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It’s basically all she wore.
The first beauty product I ever splurged on was a nude lipstick from MAC. Even as a budding beauty-lover in middle school, I knew a classic when I saw one. MAC lipsticks are a cultural touchstone, much like Martha Stewart, so their latest team-up is a clever match made in heaven.
The 83-year-old mogul is the latest icon, alongside Julia Fox, to join the nearly-nude “I Only Wear MAC” campaign, honoring 20 newly launched undertone-complimenting lipstick shades. In a recent ASMR-style Instagram post, she demonstrated drippy, juicy strawberries and slurpable ribbons of honey before swiping on a fan-favorite flesh-toned MAC lip color: Fleshpot. The color debuted in 2001 during peak concealer-lips era before being discontinued, and it’s finally back in the brand’s updated satin formulation, which I now exclusively wear.
MAC MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick in Fleshpot
$25 at Ulta
Over the years, I’ve become a lip liner and gloss kind of girl, but I couldn’t help indulging in the nostalgia of MAC’s new collection. Off the bat, MAC die-hards will notice the bullet itself is visibly larger, with a deeper, matte black finish. The new MACximal Sleek Satin formula promises eight hours of comfortable wear, powered by pomegranate flower extract, camellia seed, and rosehip oils—evident in its effortless, buttery-smooth glide upon application (which is actually silkier than the OG Cremesheen lipstick). It certainly “smells like vanilla,” as Stewart noted, and has a seemingly updated fragrance from the almost plasticky twinge from years past.
The pigment deposits evenly and is blissfully buildable, whether you’re craving a pale pop of color or a high-contrast lip combo with a deeper liner. As for the finish, it sets on the lips in a plush, true satin—dry enough to stay in place through dinner, but with enough moisture to lend a subtle sheen. I consider it a take-anywhere “handbag lipstick” because no lip prep is required, you can carve out definition without a lip liner, and I often get away with swiping it on without a mirror. These days, if I’m dressing up for a night out, MAC is on my lips. My old friend and I are so back.
Fleshpot’s beige, peachy-warm undertones complement Stewart’s light skin tone, but if the shade’s too stark for you, the formula also comes in tried-and-true pinky nudes like crème cup and blankety, or browns like stone and paramount, which are universally flattering, quintessential ’90s tones. Below, get nude with more of MAC’s sexy and versatile satin shades, plus a few revamped MACximal Silky Matte Lipsticks in my holy grail velvety hues, before they sell out.
MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick in Crème Cup
$25 at Nordstrom $25 at Ulta
MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick in Crème in Your Coffee
$25 at Nordstrom $25 at Ulta
MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick in Paramount
$25 at Nordstrom $25 at Ulta
MACximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Honeylove
$25 at Nordstrom $25 at Ulta
MACximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Velvet Teddy
$25 at Nordstrom $25 at Ulta