The Makeup Box

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.

Glossy Burgundy Lids with Neon Magenta Lips (NYX Matte Lipstick in Shocking Pink)

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One more look I posted on Instagram (makeup_box) a couple of days ago. This is a very simple look to recreate. The only thing about it that is different from a regular look is just the gloss on the lids and a neon pink lip.

I used

• a plum colored metallic pencil from Bourjois (Khol & Contour 07 Praline Inventif - any one you can find would do.)
• a deep cool brown shadow (Coastal Scents Hot Pot in Southern Wood)
• a soft medium-light taupe (Coastal Scents Hot Pot in Goldmine - MAC Patina would be a prettier alternative)
• Any clear gloss and a bit of pale purple micro-glitter (optional)
• soft pink blush (any of your choice; I used my Bourjois Little Round Pot shadow #15)
• Bright magenta-pink lipstick that is deeper than a neon fuchsia (NYX Matte Lipstick in Shocking Pink)

Step 1: Begin by shading in your lids, then lining both the upper and lower lash line.  Then use your finger to gently blend out the edges so there are no hard lines, and then touch up the pencil once more along the lash lines. The color should be more intense there.

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Step 2: With the deep smoky brown, lightly run along the lid near the lash line and gently extend your brush past the outer corners into a slight wing. This sets the color around the lash line. If you want to, you can skip this step, but I like a bit more dimension and depth I get by layering the shadows.

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Step 3: Apply a soft taupe brown to the upper portions of the lids, leaving just a small margin of skin above the lash line. If you want 

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Step 4: Go back over your upper lash line with the plum pencil.

IMPORTANT: Curl your lashes now because you’ll be applying clear gloss next. You can’t curl your lashes once you coat your lids as you’ll smear everything off.

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Step 5: With a flat brush, mix a little violet glitter (this is optional; it’s only visible when someone is quite close to you and looking directly at your eyes) into a dab of clear gloss, and then gently PAT that onto your lids. If you stroke your brush back and forth, you will end up smearing the shadow beneath.

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Step 6: Finish by applying black mascara. IF you are using false lashes instead, then you will need to apply them BEFORE you apply the gloss. Otherwise, the latex will have problem sticking to your skin if there is any gloss there.

My Bright Summer Pink Lip of the Moment: NYX Xtreme Lip Cream in 01 Dolly Girl

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Last year, Soft Matte Lip Creams were all the rage in the NYX line. I do like matte finishes, but sometimes there’s nothing like a creamy texture to bring out all the ripe, glossy glory of a bright, hot, shade.

For me, NYX Xtreme Lip Creams go on thick and opaque like liquid lipsticks and are not sticky the way lip glosses are, but don’t expect them to be super long-wearing. The finish is good though (in my opinion); like a very creamy and opaque lipstick that you apply with a doe-foot applicator.

Since the Summer fashion season for me usually means a return to stronger, brighter lips, I feel a need to highlight the shade 01 Dolly Girl. It’s bright and very blue-based but deep enough to be flattering on many skin tones and to not look neon.

NYX Xtreme Lip Creams are cruelty-free and available for about $6 (or under) depending where you purchase them from.

Pop Rose: Pink Makeup with Metallic Stacked Liner

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We don’t often wear pinks on the eyes, lips, nails AND cheeks all at the same time, but I thought the Summer Season might be a good time to give it a go.

The trick is NOT to try and match all the pinks. I used a mauve (pink-purple) shadow, with a magenta toned liner, and a bright pink lipstick. For the nails, I used a hot Barbie pink.

On the lids, I also reined it in and used warm/neutral shades for highlights and contour, instead of more gradations of pink.

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Step 1: Apply a soft mauve shadow on the lids. This can be matte or slightly satin-y, but should not be full-on metallic if you can help it. I used a limited edition shade from Urban Decay, but if you don’t own the 15 Anniversary palette, you can use one of the lighter shades from the Wet n Wild Petal Pusher palette.

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Step 2: Use a pale gold on the inner corners of the eyes (I also used Urban Decay’s limited edition color but it’s an exact dupe of MAC Vanilla pigment and Coastal Scent’s Elven Gold Hot Pot which is super-cheap.)

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Step 3: I don’t own any metallic pink liners, so I used a pigment mixed with a drop or two of liner sealant. You can use eye drops with MAC Fuchsia Pigment or any electric pink pencil to get a similar effect.

Make sure the flick is parallel to the outer corners of your lower lash line (see dotted line).

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Step 4: Probably the most tricky part. Trace over your lash line with a black liquid liner. This is what will pull the whole look together without letting the pink overpower everything. If you don’t have a steady hand, use a felt tip liner for more control.

Step 5: Finish off with black mascara.

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Step 6: For the cheeks, I just used a very matte pink blush, and then applied Pink Nouveau (my absolute favorite summer pink) lipstick from MAC. Barry M and Wet n Wild have some really good bright pinks as well if you’re on a budget.

La Femme Blush Swatches

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This is a very quick post just showing you the swatches for 12 shades of La Femme blushes which I purchased from makeupmania.com a while back.

I was in the US on a work trip and it made a lot of sense to grab a palette and 12 full-size blush pans at $2.50 each (which would not have been quite as logical once you add crazy international shipping fees). 

This is a brand which has been raved about by MANY makeup artists because of the incredible pigmentation and value.

Before you go all excited though, do remember that powderiness and TONS of fallout accompany the incredibly-intense pigmentation. If you know how to work with it, or you are experienced at wielding your blush brush, the shade range is huge and each pan is fantastic for the price. 

If you’re looking for dramatic blush or color that can be used on lids AND lips as well, then these are fabulous.

For those who worry about over-application of blush or looking too dramatic or clown-like, it’s better to stick with conventional brands available in drugstores and high-end counters.

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My favorite shades?

I’m still testing most of these out, but so far, I really love Flamingo Pink and Pink Velvet.

The deeper shades like Framboesia and Magenta would be fab on really deep skins because for once, this range is NOT too sheer to show up nicely against darker tones.

There are also many browns and bronze shades in the range which I did not pick up since I already have those in my personal collection. I went for stronger, less-typical colors.

P.S. Pink Blush is actually a shadow which I included in my purchase as a blush because it’s a great pale pink which can be used as highlight AND to cut other blushes that are too strong.