Hello everyone!

It has become almost like an annual routine for M.A.C to launch a series of new matte lipstick shades, so this year is no exception! Launched in January in the U.S., the Colour Rocker collection saw the release of 28 lipsticks (categorised into browns, pinks/purples/greys, warms and blues/greens) in a spectrum of bright neon-esque hues and dark accents.

These lipsticks – some new, some repromotes – boast in their true-to-bullet-color payoff and come in the most avant-garde shades you can ever find in the market. What’s more, they are ALL mattes! YAY!

Still looking for more reasons to make the leap to the bold side? Think awkward social functions and high school reunions. What better way to break the ice and start a conversation with an unconventional lip colour? 😆

And here’s what I got…

TWELVE shades.. and soon to be thirteen (because another shade from this collection caught my eye and it’s now on its way to me 😅). Is there anyone more of a lipstick devotee than me?! This is, no doubt, my biggest M.A.C haul to date! I already tried narrowing down my choices. Still, I couldn’t help it – there were just too many shades I was lusting after!

I know it’s my usual practice to compile my review of every shade I bought from the same collection in one post, but this is just too massive and it would possibly take me days to complete it. Hence, for your convenience and mine, I will split my review into two parts. The first shall feature only the blues and greens. If you’re interested to know how the others perform, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the next part!

#1 Instant Icon

Blue is probably the most unlikely colour for a lipstick as it is a complete opposite of our natural lip colour. But since celebrities like Beyoncé, Rihanna and Olivia Palermo had been spotted rockin’ that hue on the red carpet, it has been normalised (sort of) and made popular. Therefore, it was only a matter of time before M.A.C introduced its own line of lipsticks in different shades of blue to catch up with the bold lip trend (albeit a rather passé one by now because it has been going on since 2014?). If you’ve never considered this unusual lip colour before, it isn’t too late to try one now 😉

Starting with the lightest blue in this collection, there is Instant Icon, a bright baby blue with Matte finish. Ardent fans of M.A.C may feel a sense of déjà vu because the brand actually added an almost identical shade going by the name of Dreampot (with the same finish, no less) to the permanent range last year as part of the Bangin’ Brilliant collection which I passed on. This limited-edition pale blue provides good slip for a Matte lipstick, but has a drying and crayon-like consistency which accentuates lip wrinkles. It goes on fairly opaque at the first swipe, but builds up to your preferred intensity easily with subsequent applications. It does not have the staying power of the traditional matte as it starts to wear off when I incidentally purse my lips. It also leaves an uneven stain on the lips after fading.

#2 Jean Genie

Up next on the colour wheel is Jean Genie, a limited-edition sky blue with Matte finish and probably M.A.C’s (late) answer to Serenity, one of the two pantone colours of 2016. This denim-inspired periwinkle blue does not drag or tug at the lips much but has a rather patchy and satin-like consistency which takes away the matte texture. Highly pigmented, it gives considerable coverage on the first coat but builds to an entirely opaque colour with more passes. Lip cracks are, however, still obvious as the product tends to settle into the lines. Although it feels drying, I would say this offers a longer wear as compared to Instant Icon.

So many choices, too little money! If you can’t decide on which blue lipstick to get, I recommend Jean Genie because it is just so gorgeous 😍 But I personally think it is more compatible with light to medium skin tones..

#3 Blue Bang!

Electrify your lips with Blue Bang!, described as a limited-edition bright cerulean blue with Matte finish. A guaranteed head-turner, this striking blue provides a high colour pay-off and an opaque coverage in just a single stroke, but not without first applying with some drag. Buildable to a solid blue that conceals most lip lines, it has a thick consistency which feels a tad heavy and drying on the lips. But it does not appear as such because of the delicate sheen it imparts to the lips. This lipstick removes easily but does not fade uniformly as it will leave visible traces of the lipstick.

#4 Show And Teal 

Moving on to the greens… WHOOT! The most underrated lipstick hue is finally here! Believe me or not, I had waited all my life for a warm teal lipstick like Show And Teal to take form because the existing ones in the market either lean more towards aqua or turquoise, never in between. Hence, I was really psyched to lay my hands on this!

Described as a bright green blue teal with Matte finish, Show And Teal has relatively good slip but bleeds into lip lines. Not only does it pack a punch of pigment to bring forth that excellent colour payoff, it has a thick and opaque coverage that lasts for hours and a subtle sheen to boot to give that semi-matte (almost satin-like) finish. The consistency, however, isn’t as uniform as I had hoped and it does feel slightly drying on my lips. This lipstick fades to a stain after a heavy meal.

I’m baffled it is still not sold out online 🙁 Doesn’t anybody feel the same way I do about teal lipsticks? *cries at one corner*

#5 Deep With Envy

Blue lipsticks may have enjoyed a period of popularity but it could well be out of fashion soon now that their green counterparts are creeping in to claim their spot. On a side note, remember when green lipsticks first emerged, they turned out to be pink on the lips? Damn those colour-changing lipsticks… 😒 I couldn’t help but feel a pang of betrayal because I really wanted a green lipstick to complete my collection. But I need not have to yearn for it anymore as green lipsticks are going to be e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e!

It all kinda started from Dolce & Gabanna (which Rihanna bravely wore to an awards night and got everyone gasping with awe), then Melt Cosmetics came up with their own version. Slowly but surely, more beauty brands followed suit. As a matter of fact, M.A.C had a couple of green lipsticks prior to this but they were all trashy and the payoff was nowhere near green at all (e.g. Summer Shower, Blue Eve – Google them and you’ll know what I mean). I’m glad M.A.C ultimately got their sh*t together and made green lipsticks that truly apply as green this time ’round!

One of them is Deep With Envy, accurately described as a (deep) forest green. This limited-edition piece, though, is nothing like a Matte lipstick because it goes on ever-so smoothly and buttery that all it takes is a single swipe to get an opaque colour payoff. It has a thick, creamy and almost-silky consistency with an alluring sheen to take the attention away from the patchy areas. Topping it all off, it has the right amount of moisture to keep the lips from feeling parched. No wonder Deep With Envy is the first (and only one thus far) to sell out online!

#6 Mean Green Machine

Rounding off the greens division (for now) is Mean Green Machine, ambiguously described as a green (that’s it? 😒 how lazy can one get..) with Matte finish when in actual fact, the green pigment is hardly noticeable, even under strong lighting. It is so dark, I would say it is just a tone or two away from black.

Nevertheless, if the accuracy of the colour description doesn’t bother you, it is a pretty decent lipstick to have. It applies effortlessly with zero tugging to deliver a microshimmer-infused, semi-opaque but rather patchy texture. Buildable to full coverage, it does not settle into lip lines but does feel a bit tacky and drying at the end.

What are your thoughts on the blues and greens in this collection? Are they worth splurging your moolah on, or not? Let me know in the comments below! 😙

And do stay tuned for part two!

M.A.C Colour Rocker is now available online and at local M.A.C outlets.

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