This was a tough one, because MAC’s range is ridiculously expansive and most formulas have a lot of shades, so it can be difficult to narrow it down to a mere ten favorites! (You can check out my initial pull of favorites here.) I’ve only included permanent favorites, but these are some of my all-time favorite MAC products from over the years. What are your favorite MAC products, past or present?
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Viva Glam I was my first red lipstick. I love it over the Cherry lip pencil.
It’s SUCH a classic!
Lipstick:
Mystic was my signature color. I’m devastated it was discontinued.
Also love Del Rio and Half N Half.
Eye shadow:
Trax
Lip liner:
Spice
Did you find a good replacement for Mystic?
Sadly, no. Some have suggested Party Line, which appears similar in color, but doesn’t have the depth, complexity, or staying power of Mystic. Plus the Creamsheen formula bleeds more readily. So disappointed.
Do you know of any dupes?
I don’t! 🙁
Such a shame I have none of your picks Christine! That needs to change! x-D
My top picks would be Coffee and Teddy eye pencil, Dubonnet and Taupe lipsticks, Patina and Soba eyeshadows, Face and Body foundation, Pro Longwear concealer, Stud eye pencil and Gingerly blush!
I have in fact listed everything I am using right now and things I go back to all the time!
Dubonnet is a good one! I also love Patina and Soba 😉
I literally just got Blue Peep yesterday, after eyeing it for a few months. I’m so excited to try it!
YAY!!
I must agree with you about Satin Taupe. I am not a MAC fan. Only item I can really say I like….not even the matte lipsticks.
It is one of their best eyeshadows!
I’ve only gotten into MAC in the last 6 months or so, so I don’t have a ton of products to pick from. I’ll do my best though!
1. Retro Matte lipstick in Relentlessly Red. This is my go-to lipstick. I wear it everywhere, at least twice a week! No matter what else I’m wearing or where I am, I’m sure to get compliments! And it stays on for ages and ages. When I bought it I had no idea the love affair it would spark. Desert island status.
2. Studio Fix Fluid. The color match is great, I love the coverage, it’s neither totally matte or dewy on my skin (the perfect satin finish), doesn’t break me out, doesn’t cake up, lasts all day. Also, it doesn’t get weird when I mix it with liquid illuminators like a lot of foundations do.
3. Sumptuous Olive eyeshadow. I’ve only had this one for a week or so, but I’ve worn it pretty much every day since then! Makes my light brown/hazel eyes pop, especially when paired with a very warm brown like MUG Cocoa Bear in the crease.
4. Viva Glam V lipstick. I haven’t worn this a ton, since I feel like it’s more of a cooler weather shade on me, but it’s absolutely gorgeous. Shimmery but not frosty, sheer but build able, and that uber-flattering warm plummy mauve. Also, one of the best charities ever!
5. Mineralize blush in New Romance. Really pretty pink with hints of peach. Quite glowy which I like for the summer! Brings life back to my face.
And I think that’s it! I have other MAC products but none of the rest are like Holy Grail-Desert Island status for me. I’ll certainly take any recommendations though!
Studio Fix Fludi was my JAM for years! It’s a nice foundation 🙂
I will probably buy Studio Fix Liquid foundation very soon. It has a shade that when I apply it in store to touch up my face after trying on a bunch of lippys, actually looks like ME. My Skin But Better. C4.5. Finally something that doesn’t look fake or off toned! Not sure how great it will do on a daily with 56 y.o. combination, hormonal skin, though?
I think it should be okay on combination skin! I haven’t worn it in a long time, though.
I have combo skin, usually normal-dry but lately normal-slightly oily and it stays on really solidly if you powder any oily areas. I don’t find it very drying or flaky on my dry spots or pimples either, even though it’s technically a matte finish (I consider it more satin).
I really like Copperplate, too bad MAC regular eye shadows make my eyelids itch 🙁
Anyone have some good dupes for it?
http://www.temptalia.com/makeup-dupe-list?d=Copperplate&id=105297
Aw there’s nothing there!
My top ten MAC favourites are (in no particular order):
MAC Mineralize blush duo in Moon River
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Blonde
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light
MAC Lustreglass in Budding
MAC lipstick in Angel
MAC Mineralize blush in Dainty
MAC eyeshadow in Handwritten
MAC eyeshadow in Vanilla
MAC eyeshadow in Parrot
MAC Paint Pot in Painterly
I could have added more but I stuck with my ‘can’t live without’, basic products. I notice that there are quite a few more limited editions than I thought and I only have back ups for one of them….oops. Time to find dupes. Good thing I have Temptalia. 😀
I see someone is a fan of Mineralize products ;D
My favorite basic lip color from MAC is Brick-O-LA. The best MAC lip color ever for me is Hollywood Ceruse. I am having a moment of rediscovery with the eye shadow shades Cranberry and Star Violet (how can they still be so pigmented and fresh after 6-7 years since the date of purchase???). My two favorite blushes are Make You Mine and Fleeting Romance (I wear them together). And I would not want to be without my three favorite eye shadow brushes of all time: 239, 217, and 224. I use these brushes every time I wear eyeshadow. For reference, I am NC37.
