MAC Twig Dupes and Comparisons

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How to cite: Wong M. MAC Twig Dupes and Comparisons. Lab Muffin Beauty Science. April 28, 2015. Accessed March 29, 2024. https://labmuffin.com/mac-twig-dupes-and-comparisons/

I’ve always been a fan of the brown/rose/mauve family of lipsticks, so when I got my hot little hands on the much-loved MAC Twig, I wasn’t surprised when I loved it. Then I realised that I had an embarrassing number of lipsticks in my collection in the same colour family…so why not do a swatch comparison post?

(This is only about a third of my pinky-browns. Like I said, embarrassing.)mac-twig-dupes

MAC-Twig-dupes

MAC Satin Lipstick in Twig* – This is a lovely pinky-brown colour that’s great for my-lips-but-better looks on darker girls i.e. “Kylie Jenner lips”. It smells pleasantly vanilla. The formula is a bit drying on my lips, but my lips are very prone to dehydration (fat lip life) so most people will fare better. The colour payoff is magnificent, and it’s opaque with one swipe, with a not-quite-matte, not-quite cream finish.

Marc Jacobs Lip Crème in Infamous* – Close colour dupe. This is a tiny bit little pinker than Twig, but has the same sort of finish. It’s very creamy and moisturising for a satin lipstick, with nicely opaque colour payoff. The packaging screams luxury, with a cool magnetic closure that snaps shut with a satisfying click. It’s practically fragrance-free.

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in SultryClose colour dupe. The crayon format of this lipstick makes it very easy to apply, and I love the matte metal detail on the twist-up end, although I’ve found that these Revlon lids crack very easily and then slip off in handbags. The colour is a bit redder than Twig, but it’s pretty damn close! The colour payoff is great. Like other Revlon crayons, this has peppermint oil which gives a minty scent and a weird tingle.

ulta3 Matte Lipstick in Rose BloomClose colour dupe, slightly matter finish. It’s almost the same shade as Revlon Sultry and the colour is fantastically long-lasting. This is an excellent budget option – the main drawback is that the packaging feels flimsy, and the bullet is a bit wobbly in the packaging. Its floral scent also hangs around for a bit, which won’t be to everyone’s liking. It’s a bit drying as well, but for the price it’s hard to complain too much.

NudeStix Lip + Cheek Pencil in Mystic* – Slightly paler. This colour will look fantastic on a lot of people – on me, it looks very muted and nude. It glides on super smoothly and feels fantastic to apply. It’s designed to be a creme blush as well. It’s a bit more expensive for the weight than the other options though, and the pencil requires sharpening (the range comes with a very handy portable sharpener). It’s pretty close to unfragranced.

Neek Skin Organics Lipstick in Friday On My Mind* – This is a 100% vegan and natural lipstick, the only one I have in this colour family. I’ve been told that natural lipsticks are harder to formulate, which might be why the feel isn’t quite as slippery as the other options, but that’s the sacrifice you make if you choose to use non-synthetic products. It takes a few swipes to get good colour payoff, but the colour gives a very natural-looking sheer glow that’s kind of bronze. The packaging has a unique brown cardboard and matte metal theme that survives surprisingly well in my handbag. It’s pretty close to unfragranced.

Face of Australia Lip Quench Moisturising Lipstick in Mocha Latte* – This is a slightly browner shade than Twig. It’s creamy to apply but starts feeling dry after a few hours. The colour payoff is great though, and the tube feels nicely solid – however, it does have a very old-school lipstick scent.

 

mac-twig-comparison

MAC-Twig-dupes

Face of Australia Lasting Looks Lip Creme in For Many a Moon* – This is pinker than Twig, and a bit more sheer but is still easily opaque in two layers. It’s super moisturising and comes in a convenient slim tube. It has a light vanilla scent. This has been one of my favourite everyday lipsticks for a while! The packaging is nice and solid.

NYX Creamy Round Lipstick in Doll – This specific shade isn’t available in Australia – I’ve listed the price of the other round lipsticks, but I remember getting this online for cheaper. It’s a bit more pink/red and less brown than Twig. The scent is a bit weird – slightly soapy? – but I don’t find it unpleasant. Colour payoff is fantastic. The packaging is OK, but definitely feels budget. Thalia and Tea Rose are a bit more grey than this shade, and might look closer to Twig.

Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural in Pink Brick* – This is more orange than Twig, and is sheerer. It’s not so much a solid colour as a lip colour enhancer. I’m a big fan of this shade – it’s the lipstick that turned me into a lipstick fiend – but it’s really not a dupe.

