MAC COSMETICS... Makeup's Monopoly
I wanted to tackle this topic first as everyone and thier mama who aspires to be a makeup artist and or just a redcarpet princess will flock and rave about this incredible line of product and the number one question that I get as a working makeup artist is, "what's a good line for me to use? What about MAC??" Let me say that first and foremost I personally love MAC myself, I think that it is a wonderful artistry line that has undoubtedly enhanced my career as a professional MUA and has allowed me to create some of the most beautiful canvas's on the many many faces that I have encountered due to thier colorful and highly pigmented array of eyeshadows, blushes, cream color compacts, contouring shades, eyeliners, lipstick ect. I think the marketing behind MAC is genious and I always feel like i'm a kid in a candy store whenever I walk into a MAC store or counter. That being said let me say that MAC is not going to be for everyone. Why you ask.. MAC is a favorite of MUA's all over the world for its standout power for stage, film, tv, runway ect. but thats what it is, Stage Makeup and that can reak havoc on your skin! I know from personal experience as I suffer from adult acne. My favorite foundation(FOUNDATION ALSO REFERRED TO AS A BASE OR COVER UP)
was MAC full coverage in W25, lol I wore it daily and my skin looked so flawless and smooth but six months later my face looked like it had a developed a nasty case of the plague! I had many cystic acne infections on my target breakout zones (cheeks, chin and forhead). Cystic Acne is just a fancy smancy word for a bigazz zit so don't be alarmed. It was a sad day for me but I had to put away the full coverage in favor for a lighter more botanical formula until my skin had cleared and healed properly. Now don't get me wrong, I still use my fave foundation on special occasions and MAC has many different foundation formulas available to you but I unfortunately have to find a foundation alternative due to the severity of my adult acne but alas my kit is still chalk full of MAC eyeshadow palettes, blush and countour palettes, lip liners ect. My advice to you as a consumer is that if you have skin issues like mine, such as adult acne, teen acne, oily and or sensitive skin I would do what the hair dye boxes suggest a patch test of sorts lol! Go schedule yourself a sit down appointment with one of the Fabulous MAC artists in store so that you will get properly introduced to the line, get a feel for what its all about and if you really love the product buy it! Use the first few weeks of your receipts due date to find out if your going to have adverse reactions and so on. If you are totally new to cosmetics and you have really sensitive skin but want to start using a good founation from the MAC line I would steer you toward mineralize although it is a little sparkly, it is mineral nonetheless. If sparkle isn't your thing then the next best foundation I found for sensitives is Origins liquid foundation. It is about the same price point as MAC foundations and is owned by the same company, Big Mama Estee Lauder. They're all in the family. :) If paying $15 or more for a foundation sounds ludacris to you then the next selection I have for you will be Maybellines Mineral Power Natural Perfecting makeup. Its a liquid form with excellent coverage and mineral properties or in other words less chemicals went into the production of the makeup so that means less allergic reactions. If none of these work and your poor babyskin is still red itchy or blotchy then there are organic and vegan mineral makeup lines out there for you. A couple of them that I have tried myself are Shaklee's mineral foundation and Jane Iredale mineral foundations. You may have to google them to find out where to buy them.
As for my MAC enthusiasts who already love and use the products I just wanted to give you a few tips on buying MAC and saving money :), as a card carrying MAC pro card member I was introduced to the idea of buying in palette form which in my opinion has made my life as a working MUA so much easier! My kit looks more professional and I am able to get the job done faster because of the neatness and easy accessability to my products. I suggest buying the 15 eyeshadow palette and if you cannot afford to buy all fifteen eyeshadows, just buy them one by one or two by two however you can work it until it is filled with your personal favorites. It is much cheaper that way as the palette itself is re-usable and the eyeshadow pans in palette form are a few dollars less. MAC also has a four eyeshadow palette to start with. There are also palettes for blushes, bronzers and contouring shades as well. Save all your empty MAC containers because MAC has this wonderful program called BACK TO MAC where you can bring them six empty MAC containers and they will reward you with a free lipstick of your choice! Another way to cut down your makeup bill is to mix down old foundations to make one usuable shade and or shades and for that little job I love love love face and body foundation! It's soo easy to work with and mixable with so many products! I usually take a a face and body foundation and mix it down with some of my older, about to toss cream to powders or liquid foundations that are in my kit and voila! You created your own custom blended foundations for you, your friends or even clients. I am also able to use face and body in my airbrush gun! You can also use MAC mix down for the purpose of mixing down colors but I love the flesh tones of face and body! I hope that answered some of your questions on MAC cosmetics! Please feel free to post any follow up questions on this topic and remember, NEVER, NEVER NEVER GO TO SLEEP WITH MAKEUP ON!!! Until next time, mmmwwwhhhaaa!!!
