Meet some of my favorite MAC nude shades this week from the MAC Strip Down collection.
DUDE, the world is your oyster when it comes to nude lipsticks. I mean, there are so many out there, right? But you know, when I think about the old-school, original nude lip look, I think of MAC.
I started wearing MAC in the ’90s, and that’s when I became aware that nude lips were totally a thing.
MAC has created so many iconic colors — colors that everybody rips off. Hello, old-school Whirl? We all know that Kylie was “deeply inspired” by it (don’t worry, I won’t go off on a Kardashi-tangent!).
I think MAC has some of the best of the best nude lipsticks because they have so many matches for the multitude of subtly different shades of bare lips out there, and you can see this in their “new-ish” nude lip collection, Strip Down, which is on the MAC site right now.
I call it new-ish because the first time I saw the product list, I thought, “Oh, I know Whirl!” and “Check out Paramount!” The collection is all about re-promotes, and most of them are O.G. greats.
I’m wearing one of them today: Mehr. It’s a matte brownish rose with a tinge of blue, and you might remember it from the 2010 Mickey Contractor collection. (Can’t believe that was almost 10 years ago… It literally feels like yesterday to me.)
Mehr falls along the lines of Velvet Teddy, but it’s pinker and not as beige. It’s also cooler-toned than Whirl, which is also similar, but more brown.
Mehr is one of my favorite matte nudes. It’s a throw-on-and-go color, and it reads as a mid-toned nude pink on my NC42 skin.
Here it is on lighter skin and darker skin (fast forward to 2:11 for the swatch). It looks really good when you do a pink on the lid (I’m wearing MAC Glitz Please here on my lids) and a warm orange brown like Soft Brown or Texture in the crease.
Oh, and the MAC Matte Lipstick formula is impeccable, man. I think MAC tweaked it over the last few years because it had been thick and heavy and intensely drying back in the day, but their Matte Lipsticks are really smooth now and aren’t drying at all. I have dry lips to start with, and these don’t bother me.
The formula doesn’t settle into lip lines either, and it lasts for hours.
SO FREAKING GOOD.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Chelsea says
Your skin looks angelic here!
Karen says
It’s good ol’ MAC Studio Fix Foundation mixed with Strobe Cream. My go-to combo! I forget sometimes how good it is. Easy, too!
Mia says
You look beautiful! Mehr is a pretty universal shade, and works with myriad eye looks, I absolutely love it.
Have you tried Kinda Sexy? It’s my favourite nude from MAC, the peachy tones look incredible in summer!
Karen says
Hi Mia,
I have! It’s been a minute since I’ve worn it though. Thanks for the reminder, I need to bust it out.
Hope you had a nice Monday!
Jane says
That color is pretty. I love rosier nudes than beige/brown nudes. I do find the matte lipsticks are too dry for me. I need to try more moisturizing formulas.
Karen says
Hi Jane!
There’s workarounds if you find them too drying, like prepping with a balm first and letting it sink in before application. This would look good on you… Dramatic though!
So happy to hear about your baby (he’ll always be your baby) getting into college, so cool!
Erica says
Velvet Teddy, Hug Me and Kinda Sexy are my favorite MAC nudes!!
Karen says
Those are great! I think you can never go wrong with the MAC classics.
Erica says
You can never go wrong with MAC in regards to lipsticks really. Great formula. Lots to choose from. I picked 3 of my favorites. I could have easily said 6 other shades as there are so many I use regularly:)
Linda Libra Loca says
I might need to revisit their lipsticks then. The last Matte ones I tried left me very disappointed.
Tatiana says
I used to own Mehr, but it was getting old and got tossed in a pare down. I have a bag of recyclables, so maybe I’ll trade some of them in for a new Mehr. MAC still takes back containers for a free lipstick, don’t they?
Ruchita says
Such a pretty color! Glad to hear the formula is a winner too. I sometimes avoid mattes because they can be drying, but this sounds great.
Kristen says
Ohh I’m going to have to try this one out! I bought Mac Faux a while back, and while I do like it, the brown undertones are a bit too strong for my skin tone, especially during the summer. This one looks like it may be perfect if it pulls more pink!
Lily says
MAC sent an email this morning and I thought, hmmm I want to try Mehr, but I wonder how it looks on. Thanks Karen! Now I know I want it.
Karen says
You’re welcome, Lily! I hope you love it. 🙂
Jan says
I think I first heard of Whirl here and now it’s one of my favorites.
Erica says
I’ve always been intrigued by Mehr, but never tried it! I absolutely love another OG MAC color – Twig! Color & texture are on point!
Karen says
I wore that today, Erica! Have a post on it coming soon. 🙂