REVIEW: MAC x Kiesza Lipstick in Dearly Beloved

Hey everyone!

Since drifting away from the pop culture scene (is it normal to gain a preference for oldies music as you age?), I’ve lost count the number of times I have gone, “Who is that?” whenever M.A.C announced a new collaboration with a pop artiste. Having not tuned into any local contemporary hit radio stations for the past decade, needless to say, I had the same reaction when I got wind of their partnership with a Canadian singer-songwriter who calls herself Kiesza. But hey, if not for this collaboration, I wouldn’t have known about this talented yet underrated lady (look her up on YouTube and treat your ears to some upbeat H&M-worthy music if you must), so it’s all good 👍

Joining the ranks of other celebrities such as Halsey, Tinashe and Brooke Candy, all of whom I honestly didn’t know existed until they teamed up with M.A.C, Kiesza presents her first makeup collection with the well-loved cosmetics brand – a four-piece capsule collection comprising a Matte Lipstick, Vamplify Lipgloss, Liquidlast Liner and Big Brow Pencil – and they (except the eyeliner) are brown-hued. Hence, even without finding out who Kiesza is, this collection, or rather the lipstick, already has my name written on it.

M·A·C Kiesza Lipstick in Dearly Beloved (regular packaging again..)

M·A·C Kiesza Lipstick in Dearly Beloved (regular packaging again..)

M·A·C Kiesza Lipstick in Dearly Beloved (US$17)

M·A·C Kiesza Lipstick in Dearly Beloved (US$17)

M·A·C Kiesza Lipstick in Dearly Beloved

M·A·C Kiesza Lipstick in Dearly Beloved

M·A·C Kiesza Lipstick in Dearly Beloved

M·A·C Kiesza Lipstick in Dearly Beloved

M·A·C Kiesza Lipstick in Dearly Beloved

M·A·C Kiesza Lipstick in Dearly Beloved

M·A·C Kiesza Lipstick in Dearly Beloved

M·A·C Kiesza Lipstick in Dearly Beloved

M·A·C Kiesza Lipstick in Dearly Beloved

M·A·C Kiesza Lipstick in Dearly Beloved

Named after Kiesza’s latest single off her sophomore album, Dearly Beloved – the sole lipstick in this collection – reflects the understated look that she had been experimenting while trying to move away from her usual red lip colour.

Described as a warm soft brown with Matte finish, it appears to have ashy undertones when applied. Far from the usual drying Matte formula of M.A.C lipsticks, the payoff of this shade feels almost like a Satin as it goes on smooth with a creamy consistency and even has a slight sheen to it. Mostly opaque, it is moderately pigmented with a buildable intensity but emphasises every fine line (very noticeable on the upper lip) and dry bit of the lips. Having said that, it does leave my lips feeling moisturised and comfortable the entire time I had it on, so I guess it’s a fair trade-off!

M·A·C Kiesza Lipstick in Dearly Beloved swatch comparison - Cold Hard Cash is the closest dupe but has warmer undertones

M·A·C Kiesza Lipstick in Dearly Beloved swatch comparison – Cold Hard Cash is the closest dupe but has warmer undertones

What are your thoughts of this? Let me know what you think in the comments below or take a quick poll 😉

Thanks for reading! 🙂

M·A·C × Kiesza is now available on MACCosmetics.com. This collection is not available in Singapore.

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REVIEW: Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipsticks – Heir, King K & Reign

Hello everyone!

Good Lord.. we just can’t get enough of anything that King Kylie puts out into the world, can we, especially when it comes to beauty products! Since venturing into her own cosmetic business and dropping a couple of sold-out lip kits, 18-year-old Kylie Jenner has expanded her makeup line to include lip glosses and metallic liquid lipsticks (and just yesterday, eyeshadow palettes) which would once again threaten to wipe out our savings.

Moreover, being the young ever-enterprising entrepreneur she is, she added a bundle feature that allows buyers to cart all available gloss or metal shades out at once at full price. I mean, we can always take our own sweet time to ponder on which shade to pick up and buy them individually since there isn’t any incentive for getting the bundle. But, you know, it is so convenient and those stuff are likely going to sell out in no time.. so.. why the heck not, right?! 😆  Thus, I managed to snag all three matte metal shades (even though I had only wanted two) before they were gone.

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipsticks

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipsticks

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipsticks

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipsticks

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipsticks

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipsticks

The glosses (which I have absolutely no interest in – thank goodness) and metals are only available in singles so they do not come with lip liners. It’s definitely more affordable without them but I prefer that they do because these dazzling liners would also make great eye pencils for the waterline to brighten up the peepers.

NOTE: As a first-time user of metal liquid lipstick (because ColourPop only launched theirs after Kylie Cosmetics did and I wasn’t fast enough to get them), I do not have any products to compare these with at the moment. Sorry to disappoint if you’re expecting to see swatch comparisons 😦

#1 Heir

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Heir (US$18)

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Heir (US$18)

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Heir

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Heir

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Heir

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Heir

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Heir

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Heir

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Heir

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Heir

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Heir

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Heir

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Heir

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Heir

This golden metallic peach, having been the first to run out of stock, is the most popular metal shade in the collection but I’m afraid it does not live up to its hype. It has a runny and slippery texture (hence has the tendency to spill from the bottle) and does not feel like a matte lipstick. Lightweight with an iridescent sheen, Heir provides poor coverage despite attempts to build it up with multiple layers, resulting in a streaky and slightly sheer finish. It probably wouldn’t be that bad if I had the patience to wait for it to dry down completely before applying the next layer but nah, ain’t nobody got time for that, you know..

#2 King K

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in King K (US$18)

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in King K (US$18)

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in King K

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in King K

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in King K

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in King K

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in King K

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in King K

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in King K

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in King K

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in King K

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in King K

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in King K

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in King K

Unleash your inner diva with this Beyoncé-inspired (I kid) soft metallic gold. This gorgeously rich bronze-gold blend (but tends more towards bronze in my opinion) is a truly one-of-a-kind shade which works best on dark skin tones. Buildable, it is fully opaque and extremely pigmented with an intense frosty sheen that enhances the fullness of the lips and takes away the attention from the lip wrinkles. It applies smooth and dries down fairly quickly without leaving your lips feeling parched. What can I say? I absolutely love it!

#3 Reign

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Reign (US$18)

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Reign (US$18)

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Reign

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Reign

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Reign

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Reign

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Reign

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Reign

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Reign

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Reign

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Reign

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Reign

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Reign

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Reign

Another Metal worth forking out for is this deep metallic copper because of its immense pigmentation and dense texture. Every application lends the lips a generous coat of product to effortlessly create a luscious pout without exceeding one swipe. The shimmer game, though, isn’t very strong in this one but I am satisfied with this intensity of lustre because too strong a frosty finish may just ruin it for me.

On the whole, the Metals do not disappoint. I find that the formula for the matte metals is a lot less drying and more comfortable as compared to traditional liquid lipsticks. It applies creamy like a gloss but dries down to a matte finish. However, as it removes fairly easily, the lipstick does not have long staying power and will inevitably require touching up very often. The applicator is of the ideal size and is stiff and fluffy at the right areas to enable easy application of the product. It does a pretty decent job in lining the lips so technically there is no need for a lip liner.

What do you think about the metals? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading! 🙂

KYLIE METAL LIQUID LIPSTICKS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE ONLY AT KYLIECOSMETICS.COM. KYLIE COSMETICS SHIPS WORLDWIDE BUT SHIPPING FEE VARIES FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY.