MAC Ruby Woo Lipstick Review, Look & Dupe

Rumor has it that MAC Ruby Woo lipstick is:

• The perfect red lipstick for every skin tone 
• One of Gwen Stefani's & Dita Von Teese's favorite red lipsticks 

I've thought about getting it for years but either I forgot, or it was never in stock. This year alone, it wasn't available twice. Then during a lunch break on a very unpleasant day last month, I was at the mall and quickly dropped by the MAC store- I thought: If it's in stock, I'll buy it & if it's not, I'll walk out. But we already know it's not.

Bang! SA said it's in stock! Woo........!

It looks glossy only because it was very very hot (it sweat!), otherwise it's very matte-looking like below.... 

MAC described it as a 'Very Matte Vivid Blue Red' - that means it has blue undertones. It's also called 'Retro Matte'

MAC Ruby Woo Swatch 

Why I LOVE it: It's a lip liner in lipstick form. It feels like a crayon- very waxy. The highly matte finish makes it impossible to bleed. The color is pigmented & opaque, It lasts forever- without eating. Though it's extremely matte, it doesn't chap my lips.

You know how you apply red lip liner, red lipstick, blot, reapply the lipstick, and blot again? Ruby Woo is all those steps in a tube. That's the USP of this lipstick.

Why I DISLIKE it: I'm afraid it'll dry up completely & become hard like rubber- just like the testers at the stores. But I think heating it with a lighter might soften it again. Calling a spade a spade, lips feel too dry after a while & I either have to lick them, or dab a lip balm to be able to smile.

Forgive the harsh lighting. Somehow the photos turned out very bright/white. I don't know whether it's the Benefit Matterial Girl Powder, or my camera setting, or the lipstick, or coz I clicked in the bedroom.

It makes my teeth look whiter, because it's a blue-based red. Warm reds make teeth look yellow.

Makeup is neutral & matte. On my Cheeks: The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder & MAC Fleur Power. On my Eyes: Olive, Brown & Taupe from the Inglot 4 Square Palette. L'Oreal Paris Super Liner Instant Impact Felt Liner, Bourjois Fast & Perfect Mascara. I did not line my waterline.

Below is a comparison with a few red lippies. 3 of them are only for reference, only 1 is the dupe:

L-R: Inglot Matte Lip pencil #21, MAC Ruby Woo, Bourjois Lip Pencil #20, MUFE Rouge Artist Intense Moulin Rouge, Bourjois Velvet Matte Lip Cream #54 Rouge Blush

The Winner is Bourjois Lip Pencil #20 Rouge Soyeux. It is the the next best thing to MAC Ruby Woo, especially because it's a matte lip pencil. Isn't it almost hard to tell the difference? AND it costs only Rs.225 ($4.00)!  

The difference between MAC Ruby Woo & Russian Red:

Russian red is less matte & a little darker than Ruby Woo. Russian Red is similar to MUFE Rouge Artist Intense Moulin Rouge.

LOVE IT! Possibly addicted to it too. There's something about the very matte formula- the way it clings to my lips. It's also the easiest red lipstick to wear & the color is very Hollywood & Retro. 

Oh, and it won't get messy when snogging ;)

Price ~ Rs.990

My Rating ~ ♥♥♥♥♥ 4.5/5


*Sunglasses ~ MANGO (as seen here)

What do you think? Is this a RED you'd wear?

♥ Cynthia Z *.*