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Sat Aug 04, 2012 8:39 am  |
Do you think that the buzz over MAC makeup is just hype?
Or do you think that it's truly better than other makeup?
If the latter, what makes it better than other brands of makeup? What are some MAC products that you've tried, and how have the results compared to those from other brands? |
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Sat Aug 04, 2012 2:22 pm |
I love the MAC Face and Body foundation - it's probably my absolute favourite. I love the film former in it, and it looks fantastic in photos.
I think also, as a south asian, I appreciate that MAC has a broad range of colours for foundation and concealer - it's easy to find my shade, when it isn't in other brands. |
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Sat Aug 04, 2012 2:40 pm |
| I dislike MAC. I pefer the MakeUp Forever Face and Body foundation over the MAC version. In terms of eyeshadows and blushes, I think NARS far outweighs MAC, and TooFaced and Tarte are also great. |
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Sat Aug 04, 2012 4:33 pm |
MAC stands for Make-up Art Cosmetics & was founded in Toronto (a lot of people don't know that). It was specifically started for pro artists in the 80's.
It started off as one of the first lines to include a wide range of colours, and finely milled eyeshadows etc. This coupled with some excellent marketing campaigns, brand affiliations, and even makeup artists at their local counters, made for a really good run for a while there. They were associated with really funky, over the top, theatrical events and celebrated the drag community and (cool things like aids events) in a genuine way. It seemed like everyone involved believed in what they stood for.
They had/have things like the cruely-free campaign, the viva glam/aids funds, & cool return-recycling programs, and really good discount programs for cosmetic pro's and I think students.
Then it was sold to estee lauder and the original owner died. Now there isn't the same love and care for the line & the community that made them what they are. Now I find that the makeup artists at their counters are not all too knowledgeable.
I think they still come up with some great products, but with so many other lines providing the same scope of colours and quality, MAC is seriously overpriced because of the name. There are tons of (even drugstore lines) which can match the quality of products now, so there's little point in going to mac, except for some of the skin prep & finish type products, maybe the odd eyeliner/mascaras, so I've heard.
They're soooo established though that most people paying attention to makeup can rattle off & recognize their colour names & products to describe and offer comparisons for what looks they're going for. Its become an understood lanaguage in makeup. |
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Olive, normal/oily skin. Using rinse-off ocm, Vit C, Tretinoin since Nov/10, GHK since Feb/12, Niacinamide & glucosamine, alternating, & now skipping nights! Concerns include oiliness, hyperpigmentation from occasional zits, 11's & nasolabial folds. |
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Sun Aug 05, 2012 1:52 pm |
| LoriA wrote: |
Then it was sold to estee lauder and the original owner died. Now there isn't the same love and care for the line & the community that made them what they are. Now I find that the makeup artists at their counters are not all too knowledgeable.
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Unfortunately, this happens with far too many great companies. They end up being devoured by huge corporations like Estée Lauder and L'Oréal. Then they often tend to go downhill.
Having said that, I agree with others on this thread that MAC still do make some great products with an excellent degree of pigmentation and staying power. Lori's right about the counter expertise, though. It's definitely not what it was. |
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Sun Aug 05, 2012 3:08 pm |
| I like their brushes but I haven't been able to find a foundation of theirs that I like. |
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Esthetician working at a Med-spa. Love the Clarisonic! |
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Sun Aug 05, 2012 3:16 pm |
| LauraLizzie, what foundation are you currently using? |
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Sun Aug 05, 2012 3:31 pm |
majorb, maybe you misunderstood - I did say that they still come up with great products. I only added that today with so many others offering dupes & products v similar in quality, MAC can be considered overpriced for what you get (comparing amount of product, for instance). And there are some newer products which as I understand no one else has really stepped up and matched yet.
mur, I find it interesting that you were able to find your shade in MAC, but not in others. I'm olive toned and had a lot of trouble with MAC (too red or too yellow), and had more success with MUFE, I think Bobbi Brown (though I didn't finally purchase), and lately a Ben Nye powder. Maybe MAC colours have changed lately to accomodoate olive skins better?
Or maybe you're not olive toned!? |
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Olive, normal/oily skin. Using rinse-off ocm, Vit C, Tretinoin since Nov/10, GHK since Feb/12, Niacinamide & glucosamine, alternating, & now skipping nights! Concerns include oiliness, hyperpigmentation from occasional zits, 11's & nasolabial folds. |
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Sun Aug 05, 2012 5:37 pm |
LoriA,
What do you mean by the "odd eyeliner?" |
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Sun Aug 05, 2012 5:56 pm |
| I use the studio fix fluid foundation. I like it and the pressed powder. It seems to help my oily skin not be so oily. I do agree that it is over priced. I have compared some of their eye shadows with NYC eye shadows and found that the NYC was actually better, and its a fraction of the cost. |
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35. Alpha Beta Peels once per month, OCM, C serum, HA serum with argiline, Retin A, |
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Sun Aug 05, 2012 5:59 pm |
| I wonder what brand of makeup do celebrities use? |
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Sun Aug 05, 2012 6:48 pm |
Fluidlines/Blacktrack
Yeah, its thrilling to find such amazing drugstore products these days!
