One of my guilty pleasures is to watch Youtube videos of MAC Lipstick Collections; seeing what people like the best, what people not like so much, what works for certain complexions, etc. And in almost all the videos that I've watched the formulations or finishes for these lipstick are said and somewhat explained so I thought to make a post about the different MAC Lipstick Formulas;
Thera are 6 major MAC formulas and they are; Lustre, Glaze, Frost, Cremesheen, Amplified Creme, Satin, and Matte Lipsticks. Additionally, there are also the Pro Longwear and Sheen Supremes.
Lustre - sheer to medium colour payoff with glossy look, not a very long wear time because of subtle pigmentation. This finish is loved by ladies who like a more "natural" look to their lips because of its sheerness. A lot of ladies also love this because its moisturizing for them but for me personally, this finish is quite drying.
Some popular shades with this finish: Plink!, Cockney, Lovelorn, Lustering
Here's how the Lustre finish looks on my lips
Glaze - very close to Lustres when it comes to colour payoff but with lesser pigmentation, not a very long wear time either. This finish is basically a gloss in a lipstick form.
Some popular shades with this finish: Hue, Hot Tahiti, Pervette
Here's how the Glaze finish looks on my lips
Frost - as the name suggest, this finish gives a frosty look. Has good colour pigmentation but gives a frosty look because of the shimmer or glitter within the lipstick. And because of the frosty look, this finish will make the lines of the lips more noticeable.
Some popular shades with this finish: Angel, Costa Chic, Creme de la Femme
Here's how the Frost finish looks on my lips
Cremesheen - this finish has good colour payoff while feeling creamy and moist on the lips. The wear time is pretty decent and the texture feels nice on the lips.
Some popular shades with this finish: Creme Cup, Speed Dial, Hot Gossip
Amplified Creme - better colour payoff than Cremesheen while still feeling creamy. This is my favourite lipstick finish because of its colour intensity and moisturizing feel.
Some popular shades with this finish: Impassioned, Girl About Town, Morange
Here's how the Amplified Creme looks on my lips
Satin - full opacity which is semi-matte with a little bit of sheen. This finish is very long lasting but not overly drying.
Some popular shades with this finish: Pink Nouveau, Snob, Rebel, MAC Red
Here's how the Satin finish looks on my lips
Matte - full opacity, intense pigmentation with no shimmer nor shine. A prepped lip which is exfoliated and moisturized is advisable to attain the best look with mattes avoid drying of lips. This has a long wear time.
Some popular shades with this finish: Russian Red, Please Me, Ruby Woo.
Here's how the Matte finish looks on my lips
I thought I might add two more finishes, Pro Longwear and Sheen Supremes even though they have a different packaging from the lipsticks
Pro Longwear - is described in MAC's website as "Lightweight texture, creamy finish and comfortable longwear combine in this has-it-all pro-class lip colour. Slick in use, applies without need of a top coat and still lasts up to 12 hours. Won't feather or transfer, and the colour stays true.
Some popular shades with this finish: Good to Go, Prolong, Soft Sell
Sheen Supreme - is described in MAC's website as "Combining the colour impact of a lipstick with the shine sheen of a Lipglass, Sheen Supreme creates the perfect hybrid - with no compromise. Lightweight, non-sticky, slick to apply and comfortable to wear.
Some popular shades with this finish: Full Speed, Insanely It, Gotta Dash!
I personally don't have either the Pro Longwear nor the Sheen Supreme lipsticks yet, so I can't show any pics of how they look
Hope this post helped with understanding the different lipstick finishes MAC has.
Have a wonderful day!