The Ultimate Lip Resource: My MAC Lipstick Collection Swatches

Velvet Teddy: This is an absolute internet icon, largely because it was famously known as Kylie Jenner’s go to lip shade back in the day. It is a stunning brown toned nude that makes the perfect day to day colour. While it’s not my personal number one favourite (as I usually prefer pinker undertones), it is undeniably beautiful.

Lady Danger

Lady Danger: A highly popular shade that I heard people raving about for years before finally buying. I don’t typically wear bold red lips because I’ve never found a true red that I loved. However, Lady Danger is a striking coral red, and that warm, orange leaning base makes it so much more wearable for me.

Whirl

Whirl: Officially described as a dusty rose, this one definitely leans heavily into the brown side of the spectrum. Because I have quite pale skin, Whirl can pull rather dark on me, so I tend to save this one for the autumn and winter months.

Persistence

Discontinued

Persistence: I think Persistence is severely underrated in the beauty community. I rarely hear anyone talking about it, but I fell in love the second I swatched it. It is described as a peachy cinnamon, and it strikes the perfect balance of being warm and rich without looking too dark or muddy.

(Note: Unlike the others, this shade didn’t make the jump to the new MACximal line)

Left to Right: Persistence, Whirl, Lady Danger and Velvet Teddy.

The Classic Satin Finish

Satin was traditionally one of my absolute favourite formulas from MAC. It gave you the high-pigment look of a matte, but retained a very slight sheen that made it comfortable to wear. These have now been upgraded into the ultra-conditioning MACximal Sleek Satin range.

Brave

Discontinued

Brave: I fully expected to fall head over heels for this shade. It was actually the first ever MAC lipstick I ever purchased, and I spent countless hours researching online swatches before buying it. For some reason, it just doesn’t wow me. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is, but despite it being a pretty pink-beige with subtle white pearl, I rarely reach for it.

Faux

Discontinued

Faux: As you can probably tell from the state of the bullet, this is my absolute favourite! The product is worn right down because I reach for it constantly. Described as a muted mauve, it is the perfect neutral pink-toned nude that goes with absolutely every makeup look. I’m very sad that it’s gone, as it is such a beautiful colour.

I have a full review, if you’d like to see more.

Twig

Reformulated

Twig: A soft, muted brownish-pink. This is one of those shades that I always seem to accidentally forget I own, but every single time I rediscover it in my acrylic storage, I wonder why on earth I ever stopped wearing it.

Twig has been discontinued, but reinvented in the new formula. It has a new name of: Twig Twist, it is described as being slightly deeper and pinker, with a more matte finish

Rebel

Rebel: A stunning mid tonal cream plum that is absolutely perfect for the colder seasons. It’s incredibly popular for a reason, and it’s a shade I see beauty bloggers talking about regularly because it looks beautiful on so many skin tones.

I have a full review, if you’d like to hear more.

Snob

Reformulated

Snob: I went through a massive pastel baby pink lipstick phase back in 2015 and 2016, and Snob fit the bill flawlessly. It’s a light neutral pink with very distinct cool, blue undertones. It has now been reformulated and has a new name of: Lipstick Snob.

Left to Right: Snob, Rebel, Twig, Faux and Brave.

The Frost Finish

Frost lipsticks have medium yet buildable coverage, and have a slight shimmer to them. It’s best to prepare the lips with a scrub and balm, as the shimmer can settle into dry patches.

Angel

Angel: Described as a soft pink, this is a lovely, sweet colour for everyday wear. Even though it technically belongs to the frost family, the metallic finish is actually very subtle on the lips. I think that’s a massive plus, as I’m really not a fan of an overly frosty, retro 90s lip.

The Vaulted Cremesheen Finish

The Cremesheen formula was incredibly comfortable and cushioned the lips with a glossy, ultra creamy finish. Because it was so emollient, it didn’t have the best lasting power, requiring regular reapplying compared to a matte or satin. This formula has now been officially archived by MAC.

Fanfare

Discontinued

Fanfare: Another beautiful shade that constantly slips my mind, but I fall in love with it all over again whenever I pull it out. It is a mid tone yellow-pink, resulting in a gorgeous, soft salmon-pink. I get the absolute most use out of this during the spring months.

Creme Cup

Reformulated

Creme Cup: Here we have our very first total dud. Which is such a shame because I was so excited to use it! I bought this back during my peak baby pink phase, but it has absolutely zero colour payoff on my lips. It simply does not show up at all. I’m not sure if I just happened to purchase a faulty, badly mixed batch, but I’m definitely not willing to spend money on a repurchase to find out! MAC describes it as a light blue-pink.

This shade has been reformulated and is now a part of the MACximal sleek satin range.

Left to Right: Creme Cup and Fanfare.

The Vaulted Amplified Creme Finish

Amplified lipsticks were the best of both worlds if you hated dry lips but wanted intense colour payoff. They were packed with maximum pigment but retained a smooth, shiny cream finish. MAC has officially discontinued this line, pointing cream lovers toward the new MACximal Sleek Satin collection.

Vegas Volt

Discontinued

Vegas Volt: I love a good coral lip for the summer, and that is exactly what this is. It is perfect for sunny weather and easily ranks up there in my top three all-time favourite MAC purchases. It’s described as a full-power coral, but it stops just short of being blindingly neon.

Cosmo

Discontinued

Cosmo: I know my collection is heavily dominated by brownish pinks, but Cosmo is a standby favourite. It is described as a pink coco, making it incredibly effortless to wear as a casual, everyday staple.

Chatterbox

Discontinued

Chatterbox: Another shade I picked up and obsessed over during my 2015 pink phase, but don’t find myself using much these days. It’s described as a bright red-pink, packs an absolute punch of pigment, but manages to stay totally wearable without looking neon.

Left to Right: Chatterbox, Cosmo and Vegas Volt.

The Final Verdict

Building a MAC lipstick collection is a total rite of passage for makeup lovers. While it’s sad to say goodbye to classic formulations, I’m very interested in the new range.

Let’s chat in the comments!

How do you feel about MAC completely discontinuing the Cremesheen and Amplified lines? Are you going to miss Fanfare or Cosmo in their original formulas? Let me know your thoughts below!

Thank you for reading!