Celebs wear the same brands we do. There aren't a lot of secret brands which aren't talked about and available to everyone. A lot of them who know their stuff, use the good drugstore ones too. |
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Olive, normal/oily skin. Using rinse-off ocm, Vit C, Tretinoin since Nov/10, GHK since Feb/12, Niacinamide & glucosamine, alternating, & now skipping nights! Concerns include oiliness, hyperpigmentation from occasional zits, 11's & nasolabial folds. |
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Sun Aug 05, 2012 6:52 pm |
LoriA,
Maybe the secret is in the application.
Because the makeup that applied to celebritis' faces often looks flawless. |
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Sun Aug 05, 2012 6:59 pm |
Yes, there are some tricks to application, knowing which products are best for you, how to use your tools and layer your products.
And I don't know about others, but I'm not willing to wear as much full coverage makeup as a lot of them do, which could in the end be called "flawless". I like to look human! |
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Olive, normal/oily skin. Using rinse-off ocm, Vit C, Tretinoin since Nov/10, GHK since Feb/12, Niacinamide & glucosamine, alternating, & now skipping nights! Concerns include oiliness, hyperpigmentation from occasional zits, 11's & nasolabial folds. |
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Sun Aug 05, 2012 7:27 pm |
I agree with some of the previous posters that the eyeshadows and blushes of MAC aren't as good as some other lines. I prefer NARS blushes to MAC's. MAC offers a very wide range of eyeshadows.
I can't top their eyeliners though (and I've tried lots of them). I also love their brushes. Their brushes are hand-made and so sometimes I hand-pick the brush I want according to what I'm going to be using it for.
The thing that kind of makes me laugh about MAC is that they always come out with these new "collections" and some die-hard MAC fans run out to their local MAC store or counter immediately and buy all the things from the collections. It's kind of sad in a way.
There are MAC pro stores that only allow those with a MAC pro card (makeup artists, hair stylists, etc) to purchase from them. |
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Sun Aug 05, 2012 7:34 pm |
BellaKai, it seems like you like their eyeliners?
What about their eyeliners do you like? |
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Sun Aug 05, 2012 11:53 pm |
I used to be a makeup snob although I rarely got it together enough to wear it. These days I have Hard Candy, NYX, ELF and MAC as well as some Tarte, Smashbox and they're all good. I'm wearing makeup more and I enjoy Playing with all the color.  I can't fault any of what I have. I actually get the most compliments on the Hard Candy e/s rendevous. MAC is really nothing special when I think of it. It's a well-known brand with artsy appeal. But if you were to use a dupe of another line noone would know the difference. Mascara - favorite is a Maybelline. I love a Revlon base (which I rarely wear but when I do it's a nice one since it suits my oily skin). I do have two MAC blushes that I like but ELF has a great copy of the NARS Laguna/Orgasm duo that suits me just fine. Lots of great inexpensive stuff out there.
I was shocked at how much drugstore cosmetics can really shine these days. |
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Enjoying dermalogica with my ASG and Pico toner ** Disclosure: I was a participant without remuneration in promotional videos for Ageless Secret Gold and the Neurotris Pico Emmy event. |
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Mon Aug 06, 2012 2:45 am |
| LoriA wrote: |
majorb, maybe you misunderstood - I did say that they still come up with great products. I only added that today with so many others offering dupes & products v similar in quality, MAC can be considered overpriced for what you get (comparing amount of product, for instance). And there are some newer products which as I understand no one else has really stepped up and matched yet.
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Sorry, Lori, for the confusion. I did understand what you meant and the bit I added about them still making some good products wasn't in reference to your post, I was just agreeing with the posts which stated they still liked some MAC products. 
I keep expecting the "Estée Lauder effect" to kick in at some point and ruin things, though!
One disappointment I do have is that they appear to have discontinued Liquidlast eye liner and the replacement (can't remember the name) doesn't have the same amazing staying power on me. |
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Mon Aug 06, 2012 2:03 pm |
| BellaKai wrote: |
The thing that kind of makes me laugh about MAC is that they always come out with these new "collections" and some die-hard MAC fans run out to their local MAC store or counter immediately and buy all the things from the collections. It's kind of sad in a way.
