MCKENZIE Lipstick Collection Review: 12 Velvet-Matte Shades for Everyday Glamour in The Sims 4
If there is one makeup category that can make or break a Sim’s facial look in Create-A-Sim, it is undoubtedly lipstick. Default EA lipsticks have a notorious reputation in the community for looking either chalky, strangely greasy, or lacking that delicate blurred edge that makes real lip products look soft and dimensional. Finding a versatile custom lipstick set that offers rich color saturation, velvety satin textures, and seamless blending across all skin undertones is a true treasure. That is why the MCKENZIE Lipstick Collection has become an instant favorite in my custom content rotation. Offering 12 exquisitely balanced shades ranging from delicate everyday nudes to seductive moody berries, this collection gives your Sims the perfect pout for every occasion.
Before exploring all the stunning shade combinations and makeup pairings, be sure to take a look at our curated collection of best mods, along with essential gameplay guides for wickedwhims and wonderful whims to keep your gameplay engaging and immersive.
The Texture: Soft-Blur Velvet Satin with Plumping Realism
What immediately elevates the MCKENZIE Lipstick Collection above ordinary makeup downloads is its sophisticated finish. Instead of a flat matte that looks dry and cracked, or a hyper-glossy liquid sheen that can reflect light unnaturally in live mode, MCKENZIE features a luxurious velvet-satin texture. It gives the illusion of soft, supple lips that have been gently hydrated and perfected with a high-end designer lip formula.
The edges of the lipstick are softly diffused rather than harshly drawn like a felt-tip marker. This gentle outer blur creates a natural plumping effect, making your Sim’s lips appear fuller and softer without looking cartoonish. When your Sim speaks, smiles, or blows kisses, the texture follows the natural facial contours of the mouth smoothly, avoiding unsightly clipping or stretching glitches across the lip crease.
The 12-Shade Palette: From Bare Nudes to Dramatic Berries
The creator crafted 12 distinct color swatches that cover virtually every aesthetic need across daily gameplay and formal occasions:
- The Warm & Cool Nudes (Shades 1–4): A gorgeous selection of everyday neutrals including honey beige, warm caramel, soft rose-taupe, and creamy peach. These shades are essential for no-makeup morning routines, university classes, and casual family living.
- The Romantic Rosy Pinks (Shades 5–8): Fresh, youthful floral hues including dusty rose, petal pink, and soft strawberry. Perfect for Tartosa garden weddings, romantic first dates in San Myshuno, and sunny beach picnics in Sulani.
- The Bold Statement Reds (Shades 9–10): Iconic classic crimson and deep brick red that demand attention. These shades turn heads at high-society galas, red carpet events in Del Sol Valley, and sultry vintage soirees.
- The Moody Autumn Berries (Shades 11–12): Rich plum, blackberry wine, and deep mahogany tones that feel made for autumn evenings in Brindleton Bay or mysterious vampire aristocrats in Forgotten Hollow.
Because the collection works seamlessly with The Sims 4’s in-game makeup sliders, you can easily tweak the hue, saturation, and opacity of each swatch. Dialing back the opacity of the berry shades produces a lovely sheer berry tint, while boosting the saturation creates an opaque statement lip.
Complementary Makeup and CAS Styling Ideas
The beauty of the MCKENZIE Lipstick Collection is its incredible adaptability across different beauty routines. Here are a few ways to style these shades with other custom makeup elements:
- The Clean Girl Aesthetic: Pair Shade 2 (warm caramel nude) with subtle liquid eyeliner, fluffy 3D eyelashes, soft peach blush, and glass-skin highlighter for an effortlessly radiant, modern look.
- French-Girl Chic: Combine Shade 9 (classic crimson red) with bare eyelids, light mascara, a sleek low bun, and an oversized striped sweater for timeless Parisian charm in Tartosa.
- The 90s Grunge Revival: Team Shade 12 (deep mahogany brown) with smoky pencil eyeliner, distressed flannels, chunky platform boots, and messy space buns for an edgy alternative concert night in Windenburg.
- Fairytale Bridal Glow: Match Shade 5 (dusty rose pink) with champagne shimmering eyeshadow, soft pink cheek tint, pearl earrings, and a romantic lace wedding dress for a picture-perfect ceremony.
In-Game Lighting and Skin Tone Compatibility
One of the most impressive aspects of testing MCKENZIE during live gameplay is how naturally the colors harmonize with varied skin undertones. On deep and dark skin tones, the warm caramel and berry swatches retain their true pigment richness without ashy gray undertones. On fair and medium skin tones, the rose-taupe and petal pink shades provide flattering warmth that prevents your Sim from looking washed out.
In different ambient lighting environments—such as the warm orange sunsets of Oasis Springs, the bright midday glare of Sulani, or cozy indoor fireplace lighting—the velvet-satin finish absorbs and reflects light with believable softness, ensuring your screenshots look consistently gorgeous.
Pros and Simmer Highlights
The major highlights of the MCKENZIE Lipstick Collection are its 12 versatile shades, its soft-diffused lip line that provides natural plumping, and its full compatibility with in-game opacity and hue sliders. It bridges the gap between everyday casual beauty and high-fashion drama with effortless grace.
The only tip to keep in mind is pairing it with custom teeth details: because the inner lip line is softly blended, it looks best with standard EA teeth or high-quality CC teeth that sit cleanly behind the lip line.
A Simmer’s Final Verdict
The MCKENZIE Lipstick Collection is a masterclass in custom makeup design. It offers exceptional color variety, luxurious velvet texture, and dependable versatility that will elevate every female Sim in your game. Whether you are styling casual college students, high-fashion models, or romantic brides, this 12-color collection provides the perfect shade for every moment. Add it to your Mods folder today and give your Sims the radiant, velvety smile they deserve.
Credit : Patreon / MCKENZIE