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10 MAC Lipsticks Worth Checking Out
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This is a bare-bones, no-frills recommendation of 10 different MAC shades for every lipstick newbie.
These are by no means the only great shades in MAC! I picked them in consideration of whether they were relatively unique to the brand and not that easily duped. They also might not flatter every person equally, so definitely test them out at the store and use this list more as a reference/suggestion to the types of colors and textures to look out for when you’re at the MAC counter.
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Roses, Pinks and Nudes
Rebel - deep semi-sheer berry creme
Rebel looks scarily dark in the tube but actually goes on sheer and creamy, and not nearly as bruised/purple-looking as it seems. This is very flattering on most skin tones, but much more dramatic on the very pale.
Pink Nouveau - bright satin pastel pink
This classic pink has an impressive fan-list (Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj). If you want a sort of cool-toned, semi-matte bright pink that isn’t going to look too Snooki on, try Pink Nouveau. Looks fantastic on very pale and dark skins.
Saint Germain - pale blue pink creme
Super pale, super bright… this lipstick contains so much white pigments that it literally jumps off your face even if you’re really pale. ONLY for drama queens. It’s not going to look good on everyone so try before you buy!
Pink Plaid - matte blush-beige
If you want a kittenish pout but matte nudes make you look like a corpse, get something that’s a little more pink/peach. Pink Plaid is just that sort of muted lip color with a hint of flattering color.
Creme Cup - creamy, semi-sheer blush-beige
Sort of like Pink Plaid but sheer, and a touch more beige. Very easy to wear with any smoky eye, and low-maintenance enough that you can slick it on without a lot of liner, primer, etc.
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Purples and Reds
Up The Amp - Soft medium mauve/purple creme
This unique color is so different from most shades around but it’s amazingly flattering on many skin tones. If you’re porcelain skinned it could look a little goth/punk though, so test first. Fab on medium to dark skins.
Prince Noir / Diva - Dark plum / Dark liver-red (both matte)
It’s tied between these 2 shades, but I seem to have misplaced my Diva so I can’t swatch it. Prince Noir is more dramatic, and Diva is more of a classy dark red. I personally find Diva more wearable, which is a good thing since it’s available at regular MAC stores.
Ruby Woo - Retro-matte scarlet
The reddest red there is. This red is so intense it makes Russian Red look like brick-red. The texture is not the most comfortable for some people since it’s even dryer than regular matte lipsticks, but then Ruby Woo gives a uniqely uber-matte effect combined with super-saturated color that is really hard to duplicate conveniently, it as my default scarlet.
Impassioned - Fuschia-coral creme
If coral is too yellow for you and fuchsia is too blue, get Impassioned, which is the perfect cross between the two, and just as bright. It IS rather flattering and I recommend wearing it with minimal makeup on the rest of your face just to let your lips speak for themselves.
Morange - Bright acidic orange
This is a take-no-prisoners orange. Not quite a traffic-cone orange since it has just a bit more red thrown in, but that’s also what makes it more wearable. If you have darker skin and want a similar effect, try Lady Danger, which is a bit deeper and redder. Be prepared to be stared at when you wear this.
