Hi guys,
I have a new love that I want to share with you today. It's the MAC Matchmaster foundation with SPF 15. I can't describe how much I've enjoyed this product the last two and a half weeks.
Back during spring break, I found myself at odds with my current face routine. I wanted more coverage than a CC cream, but I also didn't want to upset my skin, which has been incredibly oily, dry, and sensitive lately. So I went to the one place that always seems to have things that I trust: MAC. Say what you will about MAC, but for me personally, when all else fails, MAC makeup never lets me down. The makeup artist tried this foundation on me and since I've fallen in love. I'm in the shade 1.5 and I can't get enough of it.
According to the MAC site, this foundation uses "Shade Intelligence Technology" to perfectly match to your skin. The makeup artist told me that if I get a little bit darker during the summer, this will adjust just slightly to my darker skin. This foundation is also:
- Demi-matte
- Buildable medium coverage
- Broad Spectrum UVA/UVB SPF 15
- Reduces Shin on the skin's surface
- Absorbs excess oil
- Conditions and smoothes
- Minimizes the appearance of pores and imperfections
After using this for almost three weeks, I feel like I can say that it definitely seems to do all those things. It definitely absorbs oil and reduces shine, even during warmer days. I don't think it's really caused any breakouts, which is great because my skin has been super picky lately.
It gives me a "your skin, but a million times better" appearance. Like, it looks like I'm seriously not wearing any makeup. I say it gives me a solid 8-10 hours of wear.
I've been using this in conjunction with my Smashbox Photo Finish Light primer, MAC's Studio Careblend powder, and Urban Decay's Deslick Spray. I apply it with my Beauty Blender and it just blends in so beautifully. I love this stuff like crazy. I'm actually surprised that I haven't heard more people talking about how great this foundation is. It's the best face product I think I've ever used.
I'm hoping it works well in summer too. Do you have a foundation love or a brand that always seems to work?
Hey guys!
There's no doubt that I love MAC makeup. It was the first high-end makeup that I dabbled in, and I still continue to find that the brand as a whole is great quality and (when compared with other high-end brands like NARS) relatively affordable.
I've been struggling with my face makeup recently. I love the It Cosmetics CC Cream, but I find myself wanting more coverage and something that holds up better with oily skin.
I thought about trying out the Amazonian Clay Tarte foundation, but found myself just wanting to try something really different. Enter the MAC store. I really like the MAC counter that's here in my hometown, but I truly love going to the full-fledged store about an hour away.
Anyway, in the store I received great customer service and walked away spending about $70 more than I was originally planning on, but overall I think I picked up some great stuff.
I picked up five things at the store, four face products and one eyeshadow!
Cork Eyeshadow
Over the past year or so, I've collected enough products to finally exchange for the Back-to-MAC program (which I view like an incentive program). I knew that for my free eyeshadow, I wanted a nice brown color that would look great with my NARS Alhambra duo and this shade is perfect! I can't believe I didn't own Cork before now.
Select Cover-Up Concealer
I've been using the Make Up Forever Full Cover concealer, but when the makeup artist used this on me, I could truly see how much better this is. I love it so far. It looks amazing under my eyes (conceals all signs of dark circles without getting cakey or making my face oily) and is great on blemishes and redness on the rest of my face. It's thicker and creamier than the MUF version. The MAC website says that this concealer blends in to be invisible and I must agree, I don't even notice it on my face. In case you are wondering, I was matched to NW25.
Studio Careblend/Pressed Powder
I'm gonna be honest and say that before I purchased this powder, I had never heard of it. When I asked the makeup artist about a new setting powder, I thought for sure she'd lead me to another Mineralized Skinfinish Natural (which I loved), however, she recommended this one because she said it's great for sensitive skin, blots up oily perfectly, adds little coverage, so no need to worry about a cakey look. So I can use it all day to touch up any oiliness that might appear. Plus, after using it a couple of times, it feels so amazing! I love this stuff. It takes away any shine or oil, but still gives my face a glowy look. (By the way, I'm in the shade Light Plus).
