Lips: MAC's Lipstick in "Burmese Kiss" (LE) [MAC x Bao Bao Wan 2015] + Comparisons

PURCHASED

More often than not I find myself deciding what I should be doing, or arguing over whether I should be doing something or not when I have a list of other things to do. Right now, I should be packing for my flight on Wednesday, but truth be told I've been doing nothing. So I'm going to try now. I'm going to try to write as many of the reviews for this collection  as I can tonight.

I want to get this collection out of the way and move on to the next, which is already just as irrelevant but eh, it's either do it or don't. I don't want to fall into the latter anymore.

I have all four of the limited edition lipsticks from MAC's collaboration with Bao Bao Wan, and I decided to start with my review on "Burmese Kiss," which was the color I wanted the most.




Name: Burmese Kiss
Net Wt.: 0.1 oz./ 3 g.
Price: $17.50
Finish: Matte

Since my review of "Burmese Kiss" acts as a bit of an introductory post to MAC's Bao Bao Wan collection, let me just take a moment to describe the limited edition packaging that each bullet comes housed in. Pictured above, each tube is brown with teal-ish shimmer, with the lipstick being held in a copper/rose gold interior tube.

The bottom of the tube has the MAC logo, as well as the collection's 'Bao Bao Wan' logo, in a matte, antique gold color. I appreciate the packaging with this collection as both the colors and textures are quite beautiful and distinct. I would say this packaging design was worth the extra $1.50 in price.

Now for the lipstick itself. On MAC's website, "Burmese Kiss" is described as a "bright coral pink." That is why it's the color I wanted the most when I found out about this collection. Pink 'coral' is my favorite color category for lipsticks, as you might notice when you see the kinds of lipsticks I gravitate towards (and therefore end up reviewing).

MAC isn't entirely off in its description. But, as I've mentioned many times before in other reviews of coral lipsticks, 'coral' is such a daunting description. And while, yes, this is a coral pink, as opposed to a coral red, the amount of pink versus orange that makes its appearance on your face will vary depending on your undertone. It sucks but it's true. It's something you come to accept when you love this particular color family.

I mean, so far my pictures make the bullet look orange. As does the following swatch:

To be fair, the sunlight was leaning on the orange-y side while I snapped this awful picture so that could be a reason as to why my swatch is so orange (bordering on reddish orange). The following lip swatch, on the other hand, is a bit more accurate:

"Burmese Kiss" has a matte finish, which is nice for this kind of bright, summery color. I will say, however, that although it is creamier than an older matte that I own, it isn't as comfortable as MAC's other, recent mattes. I don't know if the actual color is part of the reason, but I find this lipstick a bit drier during application. As a result, it applies best, for me, over a fresh, blotted-down layer of lip balm.

With that being said, I always feel at home in these kinds of bright, bold corals. With "Burmese Kiss," sometimes it looks more pink; sometimes it looks more orange. Nevertheless this is my color of choice. I'm a shy, quiet girl but somehow I don't mind my lip color making a statement, or garnering attention. Compliments are appreciated and insults are, well, just mutated affection.

LEFT: "Toying Around"
RIGHT: "Burmese Kiss"

Anyway, it wasn't only the description of "Burmese Kiss" being a coral pink that won me over. It was the fact that I read about it being compared to my favorite MAC lipstick, "Toying Around." You can see the two posing together above in all their neon glory. Of course I will now provide swatches to compare the two for you myself:

LEFT: "Burmese Kiss"
RIGHT: "Toying Around"

If I had to imagine a color difference, it would be that "Burmese Kiss" is ever so slightly (EVER so slightly) more orange than "Toying Around." Other than that, the only factual difference is that "Burmese Kiss" is a matte while "Toying Around" is in the amplified finish and, therefore, has more of a sheen. I still prefer "Toying Around" for this reason, especially since "Burmese Kiss" is a bit drier than what I've become accustomed to with MAC mattes.

Aside from "Toying Around," I decided to compare "Burmese Kiss" to a few other lipsticks in my collection that I've purchased thanks to "Toying Around." The other two lipsticks swatched below are MAC's limited edition "Toxic Tale," which was re-promoted not too long ago, and Nars' Audacious lipstick in "Natalie."

Both pictures, clockwise starting from top left: "Natalie," "Toxic Tale," "Toying Around," "Burmese Kiss."

When I did the above swatches, I thought to myself, "Neat. Now I have 'Toying Around' in three different finishes." "Toying Around" is the amplified finish, "Burmese Kiss" is the matte, and "Toxic Tale" is the satin. "Toxic Tale," however (top right), is actually the most orange of the bunch - and I'm not just making it up this time. As for "Natalie," I wouldn't even consider it a dupe because it is significantly pinker than all three of the others. If you aren't picky, though, any of these would work as a substitute for "Burmese Kiss" (or "Toying Around," if you realized how perfect it is when it was too late).


Overall, "Burmese Kiss" isn't the most unique color from MAC and the matte formula is on the drier side compared to other MAC mattes. Regardless, it's definitely a vibrant, statement lipstick color made even bolder thanks to its matte, velvety finish. If coral pinks are your thing the way they are mine, I'd say go for this one if you happen across a tube.

Would I repurchase "Burmese Kiss"? No. I clearly have a nice selection of dupes, including my beloved "Toying Around," and I wish the texture on this was a little less dry.

That's it for this review. Onto the next! ('<>')>

~nikki