Lips: MAC's Lipstick in "Damn Glamorous" (LE) [The Matte Lip 2014] + A Comparison

PURCHASED

Oh my God - HOW DO YOU WRITE REVIEWS AGAIN?

Maybe just kidding. (What does that even mean?)

Once upon a time, MAC released a collection called The Matte Lip, that came with seven new and limited edition lipsticks, of which I purchased three, two that are reviewed here and here, before purchasing a fourth that I'm reviewing today (before the third of the first three). Did I lose you yet?

Fun fact: The Matte Lip marks the third collection from MAC from which I purchased four lipsticks. The other two are A Fantasy of Flowers and Playland.

Second fun fact: The four lipsticks I purchased each from the three collections were all the same finish, per collection. The four from A Fantasy of Flowers are all lustre, the four from Playland are all amplified, and the four from The Matte Lip are all matte.  

Third and final fun fact: Playland is, without a doubt, the winner of all three collections ("Toying Around" should have been backed-up twice, at least, instead of not at all), but The Matte Lip is, also without a doubt, the runner-up thanks to "Damn Glamorous."

If I never got to the third fact, the "fun fact" tangent I started would be 100% unrelated rather than 66%. Numbers.  

Name: Damn Glamorous

Net Wt.: 0.1 oz/ 3 g.

Price: $16.00

Finish: Matte

With the exception of "Heroine," "Damn Glamorous" made no impact at me in the beginning. Described as a "bright pink red" on MAC's site, it reminded me of "just another fuchsia" that I couldn't care less about. And then pictures of it started rolling in online and all I could think was, "That's not pink-anything. That's straight-up red." Aside from "True Love's Kiss," which I purchased because I love the Maleficent movie, red doesn't captivate me very much. Because so much time has elapsed between now and the time I purchased "Damn Glamorous," I can't honestly tell you why I eventually changed my opinion on this lipstick and decided to buy it (blindly/online, even). But I did, and I'm so glad I did.

I'm happy that MAC describes this lipstick as a pink red rather than a red pink. There are definitely noticeable pink undertones to this lipstick (especially noticeable as it's removed), but at the end of the day "Damn Glamorous" is a red lipstick. That means that, for some of us, it will show up as a red lipstick. Try, or buy, at your own risk if red is not your color. 

When I first tried on "Damn Glamorous" fresh from its black box, it was red on me. Red, not pink red. When I took another look at it in the bathroom mirror, however, away from the gaudy yellow light in my bedroom, something really struck me about the lipstick's color: it had this beautiful glow to it. And that, my friends, is where the pink came in. 

So, together with the swatch I posted right before the above lip swatch, "Damn Glamorous has the potential to look fairly red on me. Much like other lipsticks I've reviewed on here, it really comes down to the lighting (white artificial light versus yellow sunlight, for example). But, even when this lipstick is being red on me, it still has that glow from the pink undertones that makes it so very much my type of color. Make this an amplified finish and I could see it fitting in perfectly with the other amplifieds in Playland. 

Not that I mind the matte finish this lipstick has. It's the creamier matte formula from MAC that I've been adoring lately: comfortable to wear, and incredibly long-lasting. It has a somewhat satin start to its lip-life but turns into a soft, velvety matte after some time passes. 

By the way, see how pink the above lip swatch is? I could stare at that color all day. Anyway, my point is, lighting plays a significant role in how vividly pink (or red) this color is on me. 

Ta-da. So, so, so beautiful (the lipstick)! I love "Damn Glamorous" a lot on me. I wouldn't have it any other way. But! For those of you who would have it another way - say, more pink, or perhaps even cheaper, or maybe even both...

LEFT: Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick in "Cherries in the Snow"
RIGHT: MAC's Lipstick in "Damn Glamorous"

The closest "dupe" (not really a dupe at all, actually) I could think of from my collection was Revlon's Super Lustrous lipstick in "Cherries in the Snow." It's around $8 in the drugstore, has way more pink to it, and - if you want a creamier formula at the expense of the matte finish - has a cream finish. Check out the following comparison swatches:

LEFT: "Damn Glamorous"
RIGHT: "Cherries in the Snow"

When you pair the two together as they are in the above picture, "Damn Glamorous" seriously looks like an ordinary red, doesn't it?

Overall, "Damn Glamorous" is, hands down, my favorite lipstick from The Matte Lip collection. I'm so glad I ultimately decided to purchase it and, if colors in the bright pink family are your kind of thing, I definitely think you should check it out. Not only is it a beautiful, vivid red with strong pink undertones, but it's made even bolder due to the matte finish, without being drying or a nuisance to wear. 

Would I repurchase this lipstick? No. Would I recommend it? Yes.

This is miraculously still available online on both MAC and Nordstrom (and perhaps some other websites too), so if you want to dive blindly like I did then you still have your chance. I'm sure other brands have similar colors but, as MAC is my favorite brand of lipstick, I'm happy I was able to purchase this color from them. 

Anyway, thanks so much for stopping by. I hope my review was helpful or, if not that, at least the slightest bit entertaining. Enjoy the rest of your weekend! 'Til next time. ('<>')>

~nikki