Larie threw this in with my order from her blog sale awhile back, because she is generosity incarnate :) I have many lippies, but few nudes, as they tend to make me look dead, but I thought Viva Glam V, which has been hailed as "universal", might work. And so it does!
Viva Glam V is part of MAC's Viva Glam collection (weird, right?), whose uniqueness lies in the fact that the entire purchase price of any VG lipstick or lipglass (not a typo) go to the MAC AIDS fund. It's basically like donating $15(16! why must MAC raise their prices?!?!?!) to help people and getting a lipstick for your trouble. (Though, again, I got mine for free from Larie, so cannot claim any warm-and-fuzzy self-righteous feelings of my own.)
The shade is described as a "neutral pink with pearl" in the lustre finish, which is supposed to be sheer and moisturizing. It's more nude on me than that description would suggest, but it definitely has pink rather than orange or brown undertones; it's more nude and cooler than Bite Juice, and sheerer and not as pink as Shu Uemura BG 935. The pearl is subtle at one coat but almost frosty when layered; fortunately, the color is subdued enough that it doesn't look too 80s.
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| Left to right: Bite Juice single swipe, Bite Juice built up, MAC Viva Glam V single swipe, Viva Glam V built up, Shu Uemura BG 935 |
I don't find it moisturizing like the cream-finish Plumful (and wow, I'd forgotten what I looked like with longer hair, ha!), but neither is it drying. I get about an hour of wear, but since it's sheer, it doesn't wear off unevenly and it's extremely easy to reapply.
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| Plus, it's great with smokey eyes! |
Grade: B, $16 for 0.1 oz, available from MAC
Have you tried any of the Viva Glams? What do you think of VG V? What's your favorite nude?
