Natural alternatives to MAC Vegas Volt Lipstick

Natural alternatives to MAC Vegas Volt Lipstick

I’m so excited to share this post about natural alternatives to MAC Vegas Volt Lipstick! It’s the first I’ve planned in a series where I’ll be replacing some of my less than healthy skincare and beauty with healthier alternatives.

And if you’re looking for a roundup of 6 gorgeous coral hued lipsticks for spring, you’re in the right place!

Let’s rewind to 2015, when we were planning our wedding. Our theme was orange floral, and my makeup matched the theme. My makeup artist chose MAC Vegas Volt Matte Lipstick for my lips. Have you used it before? It’s a shocking coral that I never would’ve picked myself, but when she tried it on me, I loved it.

MAC Vegas Volt

Reader, I confess. I fell off the natural beauty wagon when we got married. It was like I forgot why I’m so careful about what I use. There was also a craving to buy the “best” of everything, it was very strange and looking back maybe I needed to cut myself some freedom from worrying about ingredients, just for a little bit. Wedding stress does strange things, uh? Needless to say, when I fell pregnant not long after our honeymoon, I gave most of the stuff I’d bought away.

But not MAC Vegas Volt. I loved this lipstick, and still do! It smells sweet like vanilla, applies wonderfully, and stays really well.

Here’s me wearing MAC Vegas Volt on our wedding day:

Me wearing MAC Vegas Volt lipstick on our wedding day

Let’s have a look at the ingredients.

MAC Vegas Volt Lipstick ingredients

Ricinis Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Diisostearyl Malate, Trioctyldodecyl Citrate, Lanolin Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Silica, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Bis-Digylceryl Polyacyladipate, Polyethylene, Microcrystalline Wax, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Hordeum Vulgare (Barley) Extract, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Squalane, Cholesterol, Ceramide 3, Aluminia, Tin Oxide, Linoleic Acid, Vanillin [+/- Mica, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Carmine (CI 75470), Red 6 (CI 15850), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Red 28 (CI 45410), Red 28 Lake (CI 45410) Red 30 (CI73360), Red 30 Lake (CI73360), Red 33 Lake (CI 17200), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Yellow 6 Lake (CI15985)].

Actually, as lipsticks go, MAC lipstick isn’t that bad! The only ingredient that worries me here is tocopheryl acetate. I’m just super cautious now I’m breastfeeding, and also I have to replace this lipstick. It’s nearly 3 years old, which means it’s actually at the end of its shelf life. And in fact, it’s no longer available directly from MAC.

What am I looking for in a replacement?

Because this hue of lipstick suits me so well (pale skin, green eyes, brown hair with red tones), I’m looking for a replacement of the same hue, but in the name of expanding my collection, it can be lighter or darker. So I’m basically looking for a coral lipstick, either soft and muted or bright like Vegas Volt. I’ll also be looking for a direct swap of the Vegas Volt lipstick.

Read on to find out about the contenders!

The natural alternatives to Mac Vegas Volt

They’re not exact dupes, but I chose 6 lipsticks from a range of brands. Here are the swatches, left to right.

  1. MAC Matte Lipstick in Vegas Volt
  2. Lippy Girl Vegocentric Vegan Lipstick in Hot Diggity Yam
  3. NATorigin Organic Lipstick in Papaya
  4. PHB Organic Lipstick in Peach
  5. Dr. Hauschka Lipstick in Pimpernel
  6. Avril Lipstick in Corail
  7. Lavera Beautiful Lips Colour Intense Lipstick in Matt ‘n Peach
Natural lipstick swatches

As you can see, there are some clear hits and misses here. I have to say, I was tempted to send some of these back since they were so far off what I expected them to be from the swatches online. Isn’t it incredibly difficult to decipher lipstick colours online? Colours vary from pictures due to all kinds of reasons and it really is a minefield. But, I did the best I can, since I won’t be finding many of these natural beauties in any shops near me!

Disclosure: I chose Lippy Girl Lipstick, NATorigin Lipstick, PHB Lipstick, and Dr. Hauschka Lipstick using my credits as part of the LoveLula Accredited Blogger Program. I bought Avril Lipstick and Lavera Lipstick.

