M.A.C. Makeup- All time favourites

Makeup Artist Cosmetics started Toronto, Canada in 1984.  link here!

The company was initially and specifically designed for professional makeup artists, but was quickly caught on by the public and is now sold in stores worldwide.

Is it expensive?    Yup.  Worth it?   Yup.  Worth the hype?  Yup.

Unlike other makeup brands, M.A.C. makeup is not too flashy and gimmicky. Their packaging is characteristically simple and understated in recognisable sleek black packaging. You're not paying for shiny brass finishes, shell embossing or celeb-endorsements. Just quality products.

So here are my favs I thought I'd share with you.   
(FYI: For all you M.A.C. lovers out there, I float between NW20 in winter to NW25 in summer).

1. All time favourite powder foundation.   That's a big call to make.    I know.

    Mineralised Skin Finish in Medium Plus.

Otherwise called an M.S.F.  The newest craze of foundation coverage, but soo good.

This is clay/mineral makeup. 

It most importantly, buffs into your skin. You need a good buffer brush or small kabuki (short handled brush) for this stuff.   But it is the shizzle.   It allows your skin to breathe which is essential in our sweaty/windy kiwi climate. Gone are the days of thick foundation lines and cake-like makeup. Must admit I do have one liquid must-have left, but that's a different blog post.  

So throw your bottles out ladies along with your Australis teen makeup days. We are grown-up women.  Get your makeup bag sorted already!

2.  Favourite all time concealer. Jeepers, another big call I know!

     Studio Finish Concealer. NW25 and NW20.

These are milk bottle cap-sized pottles.   You need a decent small flat brush to apply it.   I love the thick consistency and it is SPF30 to both hide and protect skin blemishes. I love how the darker shade on me covers redness and small scars. The lighter shade is great for under eye circles and brightening. I haven't found an under eye concealer to replace this.  Not even Yves Saint Laurent's Touche Eclat. *gasp*  shock horror!

3.  This lipstick will do.    I'm not a big lover of lipstick like many Generation Y-ers.  I'm still on 

      the lip balm/shimmer cabooze, rather than gloss.

      Creme D'Nude   Cremesheen Lipstick.

Like many others, I believe this is the best nude lip out there. A current staple in any M.A.C. kit.  Hard to find and always sold out. 
Snap up one of these bad boys if you can sometime.

4.  I love me some lashes.  I'm a sucker for falsies.  Cute as a button packaging.       
     Handy and flattering case.

     Number 31.  These are natural full lashes.

You can reuse your lashes 3-4 times depending if you degunk them each time and replace them safely in their case.

BTW- Duo glue is the bomb. I asked my M.A.C. counter if my two year-old glue needs replacing, and they said no. Not til its out. What's your thoughts/feelings on this?  General consensus please?

5.   Favourite Foundation Brush:  Stippling 188.  Great for applying foundation, but I 
      really need a full buffer brush.  Any ideas?  This is great to stipple liquid, smudge, 
      sweep and rotate onto your skin.  Love.

6.  Eye products. Yipee!
     Painterly Paint pot.   Say what?   A paint pot is a base in which your shadow adheres        
     to. It is an essential ladies. Trust me. It makes smoking out/smudging easier and   
     makes your eye shadow last. No more greasy eyelids. 
     You will wonder how you lived without it.

Applies chalky/ nude/ grey.

Dodgy swatch below right.

7. Wedge.   Eye shadow.   A must for the outer half/crease. Great for blending. 
    This is a staple in my kit.  Love, love, love it.

8. Eye Shadow Brush. 217. All hail the best blending brush.   For real.  This is an investment. Worth every penny.

9.   I love a good holiday collection and this year's Glitter and Ice is gorgeous.

Thee most gorgeous compact. With a snow globe case. Yes! a snow globe case. (I know I said no flashy packaging, but the holidays are the exception).

Inside is:  Mocha Blush (under slide-out tray)
                Shadows L-R top        Phloof!     Brun  
                             L-R bottom   Quarry   Dance in the Dark
                Mirror included.
I needed two of these eyeshadows colours anyway. AND it came with a nude gloss, rosey-pink lipstick, three travel-sized brushes inside a clear/foil decorated kit bag. Bargain!


10.   Paint pot in Limited Edition Glitter and Ice Collection.
        Let's Skate!     Pinky shimmery goodness with tasteful gold sparkle. 
        Great for inner eye corner.

Subtly sparkly shimmer.
So festive!















What are your favourite M.A.C. products?




Budgie xo