MAC Ruby Woo

Last month I fell in love with MAC's Please Me. This month, I decided to "brave it" and start using red lipstick. Now, a lot of beauty gurus and bloggers would suggest to start off with pink toned reds or berry shades before you go all out with a red-red. I on the other hand decided to skip the pink-reds and berry shades because I'm stubborn like that (lol!) and just face my fears and wear a truly red lipstick. I'm not much of a red lipstick fan to be honest, so I was really worried about purchasing a tube of Ruby Woo because I was afraid that I wouldn't like it or couldn't rock it... Boy, was I wrong! *winks* What : MAC Ruby Woo Where : The Vanity Zone Price : P895 MAC's Ruby Woo is described as a very matte vivid blue-based red. Enclosed in the signature classy black MAC case and smelling of sweet vanilla, MAC's Ruby Woo is a real stunner. It comes in a retro matte finish which I've read is one of the most matte finishes in MAC's collection.
Love : *Classic color and part of the permanent line. I don't have to worry about hoarding back ups. *Classy & sturdy packaging. *Great pigmentation & color payoff. This is actually red. Doesn't look any bit of orange or berry on me. * Sweet smelling vanilla scent. * Though it's a blue-based red, it still compliments my light medium skin tone. *Great staying power. This lasted 5 hours on me with very very minimal feathering, fading or transferring even with all the talking, eating and drinking I do! * Attention grabbing. Enough said!
Hate : * The first time I tried applying it on "unprepared" lips, it tugged so harshly that I had to take a step back from the tube! * It is difficult to apply straight from the tube at times. This is most probably because of the fact it's a retro matte finish lipstick which can be very drying. Since it can be very drying, it also has a tendency to emphasize lip lines and settle into any patchy and dry areas.
Tips : *Hydrate yourself properly. Drink lots of water because this helps to keep your lips (skin too!) looking better and more hydrated. *Prime & prep your lips properly. I start by gently exfoliating it with my ELF lip exfoliator. You can opt to try a DIY homemade lip exfoliator using honey and sugar or try the toothbrush method which is when you use a soft bristled toothbrush to exfoliate your lips. After I exfoliate, I slather on a lip balm or a lip conditioner. I use either my Kiehl's Lip Balm, Lucas Papaw Ointment or my Maybelline Baby Lips balm. *To extend Ruby Woo's "life" you can also opt to fill and shape your lips with a red lip liner prior to lipstick application. Overall, I absolutely love Ruby Woo and would recommend it to everyone (no matter what your skin tone is!) because it truly is a classic red lipstick that will take you places! Just don't forget to prep & prime your lips to avoid it feeling too dry once it has set. Ruby Woo is definitely a cult classic that I am glad I fell for! Don't forget to check out more available shades at The Vanity Zone. * Filterless photo taken with my iPhone4. No lip liner was used.