Hi everyone. Happy Labor Day for those of you in the states, whether you're off or not (and if you are, then I hope you're enjoying your free day). I feel weird writing this review because if you read my last review from MAC's A Novel Romance collection, then you know I said I was passing on "Good Kisser" since I own "Red Balloon," a supposed dupe for it. I was also waiting for "Lingering Kiss" to arrive in the mail, which it has.
Well, I brought my tube of "Red Balloon" to a MAC counter where I knew "Good Kisser" was still in stock just over a week ago. I won't say how they compare - you'll see for yourself near the end of this review - but I did decide to pick up "Good Kisser," and I'm ready to review it for you today.
Name: Good Kisser
Net Wt.: 0.1 oz./ 3 g.
Price: $16.00
Finish: Matte
One of three limited edition matte lipsticks in MAC's A Novel Romance collection, MAC describes "Good Kisser" as "a midtone fuchsia." I'm not sure what they mean by "midtone," but if I were to describe "Good Kisser" myself, I'd say it's a bright fuchsia.
I have had mixed experiences with MAC's matte formula. "Punk Couture" and "Instigator" from MAC's Punk Couture 2013 collection not only tug during application, but are consistently a bit patchy on my lower lip. "Dodgy Girl" from their Sharon and Kelly Osbourne collection fares much better, although it still has the potential to make my lips appear slightly dry if they aren't prepped well enough. Then there's "Candy Yum Yum," which I haven't reviewed but is the worst matte lipstick I've ever tried from MAC.
When it came to the mattes from A Novel Romance, I heard that the quality was so good that some even considered them to be moisturizing, despite their finish. Now that I own "Good Kisser" and "Lingering Kiss," my verdict is this: I wouldn't call these lipsticks moisturizing, but yes, yes, yes. They are the most comfortable mattes I've ever tried from MAC (and some of the most comfortable mattes I've ever tried in general).
"Good Kisser" does not tug on my lips at all, and feels extra creamy during application. There is also no sign of patchiness: just rich, smooth color. And once it settles into its matte finish, it makes my lips look like velvet. It's just gorgeous all-around.
On my lips, "Good Kisser" makes me think "pin-up pink." It has an elegance and maturity to it that makes it such a beautiful color, being that it's a reddish pink as opposed to a straight-up pink. In some lighting it does appear brighter, but for the most part there is a depth to it that honestly just makes me think of pin-up makeup.
In the above picture, where the lighting is brighter, you can easily see the brightness that "Good Kisser" is capable of having. In the below picture, which is a bit more color-accurate, the depth in the color is more apparent.
Also, I know that both pictures appear to have some shine in the finish, but in person I can say with certainty that "Good Kisser" is indeed a matte lipstick.
Anyway, now let's talk about the big question: is "Red Balloon" identical to "Good Kisser"? Is "Good Kisser" worth having? Take note that I've just linked my review to "Red Balloon" now, because I didn't want to get to this issue until after I've shared my thoughts on "Good Kisser" as it stands on its own.
In my review of "Red Balloon," I mention how MAC described the lipstick as a "hot fuchsia." So, according to MAC, both of these colors are fuchsia. One is "hot," though, and the other is "midtone." One is also an amplified while the other is a matte. In the above picture, can you tell which lipstick is which, based off the colors alone? I know the bullets probably give it away - one looks much newer than the other - but still.
What about swatches?
In both pictures, "Good Kisser" is on the left and "Red Balloon" is on the right. The obvious differences are, again, the finishes: the one on the left is matte, while the one on the right has a creamy shine to it. Other than that, the color differences are extremely subtle: "Good Kisser" appears to have a slight hint of orange in it, while "Red Balloon" looks redder.
Honestly, though, I think the shine in "Red Balloon" creates a kind of illusion in terms of color differences (or, perhaps, color similarities). If the bullets had a greater color difference, I'd believe this possibility more. For now, I think the two are nearly identical.
How do I feel about owning "Good Kisser," then, knowing that the two may as well be the same color? In my last review I mentioned that owning the same color in a different finish was wasteful, but I have to say that the look and feel of "Good Kisser" is of such high quality that I am beyond satisfied to own it. I've worn it multiple times since I purchased it and have developed a new respect for mattes, to be honest. I hope MAC's future mattes continue down this road...
So, overall, "Good Kisser" is a beautiful bright yet deep fuchsia (perhaps with a hint of orange) in a matte formula that is creamy, opaque, and makes lips look like plush velvet. It's not a unique color - "Red Balloon" may be a dead-on dupe for some of you - but the quality here is so exceptional that I have no regrets in owning both.
Would I repurchase this color if I could? I can't say with certainty that I would but, again, that's because I rarely repurchase anything. I still wholeheartedly recommend "Good Kisser" for those of you who love fuchsia but are often put off by the usually-drying formula of mattes.
I hope this review was helpful! I still don't think A Novel Romance was the most amazing collection MAC has released, but I am entirely happy with the items I've purchased from it. Have a great rest of the week! 'Til next time. ('<>')>
~nikki
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