MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipsticks - FINALLY
Yaaaaasss. They are finally here.
I remember some time around May or so last year, I sent a frenzied text to someone in Estee Lauder asking when the “new matte liquid lipsticks” would be available. I’d seen makeup legend Val Garland mention them online and couldn’t wait to see these for myself. (Little did I know it would be 2016 before they were actually launched.)
Still, much better late than never!
Retro Matte Liquid Lipsticks will launch in Singapore on 8 Jan (SGD$39), and I have 8 of the 9 available shades here for review, but haven’t had time to do lip swatches of these but I just had to get the wrist swatches up first. Honestly, they are so opaque anyway that what you see here will be what you get on your lips.
I’ll say from first impressions that:
- they dry completely matte; more matte than the regular Retro Matte lipsticks, which is normal for liquid lipsticks which contain no waxes or oils
- these take a couple of minutes to dry and set (after which they become transfer-proof), so make sure your lips are clean and don’t press your lips together for awhile or you risk messing them up
- you should apply most of the product onto the center of your lips first, then slowly push and spread outwards so that you don’t end up with less color in the center and a weepy thick mess around the edges of your lips, as the doe foot applicators have a tendency to push product away from the center and concentrate them outwards
- they do break down when in contact with oil/grease, as with any lip product, so you can’t put gloss over these without breaking down the formula
- these are extremely long-wearing so make sure you have cream or oil-based (or at least dual-phase oil-on-water) removers handy; I couldn’t get most of the stronger shades cleaned off with micellar liquid OR wipes
- I didn’t notice any darkening of the shades during my first try - many liquid lipsticks set and then slowly darken or change color on the skin over the next 15-30 mins
- they WILL feel dry on the lips - let’s just be honest - I haven’t met a transfer-resistant lipstick that didn’t feel dry; they can’t have any emollients and be truly transfer proof at the same time
All in all, in terms of texture and performance, they are exactly what I expected them to be.
The great thing is the colors are truly beautiful. I only wish there were more shades as the only con is a lack of more neutral, mauve-y, rosy lip-toned shades, warmer pinks or deep dark shades. Still, they’re launching an additional 6 shades in March 2016, so that should be cool.
I want a dark russet brown, dark purple, a blackened cherry…..