Can it Be a Dupe for Mac Rebel?

Mac Rebel has a cult following. It is one of the most popular and sold lipsticks that Mac carries. It is up there with Rubby Woo, Viva Glam V and Girl About Town. It is a gorgeous colour no doubt, but is it unique? Is it dupable? I think so.

Mac Rebel and Urban Decay Venom 

Mac Rebel is a pinkish - purple berry colour. I think about ripe raspberries when I look at it. On their website Mac describes it as mid-tonal cream plum. I would disagree, since in my opinion plum shades have a bit more purple in them and less pinky/red. It does look very deep in the bullet with purple hues, so I can see why they described it as such. Upon application however, the colour is less intimidating. Mac Rebel is a Satin formula, which for me falls somewhere in between their Matte and Cremesheen finishes. It is not as creamy as the cremsheen lipsticks but is not as opaque as the matte ones. You can sheer out the colour or wear it as a full on statement lip. I think it works really well for a fall season but if you want you can wear it all year round. Whatever rocks your boat!

A rival that comes very close to Mac Rebel is Urban Decay Revolution lipstick in Venom. They are very similar in texture, the only difference you can pick out is that Venom has more slip to it and a slight shimmer running through it. Mac Rebel has no shimmer. In terms of colour, they are identical. I have tried wearing one on the top lip and another one on the bottom lip and you could not tell the difference. I do think that Mac Rebel has a better staying power as it is less creamy, in a good way. With Venom I suggest using a lipliner for a more precise and even application. Both will stain your lips, but that is expected from darker colours.

Mac Rebel and Urban Decay Venom

Urban Decay Venom Closer Look at the Texture

An aspect that can tip the scales in the favour of Urban Decay Venom for some people is that it is cruelty free. In terms of price they are more or less the same. Mac Rebel retails for 20,50€ while Urban Decay Venom is sold at 21,86€. You can purchase Urban Decay products from Feelunique plus they offer worldwide shipping. 

I think both lipsticks perform great, but do you need both? I don't think so (unless you are a fuchsia, berry tones lover). When deciding which one to get I would say it all boils down to whether you mind a shimmer in your lipstick and how much you value the product not being tested on animals.

Let me know if you have more budget alternatives for berry lipsticks!

Until next time,
Muffy

Vegan Dupe for MAC 217

I would imagine if you are reading this blog you have heard about the famous blending brush MAC 217 in one way or another. 

Zoeva 227 Soft Definer Vegan

I gave into the hype and purchased mine almost a year ago. It has served me well and changed my eyeshadow blending game for the better. That is until I came across a Zoeva 227 Soft Definer Vegan. The two brushes are almost if not completely identical. They have the same oval rounded shape and the hairs are quite densely packed. I would say the Zoeva 227 brush is a little bit more flat, but you can't really see it unless you are super picky. The bristles of both brushes are very soft and gentle on the skin. It does not tag or pull on your eyelids when blending. Both can be used for multiple purposes. I have used them for depositing a wash of colour over my lids when I am going for a one eyeshadow kinda look, or you can use them for blending out cream eyeshadows.

The only major difference between the two is the source of bristles and price. MAC 217 is made of white goat hairs while Zoeva 227 is made of vegan taklon hairs. Moreover, MAC 217 retails for $24,00 or around 22,00€, while Zoeva 227 comes at a very affordable price of 7,80€. Besides the obvious cruelty aspect, animal derived bristles tend to accumulate more bacteria, so you need to wash them more frequently. Also white hairs get stained easily after prolonged use meaning your brush will not look so stark white as when you purchased it.  

MAC 217 and Zoeva 227 side by side

MAC 217 vs Zoeva 227

R-L : Zoeva 227 and MAC 217

Zoeva is a German brand that is best known for their brushes, but they are also carrying makeup nowadays. I have tried a few of their brushes and lipsticks and was never disappointed. It ships worldwide and it costs 7,50€ to ship to Finland. Even with shipping it totals only to 15,30€, which is still cheaper than MAC 217. 

If you are looking for a new blending brush, I say Zoeva 227 Soft Definer Vegan is as good as MAC 217. I have had mine for at least six months and it is as soft and fluffy as when I bought it. It does not shed and is easy to clean. If you are vegan or simply conscious about animal welfare, Zoeva 227 Soft Definer Vegan is what you want to be looking at.

What are your favourite blending brushes?

Cheers,

Muffy