Buying MAC lipsticks can be overwhelming. There are so many colors, so many finishes, and so many “must-have” posts and videos to view prior to making your purchase.

Well, get read, because I’m throwing another one at you.

The best thing to do before purchasing anything is research. With makeup, especially high-end makeup, it’s extremely beneficial to see the product on other people. Why do you think the beauty blog and Youtube worlds are so popular? While I don’t have enough lipsticks (in my opinion) to share the top 10 must-haves just yet, I do want to talk about a few of my favorites. When I say favorite, I mean these are the shades I keep on heavy rotation and add to my travel or weekender bag without a second thought.

As always, I’m NC 45/NC 50 in foundation shades for your reference. Listed in no particular order–because let’s be real, I love them all equally* for different reasons–these are my favorite MAC lipstick shades:

5 Must-Have MAC Lipsticks for WOC

1. Amorous
2. Captive
3. Twig
4. Whirl
5. Diva

Amorous

Amorous is described by MAC as a “lovestruck cranberry” with a satin finish. I personally don’t get anything on the side of cranberry, but I love the color nonetheless. On my lips, it’s more of a cool-tone pink with plum undertones. Amorous a color I like to wear as the everyday mauve shade. It provides enough color to be noticed, but not so much to be the focus.

Captive

I know what you’re thinking — Chelsey, this looks just like Amorous! And to that I say, you’re pretty much right. The average person does not need both Captive and Amorous, one will do just fine. I happen to have both because I was so indecisive as to which one I wanted that I decided to leave with them and return whichever one I decided against. Clearly, I never got around to it…not to mention, there is a small difference between Captive and Amorous. Captive is on the warmer pink side, while Amorous is more cool-toned.

Captive is a pinkish-plum color with a satin finish that I reach for when I want a little flush of color without opting for a bold lip.

Twig

I’ve raved about Twig before in a monthly favorites post, and with good reason. Before Whirl, Twig was my all-time favorite. It actually looks a little pinker in the photograph than in real life, but this is what I deem as the “your lips but better” color. Twig is a soft brownish pink shade, suitable for a variety of skin tones. It blends with your natural lip color to bring out the best shade, so keep that in mind while purchasing: it will not look the same on everyone.

The best thing about Twig is the satin finish, meaning it provides a nearly matte look without the drying factor.

Whirl

*Okay so I said that I love them all equally for different reasons, but I have to admit that Whirl is my all-time favorite. It takes precedence over the rest because the color is everything I never knew I needed. It was even featured in my most recent favorites post.

Easily, Whirl was the most talked about lipstick shade a few years ago. While it was almost annoyingly overexposed, I’m actually glad the hype happened; otherwise, we may never have gotten this shade in lipstick form. If you didn’t know, Whirl was previously only available as a lip liner. Now, it’s a permanent shade in the lipstick range.

The important thing to note about MAC’s Whirl (and all neutral lip colors) is that it doesn’t look the same on everyone. I bought it because I liked the shade in the tube, but I was a bit skeptical as to how it would look on me. To my surprise, I immediately fell in love with it.

Whirl is a beautiful dusty rose shade that works with my natural lip color to create a deeply muted everyday shade. A lipliner is not required, but I usually pair it with MAC’s Plum liner to play up the deeper tones and add more dimension. The shade is a matte finish, which is my only gripe. Satin is the best of both worlds, so I do wish MAC chose a satin finish to keep Whirl away from the dry feeling after a few hours of wear.

Diva

Diva is also a matte finish and is a gorgeous deep red shade with blue undertones. If cherry red isn’t your cup of tea but you aren’t quite ready for a nearly black lip, Diva is the happy medium. Diva is my go-to shade for a night out when I want to wear a bold lip, and I even wore it on the most recent outfit of the day post.

What are some of your favorite MAC lipstick shades?

Love this Post? You may also like:

• 5 Nude Lipsticks for Dark Skin
• ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip Swatches
• The 7 Best Red Liquid Lipsticks for Dark Skin
• Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipsticks

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