MAC Cosmetics: Guide For the Newly Addicted
New to MAC? Did you miss an installment from our ten part Guide to MAC? We designed a ten part guide to help introduce you to MAC Cosmetics and give you a leg up on all that is MAC.
Here’s your guide… to the guide!
Part One: What is MAC? The who, the what, the where!
Part Two: What is MAC PRO? PRO Products?
Part Three: Eye Product Basics
Part Four: Lip Product Basics
Part Five: Face & Cheek Product Basics
Part Six: Brush Product Basics
Part Seven: Skincare, Nails, Fragrances, & Accessories
Part Eight: The “LE” Factor (Limited Edition Products)
Part Nine: Acronyms and Terminology
Part Ten: Your Questions & Suggestions with Our Answers!
Please, please, PLEASE! feel free to ask questions and/or leave comments. I want this guide to be truly helpful to anyone new or curious about the MAC brand, and your comments, questions, and suggestions are a huge part of making that happen.
i hope this ques i not too late? how long can we keep makeup? i noe for mascara its recommended to use it within 3 months of opening? plus i dun wanna buy mac eyeshadows n only keep it for a yr.. its so wasteful rit? 😛
Powder products *should* last you a very, very long time because powder products do not harbor bacteria very well. Lipglasses/lipsticks should be tossed approximately 2 years after they’re opened or when they start to smell like plastic.
is*
Love your blog!!! I’ve learned so much!!!
Can you discuss different foundations, powders, and types of brushes (synthetic, natural, goat, etc.)
Thank you so much hun!
I’ll try to do a post about brushes later. The other parts of the guide do go over foundation/powder.
Hi, i wanna ask is mac skin care product good to treat the skin which has big pores n lots of white n black heads coz my skin has pores n seems like growing bigger n bigger, as well as the white n black heads.
i m actually using cellnique skin care n mac cosmetic. i’ve try a lot of skin care product, seems like none of them work efficiently…………
can u pls help me..
Thx
Hey Jess!
Honestly, you can’t reduce your pore size really 🙁
Hi Christine!!
Love your site by the way, it is awesome!! I too, am I total MAC addict/junkie!! LOL I thought about creating a beauty blog also, but I just do not have the time. I am asian, (korean) and would love to share how to’s with other asian girls out there who are afraid to wear eyeshadow. I am a beauty consultant (for another brand of course!) lol/free lance make-up artist part time and love it.
Anyway, I just wanted to add that I do love the MAC cosmetics, but their skincare is not too great if you have problematic, or acne prone skin. Jess mentioned that she had big pores, so I just wanted to say that microdermabrasion does indeed shrink the look of larger pores. It can be pricey, especially if you go to a dermatologist, but so many manufacturers have come out with do-it-yourself-at-home kits. I don’t know if people really realize what a difference a good exfoliant can make!
Anyway, I am so glad I stumbled across your site! I have a feeling I will be hanging out here a lot! LOL I was just at the MAC Pro store in Ceasar’s Palace here in Las Vegas. I just moved here recently and love being so close to all of the MAC locations! LOL Keep it up! Love your smokey eye! 😀
Take Care~ Brooke
Hey Brooke!
Thanks so much 😀 Gosh, blogging can take up your whole life, LOL. But that’s why we love it 😀
Nice! Lucky you to be so close to a PRO store. The Vegas PRO shop rocks!
Hi Christine,
In your opinion which do you like better deep truth or freshwater. Do you feel like they are different enough to have both? I will be wearing them with moons reflection.
Thank you!
Oh, wow, I have both and love both! They are different, just because Freshwater is a truer blue, and Deep Truth is more of a navy blue… You could get both ;P
Hey Christine,
Thanks for you well organized, fun and educational blog, I love it, but really quickly, have you ever thought of doing a substitution list for colors that might be discontinue? I noticed you started doing replacement colors of some of your tutorials on the colors you used, or other suggested e/s to use in your tutorial based on your skin tone. I know this might probably take some time but maybe “we” (your fans) can send in e/s color advice based on the color tutorial you done.
Hey Myra! If I had the time, I would definitely do it 🙂 It’s one of those things on a very long list of to-dos, lol!
Hi, i have a studio fix fluid NC50, prep and prime, mineralized skin finish powder deep dark, folie, beautiful iris etc.my problem is i get red and painful eyes when i come home after work.which of these products could be the problem?i have never had eye problems before.pls help
Hey Mil! It’ll be whatever you use on your eyes, so not the SFF or P&P. Perhaps Beautiful Iris?
I have brown skin.. how do i get MAC chrome yellow to pop on my skin tone???
Have you tried using a base, Shyne?
oh my gosh,
I absolutly LOVE the tutorials! I done victoria’s secret eyes today and now every one of my friends has either commented on how good they are or wants me to do them for them!
love this site!
xx
So glad to hear it, Gillian 😀 Thanks!
I have the starflash eyeshadow star by night, and freshwater. How can i wear each? i think they are beautiful colors but after i bought them i am like? now what? lol i dont know what color/s would compliment each of them?
Try them with golds! Golds, greens, and teals 🙂
Thank you so much for your advise. I tried them with teals and i love them! you are awesome!
No problem, Ab!
