MAC Liptensity Lipstick in Cordovan, Dionysus, Double Fudge, Burnt Violet, Hellebore, Stallion, Blue Beat, and Galaxy Grey

Yesterday, MAC launched a new product called Liptensity Lipstick, "a brilliant new formula that pushes the boundaries of colour." It was created with the help of a woman named Maureen Seaberg, who is "a true tetrachromat — someone with the genetic ability to see 100 million hues imperceptible to the average naked eye." As a result, "an unprecedented spectrum has now been created with never-before-seen clarity and vibrancy." Using their new groundbreaking High-Frequency Tetrachromatic Pigments technology, "each lipstick holds double the amount of pigment than traditional formulas, resulting in the most intense lipstick ever. This luxurious gelled base melts on contact, providing fully saturated colour with a satin finish in just one stroke." 

There is a total of 24 shades with this launch, of which six are limited edition, and 18 will become permanent. They launched yesterday in North America and will launch internationally in October. Like all MAC lip products, they are vanilla-scented but taste-free. Each Liptensity Lipstick is housed in a metal cylindrical tube with a colour-coded lid, contains a total of 3.6 grams of product, and retails for $25. Due to the higher price point, these will not be redeemable as a free product in the Back to MAC recycling program.

Cordovan, Dionysus, Double Fudge, and Burnt Violet
Cordovan, Dionysus, Double Fudge, and Burnt Violet

Cordovan is a medium-dark cool cranberry red in a creamy satin finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker than D for Danger, and brighter than Diva.

Dionysus is a medium-deep cool wine red in a creamy satin finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is slightly darker and cooler than Diva, and slightly cooler than Dark Side.

Double Fudge is a dark warm reddened brown in a creamy satin 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 slightly warmer than Antique Velvet, and more brown than Media.

Burnt Violet is a dark cool wine purple in a creamy satin finish. This is a permanent 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 reddened than Smoked Purple, and more purple than Media.

Hellebore, Stallion, Blue Beat, and Galaxy Grey
Hellebore, Stallion, Blue Beat, and Galaxy Grey

Hellebore is a medium-dark cool violet purple in a creamy satin finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker and cooler than Heroine, and darker and warmer than Recollection Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour.

Stallion is a deep dark neutral black in a creamy satin 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 warmer than In the Spirit.

Blue Beat is a dark cool navy blue in a creamy satin finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker and cooler than Matte Royal.

Galaxy Grey is a medium cool greyed lavender in a creamy satin 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 lighter and more grey than 4Eva, and darker and more grey than Love & Cherished.

While it might be an overstatement, Liptensity is MAC's most impressive — and most technologically advanced — lip formula to date. It has a cushy, creamy, gel-based texture that feels ultra-smooth and comfortable and hydrating, but gives off beautifully rich, saturated colour with a slight sheen that dries down to a satin finish. It's almost as if the Huggable Lipcolours and Pro Longwear Lip Cremes had a baby (which might explain why both of those ranges were discontinued). Like both formulas, the Liptensity lipsticks seem to cling to the lips so that colour doesn't bleed or fade, and wears evenly for at least four hours (up to eight for the brighter and darker shades). They also seem to make the lips appear smoother and more plump, which is a nice bonus.

What sets Liptensity apart, though, is the amount of pigmentation and colour fidelity — meaning, what you see is what you get and what it will stay as during wear time. According to MAC, "Liptensity contains pre-saturated pigment combined with a clear base — unlike most lipstick bases that are more opaque or 'muddier' — to give a 'true' colour. When people say that the 'colour stays true,' it's not always true because it acts with your own chemistry." So MAC worked with Seaberg to adjust the shades and remove any undertones that made colour look muddy. Though the majority of people are not tetrachromats, the result of working on this lipstick range with someone who does have tetrachromacy is truly amazing colour purity and vibrancy. It's a nicely curated range, too, so there is something for everyone, including some funky shades that aren't so dupeable. Overall, Liptensity is a gorgeous new lipstick formula that should appeal to everyone of all ages and all complexions. And the best part is that it will be permanent.