Have you been completely mystified about the various finishes/textures that are available out there??!! Thanks to MAC there are just so many different types in the eyeshadow and lipstick ranges that it leaves a person especially a novice absolutely baffled :p. Trust me I’m one of them. I always end up buying something because I like the color in the pot or the swatch and have never stopped to wonder as to the coverage/ color payoff/ finish I’m getting. Honestly I never knew that it mattered. But on hearing Temptalia reviews and her description of a product leaves me like – Whaaat ?? Veluxe Pearl? Satin?? How about keeping it simple like glitter, more glitter and mega glitter……LOL 😀 just kidding!!! So I’ve decided to do this series where together we will demystify all these various textures and finishes that the makeup world has to offer. 

     Ok, so Im not going to go into obvious descriptions like difference/use between a lipstick, gloss and lip liner. I’m assuming that you are there and these are under your belt. Moving on, I’ll list out all the texture/finishes that are there (or rather I have found during my research at the time – hey if MAC comes up with something new by the time you read this which they probably just might :p just give me a buzz and I’ll update this post). So starting with the basics:

Matte: (Available in various brands)


     This type of lipstick gives the max amount of color payoff and are considered to be the most long lasting. They don’t contain any sort of shimmer but are just a pure color hence give full coverage. But the main drawback of this is that such shades can be drying for the lips so it becomes essential to moisturize your lips awhile before you put on this type of lipstick. They can be very unforgivable by nature as they tend to emphasize your lip imperfections. So apart from mositurizing your lips you must also ensure to scrub them to peel off any dead skin (use a mild natural scrub like sugar granules mixed with some honey for this). I have one lipstick in this finish from MAC – Viva Glam I so I speak from experience.

     I found a fab blog called Karla Sugar. This girl has swatched all the MAC matte shades. But this list was created in 2009. Unless MAC released some new shade in the permanent line this list should cover it all. Click on the following link to check out all the shades – http://karlasugar.net/2009/09/mac-matte-lipsticks/

MAC Russian Red

Source: ebay.co.uk. Nyx Matte Lipsticks

5 out of 8 Matte shades that Revlon offers

Source: beautynewsnyc.com. Clinique Matte Lipsticks

MAC Viva Glam I

Satin: (Available in various brands)


     This is a semi-matte finish which gives the color intensity of a matte lipstick without the dryness. It contains a little bit of shine to it and does not make the lip look dry. They will be less long lasting in comparison to a Matte lipstick. They give a medium to full coverage. Personally, I’m yet to try out this finish. I will update this post with my personal views when I do.

Click on the following link to see MAC Satin swatches by Karla Sugar – http://karlasugar.net/2009/09/mac-satin-lipsticks/

MAC Pink Nouveau

Lakme Enrich Lipstick Shades

Revlon ColorBurst Shade chart

Cream: (Available in various brands)

     A good way to understand this texture would be to say that it gives you all the benefits of a Matte finish minus the drawbacks. Hence you are getting a richly pigmented, full coverage lipcolor which is hydrating but not shiny. This is a popular texture of choice of possibly every makeup brand. I think that all L’Oreal lippies fall majorly into this category.

Source: allurabeauty.com. Clarins cream lipsticks. Spring 2011 collection.

Source: cinemagupshup.com

Amplified Creme: (Specific to MAC)

     This type of finish is exclusive to MAC. It will provide an intense color payoff. The texture is described ultra-creamy and quite shiny. I have one lipstick of this finish – Half N Half. It is a n~de color which I felt was a little dry ie I would grab a lipgloss to put over it to feel absolutely comfortable. It provides medium to full coverage. Due to the rich amount of pigment in it, this type of finish has a tendency to kinda stain your lips so be a little careful while applying especially a dark shade. They last a long time.

Check out Karla Sugar’s blog for the range – http://karlasugar.net/2009/09/mac-amplified-creme-lipsticks/

Source: allure.com. Up the Amp

MAC Half N Half

Cremesheen: (Specific to MAC)

     Another finish which is exclusive to MAC. This is supposed to be a creamy finish which is more moisturizing than Amplified creme but less opaque. They provide medium to full coverage. I do not own any lipstick of this type so can’t contribute my personal views for now. 

Check out the following link to see all the shades available in MAC for this finish – http://karlasugar.net/2008/09/mac-cremesheen-lipstick/

Source: ragingrouge.com. MAC Lavender Whip

Frost: (Available in various brands)

     This type of finish provides medium coverage and high shine n shimmer. They can be further divided into sub-finishes like glitter, pearl, metallic, chrome or iridescent. This type of finish is not recommended for mature lips.

Check out Karla for some MAC swatches – http://karlasugar.net/2009/09/mac-frost-lipsticks/        

Source: vogue.in. MAC Angel

Revlon Moon Drops Range

Glaze: (Specific to MAC)

     As the name suggests, this texture is meant to provide a shine to your lips while imparting a hint of color. They do not provide any coverage per say hence the natural color of the lips would be visible. I do not own any lipstick in this type.

Check out Karla Sugar for some swatches –  http://karlasugar.net/2009/09/mac-glaze-lipsticks/

Source: maketown.jp. MAC Hue

Lustre: (Specific to MAC)

     This finish is gives a more opaque look in comparison to a glaze finish but the remaining qualities are the same. It gives a sheer to medium coverage. Provides shine and moisturization. Again with this the natural color of lips will show through and needless to say that it will look different on your lips than in comparison to the back of your hand so do a lip swatch before buying. I’m apparently a sucker for this one as most of the MAC lippies I own belongs to this finish. But personally for me they come out well in terms of color payoff and I love the silky texture.

Check out Karla Sugar for more info –  http://karlasugar.net/2009/09/mac-lustre-lipsticks/

Source: lepetiteblog.blogspot.com. MAC Lustering

MAC Viva Glam V

     So that concludes this part of the textures series. I hope you found it informative and it helps you to become a little more comfortable with this topic. Do write in your feedback or if I put in some incorrect details then feel free to inform me so that I can update this article. Ciao!