Hello everyone!

How was your Cinco de Mayo weekend for my readers who are residing in the states? Did it leave you a few hundreds of dollars poorer overnight? I feel ya, babes… 😢

Sorry for the delayed beauty update because I just couldn’t muster up enough energy to turn on my computer after more than 8 hours at work each day.. *yawns* But I promise to post more often when my long break comes in about three weeks’ time. I have a mountain’s worth of beauty products – accumulated over the past few weeks – to talk about and I am sure you wouldn’t want to miss any of them. So please be patient, fellow beautyholics! 😆 I guarantee it’s gonna be worth the wait..

Unfortunately, if you’re here expecting my first update in three weeks to be on a latest makeup collection, I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed again (there is definitely one in the works, so come back again in a few days or look out for updates on my Instagram ☺). For now, it’s throwback to yet another old M.A.C collection.

Remember nearly a year ago, M.A.C welcomed the summer season with a new collection called Blue Nectar? Since it’s going to get warm again in most parts of the world, I thought it’s about time I thrust it into the limelight since you can technically still buy them online.

Launched last year (in May online and June in stores), Blue Nectar saw the release and repromote of 12 lipsticks (Courting Seduction / Lured In / Invite Intrigue / Intoxica / Lush Extract / Riot House / Give In / Sweet Venom / Heroine / Ablaze / Breathing Fire / Barbeque) and 6 Plushglass (Fulfilled / Ample Pink / In Abundance / Robust / Fashion Fanatic / Full for You) in idyllic hues of orange, red and purple, but this review will only be featuring 6 of the said lipstick shades. Interestingly, despite the name of the collection, there was not a single blue lipstick.

Some of these shades may ring a bell to those who have been keeping track of all the M.A.C launches because one-third of them are either repromotes or already in the permanent line. If you had passed on them the first time ’round due to the price hike, you will be delighted to know that they have made a comeback in a somewhat cheaper price tag, sans the fancy packaging.

Although they were relaunched as limited-edition shades again, all of them (including the new ones) are still available on the M.A.C website the last time I checked. So in case you are interested to purchase any of them, I have hyperlinked the names of the featured shades to their individual product pages for your convenience 😉

Without further ado, let’s get started on the reviews!

#1 Give In

Since Blue Nectar was launched during the summer season, it seemed only right to incorporate some pastels and soft neutrals to add a touch of playfulness to the collection. Among those hues was Give In, a creamy natural pink with Amplified Creme finish. It runs smoothly on the lips without skipping and leaves a buttery but streaky texture with a slight sheen to it. The colour payoff can be somewhat sheer at the first swipe but it is buildable to a decently opaque consistency. It does not settle into the lip wrinkles no matter how much product is applied.

However, it is not long-lasting as its emollient quality makes it move a lot, so much so that frequent reapplication would be necessary. This shade leans more towards the hydrating spectrum.

#2 Riot House

Colours in nature change with the season, and so does makeup. In preparation for the impending humid months, it’s about time we tweak our makeup routine and opt for hues that enable us to stay seasonally appropriate. As beauty enthusiasts, when we think summer, minimally made-up looks come to mind, and along with that are bright attention-grabbing lips colours such the warm reds and cheery pinks to show that you so did not compromise on your makeup game for the warm weather. For the gutsier ones who don’t mind experimenting with something more unusual, why not adopt the neon lip look this summer using near-fluorescent shades like Riot House?

Described as a light vivid orange with Matte finish, Riot House – a repromote shade from the Kelly Osbourne collection launched back in 2014 – punctuates the traditional lip hues of summer with a fun pop of sandy beach colour. When applied, it tugs a little on lips as it leaves a mostly opaque and – unfortunately – uneven consistency while settling into my lip creases. It is slightly buildable but adding more product would mean accentuating lip dryness even further because of its flat matte appearance. On top of that, deeper cracks start forming around the lip lines with every little movement of my mouth. Even so, this shade feels neither drying nor hydrating on the lips.

