac was probably the brand that really got me into makeup. I remember walking into a Mac store for the first time and being so overwhelmed with the amount of shades of eyeshadows, lipsticks and everything in between. About 5 years on I am much more confident, and practically know the whole brand inside and out, which has resulted in building quite a substantial Mac collection. I was planning a favourite Mac product post, but my list got so long that I thought I should separate into different categories: lipsticks, eyeshadows and face products.
Mac lipsticks (£15 here) are by far my favourite out there – the range of finishes and shades means that there is one for every occasion, and you are more than likely going to find the exact shade you are looking for.
Creme Cup is described as a ‘light blue pink’, with a Cremesheen finish. Cremesheens apply, like the name suggests, very creamily and smooth and leave a slightly glossy finish to the lips, but are still opaque. Out of the finishes mentioned in this post, it is the most moisturising. I love using this lipstick when I’m going for a nude lip – it has just enough pink in it that it doesn’t make me look dead.
Ravishing is described as a ‘clean light peachy coral’, again with a cremesheen finish. I sometimes find that when I am at my palest this can pull a little too orange on me, but it is a great everyday summer colour. I find that cremesheens last about 4 hours on my lips, especially these light colours.
Morange is described as a ‘loudmouth orange’ with an amplified finish. This is my go-to summer colour, and definitely not one for the faint-hearted. It does lean slightly red when on the lips, but is still very orange. The amplified finish is probably my favourite – it is completely opaque and has a semi-matte finish so it is not as drying. They are also really long-lasting, and just an all-round perfect formula for someone who loves bold lips.
Impassioned is described as a ‘amped-up fuchsia’ with an amplified finish. This to me is more of a yellow-toned pink than a fuchsia and can pull slightly red on my lips. I have seen this lipstick on several different people and it can look different on everyone depending on skin tone and natural lip pigmentation. It is a lipstick that I get most complimented on, and think it is a perfect colour for those with pale skin or blonde hair – although it seems like a lipstick that would work on all skin tones.
Candy Yum Yum is described as a ‘neon pink’ with a matte finish. Forget morange, this is the brightest lipstick I have ever come across. It is definitely a neon lipstick, and wearing it brings a lot of attention – I find a lot of people staring at my lips when I wear this! Even though its matte, I don’t find it to be too drying. This stays on my lips like no other but it can be quite difficult to remove.
Rebel is described as a ‘midtonal cream plum’ with a satin finish. I find that it is a purple-toned berry, and is quite a versatile lipstick. I sometimes like to wear this blended into the lips like a stain for a subtle berry lip or full on to create a bold dark lip. The satin finish is much like the amplified finish, but with less of a sheen. It almost has the longevity of a matte, but without the drying nature (candy yum yum being an exception of course), so it sits somewhere in between.
Dark Side is described as a ‘deep burgundy’ with an amplified finish. This is a very vampy lip, perfect for autumn/winter. This is a versatile lipstick as I either leave it glossy or blot it and leave it as a matte lipstick. It can be hard to wear a dark lip, but I find it looks best with fresh natural-looking skin and not too much on the eyes which creates a really chic and modern look.
From left to right: Dark side, Rebel, Candy Yum Yum, Impassioned, Morange, Ravishing, Creme Cup
Honourable Mentions
There were some lipsticks that I couldn’t show in this post but I thought I should put them in the end anyway. Hue is a nude lipstick and one of my favourite lipsticks, but I stupidly took it on a night out and lost it. Riri Woo – a blue toned matte red, very similar to Ruby Woo, is also worth a mention, because even though it isn’t currently available, it will be out again in a collection soon. It is a great limited edition lipstick to own, and always sells out.
Mac lipsticks are an addiction of mine, and my collection will no doubt continue to grow. Coming up soon – my top Mac eyeshadows.
–RachelElizabeth