Hi Christine! i have a question about lipsticks. Which one/s do u think are the best? impassioned, girl about town, half & half or hug me. I love them all but i can only buy two. I already have lustering and i dont know if impassioned is similar to it? thank u:)
I think you could probably skip Impassioned if you have Lustering! Even Girl About Town is similar to it.
I’d get Hug Me & Girl About Town between those four, though.
As a reply to Marcella about the freshwater or deep truth. I find freshwater is a gorgeous color and makes your eyes look pretty! I use mine w/ electric eel and love it!
Thank u so much Christine!
You’re so lucky u look so beautiful no matter what colors u wear:)
No problem, Abby!
Thank you 🙂
Is there a nonprofessional MAC class administered…im pretty good with a brush, (mainly when I play up my eyes, i use crazy color variations) but soooo many others (mostly friends and fam) see my makeup and want me to do theirs…however “whats good for the goose is sometimes not so good for the gander”,when I try the same eyeshadow techniques and sometimes replica colors…it doesn’t turn out tooo hawt. Also I need some advancement with different foundation techniques (powders,liquids, mineral, etcs.), and blushes. Any suggestions or maybe a class that may help me. Im not a pro, but I do so enjoy doing makeup when asked, especially for proms, weddings, and special events that most people inquire my services for.
They do occasionally put on classes that are open to all. Your best bet is to check out classes offered through Nordstrom/Macy MACs!
On the swatches on MACs website i was looking at beautiful iris, lotusland and digit. They all look similar but are they though?
They’re not the same, but they are similar. Beautiful Iris and Digit are cooler purples, while Digit is a very light purple. Lotusland is warmer, with some pink to it.
Thank you for that! Lotusland looks very pretty. I went to another MAC and i got parfait amour finally. I love it, such a pretty colour.
You know what? yesterday i tried using trax because i dont want the colour to go to waste so i used painterly paint pot as a base then i used beautiful iris all over the lid, then i put trax on the middle lid and purple haze on outer lid and crease and lower lash line with trax and shroom as a highlighter, smolder in the waterline and i thought i looked nice. But maybe i wont like it next time…i’ll let you know. lol
I’m glad you were able to track it down, Abby!! 🙂
Oooh, I might have to try that! Thanks for sharing the idea!
I would like to know how to get started in becoming a MAC free lance artist.
You have to find an opening at your local MAC store – or you can drop off your resume. Let them know you’d like to be a freelancer, and they should tell you the process.
hey christine,
i just want to say thank you so much for creating a website and bringing everybody that has a passion of make-up together i feel its a good place to learn about everything and one thing that lets me know when to start saving money for the collections that mac releases through out the years.
<3 U so much
Thanks, Jonathan! I’m glad you enjoyed the site 🙂
Christine,
I would love to work for MAC Corporate one day and I’m having trouble getting started. I applied to MAC and some of the counters in the mall, but a lot of them say that you need to be a make up artist. What exactly classifies one as a make up artist? Would I need to go to cosmetology school or something or having a portfolio and a little experience is good enough? I wouldn’t say that I am a pro, but I do think I have potential with some training.
Christine, I love how you’ve been doing those ” best of blank eyshadows” and listing shades and comparisions… but I’m having a hard time finding them again once it’s been a week or more. Would it be possible to make a little tab off to the said where all those could be compiled together. I think it could tie in nicely with the new to MAC because it’s like a little guide to awesome shades of that color group. I don’t know if others like the idea or not but just a suggestion. I really do look forward to the purple one… or have I missed it? lol
There are tags under each section, and the search engine has been changed to make results more on target 🙂
Thank you for the suggestion! It will probably be compiled into a post and linked with the MAC Guide when it’s all wrapped up!
I cannot wait to read all this info! Just emailed myself the link so I can read when I get home.
Thank you!
I am new to this blog but I am OBSESSED! Is there anywhere I can go to find what are the basic essentials to becoming an artist and find out whats needed and what I can leave out? and also where I can go to purchase tools like aprons and tool belts?
You can try beauty supply stores! 🙂 EnKoreMakeup on YouTube has some excellent tips for makeup artists!
I like.. love you!!
Thank you so much!! 🙂
Thanks, Maria!
Hi Christine! I just stumbled upon your site whilst searching for a good guide to the world of M.A.C, and I must say, your site is by far the most informative and organized! I feel so lucky 🙂 Anyway, I was wondering if you could help. I have always been curious of and about M.A.C but haven’t decided to try any of the products until recently. I don’t know where to start, and I feel like I am missing out. Now I won’t be buying quite a lot just yet, but what I had in mind was to start with a concealer; Either their Studio Finish SPF 35 OR Studio Sculpt Concealer. I’d like to know your thoughts on these two products and which one would be best; here are some details about my skin type etc:
– Race/Skin tone/type: Asian, Medium/Fair, Combination to Oily
– Foundation: Chanel ProLumiere SPF 15 in 40 (Beige)
I hope you can help me because I would like to walk into M.A.C without looking oh-so lost. 🙁 Thank you in advance! x
p.s: I LOVE how you have reviewed a wide range of products and given complete guides to them, thanks again! 🙂
I’d go with Studio Finish over Studio Sculpt — I just don’t love Studio Sculpt, because it feels very thick and dry. My favorite MAC concealer is Moisturecover, which is a liquid!
Thank you!!