When MAC finally made their Huggable lipsticks perm, my prayers were answered at last. I gushed about them here and here, and they’re still my favourite glossy, moisturizing formula out there. Because the aforementioned posts don’t cover all the Huggables I own, here’re the rest of them for your viewing pleasure, complete with lip swatches and comparisons to the rest of the line-up.
If you’re looking for an in-depth review of the Huggable formula, have a look here. To recap: It’s a unique, gel-like formula that needs a bit of warmth to really melt on your lips and create that lip ‘hugging’ feeling. For a glossy, moisturizing lipstick the Huggables hold up quite well, mainly because the darker colours stain your lips beautifully. They also don’t feather on my not-longer-super-youthful lips.
In this post, we’re looking at Touché, Rich Marron, Out for Passion, Cherry Glaze and Commotion.
Touché is a light, slightly peachy brown nude that blends well with my natural lip colour. I think it’s a nude lipstick that’ll be enjoyed by a lot of people of all skintones because it blends so well with your lips that it’ll never veer into concealer lips territory. I’ve the hardest time finding nudes that work on me, because I’m so pale, but this one is lovely. It’s also one of the Huggables with the shortest wear time, because it doesn’t stain due to its light colour.
Fresh & Frisky Huggable is more peach in comparison, while I’m In is pinker, Tom Ford Pink Dusk is darker and pinker, while MAC Hue is more pastel pink with a higher amount of white pigment in it. Nars Biscayne Bay is darker and more saturated, but I get a similar vibe from it.
Rich Marrón – I got this before I’ve ever tested Touché, just because I wanted a Huggable that would work as a nude MLBB colour. While RM looks scarily brown in the tube, it’s definitlely a brownish, rosy MLBB lipstick for me. It’s a neutral that works with a lot of looks. It’s also quite on trend, because there’s no denying that there’s a hint of brown in there, but different from a matte brown lip that can be quite scary, this is a good brown for newbies. Wear time is surprisingly good, it does indeed leave a light stain.
MAC’s Creme Cerise is more yellow, but a bit lighter. Everything else I had to compare was pinker: MAC Mythical – pinker. MAC Offshoot – comes closer, but still pinker. Guerlain Air Kiss – more mauve. I’ve no dupe of RM at all.
Out for Passion is my most worn Huggable. I always throw it on when I’ve no idea what lipstick to wear. On my quite pigmented lips this comes across as a light, warm pink that virtually goes with everything. I’m totally not the pink lip girl, but I can’t find fault with something that effortless. This falls somehow in between Touché and Rich Marrón regarding wear time – not surprising, given its light colour.
Like I said I’m not the one who wears a lot of light pinks. So here’s what I came up with to compare OFP: Urban Decay’s Lovechild is lighter and has more white pigment. Burberry Lip Mist in Pink Heather is lighter and more mauve. Dior Rouge Serum (discontinued) in Sweet Pink Chrystal comes very close, but is a bit deeper.
Oh Cherry Glaze, you used to be one of my favourite glossy reds, and then I tragically lost you in a hotel. Apparently, my recollection of how it used to look was a bit over the top, because when I bought it for the second time in December, I was kind of underwhelmed. It’s still a nice beginner red, stains beautifully and has a great wear time – but between all three red Huggables I own, I prefer Flaming Lips as a ‘throw on and leave the house’ shade and Dramatical as the most intense red. In comparison to those two, CG is the most pink and most glossy shade. Dear Cherry Glaze, it’s not you, it’s me! But we’ll always be friends.
Of my sheerer reds I pulled out Guerlain Rouge Kiss because I thought it could be close, but as you can see, it’s warmer and darker than Cherry Glaze.
Commotion is everything I wanted Rebel to be. I know, comparing those two is like comparing apples and pears, but whenever I see Rebel on someone I always think ‘what an amazing colour!’ and on me it’s only so-so. I haven’t any clue why, but Commotion is a totally different animal. I throw that on and go ‘yesssssss’, because it’s a wonderful saturated wine red with some pink undertones, it brightens my face, it’s a great winter colour that gives your lips some moisture during the cold weather, and yeah. I’ve only great things to say about it.
As you can see, Rebel of course is more saturated and darker, while MAC Radicchio is lighter, warmer and also a bit browner. YSL Glossy Stain No. 1 is more mauve, while it is also of course another texture and formula (liquid).
Application advice: The only complaint that I’ve ever heard about the Huggables is that they melt easily (don’t leave them in the car in summer), and that they feather on some people. If you don’t want yours to feather, apply a very thin layer on your lips first (yes, the Huggable will drag a bit, that that’ll change when the formula reacts to the warmth of your skin and warms up to be more emollient), no matter that it’ll be sheer. Press your lips together to ‘smooch’ the colour around a bit. Then go in with the lipstick again and fill out your lips a bit more, but be careful of over applying. Done!
If you’re looking for a review of I’m Game, I’m In, and Fashion Force Huggable Lipcolours, look here.
If you’re looking for Play it Soft, Dramatical and Flaming Lips, look here.
The permanent colours are:
Bare Hug, Cherry Glaze, Commotion, Dramatical, Extra Sweet, Fashion Force, Feeling Amorous!, Flaming Lips, Glamorized, I’m Game, Love Beam, Love Feeling, Out for Passion, Red Necessity, Rich Marrón, Sweet Creation, Touché, What a Feeling!
MAC Huggable Lipcolours are permanent, and available at MAC counters, stores, online and all retailers that carry MAC. They’re 20$/23€.
What are your favourite Huggable Lipcolours?
2 Comments