Arbonne Lipstick in Jam* – Super moisturising formula. It’s darker and more maroon than Twig. I’m a big fan of this formula, but this shade is a fair way away from Twig.

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Dusty Rose – Unfortunately discontinued. This shade is a bit more orange than Twig in the base, but combined with the shimmer, the resulting shade is a lot like Twig. You’d think the frosty shimmer would look dated but it’s actually pretty flattering. It’s very hydrating, but it does smell quite flowery. I haven’t tried their new formulation yet, so I’m not sure if there’s anything comparable in their updated line.

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Pink Truffle – This is essentially a glossy, strongly tinted lip balm. It’s as moisturising as you can get, but the flip side is that it tends to be used up faster than regular lipsticks, and a bit messy to apply. It’s no longer stocked in Australian stores but it’s still around overseas (and in the clearance pile if you’re lucky!). No strong scent.

Jane Iredale PureGloss Lip Gloss in Raspberry* – The colour is pretty much the same as Revlon Pink Truffle, with no shimmer. This is very pigmented for a lip gloss, shiny but not too sticky. It comes in a doe-foot applicator tube, and they smell fruity but not artificial.

 

And in handy table form! The price per gram should be taken with a generous sprinkling of salt – different softnesses, lasting power and colour payoff will strongly influence how much use you’ll actually get out of the lipstick.

ProductShadeTone Compared to TwigFinishPresentationNotable FeaturesPrice (AUD)SizePrice per gram ($)
MACTwigSatinWind-up bulletFormula feels drying after a few hours$363 g12.00
Marc Jacobs Lip Crème InfamousClose match - slightly pinkerSatinWind-up bulletLuxe magnetic packaging$433.6 g11.94
Revlon ColorBurst Matte BalmSultry Close match - slightly redderMatteWind-up crayonEasy to apply$17.952.7 g6.648
ulta3 Matte LipstickRose BloomClose match - slightly redderMatteWind-up bulletFlowery fragrance, flimsy packaging$3.953.5 g1.129
NudeStix Lip + Cheek PencilMystic Slightly browner, lighterCremeWooden pencil, fatAlso intended as blush$311.41 g21.99
Neek Skin Organics LipstickFriday On My MindMore bronzeSemi-sheer with slight shimmerWind-up bulletVegan, natural, slightly dragging$384.5 g8.444
Face of Australia Lip Quench Moisturising LipstickMocha LatteBrownerCremeWind-up bulletSlightly drying formula$9.454 g2.363
Face of Australia Lasting Looks Lip CremeFor Many a MoonPinker and sheererSemi-sheer CremeWind-up bullet, slimMoisturising formula$10.954 g2.738
NYX Creamy Round LipstickDoll RedderCremeWind-up bulletNot available in-store in Australia$8.954 g2.238
Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist NaturalPink BrickSheer, slightly orangeSemi-sheer cremeWind-up bullet$353.5 g10.00
Arbonne LipstickJam More maroonSlightly glossy cremeWind-up bullet, slimSuper moisturising formula$372.17 g17.05
Rimmel Moisture Renew LipstickDusty RoseSlightly browner, more shimmerSlightly frostyWind-up bulletSPF 18, Discontinued$13.954 g3.488
Revlon ColorBurst Lip ButterPink TruffleRedder, sheerSheer glossWind-up bulletLip balm texture, no longer available in Australia$21.952.55 g8.490
Jane Iredale PureGloss Lip GlossRaspberryRedder, sheerSheer glossDoe-foot wand tubeLip gloss texture$475 g9.400

Products marked * were press samples, which did not affect my opinion. This post also contains affiliate links – if you decide to click through and support Lab Muffin financially, thank you! For more information, see Disclosure Policy.


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8 thoughts on “MAC Twig Dupes and Comparisons”

  1. Maybelline Touch of Spice is a pretty close dupe as well! It has a matte formula and can be a bit drying, but the colour payoff is pretty amazing for a drugstore lipstick .

    Reply
  2. Serious swatch fest lol! I really like the look of the two FOA options. Different but still pretty close and lovely saturated colour.

    Reply
  3. I am so keen to get Twig. The shade I think will complement my Indian tone skin quite well.It will be my first ever MAC lipstick purchase so I am going to purchase it for myself for Christmas as a gift to myself 🙂
    I may get the Revlon in Sultry though to see whether I like the similar shade enough.

    Reply

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