Mac x Charlotte Olympia lipsticks

Can we just spend a moment and just adoringly sigh over the beauty of this packaging? Chunky translucent packaging revealing a gold bullet underneath, and what should they reveal? Two matte lipstick shades that are just the perfect reds. You've got Retro Rouge Matte which is an old brick, burgundy matte red which swatches to show an almost blackberry without the purple merlot shade. It's a full bodied red wine in a bullet, and that may just be the coolest thing that I've ever written. But who can expect less than that? It's Mac x Charlotte Olympia, dahhhling. Leading Lady Red is exactly what is says that it is - the perfect shade for the screen siren, the heroine, the lady who leads the tale and isn't afraid to do what she wants (or maybe she is, but that depends on the story). It's a raspberry red that's described as a 'deep red' but I think with it's cool, almost pink undertones it's more of a medium red. It's not super matte, nor is it satin, I think it's somewhere in-between both and I love that - so it would neither be drying on the lips, nor hydrating - which is a good combination. Both of these lipsticks apply like a dream. They don't pull on the lips or 'skip' which I find some lipsticks tend to do, especially when they're somewhat matte. 

But before I talk about wear time and properly talk about the packaging (serious heart eyes) I wanted to share the inspiration, because if you've heard of Charlotte Olympia, or been a fan of her, then you'll know that she's all about the glamour. Think waves hair, matte red lips and a look that is so beautifully retro - it's the kind of look I love. This Mac x Charlotte Olympia Collection was inspired by 'Pinups, Silver Screen Sirens and the bygone era of Hollywood Glamour' which I can see so clearly. Even the names themselves speak of a bygone era of glamour, 'Leading Lady Red' and 'Retro Rouge' - they appeal to the time when cinema was all film noir and Lauren Bacall was heating up the screen with her pin-curled hair, seductive voice and straight talking charm. This can also be said of the brand, Charlotte Olympia, 'The British luxury shoe and accessory brand is known for a vintage aesthetic that embodies elegance and femininity with a hefty dollop of charm' - which is my favourite screen sirens down to a tee; Lauren Bacall, Maureen O'Hara, Bette Davies, Rita Hayworth, Vivien Leigh, Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardner and Katherine Hepburn. There was a constant between these fabulous and inspirational women. They all wore red lipstick, regardless of hair colour or complexion - it's a range of shades that is accessible and suitable for all. 

'The unapologetically nostalgic allure of Charlotte Olympia is captured in a Mac collection of retro-glam colour, all packaged in Charlotte's signature gold spider's web and clear lucite'. Was there ever anything more beautiful, than the packaging and even the inspiration behind these? As soon as I knew that this collection was coming out, I knew that I had to make an order. So flash forward to when I got the email - I was sat in my car, on my phone, hastily adding two lipsticks and a mirror to my basket before it sold out (because that always happens with Mac and I am always so sad that I miss it). When they did arrive, I was so thrilled. Cue me cooing over the lipsticks and struggling for ten minutes to open the mirror before I realised that it slide open (such an idiot sometimes). It slides open, like a fan, to showcase a double sided mirror but I don't think I'll ever be able to get over the stunning packaging - gold with a signature spiderweb... it makes me feel like a fabulous female villain, with perfectly drawn red lips and winged liner so sharp that it could kill a man. 

Now let's get onto wear and weartime. They actually feel softer than most matte lipsticks when applied, and glide upon the lips, with no drag, making them easy for touchups on the go - although I would really suggest using a liner underneath and taking your time to get the right edges to your lipstick. I say that about all medium/dark lipsticks as once you make a mistake, it's difficult to fix without leaving a mark - so take your time to apply these silky mattes, you won'r regret it. As for how they lasted, these two wear away evenly and leave a stain behind them after about 5 - 6 hours of wear, although if you're eating, you'll need to touch up that little bit more. Retro Rouge I think would appeal to a lot of people as it echoes that brown red craze that a lot of people seem to be wearing, which then hashes back to the 90's grunge lip, which is brilliant - I love shades that can transcend the era they were in, and be worn regardless of skin colour. Leading Lady Red is a brighter, more playful look than Retro Rouge, which seems moodier and more restrained. Leading Lady is just what is says it is, a bright attention catching red that would be perfect on the red carpet, or for a night out - or even if you just fancy sprucing up your look with a gorgeous red - this shade is one for you. 

The entire collection is too luxurious for words, and I'm so pleased to have gathered some for my own use... I just feel that they make my Muji Storage look infinitely better. Gotta love Mac, right? Did you manage to get anything from the Mac x Charlotte Olympia Collection? 

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Below from left: Retro Rouge and Leading Lady.