A LIST OF MY PERSONAL MAC FAVES:
1. MAC Face and Body Foundation
2. Fluid line gel eyeliners
3. Blot powder
4. Strobe cream
5. The Brushes
6. MAC eyeliner/lipliner sharpener (its still sharpening beautifully after 3 yrs!)
7. Plush lash mascara in Black
8. MAC full coverage foundation (Heavy duty stuff so use with care)
9. Diablo and frankly scarlett Blush (feathered on these highly pigmented colors look amazingly like a natural flush with no sparkle or shimmer)
10. Last but not least, Russian Red Lipstick. (Every girl must have a staple in her makeup bag and this in my opinion is it.)
was MAC full coverage in W25, lol I wore it daily and my skin looked so flawless and smooth but six months later my face looked like it had a developed a nasty case of the plague! I had many cystic acne infections on my target breakout zones (cheeks, chin and forhead). Cystic Acne is just a fancy smancy word for a bigazz zit so don't be alarmed. It was a sad day for me but I had to put away the full coverage in favor for a lighter more botanical formula until my skin had cleared and healed properly. Now don't get me wrong, I still use my fave foundation on special occasions and MAC has many different foundation formulas available to you but I unfortunately have to find a foundation alternative due to the severity of my adult acne but alas my kit is still chalk full of MAC eyeshadow palettes, blush and countour palettes, lip liners ect. My advice to you as a consumer is that if you have skin issues like mine, such as adult acne, teen acne, oily and or sensitive skin I would do what the hair dye boxes suggest a patch test of sorts lol! Go schedule yourself a sit down appointment with one of the Fabulous MAC artists in store so that you will get properly introduced to the line, get a feel for what its all about and if you really love the product buy it! Use the first few weeks of your receipts due date to find out if your going to have adverse reactions and so on. If you are totally new to cosmetics and you have really sensitive skin but want to start using a good founation from the MAC line I would steer you toward mineralize although it is a little sparkly, it is mineral nonetheless. If sparkle isn't your thing then the next best foundation I found for sensitives is Origins liquid foundation. It is about the same price point as MAC foundations and is owned by the same company, Big Mama Estee Lauder. They're all in the family. :) If paying $15 or more for a foundation sounds ludacris to you then the next selection I have for you will be Maybellines Mineral Power Natural Perfecting makeup. Its a liquid form with excellent coverage and mineral properties or in other words less chemicals went into the production of the makeup so that means less allergic reactions. If none of these work and your poor babyskin is still red itchy or blotchy then there are organic and vegan mineral makeup lines out there for you. A couple of them that I have tried myself are Shaklee's mineral foundation and Jane Iredale mineral foundations. You may have to google them to find out where to buy them.
As for my MAC enthusiasts who already love and use the products I just wanted to give you a few tips on buying MAC and saving money :), as a card carrying MAC pro card member I was introduced to the idea of buying in palette form which in my opinion has made my life as a working MUA so much easier! My kit looks more professional and I am able to get the job done faster because of the neatness and easy accessability to my products. I suggest buying the 15 eyeshadow palette and if you cannot afford to buy all fifteen eyeshadows, just buy them one by one or two by two however you can work it until it is filled with your personal favorites. It is much cheaper that way as the palette itself is re-usable and the eyeshadow pans in palette form are a few dollars less. MAC also has a four eyeshadow palette to start with. There are also palettes for blushes, bronzers and contouring shades as well. Save all your empty MAC containers because MAC has this wonderful program called BACK TO MAC where you can bring them six empty MAC containers and they will reward you with a free lipstick of your choice! Another way to cut down your makeup bill is to mix down old foundations to make one usuable shade and or shades and for that little job I love love love face and body foundation! It's soo easy to work with and mixable with so many products! I usually take a a face and body foundation and mix it down with some of my older, about to toss cream to powders or liquid foundations that are in my kit and voila! You created your own custom blended foundations for you, your friends or even clients. I am also able to use face and body in my airbrush gun! You can also use MAC mix down for the purpose of mixing down colors but I love the flesh tones of face and body! I hope that answered some of your questions on MAC cosmetics! Please feel free to post any follow up questions on this topic and remember, NEVER, NEVER NEVER GO TO SLEEP WITH MAKEUP ON!!! Until next time, mmmwwwhhhaaa!!!
A LIST OF MY PERSONAL MAC FAVES:
1. MAC Face and Body Foundation
2. Fluid line gel eyeliners
3. Blot powder
4. Strobe cream
5. The Brushes
6. MAC eyeliner/lipliner sharpener (its still sharpening beautifully after 3 yrs!)
7. Plush lash mascara in Black
8. MAC full coverage foundation (Heavy duty stuff so use with care)
9. Diablo and frankly scarlett Blush (feathered on these highly pigmented colors look amazingly like a natural flush with no sparkle or shimmer)
10. Last but not least, Russian Red Lipstick. (Every girl must have a staple in her makeup bag and this in my opinion is it.)
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