I’ve a complicated relationship with MAC. Like for many beauty junkies, MAC was my gateway drug (back in the days oft he dinosaurs when it was still relatively cheap for a girl on a budget). Between then and now I got kind of exasperated with their limited editions that drop approximately every five minutes, mediocre products they released and great ones they discontinued. But I still enjoy some old and some new products very much, so much that they’ve become staples in my makeup drawer.
Maybe you’ll be surprised – there’s not a matte lipstick in sight, nor Whirl or Spice lipliner. There’re many products from MAC I enjoy, but favourites like MAC’s pearlglide liners are easily dupeable nowadays. Hyped up products like MAC’s nude and matte lipsticks aren’t actually holy grail material for me either. Therefore, the following collection came to be.
MAC Mineralize Foundation Loose
The best foundation for a hot and humid climate (here’s a foundation hack for that!). In the awful Shanghai summer I become repulsed by the mere thought of a liquid foundation. This is a wonderful solution for that predicament, with only points in favour for that great foundation: With more coverage than a mere powder, it stays on, can be blotted easily and can also be mixed with sunscreen for an easy tinted moisturizer. Works also great for beach vacations or city trips to a city like Singapore where everything melts off your face in seconds. I’m using NC15.
MAC 168 brush
Yep, that surprised you, right? I guess usually you’d see MAC’s 217 in that place (the equivalent of MAC’s 217 from Hakuhodo is actually my holy grail), or one of the skunk brushes. Nope. This is an often-overlooked gem in MAC’s brush portfolio. Made from goat’s hair, it’s perfect for a precise blush application, for bronzer, highlighter and even contouring. It’s firm enough to pick up product from firmly pressed powders, but soft enough not to feel scratchy on the skin. It’s my holy grail blush for my everyday highlighters, and I own three. *blushes*
MAC Huggable Lipsticks/Huggable Glosses
The best nourishing and moisturizing lipsticks out there. They have it all – great colour selection and a great formula. Non-feathering, with some staining power, and oh, the comfort. I’ll use them mainly during the colder months, though, because toting them around in hot weather isn’t a good idea – due to their creamy formula, they’ll melt quickly. (You’ll find an overview for all the Huggables I own here.)
The Huggable Glosses quickly dethroned my formerly fave glosses, the Creamsheen Glasses. The formula is top-notch: non-sticky and moisturizing, and I enjoy the colour selection that doesn’t include any shimmer or glitter. There’s only one negative point: The outrageous price for the little amount of product you’ll find in the tube. Maybe that’s the reason that there’re whispers that they’ll be discontinued shortly?
Favourite colour: Mega-Hug Huggable Gloss (see swatches here)/ Cherry Glaze, Fresh & Frisky, Rich Marron Huggable Lipcolour (sorry, I couldn’t narrow it down further!)
MAC Extra Dimension e/s (and blushes)
No surprise here as well – again a top-notch formula that works well for both eyeshadows and blushes (there’re newly added highlighters to the ED line-up as well, one of those I tested here). The eyeshadows are wonderfully complex one-sweep wonders, meaning that they work well for those busy days when you don’t have time for a complicated eye look but want to look like you’re wearing one. While the eyeshadows range from shimmery to outright glittery (swatches!), the blushes give a wonderful glowy look, no highlighter needed. (Make them permanent, MAC!)
Favourite colour: Havana (fave blush: Bareness)
MAC Lightscapade
Oh, it was such a mad rush when it was released for the first and second time! I remember frantically calling all MAC stores in the vicinity to score one (hashtag goodtimes). Then it became permanent a few years ago, and nobody has talked about it since. What a shame. This looks not only beautiful in the pan, it’s also a gorgeous highlighter for fair skin that I honestly used to wear every. Single. Day. I didn’t even feel the need to run and buy the next best thing. It works with every blush, because on my fair skin, it doesn’t run warm or cold or white or silver or gold or champagne, it just looks like a glistening highlight. I hesitate to call it natural, because, eh, highlighter, but it’s as natural as it will get for me.
So, these are my MAC favourites. What are yours? I’d love to hear from you!
Mine would be the Face And Body Foundation. Wore it on my wedding day after I tried so many other brands. Hands down, cannot live without it! xx
I was just trying to remember what foundation I wore for my wedding and couldn’t. 😀 Strangely, I can’t stand the texture of F&B, although from the description of it it should be right up my alley!