There are MAC pro stores that only allow those with a MAC pro card (makeup artists, hair stylists, etc) to purchase from them. |
I do know that MAC has quite the following on Makeup Alley (makeup section). MAC dominates the board there. |
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Canadian with fair skin. 50+ years old sensitive and reactive. |
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Mon Aug 06, 2012 4:19 pm |
| VeronicaM wrote: |
| LauraLizzie, what foundation are you currently using? |
Jane Iredale pressed powder. I get it for $17.50, it lasts all day, the compact lasts forever and it feels weightless. |
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Esthetician working at a Med-spa. Love the Clarisonic! |
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Mon Aug 06, 2012 6:31 pm |
| LauraLizzie wrote: |
| VeronicaM wrote: |
| LauraLizzie, what foundation are you currently using? |
Jane Iredale pressed powder. I get it for $17.50, it lasts all day, the compact lasts forever and it feels weightless. |
Where do you get it for that price?? |
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early 60's, fair skin, combo skin, very few fine lines, vertical lip lines, crows feet & 11's, fighting aging! Using Palancia HF, dermarollers, CPs, Retin A Micro, Safetox, AALS, Clairsonic |
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Tue Aug 07, 2012 12:41 am |
BellaKai and Majorb,
The Maybelline eye studio and Wet n Wild mega creme liners are both more heavily pigmented, and my friend says the latter doesn't budge.
I don't use gel liners too seriously - a bit of the maybelline on my upper waterline every once in a while, smudging the lashline out a bit with a dark shadow, so it wouldn't be too upsetting to me to lose some pigmentation & have to go over a line a couple of times. |
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Olive, normal/oily skin. Using rinse-off ocm, Vit C, Tretinoin since Nov/10, GHK since Feb/12, Niacinamide & glucosamine, alternating, & now skipping nights! Concerns include oiliness, hyperpigmentation from occasional zits, 11's & nasolabial folds. |
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Tue Aug 07, 2012 1:52 am |
| LoriA wrote: |
BellaKai and Majorb,
The Maybelline eye studio and Wet n Wild mega creme liners are both more heavily pigmented, and my friend says the latter doesn't budge.
I don't use gel liners too seriously - a bit of the maybelline on my upper waterline every once in a while, smudging the lashline out a bit with a dark shadow, so it wouldn't be too upsetting to me to lose some pigmentation & have to go over a line a couple of times. |
Thanks, Lori! Unfortunately, I don't think Wet n Wild is available in the UK, but I'm pretty sure I've seen it whilst we've been on holiday in Canada. Next time I'm over there, I must check it out.
I have managed to find a great substitute for the Liquidlast (although I suspect not for such a good price as the Wet n Wild would be). I now use Urban Decay 24/7. For me, it's easier to apply and great for doing a cat eye line. It doesn't budge at all - although I do go over it with a little eyeshadow in the same colour. |
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Fri Aug 17, 2012 11:54 am |
MAC started out as Canadian. It became popular because of the vast shades of colors. At that time it was tough for a person of color to find a make-up that matches their skintone perfectly. Finally a company that specializes in the perfect shade for asians/hispanics/blacks. Their array of shades for eyeshadows/lipsticks etc. had great pigment and ideal for make-up artists to work with. The pigment stayed on with great coverage (perfect for photoshoots and movie sets).
With increase popularity came the money for great marketing campaigns. One of the firsts to really advocate beauty in all ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientation and take a stand for animal welfare (no testing on animals) and a sustainable environment (recycling program..bring back 6 plastic containers, get a free lipstick) when the norm at the time was seeing cookie-cutter, pretty cover-girls advertising make-up. (boring!)
MAC is really known for it's colors. They are on-top of the trends when knowing what colors are the trendiest and in-style at the moment. However, many other companies have followed in MAC's footsteps since then. MAC sold itself to the big fish (Estee Lauder). It's quality has gone downhill but they have more money for their advertisement campaigns to keep em still hot and popular. They still advertise a sustainable world and have linked up with PETA organization and get people like Pam Anderson to put on their ads....but the truth of the matter is that they are owned by Estee Lauder, a powerhouse that doesn't care about a sustainable future and the welfare of animals because Estee Lauder tests on animals with most of their other brands of make-ups and products anyways!
I say why MAC is so popular is because of it's smart marketing. They target make-up artists. In many beauty school's students are conditioned to use MAC products for practice plus beauty schools and their students get vast discounts on MAC products. It's no wonder make-up artists graduate thinking MAC make-up is the way to go! |
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Late 20's, clarisonic, Vit C serum, hormonal acne, congested pores, combination skin, living in Vancouver Canada |
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Fri Aug 17, 2012 2:09 pm |
Hi BC Girl, take a look at my earlier post! 
Anyway, well said - its an amazing story! They did have quite a knack for associating themselves with the most intriguing people & causes. And you're sooo right in so much of what you said... they were remarkable in that they catered to all ethnicities, were on top of trends, and were a refreshing change from the cookie-cutter campaigns happening at the time. And I really loved that they brought animal welfare issues into the limelight.
They certainly were responsible for a lot of changes in the industry!
Do you really think the quality has gone down though, or did they just raise the bar, and everyone else has caught up? |
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Olive, normal/oily skin. Using rinse-off ocm, Vit C, Tretinoin since Nov/10, GHK since Feb/12, Niacinamide & glucosamine, alternating, & now skipping nights! Concerns include oiliness, hyperpigmentation from occasional zits, 11's & nasolabial folds. |
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