MAC Cosmetics

[luvsJack]

Does anyone here use MAC Cosmetics?

DD loves make up and the artistry of make up and thinks that is the career path she wants to pursue (as in stage make-up artistry or movie make up)

She has been wanting some MAC cosmetics and I was thinking about getting some and a couple of books on make up application.

I was trying to order some online but am totally confused. Does it only come in sets? Is there a set that is the total face?

Its expensive at $40 for lip stick and lip conditioner with a bag; is that about right for pricing? Is there anywhere I can get it cheaper (this was from Belks online) but that I can be sure and get authentic MAC cosmetics? (already found a site with knock off.

 

[Janepod]

Does anyone here use MAC Cosmetics?

DD loves make up and the artistry of make up and thinks that is the career path she wants to pursue (as in stage make-up artistry or movie make up)

She has been wanting some MAC cosmetics and I was thinking about getting some and a couple of books on make up application.

I was trying to order some online but am totally confused. Does it only come in sets? Is there a set that is the total face?

Its expensive at $40 for lip stick and lip conditioner with a bag; is that about right for pricing? Is there anywhere I can get it cheaper (this was from Belks online) but that I can be sure and get authentic MAC cosmetics? (already found a site with knock off.

There are two books about makeup by Kevyn Aucoin that are great. One is called Making Faces; I forget the other.

I would just order directly from MAC or visit a MAC counter at a department store. I pay $20ish for lipstick or a lip pencil so what you're saying sounds about right. However, make sure they are shades she wants. Sometimes in those deals they pair a great lipstick with a dud of a pencil.

 

[luvsJack]

Thanks! I will definitely look for the book!

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Does anyone here use MAC Cosmetics?

DD loves make up and the artistry of make up and thinks that is the career path she wants to pursue (as in stage make-up artistry or movie make up)

She has been wanting some MAC cosmetics and I was thinking about getting some and a couple of books on make up application.

I was trying to order some online but am totally confused. Does it only come in sets? Is there a set that is the total face?

Its expensive at $40 for lip stick and lip conditioner with a bag; is that about right for pricing? Is there anywhere I can get it cheaper (this was from Belks online) but that I can be sure and get authentic MAC cosmetics? (already found a site with knock off.

I get mine at Macy's. It is very expensive, but I feel like it is a superior product. I really only use their eye shadows. They are more pigmented and have less "fillers" so the colors are richer and have better staying power.(Too Faced is my preferred brand for everything else.)

If she is serious and you can spare the cash, what about getting her the smallest pallet they make? I think you can build your own at the MAC website.

 

[DisneyDanielle85]

I use some MAC products. I love their eye shadows. They are super pigmented and have that color that sometimes on a night out I am looking for. I'm not too fond of their foundations. As someone with oily skin i feel like it makes me break out more than other foundations do. Their lip products are pretty decent. I don't use them a ton so it's not fair to judge them. I'd say buy her a couple of pieces from MAC but if you have a MAC store or MAC counter at Macy's maybe check that out so you can see and touch everything to get a feel for what your buying.

Another good Brand if she is looking to get into make up professionally Make up Forever HD. A lot of professional make up artists I know use that. You can get that at Sephora. It's also a really nice professional brand.

 

[goofinoff]

MAC is a great line for her if she wants to start in that industry. They are all about the artistry! Maybe you could get her a few things and ask them to book her an appointment for after Christmas so they can teach her a few things. The best thing to do is to go right to a MAC counter.

 

[Imzadi]

I LOVE MAC makeup. A friend of mine is a professional makeup artist for some of the TV shows, films & commercials here in NYC. I get to visit her on set sometimes, when security isn't so tight and they let me visit. There are usually 3-4 makeup artists on some of the bigger shoots, (like the former Sex & the City,) and most of them use MAC make up.

There are 2-3 types of foundation coverage. The one I use is heavily pigmented to cover my age spots, but I don't have to apply a thick layer and look "made up." That is MAC's professional Studio line, and they also have an every day line. And maybe a third.

MAC has a mineral powder, but they do NOT recommend it, nor is it used on film sets. It just does not give the necessary coverage. LIQUID foundation is better with a dusting of the mineral powder over.

Here is a link for an old MAC makeup thread here. I've been using MAC for that long.


Also, the number ONE trick: is to make sure you finish off your foundation (any brand,) with a very fine transparent powder, applied & blended in with a great soft blending brush. The transparent powder really sets the foundation so it looks like the texture of skin, rather than makeup sitting on top of the skin. And it gives a flawless finish. My MAC blending brush costs me $30 and it is worth every penny.

