Tampabay.com

MAY 19, 2011

Review: Lady Gaga Viva Glam MAC lipstick

gaga_for_mac.jpgI try to exercise restraint when it comes to impulse register purchases, because if I didn't, I'd have buckets of ChapSticks and Tide To Go pens and AA batteries and iTunes gift cards I don't need.

But it was a little harder at the MAC counter.

I recently dashed into the International Plaza store to pick up my fave brow pencil ("Lingering" is the shade for you blondies), and as I was checking out, I saw it.

The new Lady Gaga Viva Glam lipstick.

MAC has sold Viva Glam celebrity products for ages to benefit AIDS causes, which is great. And I'm an unabashed Lady Gaga fan. I've seen her in concert and even dressed like her for Halloween a couple years back (I can't tell you how many tracks of blond weave it took to make that hair button). I like to crank Born This Way when my stomach laps over my pants to remind myself I was BORN with a cupcake in my mouth. Or something.

vivalipstick.jpgThat wouldn't be enough to make me cave, typically. But I was also intrigued by the color -- or, rather, lack of color. It looked totally nude in the tube, but kind of brownish and pretty on her in the hyper-airbrushed Vaseline lens photo. Would it be the perfect shade to match my beloved smokey eyes? Or was I just kidding myself? Rather than humiliate myself and ask the MAC clerks to slather a pop singer's shade all over my face at the register, I just threw it down and paid the $14.50 (ouch, it hurts).

It put it on as soon as I got in the car (duh). It is SERIOUSLY nude folks. It's like concealer-level nude. It was a little jarring at first, almost theatrical, which makes sense given Lady Gaga once repelled from a stage bleeding from the chest claiming it was some ode to Princess Diana. I topped it with some Sephora sheer lip gloss from my purse, and it instantly softened the look. I've actually worn it quite a few times that way.

Which leads me to the biggest annoyance of all. There was a Lady Gaga Viva Glam lip gloss in the same shade. If I had taken the time to let the sweet little man wearing eyeliner help me, I could have saved myself a step and just bought that.

Le sigh.

Deal Diva Stephanie

Photos: MAC

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THE AUTHORS

Stephanie Hayes came out of the womb wearing high heels. While other kids were reciting multiplication tables, she was learning to calculate an extra third off the half-price discount during buy-one-get-one week. She loves animal prints, black mascara and anything that sparkles. She objects to visible panty lines, Crocs and anything that costs more than a car payment. And she doesn't drive a nice car. She can be reached at (727) 893-8857 or shayes@tampabay.com.

Katie Sanders foolishly spurned pretty dresses and shoes as a child, tossing new clothes over her shoulder at birthday parties with a totally rude "no, thank you." Her drab days of monocolor outfits are over now, and she certainly knows better than to turn down free stuff. Her wardrobe mixes classic with quirk. Think blazers with statement necklaces, and lots of patterned ballet flats. She can be reached at 850) 224-7263 or ksanders@tampabay.com..

Kameel Stanley has never encountered a thrift store she didn’t like. Her mother taught her that the true value of clothes isn’t how much they cost, but how many outfits one can create from them. Having grown up in Michigan, she was delighted to learn upon moving to Florida that she almost never needed to wear socks or boots again. There’s a lot of turnover in her closet, and she’s obsessed with dresses, necklaces and wedge heels. She can be reached at (727) 893-8643 or kstanley@tampabay.com.

A disciple of the little black dress classics school, Letitia Stein stretches her budget by looking for styles with staying power. She lives for 80 percent off shoes at DSW, floral sundresses and bohemian chic tops. She confesses to being a bit of a snob when it comes to handbags and jewelry. She can be reached at (813) 226-3400 or lstein@tampabay.com.

From camo pants and construction boots to sundresses, sweaters and sling backs, Keyonna Summers knows how to make all of it rock -- at rock bottom prices. A Detroit native, Keyonna delves into her urban roots to find fashion pairings that give a nod to street fashion while maintaining the class of the modern, professional woman. She believes in searching for affordable clothes that look expensive and can easily be dressed up or down. You won't find plaid shirts or fleece jackets in her closet; the only hiking Keyonna does is to the bargain basement. She can be reached at (727) 445-4153 or ksummers@tampabay.com.

Coming from a long line of fashionable women, Kim Wilmath considers herself lucky to fit into their hand-me-downs. Her wardrobe staples include her grandma's vintage blouses and her mom's funky jewelry. When she's in the market for "new" items, Kim hits her favorite thrift stores -- a habit she also picked up from mom. But when circumstances require a visit to the shiny stores in the mall, you'll find Kim at the sale rack like a good little diva. She can be reached at (813) 661-2442 or kwilmath@tampabay.com.

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