Matchmaster Foundation
Knowing that I was curious about MAC foundations, I did some research before I went into the store and discovered this guy. I thought it sounded promising, but I wanted to see what the MUA would suggest. After telling her that I was interested in a medium-full coverage foundation that would last through-out the day and not make me oily, she brought this one to me. Guys, I've only worn this stuff three days now, but I love it. A lot. I've faced absolutely no problems with oiliness, it looks great and glowing on my face, and literally feels like I'm not wearing anything. But it covers up my redness while still not looking cakey. It's amazing. Plus, it has lasted 8-10 hours just as promised. If you have oily skin, you need to check this stuff out. It has SPF 15 and I'm in the shade 1.5.
Powder Blush in Peachykeen
After having the MUA also apply this to my cheeks, I couldn't help but get it too. It looks so pretty for spring and I think it looks really good with my green eyes. The site describes it as a baby peach with a little shimmer and I'd have to agree. It's natural and perfect for spring.
I'll give updates and do full reviews on some of these products, but I just have to say, that when it comes down to it, I'm always impressed with MAC.
What spring things are you picking up?
So I've had my eye on a few things recently and today I decided to finally go get them. You know, sometimes nothing beats a good shopping trip. The sun shinning, walking around, and a nice Starbucks to go with it.
So I went to Target (my favorite store in the entire world) and picked up a few cheap essentials. I know after all that debate about Sigma vs. MAC vs. Sephora brushes I bought two ELF. By no means are they my final selection, but sometimes you just need to buy something to tide you over until you afford better. Plus, if they are good, they were only $3 each. And if they aren't, eh. It's only $6 total. But reviews online were pretty postive about the blush brush and the complexion brush, so we'll see.
While I'm discussing my love for Target (it is seriously up there in my top 10 loves because they constantly amaze me), I also decided to try out the Cos Bar cleansing towelettes. They're currently highlighting businesses from around the US and one of them is Cos Bar from Aspen. It was probably the packaging (loving leopard right now) and promise of a blueberry scent, but they were calling me. And for $5, you really can't argue. I'm loving my Garnier ones right now because they aren't overly oddly smelly and get off my mascara (best thing ever), but I'm halfway through them and wanted to try this. So excited to take off my makeup tonight!
The other half of my shopping trip was to the open air Promenade shoppes, which happen to have many of my favorite stores (Pottery Barn, Victoria Secret, Bath and Body Works, Express, Ulta, and Sephora).
Sephora is seriously another favorite of mine. Everything just calls me. Kinda like the Apple Store, everything is so shinny and sleek and beckoning me to sample new products. In the end, I walked out with what I wanted. NARS blush in the ever famous Orgasm and Sephora's ultra-smoothing primer.
I think I easily spent over an hour in Sephora playing with everything. I swatched the Naked Palettes on my arms, drooling over them (I know, I'm the last person to not own them), tried on every primer in the store (on my arm for some weird reason haha), and comparing all the different foundations and such.
But overall, I'm happy with the blush and the primer. I was seriously stuck for a little bit between Orgasm and Tarte's Amazonian Clay Blush. Ugh, that was such a hard decision!
How is a girl to choose?! After swatching them, trying to them on, trying to find something to sway me either way, I finally had to go with NARS, it is supposedly the best. Plus, it was what I went to Sephora for originally. But I will definitely have Tarte in mind for the future, because the texture of the blush was so cool. Soft, heavily pigmented, almost cream-like. But definitely solid.
I also found a way to manage to stop my the mall to go to Dillards to visit the MAC counter. I've been trying to figure out a good summer face look and finally the wonderful reviews of MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish Natural called me. It was cheaper than the Makeup Forever, Benefit, Bare Escentuals, and Laura Mercier ones I was looking at. And the reviews were promising me something that I wanted: a light, natural, finished look. I was color matched to medium plus and I can't wait to try it.
Overall, I think today was a successful shopping day. My account took a beating, but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet I guess in the sake of investing in good products (hopefully). I can't wai to try them all and see how they work for me. This will be my first high quality face routine (before I just dabbled with Covergirl and other drugstore brands). Hopefully they live up to the hype!
