All you need to know about MAC foundations

Hello everyone ☺

I have been working for MAC cosmetics for over a year now. I must say that it has been the best school for me. I have learned so much through working there and every day I learn something new. We are always up to date with new products and trends.

However, I am not going to bore you with my experience there today. I am going to talk about all the foundations we have. Yeay! Every day I have customers asking about the differences between all the foundations MAC does. Yes, there are many to choose from and the reason for that is because MAC has a foundation for everyone. “All ages, all races, all sexes” is MAC’s motto. So whoever you are, wherever you are from or whatever skin type, there is a foundation for YOU. Isn't that amazing??!!

Lets start with the most popular foundation:

Studio fix fluid and powder:

Studio fix fluid is an oil free (not 100% however) foundation that has a medium (but buildable) coverage with a matte smooth finish. It is suitable for oily skin as it absorbs oil. I love the finish of this foundation. A I have dry skin I like to use the Care blends essential oils on my face before I use the foundation.

Studio fix powder is a smooth powder foundation suitable for oily skin. It contains Silika that helps to absorb oil and also Talc that provides the powder to give a less reflective and matte finish. I personally don't use Fix powder on myself, again it is just because I have dry skin ☹
Set the powder with Prep+prime fix +.

Mineralize liquid, compact and loose powder foundation

All the mineral products from MAC contain 77 minerals for maximum hydration. I love these foundation as they look very natural on the skin as it i light reflecting . They give a soft sheer to medium coverage and are suitable for dry to normal skin. It is amazing for mature skin as they reduce fine lines. The liquid is more glossy than the compact. The loose powder is beautiful on the skin. I usually use it as a finishing powder as it gives more coverage.

Matchmaster foundation

The Matchmaster foundation is my absolute favorite foundation. Gives a medium buildable coverage with a natural finish. It doesn't feel nor look like you have foundation on. It contains transparent pigments so the foundation reflects the skintone, AMAZING! I like to apply this foundation with a duo fibre brush for maximum blending ☺

This foundation is amazing for someone with combination skin.

Studio Face and Body

As the name says, Face and Body can be used anywhere you like. It has a natural shiny satin finish. Amazing on top of Studio Fix liquid. OMG it gives the most beautiful finish ever.
The foundation looks like an extra layer of skin. It is just amazing on someone with naturally beautiful skin. It is waterbased.

Pro longwear foundation

A longwearing foundation that stays on for 15 hours (eeehm yes please). It has a sheer to medium coverage with a natural matte finish. Oil absorbing and humidity and sweat resistant. The compact I am not such a big fan of. It has a powdery finish and on my skin it felt really dry. However, on someone with oily skin it can look flawless. Not a massive fan of the colors either. The NC colors (I will explain the color codes very shortly) are a bit too yellow. But hey it is 15 hours wear ☺

Studio Sculpt foundation

Yes there is a full coverage foundation for those with dry skin. This foundation is gel-based with a satin finish. It is medium to full coverage. Best applied with a flat foundation brush. DO NOT USE A DUO FIBRE BRUSH!!! You can't buff this product into the skin. When I use this foundation on myself or someone else I feel that it can’t be used without a powder on top. It looks very heavy if you don't set it. If you are oily, stay away from Sculpt.

Studio Tech foundation

Have you ever heard the term “cream to powder”? Well I have, and this MAC’s version of a ‘cream to powder’. The reason being is that the foundation is very creamy but has a powder finish to it. I must say that Studio tech looks absolutely amazing on deeper skin tones. OMG it looks flawless. It says that it is suitable for all skin types but I think it look better on oily skin. It is perfect for those who are in a rush and just want one product to do it all for them. Comes with a sponge that is placed under the foundation. Just put it in your bag for touch ups ☺

MAC color codes

For most foundation the MAC color codes come in NC (natural cool) and NW (natural warm). So when you have a foundation with NC25 for example, the number indicated the shade of the foundation, meaning how dark it is. The bigger number the darker the foundation. However, not all MAC foundations come in those color codes. Matchmaster comes in 1–10 numbers and that is as I explained before, it reflects the skin tone. The studio Face and Body comes in C (cool) and N (natural) colors, example N3, again the number gives the shade of the foundation.

How do you know what color to get?

It is simple, go into MAC and ask one of the artists to help you to choose a foundation. The walk in demos is for the customer to try the foundation on and see how it looks before purchase. If it is too busy, (which it can be trust me), see for yourself. First you need to know what undertone you are. If your skin is warmer (warm tones are more red based) then you have to go for NW colors. If you skin has a cooler tone (cool tones are more yellow based) then go for NC colors. Depending on your skin tone choose the right number by applying the foundation on your face NOT on the back of your hand. Blend it well and see if it matches. You can always ask for samples too.

This is it guys, thank you so much for reading and as always don't hesitate to ask me questions, please leave your thoughts too. Feedback is the best way to progress.

Much Love

XOXO

Lava