Hello Bandit-eers! 😀
For our next Lipstick Bandits collaboration project, we decided to do something a bit different. We decided to see just how 1 lipstick would look on all of us and after a bit of hmming and hawing, and thanks to the brainwave that is Tracy, the decision was settled on MAC Viva Glam V.

Viva Glam V has been touted as being a lipstick that suits all skintones and preferences that we had to see if it did do that. It is also worth noting MAC’s commendable effort in donating proceeds from sales of all the MAC Viva Glam lipsticks to HIV/AIDS programmes. So purchasing a MAC Viva Glam lipstick is doing a bit of a good deed 🙂
In the tube, Viva Glam V is a deep nude pink that I will confess did not appeal to me. I usually go for brighter toned lipsticks. The texture is a Lustre which is the range of MAC lipsticks that is a little more moisturizing and a bit sheer. But on lips, I was a little surprised.
My lips are naturally a bit pigmented and Viva Glam V goes on, a light sheer nude rose.

This is my natural lip shade, just a bit better. It somehow enhances the pinkness of my lips and does not look flat on at all. It also goes well with my skin tone and does not wash me out the way most nudey lip shades do. I could imagine slicking this on if I had no makeup on because it does enhance my lip colour. However, this is also a colour I don’t like wearing much anymore, because I look better, brighter and fresher, with a touch of brighter colour on my lips. (I wore the same look in the Chanel post earlier today where the only difference was the lip colour. I think the proof is in the pictures 🙂 )

