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Her red lips speak the truth.
For years, fans have wondered which lipstick Taylor Swift wore on stage during her Elas tour. The mysterious hue was able to withstand three and a half hours without a break, singing, dancing, and sweating night after night (not to mention the occasional torrential rain).
And finally, thanks to Swift’s Disney+ documentary series “The End of an Era,” we have the answer. In a scene from the final episode, the superstar’s longtime makeup artist Laurie Turk is seen applying MAC’s Locked Kiss 24-Hour Lipstick just before Swift’s final performance in Vancouver.
Shortly after, MAC confirmed that her shade was Ruby True, a classic blue-red. (In case you were wondering, the diva layered it over the Smashbox Bee Legendary line and Prime Pencil in True Red.)
MAC Locked Kiss 24HR Lipstick Ruby True
Touted by MAC as “kiss-proof and transfer-proof,” the Locked Kiss formula, as the name suggests, promises matte, rich color that lasts 24 hours. This is the cosmetics brand’s longest-lasting lipstick to date, harnessing the power of something called FlexiLock technology (OK!) to prevent pigment from fading, peeling, or blurring.
Plus, it’s made with passion fruit oil, which is said to prevent the dreaded drying effect commonly found in many matte lipsticks.
As someone who spends my days writing, editing, meetings and press events rather than belting out pop hits to tens of thousands of fans, I don’t want as much from my lip color as Swift does. Still, as an avid fan, I wanted to see if Locked Kiss could live up to its promise of maintaining a perfect pop star’s pout, so I bought my own Ruby True tube to test.
our review
MAC Locked Kiss 24HR Lipstick Ruby True
Strong Points:
Long-lasting Color transfer resistant Kiss-proof and waterproof Does not smudge or smudge even without lip liner
Cons:
May feel dry Foods with high oil content will affect the wear time
The first time I applied this lipstick, I made the rookie mistake of not exfoliating beforehand. Locked Kiss is the most matte of the mattes and accentuates dry and chapped lips. The second time I prepared it, I did a quick scrub with a soft toothbrush. The formula went on smoother and I looked great all day long. Guys, don’t skip this important step.
Since it’s very matte and pigmented (and I’m a perfectionist), painting it took a little time and precision. This is not the kind of lipstick you want to apply in a moving car or while standing on the subway. The slim, sleek tube is perfect for achieving crisp, clean edges, but it does require a few more swipes to cover the entire lip color.
That being said, Ruby True is a gorgeous shade. And when it comes to color transfer resistance, Locked Kiss definitely fits the bill.
After letting the lipstick sit for a few minutes to harden, as recommended by the brand, I kissed my husband. He then kissed the back of her hand and then the white paper towel. No trace remained. I also tried a wet paper towel to test the product’s waterproofness, and there was zero color transfer.
Throughout the day, I talked a lot, drank water, coffee, and cocktails, and the color on my lips never wavered, bleed, or faded. It stayed that way even when I ate apples, popcorn, and carrot sticks. However, if you are eating oily foods, don’t expect miracles. I definitely had to reapply after eating the perfectly dressed salad.
Does this invalidate MAC’s 24-hour wear promise? I guess it depends on how you look at it. If you’re on an all-liquid diet or avoid sauces, oils, and fats like the plague (sad!), chances are this particular product will last you an entire day and night. The rest of us can realistically expect to wear it for around 5-6 hours before needing a touch-up and still get solid performance.
final verdict
Locked Kiss may not have lasted 24 hours on me, but it’s one of the longest-lasting lip colors I’ve tried and I’ll keep it in my makeup bag for generations to come. If you are looking for a lipstick that stays on for hours without smudging or smudging, I highly recommend it.
That said, this formula can feel drying and will accentuate any visible signs of dehydration that may be on your lips, so proper preparation is a must. A little exfoliation and a good balm (wipe it off right before applying lipstick to avoid interfering with the adhesion of the color) go a long way.
Test method
Considering the product’s ease of application, pigmentation, durability, and comfort level, I wore Locked Kiss for several days in a row for at least 12 hours at a time.
Page 6 Why You Can Trust Style Shopping
This article was written by Elana Fishman, Style & Shopping Director at Page Six. A passionate Swiftie and pop culture enthusiast, Elana applies her celebrity fashion and beauty expertise to shoppable content for other fans as the host of video series such as “Current Trending,” “Style Trial,” “Heart to Cart,” and “Beauty Scoop.” We’re also tracking every style worn by Taylor Swift so you can shop too. Elana consults celebrity stylists about the latest street style and red carpet trends and predictions, finds out which celebrity-endorsed brands and products are worth it, and chats with the stars themselves about beauty and fashion recommendations. Before Page Six Style launched in 2018, Elana covered celebrity fashion for Vox Media, Lucky, Marie Claire, and Teen Vogue.
