MAC Cosmetics

REVIEW: MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande Lipstick

/ Fiona Seah / 4 Comments

Hello again, fellow beautyholics!

Since 1994, MAC has been actively involved in the fight against HIV and AIDS with its Viva Glam campaigns whereby every single cent made from the sale of the products in the Viva Glam line would be donated to its own AIDS fund. To further raise awareness of the cause, every Viva Glam campaign is endorsed mostly by controversial famous personalities (many of whom are also AIDS activists themselves) from the music industry. This year, joining the ranks of past ambassadors like Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Miley Cyrus is none other than.. *drums roll* ..Ariana Grande!

mac-viva-glam-ariana-grande

The announcement of the new face for the latest Viva Glam campaign had undoubtedly caused a stir among MAC fans considering the amount of bad press Ariana Grande had gotten for her “donut lick” incident as well as her unpatriotic remarks that were caught on video. But putting those criticisms aside, the Dangerous Woman hitmaker has performed a series of philanthropic work from supporting homosexuality to promoting animal rights and veganism despite being only in her early twenties. That’s very commendable if you ask me, so I have never once felt that it was a terrible decision to bring her on board.

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande

Encased in a black tube marked by her signature on the inner cherry-red surface, the packaging of the lipstick is no different from the Viva Glam lipsticks released previously (apart from Viva Glam Rihanna which had a red rubber-textured tube). A shimmery pink Viva Glam lipglass has also been launched alongside the lipstick for those who are not fond of dark, matte lipsticks.

Viva Glam Ariana Grande is a deep dark plum with Matte finish (US$17)

Viva Glam Ariana Grande is a deep dark plum with Matte finish (US$17)

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande

Contrary to expectations, the finish isn’t matte at all although it does tug at the lips a little upon application. The product felt slippery and it leaves a sheen on the lips like a Satin lipstick. With streaks and patches of darker plum colour all over the lips, it is obvious that the lipstick is unable to provide an entirely opaque coverage even after multiple swipes. The colour tends to gather at the indentations on the lips but it was near-impossible to even our the texture. Due to the inconsistent payoff of the lipstick, the lips have to be lined before being filled with the colour or else they would appear messy and undefined.

Swatch comparison

Swatch comparison

The closest dupe I have to Viva Glam Ariana Grande is probably Living Legend which leans more towards maroon than plum. As compared to other Mattes like Eugenie and Smoked Purple, Viva Glam Ariana Grande clearly seems to have a creamier but patchy formula similar to those of the newer Matte shades these days. I kinda hope MAC would revert to the drier Matte formula because I’m not diggin’ the so-called improvements made to it.

But since all proceeds from the sale of this lipstick go to helping women, men and children living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, I’m going to encourage you to buy it nonetheless 😉 This is, as how Ariana Grande had put it, guilt-free shopping because you actually get to shop with a purpose!

What do you think of the lipstick? Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!

Thanks for reading! 🙂

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande lipstick is now available on MACCosmetics.com and at all local MAC outlets.

REVIEW: MAC x Dita Von Teese Lipstick in Von Teese

/ Fiona Seah / 17 Comments

Hello everyone!

When it comes to red lipsticks, no one wears in better than Dita Von Teese. Sporting a Marilyn Monroe-esque vintage makeup all the time, the renowned burlesque dancer completes her look with a striking red lip colour which stands out from her porcelain white skin and silky black updo. With red lips already ingrained into her image, it wasn’t hard to guess the shade of her lipstick with MAC even before it was announced.

mac-dita-von-teese

Having worked with MAC on their Viva Glam campaign almost a decade ago (alongside many other celebrities), Dita Von Teese is certainly no stranger to the brand. But unlike the first partnership in which Dita Von Teese probably had little to no involvement in the decision of the lipstick shade, this latest collaboration sees a distinctive style of the said artiste – her trademark red lipstick, inspired by the launch of her new book, Your Beauty Mark.

MAC x Dita Von Teese

MAC x Dita Von Teese

MAC x Dita Von Teese

MAC x Dita Von Teese

MAC x Dita Von Teese

MAC x Dita Von Teese

The packaging was clearly designed to grab attention. With Dita Von Teese’s seductive eyes staring back at you from the box, there is no way you would miss it amongst the black boxes for MAC’s regular lipsticks. Encasing the lipstick is a typical shiny black plastic casing commonly used for limited edition lipsticks, but with the words “Dita Von Teese” printed on it in red.

Von Teese is a vivid tomato red with Matte finish (US$18 / S$34)

Von Teese is a vivid tomato red with Matte finish (US$18 / S$34)

Dita Von Teese's name imprinted on the bullet

Dita Von Teese’s name imprinted on the bullet

MAC Von Teese

MAC Von Teese

MAC Von Teese

MAC Von Teese

MAC Von Teese

MAC Von Teese

MAC Von Teese

MAC Von Teese

MAC Von Teese

MAC Von Teese

Pardon my messy hairdo.. I was trying to channel my inner Dita Von Teese by attempting at big luscious curls. Obviously that didn’t work out because I was having a bad hair day and furthermore, I don’t have that much hair to achieve the plumped-up effect to begin with 😦 My red lips are probably the closest I’ll ever come to being like the burlesque queen.

