THE PURPLE LIPSTICK TREND REIGNS AGAIN
July 27, 2023 by Cat Quinn
Walk into any nightclub bathroom in the 80s and you’d find someone touching up their purple lipstick . The shade was as loud as the beats coming from the main dance floor — and that was the whole point. “Creamy and glossy purple lip colours were a go-to for Black women in the 80s,” says Fatima Thomas, M·A·C Senior Artist. “A deep, cool violet looked fantastic on richer skin tones and gave a welcomed alternative to burgundy and red. It was more edgy and exciting.”
Purple lipstick didn’t die with disco — it just got a little darker and grungier. “The 90s gave us dirty, muted purples and matte lipstick finishes,” says Thomas; though one lipstick colour stayed true throughout the decade and became a household name by the mid-aughts. “M·A·C Heroine brought purple to the contemporary forefront of beauty,” Thomas says. Paired with clean, dewy skin, glossy lids and lots of mascara, this shade can mean something different to everyone. “Purple has so many associations: creativity, mystery, royalty, sophistication,” Thomas says. The only question is: Which persona do you want to convey today?
Purple lipstick didn’t die with disco — it just got a little darker and grungier. “The 90s gave us dirty, muted purples and matte lipstick finishes,” says Thomas; though one lipstick colour stayed true throughout the decade and became a household name by the mid-aughts. “M·A·C Heroine brought purple to the contemporary forefront of beauty,” Thomas says. Paired with clean, dewy skin, glossy lids and lots of mascara, this shade can mean something different to everyone. “Purple has so many associations: creativity, mystery, royalty, sophistication,” Thomas says. The only question is: Which persona do you want to convey today?
MACXIMAL SILKY MATTE LIPSTICK
£18.75
Our iconic Matte Lipstick is now bigger and better – with more colour, more comfort, more wear. The matte formula you know and love is upgraded to a silkier, smoother texture in pigment-rich hues – from iconic to new. Glide on for maxed-out colour with 12hr wear.
Swap your go-to red Lipstick with a purple hue such as M·A·Cximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Everybody's Heroine.
M·A·Cximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Everybody's Heroine is the purple hue on everyone's lips this season.
Match lips and lids for a full-face monochromatic moment.
HOW TO GET THE TREND
LOOK 1: Make a bold statement with runway-ready purple lipstick – that pays homage to grunge makeup.
- Even out skin tone with your chosen shade of Studio Radiance Face And Body Radiant Sheer Foundation.
- Press Cream Colour Base in Pearl onto your eyelids using a large shader brush.
- Line your upper lash lines and waterlines with Eye Kohl in Feline.
- Give your lips a smooth base by applying Prep + Prime Lip.
- Colour lips using MACximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Everybody's Heroine for an iconic purple finish.
Studio Radiance Face and Body Radiant Sheer Foundation
£26.25
An ultra-light, waterproof foundation that provides a sheer buildable veil of coverage with a natural, radiant glow.
Cream Colour Base
£19.50
A creamy formula that imparts colour and a sheer, dewy finish with various effects.
Prep + Prime Lip Primer
£16.50
A colour-free lip primer that adds light moisture, smoothes and refines.
MACXIMAL SILKY MATTE LIPSTICK
£18.75
Our iconic Matte Lipstick is now bigger and better – with more colour, more comfort, more wear. The matte formula you know and love is upgraded to a silkier, smoother texture in pigment-rich hues – from iconic to new. Glide on for maxed-out colour with 12hr wear.
Pair M·A·Cximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Everybody's Heroine with Pigment in Rich Purple for an iconic finish.
