MAC x Steve J & Yoni P: Lipstick in Spotlight Me, Candy Yum-Yum, A Killing Smile, and Yoni Crush

Last Thursday, MAC launched their collaboration with Korean design duo, Steve J & Yoni P: "Strike a spunky balance between flirty frills and sporty thrills. Now, the couple introduces a MAC collection as cheeky and progressive as their fashion! Pinks, smoky-warm neutrals and playful, graphic packaging tap into the vibe of Seoul street style." This collection features a total of 14 products, eight of which are new and limited edition, and six of which are permanent and re-promoted in special packaging. Steve J & Yoni P sees the launch of four shades of lipstick, of which three are new and limited edition and one is permanent. (Please note that I did not buy Candy Yum-Yum from this collection, but have included a swatch of it for this review.) They are housed in special edition baby pink tubes with a playful graphic mouth illustration on the side. Each lipstick contains a total of 3 grams of product, and retails for $21. Steve J & Yoni P is available online and in select MAC Store locations only, so check your local stores to see if they are carrying the collection. These lipsticks are not applicable as free products in the Back to MAC recycling program.
Spotlight Me, A Killing Smile, and Yoni Crush
Spotlight Me, A Killing Smile, and Yoni Crush
Spotlight Me, Candy Yum Yum, A Killing Smile, and Yoni Crush

Spotlight Me is a light-medium warm peachy coral in an Amplified Creme 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 darker and more pinked than Ravishing, more peach than Shanghai Spice, and brighter than Coral Bliss.

Candy Yum Yum is a medium cool neon pink with blue undertones in a Matte 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 cooler and brighter than Pink Pigeon, brighter than Personal Statement, and lighter and brighter than Ambrosial.

A Killing Smile is a medium-dark neutral-cool vibrant fuchsia red 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 cooler and more pink than Relentlessly Red, warmer than All Fired Up, and darker and more red than Impassioned. 

Yoni Crush is a medium-dark warm vibrant apple red in an Amplified Creme 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 warmer than Russian Red, lighter than Dare You, and warmer and more muted than Mulling Spices.

This collection as a whole is meant to reflect the playful and flirty aesthetic of Steve J & Yoni P, and I really think MAC did a great job at executing their vision with these lip shades. All four go on smoothly and evenly with full colour pay-off, and are also in line with the Korean lip trend right now (e.g. bright oranges, reds, and pinks dabbed on with the most colour in the centre of the lips to create a gradient effect). I do wish they had re-promoted a muted coral-red like See Sheer, Crosswires, or Brick-O-La as the permanent shade in this collection since those are the bestselling shades in Korea right now and are far more widely flattering than the ultra blue-toned Candy Yum Yum. That having been said, the three new and limited edition shades have plenty of dupes within MAC's permanent lipstick range, so I would check your stash to see if you have anything similar first. Otherwise, these four shades are fun, playful shades that are perfect for summer.