Mirror mirror on the wall, what’s the best lipstick shade of them all? If your answer was red — you’re absolutely correct.
Makeup trends come and go, but red lipstick never goes out of style. Red lipstick is to the makeup world what an LBB is to the fashion world. A bold, red lip is always classy and can amp up any look, whether it’s for a night out or a daytime event.
One name that has become synonymous with red lipstick over the years is MAC’s Retro Matte in the shade, Ruby Woo.
Released in 1999, this shade took the makeup community by a storm and has been a reigning cult favorite for a very long time. It is the product that brought MAC into the spotlight.
In fact, it is so well-loved that four Ruby Woo lipsticks are sold every minute around the world, according to MAC.
Loyalists and countless magazines insist that your makeup collection is incomplete till you own a Ruby Woo. And those who find it a little pricey, go for dupes.
Multiple makeup artists, beauty gurus, and celebrities like Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, and Scarlett Johnson swear by it. But is it really worth the hype? Let’s find out in this review.
About the Product:
Formulated to shade, define, and showcase the lips. High-fashion textures. The iconic product that made M∙A∙C famous.
Price of MAC Retro Matte Lipstick – Ruby Woo: Rs. 1650/- | Buy from Amazon.com or Nykaa
Ingredients: Dimethicone, Isoeicosane, Kaolin, Ceresin, Paraffin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Microcrystalline Wax \Cera Microcristallina\Cire Microcrystalline, Silica, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax\Cera Carnauba\Cire De Carnauba, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Vanillin, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Pvp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Methicone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane
How to apply?
- Clean and moisturize your lips completely.
- Apply to lips directly from the lipstick bullet or use a lip brush for more precision
- Purse your lips and blend them inside so that the lipstick gets settled down.
- You’re ready to go now!
My Experience with MAC Ruby Woo
The lipstick comes packed in MAC’s classic black bullet packaging. The outer cardboard lists all the details, including the instructions.
It has the typical MAC vanilla fragrance. Ruby Woo is a bright, blue-toned red, which makes it a neutral color that suits dusky, light, medium, and all other skin tones beautifully.
The color is so vivid that it instantly brightens up the face, even if you’re not wearing any makeup. The rich, potent color hides away even the darkest of pigmentation and applies evenly without enhancing the fine lines on the lips, lending you full coverage.
The true cherry red color amplifies your lips, making them look fuller and more prominent. The blue undertone also makes the teeth look whiter. Ruby Woo falls under MAC’s Retro Matte range, which means that it is as matte as MAC lipsticks get.
The color is very opaque, but you may need to tug it on your lips to get the perfect color. The intense matte formula also feels a little drying and may accentuate chapped lips, but that can be easily avoided if you prep your lips with a lip scrub and lip balm before application.
It takes a little effort to get on, but once it’s there, it’ll be there throughout the day. The lipstick claims to be long-lasting, which is undoubtedly true. The lipstick won’t budge throughout the day unless you eat oily food. But then, no lipstick can survive against greasy food. It also does not bleed.
At the end of the day, I find that it fades quite gracefully on my lips and leaves a pretty red tint. To increase the longevity and make the application super crisp, a lip liner is highly recommended. I recommend an oil-based makeup remover, such as a cleansing oil, to take the product off comfortably.
MAC products are available online and offline, which means that you can check out the product and test it for yourself before you make a purchase.
Like most MAC products, Ruby Woo is certainly not a pocket-friendly product. The good thing is that it is available in a Mini version, which retails for Rs. 1050. You can buy it on Nykaa here.
While the Mini is considerably cheaper, it is still an investment. So, should you splurge on this lipstick? Here are the pros and cons to help you make up your mind:
Pros
- Suits all skin tones
- The perfect red color
- Ultra matte
- Highly pigmented
- Full coverage
- Makes teeth look whiter
- Long-lasting
- Does not bleed
- Available both online and offline
Cons
- Expensive
- Can be a little drying
- Tugs on the lips during application
MAC Retro Matte Lipstick Ruby Woo
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Rating
Final Word
Ruby Woo is a shade that looks absolutely gorgeous on each and every skin tone. The formula is extremely long-lasting. While it may be a little drying, I believe that the final look is worth it. I highly recommend it!
