My Holy Grail Lipstick Review + Swatches

I am a certified, self-confessed lipstick addict. Lipstick was the first and only makeup product I got seriously obsessed with, like, REALLY obsessed. In a span of a year (more or less), I was able to collect more than 50 lip products. (from balms and glosses to tints, liquid lipsticks and the traditional bullet lipsticks) Although I am proud of my lipstick collection, I cannot help but be overwhelmed every time I look at my lippies and try to choose the one I will wear for the day because let’s be honest,  as much as we love these babies, we cannot put them all on our lips at once. I mean we can but that is not a good look. (for a 50 layers of lipstick challenge, maybe) Bottom line is, I love my lipsticks and I will not stop trying out more. 🙂

As much as I love ALL the lip products I currently own, having a “favorite” or “holy grail” lipstick cannot be helped. There has to be that one (or two, if you can find exact dupes) lipstick/s that I automatically go for during days that I do not feel like exerting too much effort on my makeup, or something that would just make me look put together, or a very “easy” lip product that I know I can never go wrong with. For me, that lipstick is MAC’s MATTE LIPSTICK in VELVET TEDDY. If there is only one lipstick I can bring with me on a deserted island, or if you ask me what my “ride-or-die” lipstick is, it has to be Velvet Teddy. Almost everyone knows about this classic matte nude lipstick from MAC. For my skin tone, this is the lipstick that gives me the “Kylie Jenner lip” vibe. Not that I’m a big fan of hers but I just like her taste in lipsticks. 🙂 Looking at the swatch, MAC Velvet Teddy is a peachy nude lipstick, but on me it is more neutral than warm. It is not too peachy and not too grayish or cool-toned either, which makes it a perfect nude lipstick for many skin tones. If you have light to medium skin tones, (around NC20-30 in MAC I guess) you would probably love this lipstick; but if you are fairer or darker than that, this might not be the right nude lipstick for you. Just like all lipsticks or makeup products in general, choosing your perfect nude lipstick still comes down to preference and to what works and does not work for you. But as for me, I might have already found my “holy grail” lipstick in Velvet Teddy. I’m in looooooove. ❤

MAC Matte Lipstick (Velvet Teddy)

I would be sharing my review of this lipstick in case you are interested. 🙂 This review will also cover the entire MAC Matte Lipstick Line. Currently, I own 3 MAC Lipsticks in the Matte formula.

CRITERIA:

PACKAGING – Is it cute? Is the packaging too bulky or too flimsy or sturdy enough? Does it get dirty easily? Do I see myself travelling with it? Is it pretty enough to give as a gift to someone?

PERFORMANCE – Is it easy to use/apply? Does it blend easily? Is it beginner-friendly? Do I feel pretty whenever I wear it? Is the color match perfect?

LONGEVITY – Can I wear it for events? How about for extreme outdoor activities? How often do I need to reapply? Is the SPF high enough?

VARIETY – Is the shade selection wide? Do I see it working for different skin tones/colors?

VALUE FOR MONEY – If it is affordable, I have lower expectations but I prefer it over luxury/expensive products for which I have higher expectations. Would I repurchase it?

Product Name	CRITERIA
	Packaging	Performance	Longevity	Variety	Value for Money
MAC Matte Lipstick (Matte)	5	5	5	5	4

MAC Matte Lipstick (Velvet Teddy)

Overall Rating: 4.8

PACKAGING – We are all familiar with MAC’s classic lipstick packaging; and just like all non-limited edition lipsticks from MAC, the lipstick is housed in a black tube with “MAC” engraved on the cap and printed on the silver part that you twist up to apply the lipstick. The simple but sturdy packaging is really nice and I like how straightforward MAC is about packaging their products. All their products are following some sort of “black and white/silver” theme, except the limited edition ones of course, and for me I really like that. It is simple and straight to the point. The lipstick itself is also sturdy enough that I do not have any problems with bringing it with me when I travel, or when I put it inside my bag or purse. The cap closes tightly as well and does not get loose over time.

