Hi! This past Tuesday, MAC released their spring 2014 By Request collection. "By Request" collections are essentially collections made up of previously released products that are voted to come back for a limited time due to popular demand. MAC offers a choice of products to vote between, and then the products with the top votes become part of the collection. This time around, the products were all colors released in the '90s (yay!), and the collection is exclusive to MAC's website. No in-store try-it-before-you-buy-it here.
I didn't know anything about this collection, nor did I vote for any of the colors (or hear about them, really). Honestly, I didn't learn anything until just over a week ago. As usual, I was mainly drawn towards the lipsticks, and of the three that were voted highest, the only one that caught my attention was "Hoop," which was apparently first released during a 1991 collection (my birth year). This might be lame, but I do find that pretty cool.
Anyway, I got my package in the mail yesterday and have worn the lipstick since, so I thought I'd share my thoughts on a limited edition item early for once. I also decided to include a comparison to two other lipsticks that I already have, for those interested in other choices with similar colors.
Name: Hoop
Net Wt.: 0.1 oz./ 3 g.
Price: $16
Finish: Satin (creamy, slightly drying, natural sheen)
First off, let's clarify something: on MAC's website, "Hoop" is listed under the "matte" finish category. The tube itself, as you can see above, labels "Hoop" as having a "satin" finish. Based off how creamy it is, and the more-than-matte sheen, I feel confident in saying that "Hoop" is indeed a satin. For some this may be a letdown, but for me this was a pleasant surprise, because I've been wanting to finally try (or, rather, retry, as you'll see later on) a satin from MAC.
On their website, MAC describes "Hoop" as a "midtonal rosey-pink." I completely agree - while "Hoop" is somewhat a bright pink, it has enough of a rose-tone in it to make it extremely wearable and work-safe. There's nothing truly unique about this color - it isn't super bright, or extremely deep, or any kind of unique color-combination. It's a simple rosey pink that looks pretty and brightening.
As I mentioned before, "Hoop" has a satin finish. Unlike the matte finish, it has a natural sheen to it and applies a bit more creamily. Unlike a, for example, the lustre finish, however, it has much less shine and is not particularly hydrating. In fact, I do prefer to wear this over lip balm than on bare lips due to its ability to feel slightly drying. On another positive note, as you can see in the swatch above, "Hoop" is opaque and what you see in the tube is essentially what you get swatched.
Though it isn't evident in the lip swatch above, I did find the color to pool into my lip lines. Thankfully the pooling is not obvious, even after the color has worn down a bit. Refer to the picture below:
In this picture, I've been wearing "Hoop" for about 3 hours and you can see that it is fading somewhat near the outer corners of my mouth. I'm assuming at this point that I can get about 4 hours of wear out of this lipstick, which is a bit surprising considering the formula is closer to that of a matte than any other more hydrating finish. I thought it might last longer! Then again, I'm not sure how accurate my conclusion can be considering I've only owned this lipstick for a day. If I notice any significant differences in longevity as I use it more, I'll try to update this post.
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| FACE: Physician's Formula Organic Wear CC Cream in "Light" BLUSH: NYX's Powder Blush in "Natural" EYES: It Cosmetics' Naturally Pretty Palette |
I am really happy that "Hoop" retains its brightness against my fair skin. It's a lovely wearable color that I know is going to get a lot of use. The first satin I ever tried from MAC was "Myth," which I tested out in-store and did not like at all. After trying MAC matte and retro matte lipsticks, however, I couldn't see why I didn't enjoy the satin formula as well, and I'm glad I finally got to not only retry the formula, but in a beautiful color that is now my own.
Before I call it a day here, I want to share some comparisons between "Hoop" and other lipsticks in my collection (a) because at the time of this post "Hoop" is already sold out on the MAC website (again, this collection is only available on MAC's website) and I don't know when it'll be restocked, if it'll be restocked, and (b) for those of you that want other options.
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| LEFT: "Hoop" MIDDLE: "Pink Stiletto" by Eve Pearl RIGHT: "Fruit Punch" by Milani |
One of the lipsticks I'll be comparing "Hoop" against is the more affordable "Fruit Punch" ($6) by Milani, which I read online was a comparison. The other is a lipstick I picked up at IMATS 2013 and wrote a praise-filled review for here, the pricier "Pink Stiletto" ($24) by Eve Pearl. This was a lipstick that I was reminded of instantly while swatching "Hoop" for this post.
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| LEFT: "Hoop" MIDDLE: "Fruit Punch" by Milani RIGHT: "Pink Stiletto" by Eve Pearl *I'm sorry that these swatches aren't done in the same order as the lipsticks in the previous picture!* |
Though it is a bit clearer in the picture prior to the one above - that of the lipstick bullets themselves - it is hopefully evident that neither "Fruit Punch" nor "Pink Stiletto" is a dupe for "Hoop," though they are close. Aside from "Fruit Punch" and "Pink Stiletto" both being much glossier than "Hoop," "Fruit Punch" is pinker and "Pink Stiletto" is deeper (perhaps a bit redder as well?) and less rose-toned. That extra bit of bright pink in "Fruit Punch" makes it less wearable on me than "Hoop" is, and the deeper pink/tinge of red in "Pink Stiletto" makes it, in my opinion, a different color altogether, though your opinion may vary.
I'm sure some of you may feel content in purchasing one of the alternate lipsticks listed above (especially those of you who want a more hydrating option, or, better yet, a more affordable option), but for those of you that are still wondering "should I get 'Hoop'?":
If MAC restocks "Hoop" and you're looking for a wearable, rosey pink in a creamy formula (yet natural looking finish), I'd definitely recommend "Hoop." Just don't expect anything groundbreaking, because the beauty of this color is in the simplicity that it offers and, in turn, its versatility.
Thanks for stopping by! 'Til next time. ('<>')>
~nikki
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