MAC 45 Powell Street & MAC PRO Products Anyone Can Use
MAC Flagship @ 45 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA — PRO Products
In March, MAC debuted its newest Flagship and PRO store in San Francisco’s Union Square. The newest store is located at 45 Powell Street, and chances are, if you’ve been in San Francisco, you’ve shopped and walked around Union Square. It’s a large space with an open layout with an area in the middle specially reserved for artists to apply makeup to customers without interruption. There’s even a private space where you can have your makeup done by appointment with enough space for friends or family to sit with you. One of the more unique features is their Lash Bar, which features forty different lash styles; each lash is glued to a plastic stick that allows you to hold it over your eye to better envision what the false eyelash might look like on your eye. At the newest Flagship location, you’ll find some of the most talented artists working at MAC today, and the team at Powell is multilingual to support international visitors and travelers.
Visit the new Flagship and PRO store:
MAC Powell St
45 Powell Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 402-0658
If you’re ever in the area, you’ll want to stop by and look out for Danny Zhen, a MAC artist and walking encyclopedia of all things MAC. Long-time fans will undoubtedly have a blast discussing collections from long ago, and he’ll know them–there is an intense passion for the MAC brand and history. He’s incredibly knowledgeable about products and techniques, and he’s ready, willing, and able to help even the most discerning MAC addict!
MAC Flagship @ 45 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA — Danny Zhen & Victor Cembellin
I visited the store last week, and while there, I also spoke with Victor Cembellin, a 19-year veteran of MAC, who I’ve had the pleasure of working with throughout the past years of on all things MAC. He’s a Senior Artist (North America) and is another example of the passionate people that work with MAC. (Over the years, one of my favorite aspects to being a beauty blogger is really having the pleasure of meeting the people behind the brands who show such clear passion and drive for the brand they work for.)
What I really wanted to ask Victor was about PRO products and which ones are more consumer-friendly; if you were to visit a PRO store for the first time, what might you buy? What could someone who isn’t a professional makeup artist find useful and interesting to add to their routine? Â (And if you can’t visit a PRO store, many PRO products are available for purchase online now, and you can always call a PRO store to place a phone order.)
His top five recommendations:
- Lip Mix: He described them as “raw makeup pigment for lipsticks.” It’s all about “the idea of making a new color, mixing up your own color, and everyone’s looking for that little individuality.” With a grin, he said, “The best part is when someone asks you what you’re wearing on your lip, they can’t get it, because you just created it that morning!” Lip Mix ($15.00) is available in thirteen shades ranging from white to black and everything in-between.
- Lash Mixing Medium: If you’re looking for a way to incorporate upcoming trends into your makeup wardrobe, Victor says “Colored mascara is coming back in style in full-force. You can throw in pigments to create your own colored mascara, and it’s really fun.” The Lash Mixing Medium ($13.00) is a clear version of MAC’s Pro Long Lash Mascara that’s just waiting for you to take your favorite MAC Pigment (loose color) to create a shade that can be applied to the lashes.
- Chromaline: This is one of the most consumer-friendly products, because, as Victor mentioned, “They’re similar to Fluidlines, which is a product customers have really embraced,” and now, customers are able to get it in a formula that has additional shades, many of them basics and primaries, which can be mixed and used to create custom shades. This is a product that is often used backstage at Fashion Week. Chromalines ($19.50 each) are available in ten shades.
- Sculpting & Shaping Powders: If you love the idea of contouring and highlighting, Victor recommended, “[‘MAC’s] Sculpt & Shape powders, because they are forgiving and easy to use.” There are five shades of Sculpting Powders and five shades of Shaping Powders, each available in Pro palette form for $16.50 each. I remember when these first launched, and I had to have them all. They continue to be some of my favorite highlighting/contouring products on the market.
- Shine Mixing Medium: “During spring/summer shows, we kept hearing about athletic skin. People wanted to have that authenticity where they look cool and they aren’t trying too hard. Pat Shine Mixing Medium on top of skin that gives everyone the look that glowy, ‘end-of-the-day’ makeup look.” He was wearing it on the sides of his face, so he was more matte-like on the center and a little glowy on the edges–it’s less luminous compared to things like Pearl or Luna Cream Colour Bases.
As invariably happens, at some point, we went off on a tangent and started talking about the amount of photographs we take of ourselves and others, and of course, I had to get Victor to share some of his favorite tips. To that end, he highly recommended:
- Big Lashes: “Chunky, fashion show lashes is very cool, very street, very San Francisco,” and he recommended In Extreme Dimension Mascara, because he felt like it gives huge lashes that photograph fantastically.