PERFORMANCE – Upon application, the lipstick already has a matte finish. It is “one-swipe goodness”, meaning it is pigmented upon first swipe. I do not recommend matte lipsticks from any brand for people who have chapped or dry lips because the matte formula will emphasize the lines, texture and dryness of the lips. What I suggest is moisturizing the lips before applying any matte product, exfoliating the lips is also highly recommended. But on me, the lipstick is matte, but it is not too drying. The color is pretty as well. There are dupes for this lipstick but they are not exact dupes in my opinion. The color comes close but they are not the exact same thing. I will go into detail about lipstick dupes in another post. 🙂

LONGEVITY – I find myself not needing to reapply this throughout the day because it is long lasting, another trait I attribute to the matte formula of the lipstick. It fades evenly and does not disappear on the inner part of the lips. It does not bleed or feather outside my lip lines and there is little to no transfer. It is not entirely kiss proof or waterproof but it lasts long.

VARIETY – Like I already mentioned, MAC has a wide selection of different formulas and colors to choose from. They also always release limited edition lipsticks by season or by different artists. Everyone can choose their “own” lipstick from the selection that they have.

VALUE FOR MONEY – MAC is not an affordable brand. Here in the Philippines, one regular MAC lipstick costs 1050 pesos. That is a lot of money, especially for an average Filipina woman. You could get this at a lower price if you have friends or relatives in the USA or anywhere abroad where you can buy MAC products for a cheaper price, (around 800-900 each lipstick) or from your TRUSTED and LEGITIMATE seller of AUTHENTIC imported products. I put emphasis on TRUSTED, LEGITIMATE and AUTHENTIC because we should be aware of FAKE products circulating in the market. There are a lot of articles in the internet that talk about the bad effects of using fake makeup on the skin. I would not go into detail about this since there are already a lot of articles and news about this topic. MAC lipsticks are expensive, but for me they are worth buying because the quality is good and if you can find your “perfect” shade, then it is something that is going to stick with you forever. (O di ba, may forever sa lipstick! Haha.)

BONUS #1: (CON) MAC is not cruelty-free. They do test on animals, so if you are against animal testing, you may not want to buy from MAC.

BONUS #2: Let me share with you another favorite of mine: Tadaaaaa! A very gorgeous lip combo! (pictures below) I like this lip combo a lot, and I usually go for this combo whenever I don’t want to think about whether it will suit my makeup or the shirt or dress I am wearing for that day. This lip combo always looks good no matter what I wear or where I go. Although Velvet Teddy on its own is already pretty and can be worn both for everyday and for special occasions; pairing it with NICHIDO LIP PENCIL in ROSETTE takes everything up a notch, at least for me. I love how the lip pencil warms up the color of Velvet Teddy just a little bit, and it also darkens it a tiny bit so if you are NC30-35 in MAC, this lip combo might work for you as a nude lip.

Nichido Lip Pencil (LP 04 Rosette)

Lip Combo For Life! Nichido Lip Pencil (LP 04 Rosette) + MAC Lipstick (Velvet Teddy) ❤ ❤ ❤

SOME SWATCHES:

Top: MAC Velvet Teddy

Bottom: Nichido Rosette

 

LIP SWATCHES:

(Watch my lip swatch video of ALL my MAC Lipsticks here)

What more can I say? I absolutely love this lipstick and I absolutely recommend it to anyone who is looking for a nude lipstick that would work for light to medium Asian or warm skin tones with yellow undertone. This is also one of the more expensive products I highly recommend if you want to splurge on a good high end makeup product. MAC is also a professional makeup brand so not only are the quality of their products good and consistent;  but the selection is also wide so I am quite sure that if Velvet Teddy is not your type of color or if you do not like its formula, they have HUNDREDS of other lipsticks to choose from. So, what are you waiting for? Head over to your nearest MAC branch or contact your trusted seller and get your first (or 51^st, it doesn’t matter) MAC lipstick now! I promise you will not regret it. 🙂