Pink is professional. Nudes are subtle. Oranges, purples, and creams—all nice. But red lipstick is a shade for any occasion, if you ask me. And in the long history of the powerful colour, there are certain red lipstick shades and formulas that have become so iconic, you can probably list them by name (MAC’s Ruby Woo, Fenty Beauty’s Uncensored, Dior’s 999—you get the picture.) After all, hardcore red lipstick fans can spot the difference between scarlet, burgundy, and true red, and know that the ones that have stood the test of time deserve to be swiped on again and again.
I first fell in love with bold red lipsticks while on holiday in Grand Cayman. Wandering around, I came upon a duty-free store and discovered Christian Dior 863 Holiday Red lipstick and liner. It was my go-to lipstick for many years till C.D. retired the colour.
#MACCANADABORN
Proud To Be Canadian is a true red. This formulation is very matte and pops beautifully on my dark skin. This red is highly flattering and I’m thinking incredibly beautiful on all skin tones. MAC Cosmetics matte lipsticks are among some of my favourites on the market, and Proud To Be Canadian delivers.
Mac Ruby Woo vs Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint
Two other reds I wear are “Ruby Woo” and “Uncensored” which are remarkably similar in colour as you can see in the picture. On skin, “Ruby Woo” shows to be just a shade lighter than the fire engine red the Fenty lipstick brings. When applying the Mac lipstick, I had to put on multiple layers to get the true colour to show. When I wore the Fenty lipstick, two coats gave me an opaque red.
After wearing both of these lipsticks for four hours, neither one of them faded. Both had to be touched up after eating. “Uncensored” did the least amount of moving throughout the eight hour day.
The major difference for me was the application with the two red lipsticks. Mac’s classic tube makes it harder to get an even and precise application in one try. A lip liner is also needed with this lipstick. Try Mac’s lip liners in the shade “Cork” or “Cherry”. The liquid lipstick wand application made applying the Fenty lipstick a breeze. It was easier to apply and a lip liner was not needed.
For $24 CAD, MAC gives you 0.1 oz of “Ruby Woo”. “Uncensored” is priced at $33 CAD for 0.13 oz of product. I think that ” Uncensored” is worth the $9 difference. The application made all the difference. It was much easier to apply. It gave me the matte look without the hassle of a classic matte lipstick. Not to mention the sleek packaging that just makes you want to buy it!
