MAC Semi-Precious: Lipsticks

MAC is releasing a new collection today called Semi-Precious, which sees the release of four new and limited shades of lipstick. Each lipstick is housed in regular black packaging and contains 3 grams of product. They retail for $17.50 each, and are available for the Back2MAC recycling program.

Musky Amethyst, One of a Kind, Gem of Roses, and Lush Amber

Musky Amethyst is a semi-opaque deep berry plum with red shimmer in a Frost finish. Upon swatching it, I was very surprised that it's categorized as a Frost finish, because it goes on very much like a Lustre finish. Darker shades in Frost finishes are known to go on quite opaque, but this one is much more sheer than expected. It's like a darker, more sheer version of Odyssey lipstick.

One of a Kind is a sheer medium plum brown with rose undertones in a Lustre finish. This shade will work across all undertones, since the warmness of the brown offsets the coolness of the plum. The sheerness of the product, however, will prove hard to show up on darker skintones. It's like a much more sheer version of Twig, or a rosier version of Viva Glam VI.

Gem of Roses is semi-sheer medium strawberry pink in a Lustre finish. This will undoubtedly be the most popular shade of the collection, just because it's the brightest shade of the four and we're still in summer. It does lean warm, but I don't see it being a problem for cool or warm undertones. The sheerness of the product, as with many Lustre finishes, will make it harder to show up on darker skintones, so it will likely appeal to those with fair to medium-dark skintones. It's like a sheerer, more pink version of Fanfare.

Lush Amber is a sheer light peachy tan in a Lustre finish. It will perhaps lighten natural lip colour slightly, but overall, it won't add much colour to the lip just because it's so sheer. If you naturally have very red or dark lips, this will show up better, muting the lips slightly more than on naturally lighter lips, which will look almost like nothing's on. It's like a much more sheer version of Freckletone.

I'm kind of surprised that Musky Amethyst is even in a summer collection, as it's very much a fall colour. I was very disappointed in the execution of this shade; sheer and patchy. One of a Kind is one of those shades that are super office-friendly, but is ultimately kind of boring. Ironic that it's named One of a Kind, because I feel like MAC already has so many shades like this in their permanent line-up (aside from the ones mentioned, also Creme in Your Coffee, Captive, etc.). Lush Amber was probably the biggest disappointment because it doesn't really add any colour. You might as well be wearing lip balm. I wish that they would have released other finishes rather than Lustres, because Lustres tend to go on unevenly and are rather drying. Gem of Roses is probably the only one that's really worth getting, given the time of year.