MAC Viva Glam Nicki 2 Lipstick and Lipglass

With the success of Viva Glam Nicki lipstick and gloss last year, Nicki Minaj reprises her role as Viva Glam ambassador this year with a second shade of lipstick and gloss to help raise AIDS/HIV awareness. They will be added to the permanent Viva Glam line-up for one year (subject to change). Each Viva Glam Nicki 2 Lipstick comes in black packaging with the signature Viva Glam red metal casing and Nicki's signature embossed in black around it. Each Lipglass comes in a clear tube with Nicki's signature embossed in red around it. As with all MAC Lipsticks and Lipglasses, they are vanilla-scented but taste-free, and the Lipglass comes with a doe-foot applicator. Each tube of lipstick contains 3 grams of product and each tube of Lipglass contains 4.8 grams of product. Both of them retail for $18 each. As they are for charity, none of the Viva Glam products are applicable for the Back to MAC recycling program.

Viva Glam Nicki 2 Lipstick

Viva Glam Nicki 2 Lipstick

Viva Glam Nicki 2 is a light cool-toned lavender-pink in an Amplified finish. This is a new and limited edition shade, and will be available for one year going forward. The texture is soft and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and more purple than Saint Germain.

Viva Glam Nicki 2 Lipglass

Viva Glam Nicki 2 Lipglass 

Viva Glam Nicki 2 is a light cool-toned milky lavender-pink with subtle micro-shimmer. This is a new and limited edition shade, and will be available for one year going forward. It goes on smoothly and evenly, with light-medium pigmentation and semi-sheer colour pay-off. Due to the milkiness of the shade, it can settle into lip lines. It is warmer and more pink than its lipstick counterpart. It is more purple and much more sheer than Saint Germain, and lighter and less pink than Pagoda Cremesheen Glass.

Okay, so these are not exactly the most universally flattering shades, but I've discovered that they're fantastic for layering and mixing with other shades. The Lipglass is much more wearable in general because it's much more sheer, so it will simply add a hint of milkiness and shine to whatever you layer it on top of (it will also help neutralize and lighten those with very reddened or dark lips). The lipstick is what I see being more problematic for people to wear. It will naturally appeal to those who like their pale pinks with lavender undertones (for example, those who love shades like Saint Germain, Viva Glam Gaga, Budding Love, Pink Popcorn, Lavender Whip, etc.), but it is actually a much more versatile shade than one might think. For example, wearing it with a darker wine-coloured lip liner (like MAC Currant) will create a gorgeous purple-berry shade. Wearing it with a bright fuchsia lipstick or liner (like MAC Girl About Town or Magenta Lip Liner) will create a beautiful vibrant medium cool-toned pink (something similar to Pink Nouveau). It does require some work, but you can make some seriously gorgeous shades by mixing Nicki 2 Lipstick with other products.

The MAC AIDS Fund is one of the best and most effective charities I have ever seen a cosmetics company identify with. It still blows my mind that MAC helps this charity on a daily, on-going basis with their Viva Glam program. Not only that, but they don't just donate a portion or the proceeds to this cause — it's 100% of the selling price of any Viva Glam product. To date, the MAC AIDS Fund has raised over $250 million to help men, women, and children infected or affected by AIDS/HIV. This is a really worthy cause, so if Viva Glam Nicki 2 isn't your cup of tea, it's worth checking out any of the other Viva Glam shades that may be more wearable or flattering on you.