MAC Lustre Lipstick- Dreaming Dahlia (Spring 2014)

I used to be a total MAC devotee. I still enjoy some of their products- and swear by my brushes- but the multiple LE releases that require one to be on the site at the moment of release finally turned me off. However, I picked up a couple of pieces recently that I've been loving.

Dreaming Dahlia is a lustre lipstick from the Spring 2014 Fantasy of Flowers Collection, which was launched mid-February. Unlike other recent collections, it seems that there's a decent amount of stock available.  It is described as "sheer red-coral."  I agree. It looks far more vivid in the tube than it does on the lips.

Dreaming Dahlia is packaged in the traditional MAC lipstick tube.

Although the description states that it's a sheer color, it appears to pack quite a punch.  This is quite accurate.  This vivid color is what really sold me on picking it up.

I think Dreaming Dahlia would be a lovely shade for easing into spring, or for those who are a bit afraid of such a cheery, poppy-coral color.  Remember how this is a sheer shade?  I think the color payoff may surprise you.

I swatched this with one pass (left) and two passes (right).  This is a buildable, sheer color.

Outside, without flash:

Outside, with flash:

Inside, without flash:

Inside, with flash:

I find either of the outdoor swatches to be closest to what I experienced in real life.  I find this to be beautiful, and a unique color in my stash.  I enjoy the formula more than I remembered.  This is almost balm-like in how it sits on the lips and is buildable. I can see this becoming a go-to this spring because it's very workable. One swipe on my pigmented lips gives just a hint of color, and two brings my lips into spring.

I tested this over two days.  I got about three hours of wear without eating or drinking.  However, the formula behaved nicely and didn't fall into lines on my lips or call attention to spots I needed to exfoliate.


Bottom Line: I forgot what a great value MAC lipstick are at $16.  I think that this is a universally flattering color for spring, and the buildable formula is a great way for even the color-phobic to ease into spring.  This is a LE shade, but should be readily available via MAC counters and MAC's website.