The lipstick, although Matte, has a glossy texture and glides on smoothly that imparts a pleasant, moisturising feel with its creamy consistency. It has a pigment so bold that it managed to conceal my lip lines with only a single swipe, thereby instantly giving them an impeccable pout. There’s virtually nothing to rant about this lipstick.

Swatch comparisons

Swatch comparisons

I chanced upon a lot of comments about Von Teese being potentially similar to Ruby Woo, which is one of the burlesque star’s all-time favourite reds. Based on the swatches above, not only is Von Teese more opaque and hydrating (the Ruby Woo seen here contains the old Matte formula which tends to tug at the lips), it also appears to have bluer undertones as compared to Ruby Woo. So if you’re still contemplating on getting Von Teese because of scepticism that it might be an exact dupe for Ruby Woo, well, I hope this clears your doubt!

Nevertheless, I wish MAC had done something differently with Dita Von Teese, like a fuller collection with more variety of products such as brow pencils, falsies and whatnots.

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

Thanks for reading! You have been really awesome 🙂

The MAC x Dita Von Teese lipstick in Von Teese is now sold out on MACCOSMETICS.COM. It was available locally only on the TANGS E-STORE.

REVIEW: MAC x Mariah Carey Lipstick in All I Want

/ Fiona Seah / 2 Comments

Hello everyone!

Did you know Mariah Carey once enrolled herself into a beauty school when she was in the eleventh grade because she wanted to try her hand at being a hairdresser and a make-up artist? That, however (and obviously), didn’t materialise as the Queen of R&B later revealed that she dropped out of the course due to her demanding schedule in the early days of her music career. But with all the fortune she has amassed as one of the most successful singers in the world now, she certainly doesn’t need any credentials to start her own cosmetics line!

Mariah-Carey-MAC

Every December without fail, the enchanting voice of Mariah Carey infiltrates shopping malls around the globe as everyone gears up for Christmas with familiar tunes like “All I Want For Christmas Is You”. Last year, the holiday icon (Queen of Christmas is also another honorific nickname bestowed upon Carey) decided to take her hit song to the next level by transforming it into a tangible product! Teaming up with MAC for the first time on a new lipstick (and an impending collection due out later this year), the music goddess stayed true to her penchant for nude lips but added an extra dose of festive sparkle to her aptly-named All I Want lipstick that was released in December 2015.

MAC x Mariah Carey

MAC x Mariah Carey

MAC x Mariah Carey

MAC x Mariah Carey

What let me down, of course, was the plain packaging adopted for this limited-edition lipstick. Being the first product borne out of the collaboration between Mariah Carey and MAC, surely we would have expected something more than just the regular black MAC box. I mean, look, even the relatively unknown Brooke Candy (no offence) got better treatment on the design of her lipstick packaging :\

All I Want is a champagne shimmer with a Frost finish (US$17)

All I Want is a champagne shimmer with a Frost finish (US$17)

MAC All I Want

MAC All I Want

MAC All I Want

MAC All I Want

MAC All I Want

MAC All I Want

MAC All I Want

MAC All I Want

MAC All I Want

MAC All I Want

Everything about this lipstick screams “celebration” – from the alluringly muted gold hue to the sparkly finish which altogether simulate the appearance of champagne. The shimmers stuck out for this one as light is clearly reflected at most parts of the lips. You don’t actually need to apply the lipstick multiple times to achieve this sparkly effect because all it takes is one swipe. You know how the colour of your lipstick can sometimes directly affect your mood? Well, wearing All I Want made me feel like I was wandering around a quiet street on a winter’s night because those shimmers made my lips look really frozen pale 😆

On the downside, it doesn’t have a smooth consistency as the texture felt a tad powdery on my lips. Still, it’s a very pretty lip colour to have to commemorate Christmas and what’s more, a shade that was put together by Mariah Carey herself! This lipstick is also perfect for parties, especially those dimly-lit ones. Those lips are guaranteed to stand out from amidst the darkness.

MAC All I Want swatch comparison

MAC All I Want swatch comparison

I’m not a fan of Frost finish to begin with, thus explaining the very limited number of shades I could compare All I Want with. But as you can see from the above swatches, the Frost finish is a more sparkly and gorgeous version of Lustre.

Boy, I can’t wait to see what awesome stuff Mariah Carey and MAC have in store for us this year! What about you? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! 🙂

Thanks for reading!

MAC X Mariah Carey All I Want lipstick is an online exclusive, now available on MACCosmetics.com.