MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick, Is it Worth the Hype? Photos, Swatches & Comparison to Ruby Woo

MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick is finally here, and the reviews are a mixed bag. Continue reading to see my thoughts.

MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick

MAC’s RiRi Woo Lipstick, the first installment from the RiRi Hearts MAC Collection is finally here and has the internet buzzing but it’s not all good buzz.  When creating RiRi Woo, Rihanna was inspired by Ruby Woo which is her favorite red lipstick from MAC and wanted to create a red that would look good on all skin tones. A lot of people seem to feel that the lipstick fell short of their expectations as it is too similar to Ruby Woo. I for one just happen to love it. It’s a gorgeous red to have in your collection and from all of the pictures that I’ve seen so far it does seem to work on a variety of skin tones.

MAC-RiRi-Woo-Lipstick

MAC-RiRi-Woo-Lipstick-2

MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick

The lipstick is enclosed in MAC’s traditional black tube and is inscribed with Rihanna’s signature. It would have been nice to see special packaging such as a chic golden tube.

MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick Swatch

MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick Swatch

RiRi Woo is a matte medium red with neutral (very slightly warm) undertones. The retro matte formula is very dry so you will need to exfoliate your lips well and apply a balm. It is not quite as dry as Ruby Woo but not much better, however it does look less dry and feels better on the lips. The drying formula is a little hard to apply without applying a balm first and feels like it is tugging with splotchy application just like Ruby Woo. Apply a balm first and you will have no problems.

MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick Dark Skin

MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick Dark Skin

You don’t need to apply a lip liner as RiRi Woo holds its own without bleeding or feathering. It is richly pigmented, lasts for hours and stays put even through a meal…  and can even withstand a kiss. That being said, it is extremely hard to remove and will leave a stain. Now how does it compare to the infamous Ruby Woo?

MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick Sompared to Ruby Woo

MAC RiRi Woo Lipstick compared to Ruby Woo

RiRi Woo and Ruby Woo

At first glance the lipsticks appear to be dupes but they are not. RiRi Woo is slightly deeper than Ruby Woo with better pigmentation. RiRi Woo also leans neutral while Ruby Woo has blue undertones. It may be hard to see the differences in swatches but they are apparent when the lipsticks are worn. You can see me wearing Ruby Woo here and here. Do you need both? No you don’t. If I had to choose one though it would be RiRi Woo as the formula is a slight improvement over Ruby Woo and I think it looks better on me.

RiRi Woo is a limited edition and is currently sold out. It will be returning in June with the next installment of the RiRi Hearts MAC Collection and I believe that there is a wait list. It retails for $15 and the tube is eligible for Back 2 MAC.

Did you get RiRi Woo? What are your thoughts?

The product(s) in this post was purchased with my own money.  See my Disclosure page for additional information.

49 Responses

  1. I have Ruby and I hate it! It’s super drying and hard to put on and the color does nothing at all for me. I can totally see the difference between Riri and Ruby and Riri is a much prettier red.

    1. I definitely think its prettier and see myself wearing it a lot. I’ve had Ruby Woo for years and can count on one hand how many times I’ve used it.

  2. Girl I agree that a diva doesn’t need both…as drying as RUBY is I won’t trade her for anything cause she’s my perfect RED.

  3. Having never purchased or used Ruby Woo, I would say that I love the RiRi Woo. It is a gorgeous color! I am kind of glad that I didn’t jump on the Ruby Woo bandwagon!!

      1. Yes, I have the Wet n Wild Stoplight red. I think I bought it bc you mentioned it was a dupe on one of your post.

  4. Thanks for this review! I LOVE Ruby Woo (dryness and all) so I’m glad I’m not too invested in getting this one. I lost interest as soon as I called my local MAC and they told me it was online only and already sold out. I don’t like it when companies create this frenzy.

  5. Girrrrl this lipstick looks great on you!! Loves it. Glad I picked it up – I cant wait to whip her out this weekend. I’m not so disappointed anymore that its so close to Ruby Woo your swatches show that its more like an upgraded more pigmented version of Ruby Woo.

  6. I got mine too and I love it much better than Ruby Woo. I thought it was just me! I put EOS balm on before I applied mine and it went on super smooth.

  7. I am glad to hear this lippie is a hit after all the hype. I don’t wear lipstick but I have always been a fan of a beautiful red lip.

  8. Lol I was about to say how does it compare to stoplight red, which is how I found you. Ruby woo full circle.

  9. I must say at first I did not like it but, I am starting to. It is quite similar to ruby woo but a tard better.

  10. Great post!!! I meant to put some exclaimation marks behind that last comment! lol! Your comparison post makes the most sense of Ruby Woo vs Riri Woo all day.

  11. The lipstick looks stunning on you Erica, but gurl you can rock any lip colour! I received my Riri Woo yesterday and I was a bit disappointed, with the hype around it I feel MAC have been a bit sneaky not letting us see proper swatches beforehand, I think a lot of people would have opted out of buying it if they had. However, even though I think it is too similar for this to be special I still like it, I liken it more to Lime Crime Velvetines in Red Velvet. Funnily enough I also brought Ruby Woo lately which is now also classified as a Retro Matte so not much of a difference in textures now. Hopefully Riri’s next collab with MAC will bring us that gorgeous dark berry red shown in the press pics!! I want to get my hand on THAT!

  12. Wow, it does look great on your lips. I’m actually looking for a real red myself. My mother used to say she doesn’t wear red, but it always looked red to me. compared to these swatches and some other reds I’ve seen lately, I now know what she means. Do want (but still deciding when and which to get). I probably want more of a warm tone as my lips seem to turn everything cooler. Not sure why.

  13. Ugh, this lipstick looks soooooooo fabulous! It is definitely not a dupe for Ruby Woo, and if I were to buy one, I’d go with RiRi Woo too. I wish my lips could tolerate lipstick, but they dry my lips so badly and make the wear uncomfortable. I am just anticipating the RiRi Woo lipglass. I’m sure it will be just as gorgeous! I hope I can snag one before it sells out!

  14. Yes I have, but I feel like it just diminishes the color and lasting power of the product so I’ve pretty much given up on wearing lipstick period. =/ lol

    1. I always use a lip balm under my lipstick. Just make sure it’s not too greasy and let it sink in. I put it on before I start my routine and by the time I get to my lips they are nice, smooth and moisturized.

  15. I don’t have either, but I really like RiRiWoo and it looks fabulous on you (then again, what doesn’t)?! LOL

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