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You’d think that I, as a Greek mythology enthusiast, would already know the correct pronunciation of the word “Dionysus,” which is one of the shades in the new (and now available in the MAC permanent line) MAC Liptensity Lip Pencils.

Is it dee-oh-NIGH-sus or dee-AHHH-nah-sees?

I’ve heard it both ways.

One day I’ll figure it out! (Or, maybe one of you guys will tell me, ha! 🙂 That’s why I love the Internet.)

Fun fact: I actually thought about naming Connor Claire “Artemis,” after Artemis of the Wildland/Mistress of Animals/Goddess of the Hunt.

Ooh! Or “Nike,” after the Goddess of Victory (and not the massive international mega brand).

Like the MAC Liptensity Lipsticks, these lip pencils are new additions to the MAC permanent line, and they’re like soft, creamy, super skinny lipsticks.

Incidentally, several of these have matching partners in the complementary Liptensity Lipstick line, like Stallion, Galaxy Grey, Marsala, Dionysus, Habanero, Double Fudge, and Toast and Butter.

Even though, technically, these are liners, I like using the brighter ones, like Cut Ruby (SO GORGEOUS), as lipsticks, because they’re so easy to maneuver around my natural lip line.

Generally, the darker shades work well as lipsticks, too, except for Hellebore, which is quite patchy.

Speaking of patchiness…I also have trouble with Art District, which is one of the nudes. It takes a lot of layering and patting to even it out when I use it to fill in my lips, but it gets the job done as a straight-up liner (as does Hellebore).

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The fires are still raging in Sonoma and Napa. It’s still bad up there, and it’s pretty smoky here, but it isn’t terribly windy right now, which is one small blessing. Hopefully it stays that way for another day or two, and then maybe some of the fires can be contained. We just keep checking the county fire alerts, being ready, and trying to stay positive.

Speaking of staying positive…Liptensity! 🙂 After swatching all 22 of the MAC Liptensity Lipsticks, which, by the way, are now available in the MAC permanent line, my lips were stained a magnificent magenta color that lasted — no joke! — a day and a half.

The pigment is that serious.

More importantly (at least to me), I’m pretty sure that one of the colors, Clouds in My Coffee, is a shout-out to Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain.

“I had some dreams. They were clouds in my coffee, clouds in my coffee, and…you’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you…”

I guess 2016’s limited edition Liptensity collection did pretty well, because the Liptensities are permanent now. Nine of the shades are new, and 13 are re-promotes.

The MAC Liptensity Lipsticks (now permanent)

• The re-promotes: Driftwood, Smoked Almond, Toast and Butter, Dionysus, Habanero, Fireworks, Marsala, Mulling Spices, Cordovan, Galaxy Grey, Double Fudge, Ambrosial and Stallion
• And the new shades: Clouds in My Coffee, Well Bred Brown, Ginger Rose, Brick Dust, Bite O’ Georgia, King Salmon, Fire Roasted, Beetroot and Noblesse

It’s been a minute since the last time I wore any of these, and this swatch sesh reignited my affection for them again. Not only are they preternaturally pigmented, but they don’t settle into my lip lines. At all.

The thing is, though, they’re so intense that you have basically zero room for error when you use them. Applying one of the dark or bright shades straight from the tube is kinda tough because they don’t have a pointed tip like regular MAC lipsticks do, and that makes it difficult to follow your lip contours, especially in the outer corners.

For what it’s worth, a few of the shades have matching Liptensity Lip Pencils (I’ll post swatches of the pencils on Monday).

I applied a single layer straight from the tube for each of these, which is how I usually apply lipstick, and one layer of Liptensity lasts me about three hours, or until I have something to nibble or drink.

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You know when people say, “She’s so extra”? I still haven’t figured out if that’s a good or a bad thing. I think it’s a good thing…like saying “you’re the cat’s meow!”

I think?

These new MAC Liptensity Lipsticks and Lip Pencils are definitely extra, though. Extra pigmented! 🙂

Remember the LE MAC Liptensity Lipsticks from last fall? The Liptensities have totally different packaging than the regular MAC Lipsticks. Their brightly colored caps match the lipsticks inside, and the formula is majorly intense and pigmented. They lay down lots of color per swipe, and there are now 12 shades in the permanent line for $21 each.

Here’s a look at some of them…

Pretty, yeah?

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