I recently had to go into MAC again as I got some tanned color this summer and wanted to re-match my foundation and buy a new bottle. The gal there did a whole make up application on me. Turns out, I still use the same color foundation, and since I have a bit of extra color, she changed out the transparent powder to a slightly darker color to give more of a hint of color. She taught me some new tricks with a new eye shadow color, too. This is stuff I never would have figured out on my own.

It might be better, if you have a MAC Store nearby, to give DD a gift certificate for MAC, and she can go in and have a free professional make-up lesson while they pick all the right colors for her and teach her how to apply it. She can get all the best makeup, but applied incorrectly, wind up looking horrible.

 

[Shyvioletisme]

Just be sure to never have your makeup done at a Mac counter, because no matter what you tell them you want, you will walk away looking like you're about to compete in a creepy beauty pageant. They WAY over do the makeup and not in a pretty fashion way. The products themselves are great when used well, though.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Just be sure to never have your makeup done at a Mac counter, because no matter what you tell them you want, you will walk away looking like you're about to compete in a creepy beauty pageant. They WAY over do the makeup and not in a pretty fashion way. The products themselves are great when used well, though.

I have never had this happen. I always get great results. Not only for special occasions either. I did or just a date with DH once as a treat to myself and I looked natural.(enhanced of course since that IS what makeup does)

 

[Imzadi]

Just be sure to never have your makeup done at a Mac counter, because no matter what you tell them you want, you will walk away looking like you're about to compete in a creepy beauty pageant. They WAY over do the makeup and not in a pretty fashion way. The products themselves are great when used well, though.

I have never had this happen. I always get great results. Not only for special occasions either. I did or just a date with DH once as a treat to myself and I looked natural.(enhanced of course since that IS what makeup does)

Me neither.

If I didn't trust the women at MAC, I'd have my makeup artist friend re-do me and simply pick up the products at the store. But, I have never had a problem.

Maybe it depends on if you go to a real MAC center, or one that just happens to be in department store along with the other makeup counters. At those, I would think they may just hire women who aren't specially trained - except to sell products. Whereas, at real MAC centers, all the clerks are specially trained.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Me neither.

If I didn't trust the women at MAC, I'd have my makeup artist friend re-do me and simply pick up the products at the store. But, I have never had a problem.

Maybe it depends on if you go to a real MAC center, or one that just happens to be in department store along with the other makeup counters. At those, I would think they may just hire women who aren't specially trained - except to sell products. Whereas, at real MAC centers, all the clerks are specially trained.

Yes... I'm pretty sure all of the employees at MAC stores(flagships not department store counters) are actual licenses MAC artists.

 

[mamacatnv]

I love MAC. My BFF was a manager with them years ago when they first made an appearance in Macy's. MAC at the time did all of their own training and has constant training for their make up artists. Just because they are in a dept. store does not mean they have not been trained.

I only use shadows, blush and lipsticks. I always buy single containers of each and they last a really long time. I believe that I spend approx $20 per item when I need a replacement.

I also have an assortment of their brushes. The use of good brushes in the application of the makeup is one of their signatures.

Personally, as far as price goes, I think for what you get compared to other like dept. store products that MAC is a great deal.

I'd skip the "sets" and just get some basics
One of my favorite shadow colors is Embark - it is a rich dark brown, I use it as liner, to create a smokey eye etc. With it I like Cork.
My favorite lip color of all time is "O" but for day wear I like Plum Dandy.

If it were me buying for DD, I would get an eye crease brush and an angled tip brush for eyeliner and then a couple of shadows. I'd skip the lipstick.

 

[Lorix2]

My DD20 just came home from college after only 2 years because the degree she was going for does not interest her. She wants to work as a professional make up artists for movies, sets, etc..and she LOVES MAC makeup. She applies it very well on herself and others.

How does one work toward that goal? The only cosmetic school around here is really for hair design mostly.

Sorry to hijack this thread OP, I was about to actually ask this in a separate thread.

Thank you.

 

[goofinoff]

Just be sure to never have your makeup done at a Mac counter, because no matter what you tell them you want, you will walk away looking like you're about to compete in a creepy beauty pageant. They WAY over do the makeup and not in a pretty fashion way. The products themselves are great when used well, though.

I totally disagree. Sounds like you may be going to the wrong MAC counter.

 

[luvsJack]

My DD20 just came home from college after only 2 years because the degree she was going for does not interest her. She wants to work as a professional make up artists for movies, sets, etc..and she LOVES MAC makeup. She applies it very well on herself and others.

