MAC Fanfare Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches

What do you do when one of your favourite products is limited edition and you're almost out of it? I faced that recently with a MAC Cremesheen lipstick called Gem of Roses. It was released with the Semi-Precious collection in 2011 and it's such a pretty MLBB (My Lips But Better) shade for me. I'm wearing it in this FOTD from 2011. It's such an easy shade to wear and natural enough that I can pair it with a smoky eye or with very natural day make-up.

I went into MAC to see if I could find a similar shade and without hesitation found one. Fanfare is described as a midtone yellow-pink and is one of the Cremesheen lipsticks. It's a permanent shade. 

I'd describe Fanfare as a rosy pink and it is a touch more opaque than Gem of Roses, but it's definitely a dupe. Hurrah!

Fanfare lipstick swatched on NW15 skin

And here it is swatched next to Gem of Roses (top swatch). Pretty close, right? Gem of Roses is maybe a touch more purpley and definitely a little more sheer but they're nearly identical.

L-R: MAC Gem of Roses, MAC Fanfare (NW15 skin)

This shade is so very wearable. I've seen it work well on warm and cool skintones as well as on fair and medium skintones. It adds just a pop of rosy pink and that gorgeous sheen that the Cremesheen lipsticks have. 

I'm so relieved to have found another lipstick I can wear as easily as I did Gem of Roses! Hurrah MAC!

Grade: A

C.