- Luminizers: You can buff them into the skin–and he recommended using the 168 brush (which is favorite face tool that MAC makes) with Soft & Gentle or Lightscapade.
- Glossy skin: “It’s a gloss texture that you can put anywhere on the face or entire body.” The big thing? If you’re in poor lighting, glitter and gloss are two things that add a lot of pop to your photo. “You’ll have more impact in a dark restaurant with something glossy,” says Victor. MAC Clear Gloss Creme Brilliance ($21.00) is designed to add shine and highlights to the face/body.
See more photos!
MAC Flagship @ 45 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
MAC Flagship @ 45 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
MAC Flagship @ 45 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
MAC Flagship @ 45 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
MAC Flagship @ 45 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
MAC Flagship @ 45 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
MAC Flagship @ 45 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
MAC Flagship @ 45 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
MAC Flagship @ 45 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
MAC Flagship @ 45 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA — Lash Bar
MAC Flagship @ 45 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA — Lash Bar
MAC Flagship @ 45 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA — Lash Bar
MAC Flagship @ 45 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
MAC Flagship @ 45 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA
[stares at Danny Zhen forever]
(What? He’s nice to look at.)
Haha!
Agreed. XD
“I want to go to there.” (Liz Lemon ref) …Those lash displays are beautiful!
The lash bar is fun!
I was in San Francisco on business for an entire week about a month ago. I don’t know if the new MAC store was open then, but I wish I could go back and visit it!!
I think they soft-launched around the beginning of the second week of March (the 6th? 7th?), but maybe you’ll be back to SF for business soon 😉
I love the way the store is arranged!!!! My favs would be the shape and sculpt and mixing mediums!
🙂
Sculpt <3
All those vibrant colors instantly make me feel all happy 🙂 Too bad my local MAC counter doesn’t have any Pro products.
What a bummer!
What a fabulous looking playzone!
It’s very sleek!
I’m really interested by the lip mixes and I agree about the pro sculpting power.
Haven’t tried their Lip Mixes but know it is a MUA fave!
whaaaa?! I live in San Francisco, work super close to this area, and I have NOT heard / seen anything about this. I definitely need to get myself over to Powell Street…
Thank you for posting this!! 😀
No prob 😀
Thanks for this, Christine!
You’re welcome, Joanna!
Oh, the Lash Mixing Medium sounds awesome, and I want to check out the Chromalines. We’re lucky to have a pro store in LA, it’s not too far from me.
Nice! Lucky you 😀
I was there 2 weeks ago, playing with some of the products. The flagship store is on the same area as the sephora one. Close to the Powell Bart station. I’m glad that they finally move to somewhere that’s close to everything. Now, pro products will be easily accessible to everyone! I love being in the Bay Area!
It’s funny – the best part about the old Pro location was that it was a lot easier to find parking, lol! But I totally get the move to Powell Street, and it does make it more convenient if you’re already at Union Square!
I just wish MAC would drop the “pro” distinction, and make just one line of quality products, and sell them in all free-standing stores, as well as limited ranges of “basics” at counters.
A lot of PRO products aren’t things that would be regularly purchased by regular customers – many products aren’t such that they’d likely be incorporated into a regular routine – like body painting products, airbrush makeup (which is something that more people are doing at home), etc. They could definitely distribute some of the Pro shades or products more readily in stores, but I don’t think it makes sense to sell everywhere.
I definitely need to hit a pro store soon! Id love to try lip mix, chromalines and sculpting powders
The black Chromaline is a must!
It looks like a MAC museum. I’m totally jealous of that location.
Can you imagine a REAL MAC museum? Would have to be huge to house their catalog!
Mr. Zhen is a very handsome young man. I dont know if he is wearing makeup in this pick but if he is it looks amazing and if he is not, he is just blessed with good looks and amzing skin
He has great skin for sure!
This place seems utterly lovely! I hope I can visit here some day (:
Me too!
So. many. Colours. 😀
I like the sound of being able to mix up my own custom lipstick shades! You can bet I’d be all over the purples and blues!
I could see you having a lot of fun with it 🙂
Omygosh!!! That rainbow in a palette!! I’m going to hunt for those sculpting powder – seems like they are must-haves!
They’re really great – hope you can find ’em!
Wow! This store looks amazing. Make up heaven <3
It’s really well-laid out!