Now, on to the individual lipsticks!

Lippy Girl Vegocentric Vegan Lipstick in Hot Diggity Yam

Okay, so this is way off MAC Vegas Volt – what was I thinking? But honestly, it looks completely different on LoveLula. Still, it’s a nice colour although much paler than Vegas Volt and more of a peach than a yam! And I love that it’s vegan and gluten free.

Lippy Girl Vegocentric Vegan Lipstick in Hot Diggity Yam

Lippy Girl lipsticks are made with certified organic castor oil, jojoba oil, carnauba wax, and shea butter, and pigmented with natural minerals.

The lipstick does go on with some drag, and I did find it a little drying once on. But it lasts a good couple of hours, which I was impressed with, and doesn’t transfer easily. The packaging is aluminium, so it’s easier to recycle.

Here’s how it looks on me. It looks quite pale and has a little sheen. It adds a lovely warmth to my lips and is dense enough to go over my strong natural lip colour.

Lippy Girl Hot Diggity Yam swatch

Summarising, a nice lipstick that’s vegan and very well priced, but not at all what I’m looking for in terms of shade. I found it a bit drying, so I won’t be reaching for it that often.


NATorigin Organic Lipstick in Papaya

Next up is this Ecocert certified lipstick from NATorigin. With orchid extract, candelilla wax, shea butter, and marula oil to moisturise and protect the lips, it claims to be famed for its moisturising capabilities.

NATorigin Organic Lipstick in Papaya

Again, the shade isn’t a good match for Vegas Volt, another failure on my part to spot a good match! It’s so much duller than Vegas Volt, it’d make a lovely autumn lipstick in this shade.

This lipstick is so rich and creamy, and definitely lives up to its claim to moisturise well. There is absolutely no drag applying this lipstick. I do find lipstick drying but this one serves as a lip balm and a lipstick, which is very comforting.

It does, however, transfer easily, and doesn’t last quite as long as Vegas Volt.

Here’s how it looks, a lovely matte muted coral.

Summarising, a rich, moisturising lipstick. The shade isn’t what I was looking for, but I love this shade, anyway! I’ll definitely be using this frequently.

NATorigin Organic Lipstick in Papaya

Buy Now – £9.27 at Cocooncenter


PHB Organic Lipstick in Peach

Love the packaging on this one – it’s gorgeous! PHB lipsticks contain anti-aging oils and butters, and are created with pure mineral pigments. The lipstick is vegan, cruelty free, and gluten free. It contains rosehip oil, shea butter, and jojoba oil to moisturise and soften.

PHB Organic Lipstick in Peach

This lipstick isn’t much of a match for Vegas Volt, although it’s getting closer. It seems to have more sparkle to it and is definitely a darker, less vibrant colour. But I love the colour of it, it’s a nice one for my collection.

On the downside, I find this lipstick dry and hard to apply. In fact, I broke it because I wound the lipstick too far out of the packaging – oops!

It doesn’t transfer easily, and stays a good couple of hours, but is a little drying. It seems to be a trade off between staying power and moisturising power, doesn’t it?

Here’s me wearing it. I think we’re getting closer to Vegas Volt, but still not quite there!

PHB Organic Lipstick in Peach

Summarising, a lovely shade of lipstick. On the drying side, but I’m happy with it in my collection and feel it’s a good investment since it’s also great value for money.

PHB Lipsticks

Buy Now – £14 at PHB


Dr. Hauschka Lipstick in Pimpernel

I’m a big Dr. Hauschka fan, so I had high hopes for this lipstick. It’s also the most expensive of the contenders. This luxury natural lipstick claims to moisturise and uses mineral pigments and botanical ingredients like rose petals, almond oil, and carnauba wax.

Dr. Hauschka Lipstick in Pimpernel

It goes on easily and feels very rich and creamy. It dries quickly, and once dry, transfer is minimal.

The colour is rich and dense, and more orange than the other contenders. And it’s long lasting too, staying put a good 3 hours.

Here it is on. It looks shiny and rich, and the colour is more vibrant than the other lipsticks tried so far.

