Haul & Comparison Swatches: MAC Viva Glam Nicki 2

I feel totally out of the loop with MAC recently. I've browsed the new collections (when I've remembered to) but nothing much has taken my fancy. I was really looking forward to the new Nicki Minaj launch, Archie's Girls and Making Pretty though. The latter is the 'more expensive' collection that usually launches at Christmas; it's March now and other than it being in Selfridges (who seem to have the exclusives on everything MAC and over the MAC website and counters which I don't think is right), it's not launched anywhere else. I rely on buying online (as I've no MAC near me) and prefer to use Debenhams for my beauty points but I'm getting sick of waiting for collections and the stress of stalking! It's taken the fun out of shopping.  
I'm hoping that MP and AG launch next Thursday (7th), but I can't keep up with the conflicting info MAC give out and don't even know if Debenhams will definitely get both collections. Anyway, I'll be happy once or if I get my hands on them and can stop stalking all the websites for them! In the meantime, I have my new Nicki Minaj for Viva Glam stuff. This actually came out sooner than I'd thought and I was very excited for it, given I've already got the other two releases from Nicki Minaj and the promo pics looked super cute. You'll remember the first VG/NM collaboration resulted in a seriously bright orangey pink lipstick that I've worn a lot more than I ever thought I would. This time the colour is an iced lavender pink and contrary to other reviews, I think it's quite wearable. Yes, it's pale, but I don't look dead in it and actually think it's an incredibly pretty colour. Sometimes MAC's lilac lipsticks just don't sit right with me, but this has enough pink in it that it looks good. It was a beautiful sunny day when I took these photos, so the flash didn't go off (and I could only find a setting to force it off rather than on).  I think the lipstick is definitely coming across paler and more pinky looking than lilac because of that.  
I was going to purchase the lipstick only, then Debenhams had 10% off and I thought the lipglass was actually really pretty too and something I'd wear with or without the lipstick, so bought that as well.
Plus it's quite possibly the best 'charity' product out there with all money (minus VAT) going to the MAC Aids fund, not 10% or £2, the full whack, so I was happy to do my little bit by purchasing both. The lipstick is currently my Lipstick Of The Week and I've so far tried a couple of different liners underneath, worn it alone, with the coordinating gloss or the couple of glosses that will be featuring in my Beloved Beauty Bits this month (coming soon).
Here are swatches of the lipstick and lipglass without the flash.
and with the lipglass over the top half of the lipstick swatch (without flash)
and with flash
They're pretty aren't they? I decided today this post would benefit from some comparison swatches, so I've taken my bright pinks and lilacs from MAC to compare. From left to right (without flash) are Pink Friday (Satin), Viva Glam Gaga (Lustre), Viva Glam Nicki 2 (Amplified), Fashion Mews (Glaze), Lavender Whip (Cremesheen) and Blooming Lovely (Amplified).
and with flash
Here are the swatches (again without the flash)
Pink Friday was the very first Nicki Minaj lipstick, before the Viva Glam campaigns and it's nothing like VGN2, but I thought it would be interesting to compare.  Viva Glam Gaga I think is similar in terms of lightness and brightness (a 'candy' 'pastel' type shade) and whether or not that will suit your skintone, but the colour is again completely different and very pinky-peachy compared to VGN2.  Fashion Mews from the Hello Kitty collection is probably the closest in colour to VGN2, but as it is a glaze, the finish is more sheer.  It also has this sort of dirty pinky tan base that VGN2 doesn't have.  This is certainly the nearest from my collection anyway.  Lavender Whip has more of a purple tone than the lilac of VGN2 and is missing that almost grey tone.  Blooming Lovely is a much deeper  mauve-purple and not lilac at all.  
and the same swatches again with the flash this time.  
I'm happy with my purchases and can see me continuing to use the lipstick for variations during my lipstick challenge (today I teamed it with Topshop 'Desert' to tone down the orangey tone of that and it looked gorgeous).  Have you been buying MAC or steering clear lately?  It's got a lot more expensive hasn't it?