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.

Inglot Lip Product Mini-Haul (from NYC) - click images for clearer photos

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I picked up several items from Inglot on my recent trip to New York, and 3 of these were fab lip products.

I would actually recommend you check out their little Lip Paint pots if you ever get the chance to; these are absolutely fantastic. They’re not sticky, sheer glosses. They’re really creamy, intense lip laquers that go on almost opaque if you build them up, and give a nice glossy finish.

Just look at those swatches to see how gorgeous they are! 

• 56 - bright medium pink creme; similar to MAC Pink Nouveau in shade, but in a much easier-to-wear texture for most people.
• 59 - gorgeous lavender-mauve creme; lip swatch image looks a little washed out. The wrist swatch is a better representation of the color. It’s a softer version of MAC Up the Amp lipstick and definitely a color to wear if you want some impact!

The 3rd product is one of their matte lipsticks; 421. This is a deep fuchsia that leans a little warm, so if you are afraid of very blue-based pinks and magentas this is a great shade. The texture isn’t as smooth and comfortable to wear as a MAC matte, and I only really bought it because the color was gorgeous. 

All Inglot products featured are US$12 before tax.

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.