How does one work toward that goal? The only cosmetic school around here is really for hair design mostly.

Sorry to hijack this thread OP, I was about to actually ask this in a separate thread.

Thank you.

Hijack away! I was wondering the same thing. I know they will need to attend a cosmetology school but it needs to cover a lot in cosmetics and skin care.

There is one in NOLA and Baton Rouge that came up when I googled Mac Make-up but I didn't really figure out if there was a connection. It did look as though they teach a lot in cosmetics and make up.

 

[goofinoff]

I work for another cosmetic company and can tell you that you do not need to go to cosmotology school to work at a MAC counter. I would tell your daughter to go to the local MAC counter or store and inquire about doing some free-lance work. I know our counter hires a few makeup artists during the holidays for extra help. Bobbi Brown is another good one to get into as well. The more experience she can get, the better. That way if she free-lances for one of the companies, they may hire her permanently if they have an opening.

 

[Robbi]

Just be sure to never have your makeup done at a Mac counter, because no matter what you tell them you want, you will walk away looking like you're about to compete in a creepy beauty pageant. They WAY over do the makeup and not in a pretty fashion way. The products themselves are great when used well, though.

My daughter LOVES MAC makeup. The person who does her makeup is a drag queen whose makeup is understated for work. She never does outrageous makeup on my daughter who is 18.
OP, if you have a MAC store nearby, I'd go with your daughter. There are hundreds of choices. One of the sales people can help her with colors. Write a list f those she likes and either buy them then or go back if you want to surprise her.

 

[Imzadi]

I also have an assortment of their brushes. The use of good brushes in the application of the makeup is one of their signatures.

Personally, as far as price goes, I think for what you get compared to other like dept. store products that MAC is a great deal.

I'd skip the "sets" and just get some basics
One of my favorite shadow colors is Embark - it is a rich dark brown, I use it as liner, to create a smokey eye etc. With it I like Cork.

Interesting, the new shadow I got is also a rich, dark, golden burgundy-brown called Twinks. At first I thought the MAC gal was nuts when she suggested it. I have yellow undertones, and the last thing I need is something that would make me seem more yellow. Like, I can't wear rust, tan, orange, beige and browns at all, as they make me look sickly and yellow.

But, she did such a great job on giving me just a hint of natural color I need over my foundation when I'm a bit tanned, that I let her experiment. I have a chronic illness now & need more of a pick me up, as I really do tend to look sickly. My eyes have started to get puffy, causing a bit of sagginess. I can't wear my usual muted mauves anymore. They just emphasize that I have bleary, puffy red eyes. I don't bounce back as well as I used to, after a night of no sleep.

Because applying the makeup with brushes is so key to MAC's techniques of applying makeup, she spent a good 2 minutes on each eye. No simple swipe with a Q-tip or those cheap foam brushes that usually come in kits. When she was done, my eyes looked so much bigger! They had a slightly smokey eyes effect, but for daytime. Instead of the the brown being orangy or too yellow, it had a nice hint of burgundy red. It blended with my natural coloring. Some areas, where she blended really well, towards the brow, it made the brown actually look very subtle. Above the crease & right above the lashes, where she applied it heavier, it looked like natural shadows, enlarging the eyes with a very subtle shimmer & sparkle. The puffiness was gone. I got all those different effects with just the one color and using different brushes and learning how to blend it all in. I took a picture with my cellphone camera afterwards, to make sure I could repeat the look.

Since I'm now one of those "women of a certain age," I didn't want a silvery, shimmery eye shadow that made me look like I was wearing a disco mirror ball over my eyes, or worse, that I'm trying to look like I'm in my 20's again. Also, I remember Diane Sawyer & Lauren Hutton, both around my age have said no bright, glittery shadows as they tend to flake into the fine lines & wrinkles around the eyes and really highlights the lines. The gold shimmer in the shadow blended into my yellow undertones and gave a very subtle shimmer, without looking like a disco ball.

I use a different, cheaper blush, just matched to the MAC color that was chosen for me. Same with lipsticks. I actually get them from the dollar store since they have to be re-applied so often. I'm always eating or nibbling on something so I end up wiping off the lipstick with a napkin. So no expensive lipsticks for me.


Oh, BTW, anyone who reads the makeup reviews at makeupalley.com, will find that many of the reviewers will give their MAC foundation color in the reviews, so other women who have the same coloring will know if that makeup being reviewed will work for them or to avoid that color. Like my MAC foundation color is NC25, so anyone in the NC range might want to try the Twinks eye shadow color, too.