Also featuring: Chanel Ombres Matelassees eyeshadow palette in 51, Montaigne on eyes
I did however pair it here with a slightly more dramatic eye because I don’t think it works on me otherwise. As I have noted, this is my natural lip shade, just better 🙂 Reckon it works on me? 🙂
To see how MAC Viva Glam V looks on the rest of the Lipstick Bandits, click over to their blogs and see if this is indeed a universal colour that flatters everyone :-
- Arianne, at Glitter Geek
- Dani, at Call It Beauty.
- Danielle, at Bloomin’ Beauty Blog
- Jenny, at My Funny Valentine
- Jessica, at Getting Cheeky
- Larie, at Eye Heart It
- Mariella, at Musing On Beauty
- Monika, at Rocaille Writes
- Paris, at My Women Stuff
- Rae, at theNotice: a beauty blog
- Tracy, at Beauty Reflections
- Xiao, at Messy Wands
I do have one small caveat. I do not know if we are able to purchase Viva Glam V locally anymore, because I know that MAC comes up with a new one every year and I don’t know if our local MAC stores stock past versions. Mine was lent to me by Connie because I usually can’t wear MAC lipsticks (I find them too drying, even Lustre ones) and the vanilla scent bugs me. In America and Canada at least, I know that Viva Glam V is still available in stores if you’d like to pick it up and check it out for yourself to see if this is indeed a universal lip shade that suits everyone… including you 😀
Do you own the MAC Viva Glam V Lipstick? Are you a fan of the MAC Viva Glam lipsticks? If you are, do you have a fave?
Paris B
MAC Viva Glam V Lipstick Price: US$14.50 Availability: Local unknown, online at MAC website
Ahhhh!!! Perfect MLBB shade on you! I haven’t actually acquired any MAC lippies yet…but one day…when I get to Duty Free in Asia (just cos it’s so overpriced in good old Aus!)
Thanks Ling! I liked the shade on me but I’m not a fan of MAC lipsticks much. I know, its almost sacrilege >.<
That’s such a lovely ‘My Lips But Better’ shade! Like you, I’m not a fan of MAC’s vanilla scent but I’ve been on the lookout for a MLBB shade for a while so I wouldn’t be surprised if I decided to close both eyes and go for this! After all, it’s for a good cause too! 😉
Thanks Sukie! A reader has suggested Rimmel Airy Fairy as a dupe of this shade if you’d prefer to try it out for colour 😉
It’s really a lovely shade!
Thanks S, it is!
I’ve always wanted to try VG V. It really looks like a MLBB lippie to me! Thanks for the Lipstick Bandits post Paris, I always look forward to these 🙂
Aww we love these posts too Denise! I hope seeing VGV on all 12 of us has given you an idea as to how it will look on you… although as this has shown, you can’t tell till you actually try it for yourself! 😀
Hi love how it’s slightly different on all of us 🙂 Very pretty!
Me too! I wasn’t expecting how different it looks on everyone 🙂
I only bought the Viva Glam Cyndi and Viva Glam Gaga. I do love the color of Cyndi. It is a pretty almost universal pink. Gaga is unwearable because it is too cool.
This looks nice on you, contrary to what I see on the lipstick (haha, looks so awfully brown). However, I must agree that brighter lipsticks do give a bit more perk to the overall energy. =D
HAHA I have Gaga.. had. I gave it away. I much prefer Viva Glam V to Gaga because at least this one is much more wearable. I prefer something bright on lips too. Its perky and uplifting and some days, you just need that 🙂
It is MLBB on you! I feel that way about it, too…well, if my lips were slightly sparkly on their own 😉
Hmm… naturally sparkly lips would be quite unnerving 😉 I loved how it looked on you Larie. It looks so sweetly mauve-pink!
Woah, I think it looks really good on you! C:
Thank you Esther 🙂
You’re so cute!
This is what VGV looks on me, too actually. I love that it flatters our skin tones really nicely :).
Tracy hit it with this one 😀 It does look flattering on us all – thank goodness! Would have been awful if some of us couldn’t pull off this colour 😀 I loved how it looked on you too!
Paris! It looks so *so* lovely on you! (and so does that Chanel palette-eeeek!) All around gorgeous-ness! 🙂
Thank you Danielle! 😀 I loved how it looked on you too, especially layered with coloured glosses. Now, why didn’t I think of that?!
It’s too bad you can’t wear MAC! 🙁 There are so many gorgeous shades. This looks great on you, Paris.
I know Arianne 🙁 I tried one from every style back in the day and the Lustres are the least drying on me but still dry my lips out. I don’t know why. Maybe I should give them another go – I’m eyeing that Ruby Woo and Russian Red for classic reds 🙂
This looks perfect on you Paris! And you look gorgeous with it and all glowy! LOVE.
Thank you Tracy and thank you too for suggesting such a universally flaterring lipstick! 😀
Oh Paris, how pretty is this on you?! And I love your smile in that photo 🙂
Thanks Rocaille! 😀
It’s a shame the formula doesn’t work for your lips! It looks absolutely perfect on you.
? Jessica
Thank you Jessica 😀 I guess I’ll just have to find a similar shade in another lippie 😉
Has anyone mentioned that Rimmel Airy Fairy is a very close dupe? I was already using Airy Fairy before Viva Glam came about. Now I’ve got 2 back ups of Airy Fairy. Ha ha! Jimat 🙂
Thanks for the info Honey! Since MAC’s formula doesn’t agree with me, I could look at Rimmel and see if it does 😉
I think the color suited all of you! Very pretty! Stacie xo
Thank you so much Stacie 🙂 I have to agree too! Everyone looked amazing!
It’s interesting to see how this lipstick turns out on different people and skintones. This is a very good idea – using 1 common product. Cheers to all you Bandits, good job!
We had a great time doing this too Honey! One of the most interesting collabs yet 😀
That’s such a cute pic of you!
I think I agree with you – a brighter pop of colour works better on your skin because you have such a clear, bright, cool (In the Sci/ART colour system I’d pick you as some kind of Winter!) skin tone, but you look so smiley! So its a lovely picture. I love your eye makeup, too.
Thank you Alison 🙂 Yes I’ve been pegged for an Winter/Spring colour tone! I do tend to go for deeper and brighter colours in clothes and makeup. It complements my skin better 🙂
Hey! It looks pretty on you! I haven’t taken the time to think about this lipstick but all I know it’s the kind that I can just slick and go.
Thanks Connie 🙂 I wasn’t expecting it to look any good, but glad it did 🙂
I am enjoying the lipstick bandit post so much! I even visited the other bandit’s site. Addictive. Time to add MAC to my lipstick collection :p
Haha! And we enjoy doing this too! The other girls are awesome!