It seems the matte lip trend is going nowhere fast, and while MAC has always offered some of the mattest lipsticks shades around in their regular lipstick line, they've finally jumped on the liquid lipstick bandwagon with their Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolours. I got the chance to try 5 of their new 15 shade range have some definite thoughts about them.
This thing to remember with matte liquid lipsticks is that there is no getting away from the drying feeling. It's a real jump from my comfort zone, considering I am normally a balmy, creamy lipcolour person, and not the type to rock a super precise, razor edged lip. I was excited to try the MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour out though seeing the shade range had everything from a beige-pink nude to an intense violet. Afterall, MAC has to have one of the most extensive lip colour ranges of any brand out there.
I got the following 5 shades, which I've swatched below:
Lady Be Good - a warm mid tone nude
Back in Vogue - a peachy nude (and what I am wearing below)
Rich & Restless - A mid tone salmon
Personal Statement - A vibrant neon pink
High Drama - a deep black cherry
I personally love that this line wasn't overwhelmed with reds and dark vampy shades as many liquid lipsticks seem to be. I think it might be harder to get the paler and nude shades to perform with as much ease which might be why some brands don't often offer this type of lip colour. As always, MAC has created a range that really can fit everything, with some incredible bold choices, as well as muted everyday wear and go's. My personal favourites from the ones I've tried are Back in Vogue, and Rich & Restless. For my skintone, the nude Lady Be Good is a touch pale for me in the sense that I need to think a bit more about the other makeup I am wearing so I don't look washed out. The Barbie-like neon of Personal Statement will probably never see the light of day on me unless I wear it to an 80's revival party; A thought that makes me cringe all on its own. Unfortunately the vampy High Drama was extremely difficult to apply evenly (more on that below).
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| L-R: Lady Be Good, Back in Vogue, Rich & Restless, Personal Statement, High Drama |
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| Wearing Back in Vogue |
When it comes to formula, I found the Retro Mattes much easier to apply than other matte liquid lipsticks. The formula feels almost mousse-like when applying, which the brand refers to as 'Liquid Suede", giving the product incredible glide and some time to get the lip just right before it sets down to matte. The doe foot wand is flat on both sides and tapered to a tip, making it one of the best applicators I've tried for this type of lipcolour when it comes to even, precise colour placement.
Once it does set, it doesn't want to budge (keeping some Micellar water handy to clean up smudges and sharpen lines is essential for precise application I find!). Most of the shades applied evenly and smoothly, which the exception being High Drama, which I really struggled with going patchy and not layering well on top of itself (even after letting the first layer dry, when I tried to layer the colour it would remove some of the pigment from the first application). This surprised me given the dark nature of the colour of High Drama, which I had expected to be the most opaque.
Once it does set, it doesn't want to budge (keeping some Micellar water handy to clean up smudges and sharpen lines is essential for precise application I find!). Most of the shades applied evenly and smoothly, which the exception being High Drama, which I really struggled with going patchy and not layering well on top of itself (even after letting the first layer dry, when I tried to layer the colour it would remove some of the pigment from the first application). This surprised me given the dark nature of the colour of High Drama, which I had expected to be the most opaque.
I also didn't find these near as drying as some formula's I've tried (like the Colourpop ones for example which were downright painful) but they did have a slight tack to them which meant they weren't entirely weightless on the lips either. The scent is a mix between the classic MAC vanilla, with a touch of street chalk, which no doubt must come from one of the ingredients in the formula that makes it dry down matte.
For a girl like myself who has perpetually dry lips, and often struggles with lines/peeling/flakiness, a matte lipstick isn't my first choice, but I do find these are more forgiving that most and don't have the almost chalky feel that a classic matte from the regular line, like Ruby Woo, would have.
As for wear time, I wore this through beverage drinking and some mild snacking (so basically, all day everyday) and found that there was a touch of wear where my lips were particularly dry and it wanted to flake a bit, but nothing I wouldn't expect from a product of this nature. Be warned though - oily foods like salad dressings, fried foods and anything buttery will breakdown the pigment a little in a product like this would can lead to some pretty nasty looking lips. You might want to carry some makeup removing wipes with you for touch ups on the go as well, because I promise you trying to remove this stuff will have you looking like The Joker ("why so serious?") in no time flat. Of course, on the flip side, using an oil or balm cleanser will remove this at light speed and with as little strain on the lips as possible.
Finally, when it comes to packaging, MAC always does it right with their classic matte black lipstick cap and clear tube so you can see the exact colour in your purse. With 5ml of product in each tube, I can see one tube lasting ages - even if it becomes your everyday jam.
Overall, I can see these being a hit with matte lipstick lovers. For me, they are a mixed bag. I can see myself reaching for the peachy-pink shades most for the ease of wear factor. I was disappointed in High Drama's application, but would still be curious to try out some of the other darker shades in the range to see if it is a unique to shade issue.
Have you tried the MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour yet?
Does this type of formula appeal to you?