Dr. Hauschka Lipstick in Pimpernel swatch

Summarising, an expensive lipstick, but the quality is really good. Pimpernel is a lovely shade that looks great, but isn’t an exact replacement for my beloved Vegas Volt.

Dr. Hauschka Lipsticks

Shop Now


Avril Lipstick in Corail

I couldn’t resist giving this one a go – the colour looks so close to Vegas Volt, and the price is amazing! It’s also Ecocert certified. It contains castor, sweet almond, and jojoba oils to keep lips soft.

Avril Lipstick in Corail

This lipstick applies so well! It’s not at all drying, yet not greasy either. It’s a lovely colour and very close to Vegas Volt. In fact, I might love it more than Vegas Volt, since it’s a lot more wearable everyday.

The lipstick transfers a little, isn’t drying, and lasts quite well – a couple of hours.

Here’s how it looks. Yes! Now I’m getting closer to Vegas Volt – happy girl. What a lovely matte coral that’s not too strong!

Avril Lipstick in Corail swatch

Summarising, an amazing lipstick for the price, and is amongst my best choices for natural alternatives to MAC Vegas Volt. I’d like to choose other shades from this range!

Avril Lipstick in Corail

Buy Now – £6.49 at HairandFashionUK


Lavera Beautiful Lips Colour Intense Lipstick in Matt ‘n Peach

Ah, I love Lavera makeup, and this lipstick has made me really happy. The lipstick is NATRUE certified and contains organic flower extracts like mallow to gently protect and care for lips.

Lavera Beautiful Lips Colour Intense Lipstick in Matt ‘n Peach

The packaging is awesome too, with the Lavera logo stamped into the lipstick, and a peephole in the top so you can quickly see the shade.

The lipstick goes on easily, and only transfers a little. It provides the perfect balance between staying power and moisturising power, lasting a good 2 hours.

The colour is almost a perfect match for Vegas Volt! Here’s how it looks on – I’m really happy with this lipstick!

Lavera Beautiful Lips Colour Intense Lipstick in Matt ‘n Peach swatch

Summarising, along with the Avril lipstick, this lipstick is my favourite from my picks. It’s really well balanced, the colour looks amazing, and the price is great, too!

Lavera lipsticks

Shop Now


Final thoughts on natural alternatives to MAC Vegas Volt Lipstick

I’ve had so much fun finding natural alternatives to MAC Vegas Volt Lipstick to replace my wedding lipstick. Now I have 6 great natural coral/peach/orange lipsticks for my collection. There’s something to love about all of them!

But without a doubt the Avril and Lavera lipsticks are the best match for MAC Vegas Volt, and I’m so pleased with my choices! I’m happy with their ingredients and that they don’t contain anything that worries me.

Can you recommend any good natural coral lipsticks? I’d love to hear about them! Let me know in the comments.

Until next time!

Helen
Six gorgeous coral shades of natural and organic lipstick reviewed for spring. Revamp your spring makeup look and read my full reviews!

15 Replies to “Natural alternatives to MAC Vegas Volt Lipstick”

  1. It’s crazy how pigmented the MAC lipstick is compared to the others!

    1. It is! Although some are close.

  2. I totally wish I could rock a good coral lipstick like you. Maybe i’ll surprise myself and give it a try this Spring!

    1. Awww thank you! Give one a go! They’re so wearable.

  3. I am not much of a lipstick gal ( I have these teeny tiny lips) but love all these neutral tones for a really natural look. I could do any of these!

    1. I totally agree, they’re so easy to wear and flattering. I can’t wear bright reds and deep purples, but these really suit me.

  4. These are such good healthier lipstick options. I am really impressed with how similar the color is to the MAC one. So pretty!!
    Angela

    1. They are pretty! So nice for spring, and yes so much better for having healthy ingredients!

  5. I love all of these shades because they would all go nicely with my skin tone. I have a hard time finding specific ones I like so I am going to try the Avril lipstick.

    1. Me too, I love how easy these shades are to wear. The Avril lipstick is lovely and the best value for money out of the bunch!

