MAC Vibe Tribe: Lipstick in Hot Chocolate, Arrowhead, Pure Vanity, and Painted Sunset

Last Thursday, MAC launched their major summer colour collection called Vibe Tribe: "Open up to the eternal energy of the sun. Sound and self-expression converge in the vast canvas of the desert. Animated by art, music, creativity and soul, an exhilarating festival unfolds." Vibe Tribe includes a total of 32 products, of which 18 are new and limited edition, four are re-promotes, and ten are permanent. This collection sees the release of five lipsticks, of which two are new and limited edition, two are re-promotes, and one is permanent (Tanarama will not be reviewed here). They are housed special packaging with "graphic geometric patterns woven in eye-catching hues." Each lipstick contains a total of 3 grams of product and retails for $22.50.
Clockwise from top left: Hot Chocolate, Arrowhead, Pure Vanity, and Painted Sunset
Hot Chocolate, Arrowhead, Pure Vanity, and Painted Sunset
Hot Chocolate, Arrowhead, Pure Vanity, and Painted Sunset

Hot Chocolate is a medium-deep cool muted brownish plum in a Satin finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2012's Après Chic collection, and is limited edition. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is similar to Plum Lip Pencil, cooler and more purple than Viva Glam III, and more muted and more brown than Amorous.

Arrowhead is a pale pinked beige in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is more matte than Fleshpot, more matte and slightly lighter than Myth, and lighter and more pink than Honeylove.

Pure Vanity is a light-medium warm muted peach in a Lustre finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2015's MAC is Beauty collection, and is limited edition. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has low-medium pigmentation and semi-sheer colour pay-off. It is lighter than Razzledazzler, lighter and more orange than Flamingo, and darker and sheerer than Sweet and Sour.

Painted Sunset is a medium-dark warm vibrant orange-red in an Amplified finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is shinier than Lady Danger and Dangerous, and darker and more red than Morange.

This is an interesting mix of lipstick shades for a summer collection. Painted Sunset is very similar in colour to Lady Danger or Dangerous, but is set apart by its Amplified finish (full colour pay-off with a creamy shine), making it a bit more unique since there are no orange reds in the permanent Amplified range. Pure Vanity is a nice wearable peach, but there are so many dupes for this colour; I wish they had taken the opportunity to create an entirely different type of peach or coral shade (with maybe a different finish) than re-promote one from last year. Fans of very light nude lipsticks will love Arrowhead, which is basically a matte version of Fleshpot, though my only issue with shades like this is that they suit very few skintones without mixing a lip pencil or other lipstick. Still, it is a great matte nude lipstick for our very fair friends (my friend Chelsea is an NW10 and it suits her very well). Finally, I find Hot Chocolate to be an odd inclusion just because it screams fall/winter to me, but that having been said, it's my personal favourite from Vibe Tribe because it literally flatters every skintone and complexion (plus, with the brown lip trend still going strong, Hot Chocolate will undoubtedly be the best-seller from this collection). And if you missed it from 2012's Après Chic collection, it's your chance to grab it now. However, given the packaging of this collection, wouldn't it have been cool to see a bright matte turquoise lipstick? Just sayin'.