I never used to wear lipstick. I think it's because my mom never wore it, and when my grandma did, I thought it smelled musty. However, now that I'm newly single and in my 30s, for the first time in my life I feel like wearing real makeup.
First, I tried Kate Middleton's favorite eyeliner. In just a few seconds it made my eyes look twice as big and much brighter. Wanting my lackluster lips to be living their best life too, I then decided to try this MAC Throwbacks Lipstick I found at Nordstrom. It has so many reviews — nearly 3,500 — that I felt oddly at peace about this first-time purchase.
MAC Throwbacks Lipstick
I love the story behind the brand
MAC stands for Makeup, Art, Cosmetics. It was created in a kitchen in Canada in the early 1980s when makeup artists and photographers needed a makeup that photographed well. In the age of the selfie, which I take plenty of, photographing well is a must.
I'm no expert in lipsticks, but MAC seems to have nailed the formula. In 2016, its Ruby Woo lipstick was the bestselling lipstick in the country, if not the world. According to a Woman's Day article, four Ruby Woo lipsticks are sold every 60 seconds.
I love how the product looks and feels
I decided early on that when I wear lipstick I want to look like I'm wearing it, but I don't want to feel like I'm wearing it. I can confidently say I could go to bed still wearing this lipstick simply because I forgot I'm wearing it. That's how light it feels!
Still, the stain and sheen are visible enough to be fully seen and appreciated. My puppy even seemed to notice something was different about me after I put it on for the first time. I also love that it goes on super easy so I don't have to press hard or make multiple passes.
MAC has hundreds of shades of lipstick (Joanna Gaines reportedly loves MAC's Creme in Your Coffee shade). Since I'm a huge '90s fan, I opted for one of its "throwbacks." Last year, MAC opened its vault and rereleased this collection featuring popular discontinued colors from two decades ago.
I went with Skew, which is slightly shiny with a frosty finish. It makes me feel more fun and dare I say, flirty? Even if it doesn't feature ingredients promising to plump my lips, it definitely adds another dimension.
All things considered, it's a great value
Open almost any popular magazine and you'll see celebrities photographed wearing MAC lipstick. While I can't afford to have a personal makeup artist like they can, I can afford a $19 lipstick, especially if I don't have to buy a new one every other week.
One of the reasons this lipstick has such a high average rating — about 4.7 stars — is because it lasts so long. You don't need to constantly reapply and quickly use the whole tube. I've applied it at 5 p.m., had dinner (including corn on the cob), drinks and even ice cream for dessert without needing to reapply. At this rate, it might not be 2020 until I need a new one.
If I had a bigger beauty budget, I might be interested in trying a high-end designer lipstick. But for now, I'm beyond content with owning just this one MAC lipstick. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if I'm still wearing it when I'm raising my future daughter.
I don't know which would be worse: her wanting to borrow it all the time or her calling it musty.
For more beauty favorites, check out:
- The 8 new beauty products you should try this year, according to Allure
- 1 bottle of this affordable anti-aging serum is sold every 60 seconds
- 5 easy ways to get longer-looking lashes
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