On Cloud Nine: Favourite MAC Lipsticks and glosses

When I see the sign for MAC through the window of Brown Thomas on Grafton Street, my heart starts to pound, my steps become a bit quicker, and suddenly I arrive in front of the lipstick stand before you can say ‘Usain Bolt.’ At the same time, my bank balance starts to whimper.

With a single MAC lipstick costing €19 upwards, and glosses starting at €20, not many of us are able to afford splashing the cash on a lipstick that may end up abandoned at the bottom of your make up bag, if the shade or consistency isn’t what you expected. So, coming up to the holidays I thought it would be helpful to share with you my favourite MAC lipsticks and glosses and tell you what I think of them. The bullet-shaped lipsticks are a perfect stocking filler and, best of all, we know that just like a puppy, MAC is not just for Christmas 😉

PLUMFUL – A creamy, dark raspberry lipstick, Plumful combines both colour pay-off and a smooth consistency, making this lipstick extremely wearable. The colour is buildable, giving you control of how dark you want it to be. Plumful is not drying at all on the lips, which I absolutely love, and is a gorgeous colour that can be worn day or night. You need not worry about having a mirror on hand to top up this lipstick as it has great lasting power and is really easy to apply.

HUE –  I spent years searching for the perfect every-day nude, but everything I found was too pinky, too drying or not pink enough, making me look like I had skipped putting lipstick on completely. Then I found Hue. The perfect nude. Hue gives a ‘my lips but better’ effect, is moisturising and looks great against a pale skin tone, something that isn’t easy to achieve.

IMPASSIONED – I think that every woman should have one lipstick that holds the power to completely change your mood and transform how you look. For some people it’s a classic red lipstick, but for me it’s Impassioned. This lipstick is very pigmented, so a little goes a long way. Once again, the texture is creamy (can you tell that I hate matte lipsticks?) and the colour glides onto your lips, giving it extra points for wearability. Impassioned is the perfect party lipstick, and gives a whole other dimension to a simple white tee and jeans. One slick of this and you’re ready to go.

REBEL – Dark, plummy and with a hint of red, Rebel is the perfect colour for Autumn/Winter. A satin finish, Rebel, like most other statement lipsticks, needs reapplying after drinking and eating, but otherwise has long lasting power. I wore this for six hours straight, and only had to reapply once after eating lunch – success! I’m a true lover of nude lipsticks, and it’s not often that I venture out of that colour spectrum, but when I do, Rebel is always my first choice as a result of its gorgeous colour pay off and its amazing staying power. Plus, it’s not drying on the lips and makes your teeth look whiter.

SHY GIRL – Adding a slight twist to the classic nude colour, Shy Girl has a hint of orange and teeny tiny flecks of glitter, making it stand out against other nudes. More coral toned than pink toned, Shy Girl looks amazing with a tan and its Cremesheen finish makes it one of my go to lipsticks for everyday wear.

CREME CUP – A cult beauty favourite, Creme Cup deserves a place in every beauty lover’s bag. The most pink toned out of my nude lipsticks, I tend to apply a few layers of Creme Cup at a time, as my natural lip colour is quite dark and the pinkness of the lipstick doesn’t cover that up in one application. Another Cremesheen finish (yay!), Creme Cup is a gorgeous girly colour that balances out a darker smoky eye or pairs nicely with just mascara. This colour is one you will not put down throughout spring, summer, autumn or winter, and is guaranteed to become a permanent resident in your handbag.

 AMPLE PINK – MAC lip glosses are hugely under-rated in the beauty world in my opinion, some people don’t like the sticky feel and thick consistency, but I love them and at times I find them better than lipsticks. Some days just call for a thick layer of lip gloss to make your lips feel rich and moisturised and give an amazing shine. Ample Pink is a Plushglass and makes your lips look bigger and better. I love wearing this lipgloss with nothing underneath, * 😉 * , as on its own it gives your lips a muted pink and slightly purple tone, with a glossy finish that your friends can almost see their reflection in, and needs nothing else to emphasise that. I always bring Ample Pink with me on a night out as it is so easy to apply, doesn’t cause your lips to crack and comes across great in photos.

FOREVER ROSE – Forever Rose is like jam for your lips : it’s sweet, fruity and smells great. This Pro Longwear Lipglass is the golden egg of my lipstick collection – it’s so rich and pigmented that one application makes you feel like a million dollars. No need to worry about reapplying with this lipgloss, Forever Rose stays true to its longwear name and stays put for hours. I find coloured lip glosses much easier to wear than coloured lipsticks as they tend not to fade as quickly and you don’t have to worry about getting them all over your teeth, which makes Forever Rose a firm favourite with me.

BARE AGAIN – Last, but certainly not least, Bare Again has held a place in my make up bag for nearly two years. I’ve gone through three of these lipsticks since I first tried it out, and I can see myself continuing to repurchase it again and again. Bare Again has everything I love in a lip product – it’s moisturising, conditioning, it’s easy to apply and its pinky-nude colour makes it perfect for any occasion. The Ryan Gosling of lipsticks, you will never get sick of looking at this product.

So, there you have it! I hope this helps anyone who is looking to purchase a MAC lipstick or gloss in the coming weeks to Christmas, after all, everybody deserves a treat 😉

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*If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it*