Red Lipstick Face-Off: MAC Ruby Woo vs MUA Lip Boom Bring It.

It’s Face-Off time once again at Indian Shringar and today and we’re talking red lipsticks. Which ones you ask? Well, none other than the iconic MAC Ruby Woo vs MUA Lip Boom in Bring It. I had briefly spoken about MAC Ruby Woo in a post last year, when I showed you my small collection of red lipsticks. (read the post here). The MUA Lip Boom Bring It was part of my November Vellvette Bag this year (full post here). The minute I saw the colour of the Lip Boom, I went “Eureka…here’s a dupe for Ruby Woo!” And that was when I decided that I would do a face off between these two red lipsticks.
Red Lipsticks: MAC Ruby Woo and MUA Lip Boom Bring It.

Lineage

MAC – Makeup Artist Cosmetics – is a brand that was started in Canada in 1984. It was taken over by Estee Lauder Companies in 1996.
MUA – MakeUp Academy – is a British brand that promises good quality makeup at affordable prices. I tried to find information on when the brand was started etc, but couldn’t find anything.
MUA Lip Boom Bring It and MAC Ruby Woo

Packaging

Packaging MAC Ruby Woo and MUA Lip Boom Bring It

Do I need to say anything about MAC lipstick packaging? Who doesn’t know the black packaging that looks like a bullet? The people who designed the packaging must have thought that a lipstick is a woman’s weapon (in a manner of speaking) so why not make it look like bullet.

MUA Lip Boom comes in a cylindrical tube with lipstick on one end and gloss on the other. The lipstick end also has a little detachable pot of lipstick which I forgot to photograph. Because of the attached gloss, the entire tube is much longer than a regular tube of lipstick.

Colour and Texture

Swatches of MAC Ruby Woo and dupe MUA Bring It
MUA Lip Boom Bring It on the Left and MAC Ruby Woo on the Right.
MAC Ruby Woo is a Retro Matte lipstick which in MAC’s parlance means “drier than the Sahara” kind of dry texture that gives a totally matte look. Of course, it is also famous as being a true red colour with blue undertones. Red as in the red crayon that is the favourite of most children, not vermilion, just pure red. If your lips aren’t prepped and hydrated, Ruby Woo is going to make them look really dehydrated as well as feel very uncomfortable.
MUA Lip Boom Bring It is an almost identical dupe of Ruby Woo. It is a tinge deeper but that is probably because of it’s texture, which, though matte, isn’t a powder matte like Ruby Woo. It gives a satin-matte finish that is more comfortable than Ms. Woo. This lipstick can be unforgiving too if your lips are dry, so make sure to prime your lips first.
Swatches of MAC Ruby Woo and dupe MUA Bring It with gloss
Left: MUA Lip Boom Bring It lipstick, Center: MUA Lip Boom Bring It Gloss, Right: MAC Ruby Woo
I have swatched the MUA Lip Boom gloss in the center and have also applied it on the lower half of both the lipstick swatches. Don’t they look IDENTICAL??? Initially, when I saw the gloss, I felt that the glitter particles were too big and chunky and would feel gritty and look garish. Boy, was I wrong! Once layered lightly over the lipstick, the glitter doesn’t look big and chunky at all. It makes the lipstick look shimmery and three dimensional and also makes the lips appear fuller. The glitter doesn’t feel gritty either but does transfer onto glasses etc.

Lip Swatches with Lipstick

Can you guess which one is MUA Lip Boom and which one is MAC Ruby Woo?
Lip Swatches of red lipstick, MAC Ruby Woo and dupe MUA Lip Boom.
MAC Ruby Woo on upper lip and MUA Lip Boom on lower lip. Picture taken in white light without flash.
Lip swatch of MAC Ruby Woo and its dupe MUA lip boom Bring It
MAC Ruby Woo on upper lip and MUA Lip Boom on lower lip. Picture taken in yellow light without flash.

Lip Swatches with Lipstick + Lipgloss

Red lipstick and gloss lip swatch MAC Ruby Woo and dupe MUA Lip Boom Bring It.
MAC Ruby Woo on upper lip, MUA Lip Boom on lower lip. MUA Lip Boom gloss layered over both. Picture taken in white light without flash.
Red lipstick and gloss lip swatch MAC Ruby Woo and dupe MUA Lip Boom Bring It.
Upper Lip, MAC Ruby Woo, Lower Lip, MUA Lip Boom Bring It. Lip Boom gloss layered over both. Picture taken in soft yellow light without flash.
MAC Ruby Woo and dupe MUA Lip Boom Bring It, red lipstick worn with gloss.
Upper Lip, MAC Ruby Woo, Lower Lip, MUA Lip Boom Bring It. Lip Boom gloss layered over both. Picture taken in yellow light without flash

These pics however, don’t do justice to the beauty of the lipstick+gloss combination. In person, it looks superfantabulous and attention grabbing. I wish I could have taken the pics in daylight like I did with the hand swatches because you can see the brightness of the colours in day light. But by the time I managed to do lip swatches, it was already quite dark so I had to take pics in artificial light.

Longevity

Both these red lipsticks, MAC Ruby Woo and MUA Bring It are realllllly long lasting. They easily last through a whole evening of dinner and clubbing with minimal fading (we’re taking 6+ hours here). Both of them stain the lips and need a good makeup remover to properly remove them.

