MAC Matte Lipstick in Relentlessly Red

It has been way too long since I last purchased anything from MAC. From my foggy memory, their products are around the same quality as the drugstore gems circa 2010s and since I could no longer keep track of their limited releases, I just gave up alltogether.

Back in 2015, I entered a very short phase for matte lipsticks thanks to a persuasive blogger (who apparently has skintone and preference polar opposite from mine, it took me two lipsticks to reach that conclusion). MAC Relentlessly Red was one of the two, purchased two springs back. I got sick of the matte trend before I even touched it...
Relentlessly Red is...pink. A warm bright pink with a bit of red lean. It's one of those curious shades that lies between red, pink and coral, oftenly called Mexican rose. 

The matte formula from MAC actually isn't bad at all. It's a little dry and draggy but it applies evenly without any slippery or gunky texture. It takes some slow layering to build up and both a softly stained tint or near opacity can be achieved.  It's not a moisturizing formula but it certainly didn't multiply my lip lines by 10 times. 
While the matte formula is pleasant enough. Oh boy this color looks horrendous on me. It's a color that not only screams "I AM HERE" but also brings out all the sallowness and imperfections from my skin.

Well. To be fair, a lot of pink-red-coral have that effect on me (from Revlon to Shiseido and Chanel) but Relentlessly Red takes the cake being the most neon bright hence the most unflattering one. It's definitely a lipstick I want to wipe off as soon as possible. 

Comments

  1. I agree with you on the MAC lipstick formulas, which is why I almost never buy from them. But the colors, they know what they are doing (or is that they make so many that some of them are bound to be awesome..? ;D). I actually wanted Relentlessly Red at some point. I think uber hot shade like this in a matte formulation is just so attractive. I think it looks fabulous on you anyway!

    Happy weekend! :)

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    1. MAC's upcoming Work It Out collection has a sheer red potted balm, I need that in my life.

      In real life, this color make me looks like I am nothing but mouth...Oh lord. Now I learned to only buy thing that I am interested to start with.

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  2. Bright pinky corals make me look really sallow and dull as well. I wanted Relentlessly Red for the longest time, but I looked dead when I tried it on. :(

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    1. Dior Milky Pop is the only one of these pinky red coral (from Western brand) that actually looks brightening on me.

      I never tried lipstick tester on my mouth (OCD issue) but I reckoned if I did, it would have save me a lot of money...

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  3. I don't like mac lipsticks at all. They are very waxy draggy like you said. I have a few shades, mainly all the popular nude ones but either they are too bright or totally wash me out.

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    1. I have crosswire that I still like and everhip (liberty of London collection) that went rancid when I made a sniff last night. I get suckered in maybe once a year by their LE but now I guess now since the cosmetic industry is so competitive, they aren't as hip as they were.

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  4. Yeah mac is nowhere near as popular these days. All the tacky instabrands have taken over. But I still think mac is a legit professional reliable brand. I do have 2 holy grail products from mac. Mac careblend pressed powder and mac studio finish concealer. Would literally die if they ever discontinue these. I don't like mac foundations, I tried really hard to like mac studio fix fluid foundation but it just couldn't work. Too yellow, too cakey, too matte, not long wearing enough.

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    1. Ha it's my first time hearing about instabrands...Hmm, Jeffrey Star, Colourpop. I guess I am way out of touch to name more than two.

      I used to love MAC potted lip balm(in purple and green) so I will pick one up with that collection out early March.

      I never found any foundation that I really love (but only something I have to wear when my face is too picked over) so now I am trying to focus on skincare. Western foundation are usually too light or too yellow (Korean ones being too white/gray)...It seems easier to just come up with a routine than actually find a shade match in a non cakey formula.

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  5. I've always wondered, what do you do with your disappointing lipsticks? I return them if they're outrageously expensive

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    1. If they are cheap, I throw them in the garbage right away. If they are expensive, I just admire them for their packaging (if I decided to buy a pricey one it usually won't be all that bad). For the mid range, I have a cold palace for them...

      I don't mind giving away but only got one friend who take them and she doesn't use everything.

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