Collection: Bright MAC Lipsticks

The most eye-catching display at any MAC counter? The rows and rows of lipsticks in so many finishes and colors you want to replicate The Joker's colorful visage on yourself.

As far as high end lipsticks go, MAC's collection is affordable and smells like vanilla unicorn essence, meaning you could possibly replicate the entire display on your vanity and hoard five shades of pink and ten shades of "red orange" if you wanted to. Here are my top seven shades of the brightest and most flattering MAC lipsticks for divas. If you are anywhere near a wallflower type, stay away.

1. Candy Yum Yum: Matte
The most iconic hot pink shade for all women unafraid of standing out on the streets. Not quite Barbie and not quite Nicki Minaj, this blue-based color makes your teeth blindingly white to complement your blindingly pink pucker. This lipstick will most likely land you compliments from women but stares from men.
Men are thinking one of two things:
- My God, what a confident girl. She has the self-esteem of a feminist!
or...
- My God, she needs to realize her lips are glowing with sheer nuclear toxicity!

Most likely, if you are wearing any shade of lipstick besides red or natural pink, you need to drop all pretenses that you're doing it for the men. Because men will notice this shade. And they may call you crazy. And you will wear it.

2. Ruby Woo: Matte
This red is the ultimate compliment-mongering, long-lasting, non-flaking, bright and beautiful shade that lets you feel like Snow White, the fairest of them all. A lot of people will tell you to go for MAC's Russian Red for a true red, but they are wrong. If you have any sort of a tan or warm undertone to your skin, you may look like a transvestite Bozo the Clown. Unless that's the look you're going for, avoid. Ruby Woo is a very similar shade, but toned down just enough so that your lips will look classy and not crass. Furthermore, the dryer matte texture of Ruby Woo means that it will not budge or transfer even when you're scarfing down that sandwich with the voracious appetite of a female T-Rex.

Even better is the sheer magnanimity of old men that will pay you compliments when you're strutting your stuff down the street (or y'know, sitting at the front desk of an office minding your own business). This shade is the ultimate red, classic and flattering on all skintones. Even Rihanna had to model her new MAC lipstick, Riri Woo, after this color.

3. Vegas Volt: Amplified
As an amplified finish, Vegas Volt steals the show away from matte brights for a moment for its lovely color payoff AND non-drying texture. In the tube, this shade seems to be a coral-red with perhaps a hint of orange that wouldn't show up too bright on the lips. Do not be fooled.  For a crazy, "I don't really care what you think" type of look, Vegas Volt is as flattering as it is shocking. When you pat it lightly on top of lip balm, however, the end result is a much more subdued and pretty coral shade that completes your look - that is, if the rest of your look is a naked or cat-eye and coral/orange blush. For everything else, this shade contrasts completely and surely "amplifies" any garish intentions you may or may not have had when putting it on. This is the only shade I do not pull off in its pure form on the streets in risk of scaring small animals and children.

4. Betty Bright: Satin (Limited Edition)
When I say this is a limited edition shade, I mean you may have to barter most of your limbs, all of your soul, and even shell out thirty dollars to get this lipstick. Recently released in MAC's Archie's Girls collection, most of the lipsticks from the line disappeared from stores within a week and remains sold out/nonexistent online. The bullet design is different and quirky and the color is intense - I may pass this down as a family heirloom. Once in a blue moon, as I shed tears of sadness for a smidgen of lipstick soon to be taken away from the bullet, I put this color on to brighten up my complexion. It is a very similar shade to Vegas Volt, but just a smidgen brighter and lighter. I'm not sure why this doesn't translate to "looking for an application at Hooter's" for me, it may just be that I feel confident on the days I decide to rock this. The only downside is that, despite the satin finish, you may need to reapply lip balm over this as it flakes 3 hours into wear time.

5. So Chaud: Matte
This one is definitely a stand-out shade that flatters warm skin tones fantastically, due to its strong orange undertone in a bright red. For cooler toned girls, I wouldn't recommend this one unless you are a very very fair skinned or a box dye redhead. It will compliment your hair and perk up your face instantly. For anyone in the NC range (light to dark), pick this one out. The shade pulls orange just enough to brighten up your tone without looking full-on "orange crayola" like MAC Morange.

6. Viva Glam Nicki: Satin
Pink. Screamingly bright. Appropriate to its creator namesake. If you have the attitude to pull off this shade, I commend you. As for myself, I reserve this one for very special occasions where the dear husband isn't around to offer a sarcastic, "Oh hay Nicki Minaj" and receive a deserving slap on the face. Just kidding. But really, please don't try this around the presence of males who cannot handle your girl power.

7. Media: Satin
This one is not bright. In fact, it shouldn't even belong in this category. In the bullet Media is a dark, plummy wine/goth black/emo artist type of shade I would never pick out unless the costume party theme was The Undead or Nightmare on Elm Street. Fall of 2012, however, dark burgundy and wine lips were all the rage. As a devote worshipper of Jenn Im from YouTube's clothesencounters, I saw this shade on her lips and had to try it for myself. On the lips, it is a vampy purple that makes your complexion very milky and porcelain-like - especially in the winter when my skin is between NC20-NC25. As with any of my other shades, the best complement to this lipstick is flawless skin and minimal makeup elsewhere.

So there you have it, my top seven shades. As for any high-maintenance lipstick, it is imperative to prep your lips first to save the hassle of reapplying and fussing over it later throughout the day.
- Scrub off any dead skin (crusty lips are so not vogue at the moment).
- Apply a lip balm and let it sink in while you do the rest of your makeup.
- Line your lips with either a clear lipliner (I like Makeup Forever's clear one) or one somewhat matching your shade.
- Apply the color with a lip brush (for no sinking into lip lines) or straight from the bullet if you're feeling bold.
- Super brownie point step: Blot with a tissue, brush translucent powder over the tissue while it's on your lips, reapply another layer of lipstick, and generally waste 20 more seconds of your life just to look good.

Enjoy!
- Be

P.S.: For swatches, check out Karla's website.