However, applying the gloss does cut down into the wear time of both lipsticks by an hour or so and also makes them more vulnerable to transfer.

Price

                                      MAC Ruby Woo and dupe MUA Lip Boom Bring It
MAC Ruby Woo is priced at ₹990 for 3 gms. (Price in USA is $15 which is approx ₹920)
MUA Bring It is priced at  ₹1050 for 2.5gms of lipstick + 3.5ml gloss. (Price in UK is £3 which is just ₹300! And it is currently on sale at £2 which makes it just ₹200. Why has the Delhi based Kanwar Corporation priced it at ₹1050? Surely customs duty isn’t that high!)
       

So….I really can’t make up my mind as to which red lipstick is the winner in this face off. I think I would declare it a tie. If you are MAC-obsessed, then you can go for Ruby Woo. But if, like me, you aren’t that crazy about all things MAC, I would suggest that you buy the MUA Lip Boom in Bring It. It’s just Rs. 60 more than MAC (in India, though far, far cheaper if you buy it abroad) and comes with a gloss that makes this red lipstick even more beautiful. And the lipstick texture is more comfortable than MAC’s Retro Matte.

Have you used either of these red lipsticks? Which one is your favourite? What other products would you like to see featured in the “Face-Off” series?

43 Replies to “Red Lipstick Face-Off: MAC Ruby Woo vs MUA Lip Boom Bring It.”

  1. Absolutely love such post! 😀

  2. Glad you liked it 🙂

  3. Welcome to my blog. Ive been your follower since quite some time ))

  4. Even with customs, this kind of price isnt justified.

  5. Absolutely agree with you Esha.

  6. Get MUA from UK if u can. Very over-priced here.

  7. Not if you buy it in India. Here it’s very expensive 🙁

  8. I’m not too MAC obsessed though they do have some products which are worth the hype.

  9. Whwn I has first swatched the gloss it looked chunky, but when I wore it, I was pleasantly surprised. Try yours. I think you’ll like it 🙂

  10. Wow these really are similar – especially with the gloss over, you can’t tell the difference!
    Great post 🙂 #bsp

    Jess xo

  11. Sony Mansoori says: Reply

    I love Mac products and it never hurts to have a good red lipcolor

  12. Loved both the shades, looks lovely on your lips.

  13. Love the shade.

  14. Dr_philamazan says: Reply

    mua is so cheap
    a good dupe 🙂

  15. Cosmochics says: Reply

    I so want to buy the MUa one!!! I am surprised seeing the price though! lovely clicks!

  16. Esha Gupta says: Reply

    I hate the fact that Indian retailers sell MUA stuff at such obscene rates!!! It is so close to MAC ruby woo, could have been a great dupe..

  17. Divya Pandey says: Reply

    Wow.loved both the shades.. 🙂 #BSP

  18. oh wow!! who knew a humble mua lipstick will turn out to be a dupe of such a cult MAC Shade. Shocked to see the price its retailing in India though!

  19. Nivedita B says: Reply

    Oh dear!! This is just awesome! The shade goes to my next MUA haul! How come I didn’t know you had a blog? Following you on GFC.

  20. Tarannum Manjul says: Reply

    I love this Face off…. great LOTD…. Ruby Woo is indeed on my list

  21. I haven’t checked Jabong (not much of an online shopper). The price I’ve mentioned is the actual price sticker on the product.

  22. They look identical on the lips 🙂

  23. Its an awesome face-off 😉 .. Great post sweets 🙂
    I’m eyeing MAC Ruby Woo next 🙂

  24. indiangirlsera says: Reply

    wow kya shade hai!!! 😀

  25. Richa Saxena says: Reply

    They look quite identical! I am gonna definitely look into this one…I have been planning to get Ruby woo since a long timme…Will definitely check this one out! Lovely Post dear 🙂

  26. MyBeautyJunction says: Reply

    I’m not an M.A.C. person and I like whatever I’ve used of MUA so far (eye primer, eyeliner, shadows) so I’m with MUA!! Btw I thought Lip Boom was on Jabong for 500-ish? They upped the prices too? Gosh that’s horrible! Five times the UK rate!

  27. Natasha Bhatt says: Reply

    nice comparison Dollie ,,, mua is a cheaper option if u get it frm their website when they have free shipping

  28. What colour do you have? Maybe the shade isn’t as pigmented as this one is?

  29. Yup…identical 🙂

  30. You’re right Tapaswini. Wonder why the Indian importers have priced it so high. You can see the picture I’ve attached now. Talk about fleecing the Indian consumers.

  31. The shades are identical but if you want MUA, tell someone to get it from UK. Much cheaper there.

  32. Nice comparison.. i guess most of us will be very happy to see a ruby woo dupe.. I guess MUA’s are much cheaper. 🙂

  33. Tapaswini Swain says: Reply

    very nice pics! loved the swatches! i would no doubt go for mac ruby woo, n dear mua lip booms cost only 5 dollars that is nearly 300 bucks and not 1050 as mentioned in post!

  34. Pooja Mittal says: Reply

    I am a big fan of Mac ruby woo
    Have a great week
    Kisses
    http://www.beingbeautifulandpretty.com

  35. rachna sharma says: Reply

    exact dupe ya!

  36. Get Set Blush says: Reply

    I have MUA lip bloom..but mine doesnt last long at all 🙁
    n great comparison

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