I've been waiting for this launch ever since Rihanna collaborated with MAC Cosmetics back in 2014. Ahoy, ladies and gentlemen, Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipstick collection is finally here and I am more than ready to talk about it! Let's get down to the nitty-gritty, shall we?
Product Overview
Claims: long-wearing/ petal-soft matte finish/ light as air/ no bleeding or feathering/ colour-intense/ flatters all skin tones
Colours: currently there are 14 shades available, ranging all the way from nude to navy.
Price: 18 USD (95 AED in the UAE) for 1.7g/ 0.06 oz (comparison: MAC lipstick is 18.50 USD for 3g/ 0.1 oz).
Packaging: unlike your classic lipstick, Mattemoiselle comes in a very slim, pale rose gold tube. Although it looks like metal, this is a plastic packaging, so it feels extremely weightless when you hold it. The closure is quite good, with cap sitting tight on the base. As you can see from my cover image, these guys have a rounded/slanted tip with Fenty Beauty logo on it. Given the fact that this is a very dainty lipstick, it is also quite fragile and I would recommend twisting it up/pressing onto your lips with care.
Formula: although all shades are supposed to have the same formula, from my experience with 10 of these - I have to say that they don't feel/apply the same. Certain colours are a bit dry/powdery (similar to MAC's Retro Matte), while others are quite smooth and creamy (similar to MAC's Satin). One thing I have to add though - they all feel quite lightweight on the lips, having a bit of transfer. This formula has no scent or taste. Most of the shades I have been testing had a foolproof and opaque coverage, while some needed at least two layers to get there. Fenty Beauty is cruelty-, parabens-, sulfates-, phthalates-free.
Application: now, this is when I have to confess that as much as I would want to believe in the brand's claim -"you can effortlessly define lips with the ultimate control" - from my experience it took me a bit more than that. I am quite used to working with a traditional lipstick shape, which is wider and pointier, so a smaller/rounded tip caught me off guard. Plus having bigger lips - I did feel the need of a lip brush to access all the nooks and crannies in order to apply colour with an extra precision; a technique I use with all of my bold lipsticks anyway, so it is not that big of a deal for me personally. You can use a lip liner if you want to (Rihanna doesn't have any yet, but KVD have plenty and you can look for a colour-match here). Other than that, these are incredibly user-friendly: they glide on like butter, layer easily and are true to colour. These might accentuate texture and dryness, so always exfoliate your lips beforehand.
Wear & Finish: depending on the colour you are using, you will either get a velvet-matte or satin finish (with a slight sheen). I like both finishes and find them to be more or less similar in terms of longevity. Certain shades are a touch more drying than others, but with a little bit of lip balm - you won't even have to worry about that. I would say that on me these last up to 6-7 hours. I do touch-up/reapply them after meals, which is - again - something I do with all of my matte lipsticks anyway. If you are a busy girl/boy on the go, you might want to carry a portable lip brush with you too; I highly recommend Laura Mercier Lip Colour Brush that comes with a protective cap (a tool you will find 99.9% of the time in my bag).
Swatches
I am sure most of you are excited about this part of the review - it's a hand and lip swatches time! I use natural daylight and never alter my swatches, so that you can see what all of these lipsticks look like in real life. FYI: I am #150 in Pro Filt'r Foundation (Shell in Hourglass, NC20 in MAC, Light Neutral in Tarte). My hands are darker than my face (if you have any handcream with SPF recommendations, I am all ears).
This review excludes next shades: S1ngle, Spanked, Griselda, Clapback.
please click on image if you want to zoom in
SAW-C Description: "Exotic Tangerine" (hands down the most yellow-based orange I have ever tried)
UP 2 NO GOOD Description: "Nude Peach" (the lightest shade available with a very warm/peach undertone)
FRECKLE FIESTA Description: "Spiced Terracotta" (warm, burnt mid-toned orange with a retro feel to it)
SHAWTY Description: "Warm Chestnut" (medium brown with a warm undertone)
PMS Description: "Moody Brown" (dark, neutral 70% chocolate brown)
ONE OF THE BOYZ Description: "Wild Lilac" (white-based, pale purple with a faint pink hue)
YA DIG?! Description: "Periwinkle Blue" (it's a true periwinkle blue but I don't dig it)
MIDNIGHT WASABI Description: "Wicked Green" (aka mid-toned army green)
CANDY VENOM Description: "Electric Pink" (bright, hot pink with a cool undertone)
MA'DAMN Description: "Royal Red" (blue-toned medium red with a hint of pink)
Personal Favourites: Ma'Damn (of course!), PMS, Midnight Wasabi (if I ever wear green, it will be it).
Not-So-Favourites: Saw-C (I just can't with the vivid yellow undertone as I find it very unflattering on me personally; it oddly reminds me of my favourite Korean spicy carrot salad though...yum!). Although they look kinda cool, One Of The Boyz and Ya Dig?! might make your teeth look a touch yellow.
Verdict
Overall, I do think Fenty Beauty team did a very good job with the Mattemoiselle launch. You might not need/want all colours, but there is certainly a unique shade here for everyone. Browns in particular have an excellent texture; they feel incredibly creamy and even a touch hydrating on the lips. I was afraid that some of the funky cool-toned shades would feel chalky, gritty or dry - but thankfully none of that turned out to be the case. Although I don't think I am cool enough to rock One Of The Boyz or Ya Dig?! out and about - it is so refreshing to see avant-garde colours like this available at Sephora. I also love the fact that these are universally flattering (except Up 2 No Good, which would require a darker lip liner on someone with a medium or deep complexion). There is not even a single bad lipstick here; quality is pretty consistent.
Now, there might be a bit of a learning curve when it comes to application (due to this lipstick's rather slim shape), but even with a lip brush it takes me not more than two minutes to define my pout. If I could only buy one colour, I would certainly go with Ma'Damn. It's the most royal of reds and due to its drier matte formula, it does look like velvet on the lips. I hope Rihanna adds more colours to this collection; I would love to see a few more neutrals and mauves, as well as deeper wine or purple shades. Other than that, I think Mattemoiselle lipsticks are lovely and give them my A-.
Available exclusively at sephora.com and sephora.ae
