MAC Ruby Woo with a possible dupe

My first ever MAC purchase was a lipstick and not just any lipstick! It still is my all time favorite lipstick and I wear it all the time. The color is intense, it stays all day (and all night if I don't take it off) and it brings a pop of color to any outfit.

As you could tell from my 2 part Favorite Red post (part 1 and part 2) I love red nails. But my love for red doesn't just involve polish, I also love red lipstick. I'm always looking for a red I don't own yet and I was on the hunt for a great blue toned red that stayed all day. I tried a lot of lipsticks, but they were never quite right. Untill I tried MAC Ruby Woo! It's is a true red matte lipstick with a blue undertone and a cult classic for a reason. In my book this is the perfect red and I compare all red lipsticks to this.

 

Because this is a matte lipstick, it does tend to dry my lips a bit, that is why I always wear a lipbalm underneath. It can be a little difficult to apply and I would advice using a lip pencil to outline your lips and make the lines nice and smooth, but once it's on, it stays on!

Like I said, this lipstick does not come of unless you want it to! I love wearing this when I go out for diner, because I can eat and drink everything I want and this will still be on my lips when I get home. I can even safely kiss my husband and he doesn't have to worry about looking like a clown.

If you don't have a MAC counter near you, I have a drugstore lipstick that looks a lot like Ruby Woo, but is a bit cheaper. Rimmel London lasting finish matte by Kate Moss number 111 is a red matte lipstick with a blue undertone, just like Ruby Woo. But are they dupes?

In the tube they look really close, the Rimmel seems to be a little more shiny, but other than that they seem the same. Let's look at the swatches!

Rimmel

Top: Mac bottom: Rimmel

They are so close that I needed a better view of the two together, so I wore them both at the same time. On the left (with the red dot) is Ruby, on the right is the Rimmel. Can you tell I'm actually wearing two lipsticks?

Ruby does look a little more matte, but after wearing the Rimmel for a while, this dries down matte too. Pretty much the same as Ruby.

Although they are very close, I like Ruby just a little better. It stays a bit longer and the color is just a smidge more intens. Oh, who am I kidding? These are totally dupes, but I just love my Ruby, lol!

Do you own any of these and which one is your favorite?

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Rimmel Apocalips

A while ago, I saw the Rimmel Apocalips in my local drugstore. Well, actually, I first saw them months ago and I wanted one immediately, because of the vibrant colors. I saw a lot of people on Youtube rave about these lip lacquers and I they just looked stunning!

But because I just bought about 15 lip products I didn't actually need, I couldn't justify bying these.
A few weeks ago, I finally caved and pick up the Rimmel Apocalips in Big Bang, a bright red.

These lip lacquers have exploded all over the internet and I have read some mixed reviews about them. Most people tend to love them, but I have read some horror stories about the lacquer transfering to teeth and bleeding excessively.

 

Rimmel advertises the Apocalips as being a perfect mix between a lipstick and an lipgloss and I have to agree. The formula is perfect, wet like a lipgloss when first applied, but they dry to a shiny, non stickey finish that reminds me more of a lipstick.

The applicator is a sponge tipped wand with a little well in the middle, perfect for picking up product to make application on the lips easy and fast.

And now for the dreaded lip swatches...

  

Please be gentle, you should have seen the ones I rejected, lol. Trying to take a picture of my lips while driving is NOT a good idea

This lip lacquer stains your lips, which I like, because it makes it last a good while on the lips. I have worn it during my workday and only had to touch it up once, after eating my lunch and wiping my mouth a few times on a napkin.

Big Bang feels really soft and comfortable on the lips, but I have 2 big issues with this lip lacquer. The first one is that it transfer. It literally goes everywere! I can't kiss my husband, drink something or eat anything without leaving a big, red mark.
The other thing is that it settles in the fine lines around my mouth, which is not very flattering. This last problem is easily fixed though, by using a lip pencil. 

I really like this lip lacquer, but I don't always want to put up with the transfer issue.

Do you own any of the Apocolips lip lacquers (or Show Off as they are called in the States) and what do you think?

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Essence long lasting lipstick

No polish today, I have something different for you. A couple of days ago, I did a little shopping and I spotted the new Essence collection. I am a sucker for lipsticks and when I saw and swatches the new Essence long lasting lipstick, I was impressed.

I decided to try them out and picked up 3 of the 10 available colors.

Wear Berries, On the Catwalk and Dare to wear

The packaging is very nice, the lipstick comes in a matte black tube, with a color ring in the middle that actually comes very close to the lipstick color. It has the logo on the cap and on the lipstick. I think it looks very classy and modern, I love this new packaging.

The lipstick feels very creamy and glides on my lips. It doesn't dry out my lips and last for about 3 hours. You do need to touch up the color after that and when you have a drink or eat something, the lipstick dissappears.

Wear Berries, On the Catwalk and Dare to Wear

I love all 3 colors, but my favorite is the one I picked up because it's a color I don't own yet, Wear Berries. I thought it wouldn't look great on me, but I actually really love it.

Wear Berries, On the Catwalk and Dare to Wear

Wear Berries is not actually a berry color, but it's a gorgeous midtoned purple with a cool undertone. I love it in the tube, but thought I wouldn't like it on me, but since I don't own a color like this, I thought I give it a go. I actually really love it and have worn it several times allready.

On the Catwalk is a muted pink color, with a hint of taupe. A perfect fall color. It showes up a little more pink on my lips than it looks in the tube.

Dare to Wear is a bright red with blue undertones in the tube, a nice cool color. On my lips and on my swatch, it looks a lot more pink. I think it's a shame it's more pink on me, but I still really love it on my lips and it's still obviously red. 

Overall, I'm really impressed with these lipsticks. I like the packaging, how they feel and wear on my lips and I love the large color range. With 10 colors to choose from, there is a color for everybody. 

But the best thing about these lipsticks is the price. They are available for only € 2.89!

I am actually thinking of picking up a couple of more colors.

Do you own any of these gorgeous lipsticks?

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