  6. I was so happy to have stumbled across this thread as I recently had my colours done & was typed as a Warm Spring & had seen some posts on a facebook group recommending Vegas Volt or looking for alternatives. I’m so disappointed to discover that the Avril & Lavera favourites both contain CI 75470 aka Carmine which is a pigment made from dried beetles. I appreciate that this is not a thread looking for vegan alternatives to Vegas Volt but thought I might not be the only vegetarian here who might struggle with Carmine being an ingredient in their lipstick. Sorry!

    1. Hi Louise, I’m so sorry you’re disappointed my top picks aren’t vegetarian! I wish all lipsticks could be vegetarian or vegan. I try to post a good selection from different brands, and it seems most of the less expensive lipsticks contain carmine – maybe it’s cheaper? Anyway, I hope you can find your best lipstick! I have some more picks for you that may suit. Let me know what you think!

      Neek Skin Organics All The Lovers Vegan Natural Lipstick (vegan)
      http://www.pntra.com/t/TUJGRU1ISkJGSkhFRU1CRkhMR0xJ?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lovelula.com%2Fproducts%2Fneek-skin-organics-all-the-lovers-vegan-natural-lipstick

      Ere Perez Olive Oil Lipstick – Picnic (vegan)
      http://www.gopjn.com/t/TUJGRU1ISkJGSkhFRU1CRkhMR0xJ?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lovelula.com%2Fproducts%2Fnew-ere-perez-olive-oil-lipstick-picnic

      Hiro Multistick – The Afterhour (vegan)
      http://www.pntrs.com/t/TUJGRU1ISkJGSkhFRU1CRkhMR0xJ?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lovelula.com%2Fproducts%2Fhiro-vegan-multistick-the-afterhour

      RMS Beauty Wild With Desire Lipstick – Flight of Fancy (veggie)
      http://www.gopjn.com/t/TUJGRU1ISkJGSkhFRU1CRkhMR0xJ?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lovelula.com%2Fproducts%2Frms-beauty-wild-with-desire-lipstick-flight-of-fancy

  7. Oh no! Dr Hauschka too!

  8. Hi Helen,

    Thanks so much for taking the time to reply so quickly – I only got the notification today, after my second post.

    It’s so hard to know how things will turn out without actually trying them which is why what you do is so helpful!

    I do use Love Lula & hadn’t seen the gorgeous – expensive! – RMS shade as I searched for vegan make up & that includes beeswax so was excluded from my search. They are also happy to use some petrochemicals which I wouldn’t want to use either.

    I thought that the Ere Perez which seemed to have a bit more to it was this one: https://www.lovelula.com/products/new-ere-perez-olive-oil-lipstick-birthday.

    The NEEK shade is lovely but a bit too brown for me. The advice for Spring types is to keep it bright rather than head to the more muted shades of Autumn.

    Hiro – love the concept but when you see the 4 shades side by side they look rather similar & not as warm as I hoped.

    In the end I found that Pacifica – whose stuff is all vegan & mostly lip tints & gloss I thought up until now, has some lipsticks which seem very reasonable too. So this is the one I’m going for in the end in Rebel Sol: https://www.lovelula.com/products/pacifica-natural-lipstick I’ve found a few people wearing it on blogs & think it could be the one! http://www.petiteandminimal.com/pacifica-devocean-vegan-lipsticks-review/

    You are right that on the whole cheaper ones use carmine but Dr Hauschka does too & that’s far from cheap. Carmine is used a lot because it does a very effectve job!

    Carmine is natural, I totally get that. There are actually problems with allergies etc. for some people so I don’t think you need to be vegan or vegetarian to be a bit unsure about wanting to use products which use carmine. I understand that for many people a beetle is not an animal whose life is valued particularly highly but if anyone wants to know more – & I totally respect that most people probably won’t want to – this article goes into rather more detail than I would want to here. http://gentleworld.org/natural-colors-carmine-cochineal/

    Thanks again for your advice & help, it is appreciated.

    1. Hi Louise, so pleased you found something you’re happy with – I’ve never tried the Pacifica range. Thanks for the info on carmine, that’s really helpful. The good thing about brands like Dr. Hauschka is that they’re Natrue certified organic so ingredients are really high quality and – hopefully – safe to use. Hope you have fun with your new lipstick!

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