Wow, I would love to go there!!!
I went to the Vancouver Pro store in 2003, when I was getting into MAC. I shopped and bought a lot of things, but I wish I had really gotten into the Pro products at the time.
I remember my first time at a Pro store, and it was ALL about buying only Pro products, lol!
I want to go there and play all day :D!!
Haha! And you could probably take all day to do so with how much stuff they have!
If I ever visit San Fran… *grabby hands*
I hope you have a chance to, if only because it’s SF 😉
I feel a trip to San Francisco coming up in the near future!
Have fun! ;D
I’ve passed by it and it’s located right next to Sephora!
Convenient!
I love how they color coordinated everything <3
It’s so fun to look at!
I love how they displayed their brushes. It looks like a mad scientist’s lair. 😀
The lash bar is definitely one of the coolest things I’ve heard about cosmetics-wise all week. I’ve been wanting to visit SF anyway…. lol
Haha!
The lash bar alone is worth visiting. I hope to see this in NYC soon. I love the lip mixes. I use them to customize some of my lipsticks. I find that they mattify some lipsticks I find too sheer. Similar to the OCC lip tars without that stupid peppermint oil.
It’ll be a fun thing to roll out to other stores if they can!
You were there last week? So was I! I think. Why couldn’t this come out sooner? I wanted a lot of body paint for swimming… er… competitive swimming… I needed body paint to draw wings on my back to look cool. (Even though we swimmers prefer fins)
I popped by for a few hours on Thursday, I do believe 😀
I wish this was in New York city *sobs*
I think they have a flagship on 5th Ave now?
It is a tight squeeze going inside. Not really a good layout when there is a tons of people tring to move around.
I could see it being tight if there were a lot of people in the store!
I didn’t even know MAC had that many styles of lashes. Shit, I want to go just to play at the lash bar, lol.
Me neither, lol!
So jealous! Philly doesn’t get awesome stuff like this
Maybe next flagship store will be in Philly 😉
Not really on a good block even if Sephora is there. Body guard inside.
I think I’ve only been to SF maybe 10 times in my life, so I really don’t know the area well!
Does anybody know how MAC Lipmix compared to OCC Lip Tar? Are they at all similar?
I haven’t tried Lipmix, but I have heard that they are similar.
Ugh I’m so happy to live in SF!! Will DEFINITELY stop by there soon. =)
Have fun, Julie!
Oh my goodness, the photos are amazing, I could look at them all day! It’s lucky I live the other side of the world because I could easily spend all my savings in there…
Aww! Maybe some day you’ll be able to visit!
I went there yesterday. And omg it’s so gorgeous there. All the artist are super friendly and knowledgeable. It’s an honor to have a flagship store in the Bay Area. 🙂
That’s awesome! So glad you enjoyed your visit, Claudia!
Oh I had a great time. Can’t wait to go back soon. Mac and sephora right next to each other = empty wallet lol
I am desperate to visit the store more because of these handsome guys there than the makeup lust!
I want to try Lip Mix to create my own lip colors.. 😀 😀
I hope you can visit someday!
Such an honor and a pleasure to have you in our new store. We are so PROUD AND EXCITED to welcome each day our loyal fans (like YOU and your readers), tourists from around the globe, and of course our future “MAC addicts”! Thank you for this lovely piece! Hope everyone can carve out a little time to drop in and pamper themselves at the new store!
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions, Victor! It is always a pleasure to see you! xo
Such an interesting post! I really love the recommendations he gives for newbie purchasers too, the lip mixes sound great 🙂
And a great way to get creative!
Lash mixing medium?? now i am intrigued…..
Interesting, right?
Damn, I wish I lived closer to a Mac Pro store! I’d love to just wonder around one, gazing at all the products….
Hopefully you can check one out someday!
I’m so glad they finally opened a mac store close to my work. It’s dangerous though since I’ve been going there on my lunch hour and buying so much stuff. I’m not a fan of the store’s layout although I appreciate their effort and see what they were trying to do. But the room in the middle and all the mirrors are crazy. One of the mac artists I spoke to said they were bumping to each other and the walls because they needed to get accustomed to the mirrors and such. haha!
They’re really hoping to use that space for being able to demo on customers without being in the way (near the products), lol!
Beautiful shop which I could spend hours in and love the eyelash mixing.
Easily could spend hours here!
Finally we have a MAC store in our town too. These days i will walk in and buy me a present!
Yay!