#3 Sweet Venom

If you’re not ready to trade your reds or pinks for neon hues just yet, no pressure – you can absolutely still look chic in hues you’re comfortable wearing on your lips. In fact, Blue Nectar explores an assortment of reds and pinks that you probably don’t have in your stash. So, if you’ve been using the same ol’ red or pink lipstick for the past couple of summers and have decided it is time for a change, look no further, for I have picked out four uncommon variations of the quintessential lipstick hue from this collection, beginning with the lightest one – Sweet Venom.

Described as an intense pink coral with Matte finish, it is a more of a full baby pink with cool undertones which complements light to medium skin tones best. Sweet Venom applies like a Satin without little to no tug at the lips and although it is supposedly a Matte lipstick, it actually has more slip than the first two nudes featured here. It has an opaque coverage with smooth consistency at the first swipe. The texture feels a little powdery but not obvious to the eye. It can stay on for hours but only if it does not come in contact with oily food. This shade is neither drying nor hydrating.

#4 Ablaze

Set your lips on fire with a ravishing red this summer! Described as a bright apricot cream with Matte finish, Ablaze adds a twist to traditional red with its bright reddish-orange hue and warm undertones and hence making it perfect for those who do not want to stray too far from safe colours.

This shade – which was first released as part of the Fashion Sets collection in 2013 – has great slip as it runs effortlessly on the lips to lend a smooth Satin-like finish. It provides a rich colour payoff and a buildable opaque consistency that allows for a full, uniform coverage while imparting a soft sheen. It clings comfortably to the lips with its emollient and lightweight texture but does feel a bit tacky at the same time. Similarly, this shade is neither drying nor hydrating.

#5 Intoxica

Described as a bright raspberry red with Matte finish, Intoxica appears as a vivid pink-red with blue undertones. It goes on creamy with some tug but no drag, coating the lips with an intense colour payoff with just a single swipe. Each application delivers an opaque coverage coupled with a smooth and seamless finish like a true Matte (minus the dryness and chalkiness), resulting in a fuller lip look.

In addition, it also has a subtle sheen to it so that it does not look completely flat on your lips or make them seem brittle and dehydrated. This shade is long-wearing but it feels heavy and can be a little drying on the lips, so make sure you use a lip balm before applying the lipstick.

#6 Barbeque

What’s summer without barbecue? Guess what – now there’s a lipstick to go along with the ambience of outdoor dining and the warmth of a real fire as M.A.C had relaunched a hue that would instantly remind you of your favourite summer tradition (and was even named after it). Described as a vivid orange red with Matte finish, Barbeque very much resembles the glowing embers of barbecue fire due to its punchy deep tangerine colour and warm undertones. This was first released as part of the Isabal and Ruben Toledo collection in 2015.

It has a similar creamy texture to Intoxica but perhaps due to its heavier, drier and thicker consistency, it also tugs slightly at the lips. The product spreads evenly across the lip upon application but somehow settles into lip lines after a few minutes. There’s absolutely no doubt about the colour payoff as you can see – it is so incredibly pigmented and opaque that you’d only need to run the lipstick over your lips ONCE to get full coverage. This is another classic example of why M.A.C remains ahead of the pack in producing lipsticks with the ultimate wear and colour.

On the whole, this collection is the bomb, which is also mainly why I persisted in doing a review on it in spite that it was launched nearly a year ago. Not only are the lipsticks super pigmented and creamy, the colours are also mostly workplace-appropriate. These colours are timeless as well, and can be recycled for the spring and fall seasons (if you know how to adjust the intensity). If you haven’t gotten anything from this collection yet, you should! 😉 I would say this is one of the better collections from M.A.C so trust me, you won’t regret your decision.

What are your thoughts? Share them with me in the comments below!

Thanks for reading!

M.A.C Blue Nectar was launched as a limited edition collection in June and August 2016 online and in local outlets respectively. However, all of the shades at present are still available for purchase individually on MACCosmetics.com. found something you like in this collection? Get it while you still can!

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