Cranberry is such a great shade! Definitely a good one 🙂
Many products last an incredibly long time without problem, especially powders, but if it’s sealed, new, not touched by air or fingers, you’re good to go but companies have to warn you and do want you buying more! 😀 I love hauling from my old stash more than new because I find more classics and staples there. 😀
I don’t own a whole lot of MAC, so I was surprised I had four of these (Blue Peep, Lucky Green, Fathoms Deep and Satin Taupe). At least I’m getting the good stuff when I do buy it.
Yay! 🙂
I like their lipsticks best. Some of my favorites are La Vie En Rouge, Fusion Pink, Candy Yum-Yum, Heroine, Toxic Tale, Viva Glam Miley Cyrus (and the matching lipglass).
Fathoms Deep and Grand Galaxy are pretty high up on my favorite eye shadows list, now, too. I love those kind of deep, complex grayish purples.
I absolutely love Brick-o-la lipstick!! I feel like it’s a really underappreciated color and formula. It’s very versatile. Creamy and lasts forever on me.
A limited-edition fave is Opalesse extra dimension eyeshadow. Very unique light purple pink glow. Sad they didnt repromote that one!
You’re the second one to say Brick-o-la!
Hi Christine! Satin Taupe had a C rating (in an LE version). I’m guessing the permanent version is pretty awesome if it’s one of your faves? Copperplate just isn’t graded, but I’m guessing it’s also pretty awesome if you love it? I ask, bc palettes with these sorts of shadows always get me–so I might as well have some singles put away to counteract that if these are already very good. =)
The permanent version is awesome 🙂 Yes, Copperplate is good.
Wait a sec. Is Makeup Forever I544 Pink Granite close to MAC Satin Taupe? Bc I already have the MUFE one…
http://www.temptalia.com/submit-dupe?sbs=1&pid=171107&dupe=105751
My favourites…tough one, even sticking to products that are permanent but here’s a try:
Sea Worship eyeshadow
Charcoal Brown eyeshadow
All That Glitters and/or Naked Lunch eyeshadow
Mulch eyeshadow
Typographic eyeshadow
Craving lipstick
Plumful lipstick
Brick-o-la lipstick
Atomic Ore eye liner pencil
and I can’t NOT mention the Paint Pots (Painterly especially but also Constructivist and Groundwork)
It’s toughhh! They have so much, even permanent things.
Viva Glam I is the only one of these I own and I so agree! It was first red lipstick and still my go-to for special occasions. It seems so flattering on such a range of skintones too!
Aside from that, Soba and Woodwinked eyeshadows and Nymphette lipglass are mainstays in my stash.
I really like the look of Sea Worship, Marque and Blue Peep from your picks too.
It was one of my first reds, too 😀
I just got Sea Worship on Thursday and I love it. Marquee is one of my fav Mac lipsticks.
Woohoo!
Oh my goodness, this is going to be hard!!!
1. Marque Ultimate Lipstick ( Perfection)
2. Maria Moretti lipstick (yes, LE, but I wish this one was PERMANENT!)
3. VG III lipstick
4. Domestic Diva lipglass ( yes, I know, LE, but again, wish Permanent!)
5. Grand Galaxy ties with Fathoms Deep, as of yet I own neither, but having swatched, I’m in love with BOTH!
6. Indian Ink eyeshadow, absolutely LOVE it with Crystal eyeshadow (DC’d, boooo!!!)
7. Antiqued eyeshadow, lurrrve it with Woodwinked!!! 😉
8. Greensmoke eyeshadow, especially with Plummage and Patina!
9. Siahi Fluidline, even though it takes 2 coats, I get TONS of compliments every single time I wear it, so it’s worth the extra effort!
10. Another tie! : Lady Danger vs Morange, love both equally and get compliments on both all the time!
Very worthy of honorable mention: the ones I utilize the most, my favorite workhorses; Soft Brown, Orb, Satin Taupe, Woodwinked, Brown Script, Folie, Kid and Handwritten.
Antiqued is gorgeous, as is Woodwinked! 🙂
Nice list! I love Crystal so much I stocked it amongst a bunch of others. Why they quit good things.. ?
I’ve been eyeing Marque on my never-ending quest for a nude lipstick I can stand (I’ve given up on true nudes and and now looking more at MLBB shades), glad to see it got a thumbs up!
TY! Yeah, I am bummed about Crystal, it is always the good ones! I saw Tilt e\s on yours, I have a fun look I do using Crystal, Tilt, Indian Ink and Vapour! I love Tilt, but forgot about my using the whole combo. ;D
Nancy, that IS a fabulous combination! A top combo, in my opinion. 😀
MAC Fluidline in Black Ivy
MAC Extra Dimention eyeshadows in Silver Sun
MAC lipstick in Vegas Volt and Impassioned
MAC Viva Glam III
MAC Mineralize Blush in New Romance
MAC Chromagraphic pencil in NC15
MAC Brow Set waterproof
just all of these baby that I can’t live without!
Very nice picks!
New Romance was one of mine! It’s so pretty.
Wow! I can see why those are picks for you! 😀 No pigments, though? Here are my 10 favorite MAC products, sorry they are not all available.
1. All pigments from the very beginning!
2. MSF (Original & bought backups thankfully) in Lightscapade!
2. DCd large pro pan eyeshadow in Mystic!
3. Cranberry Eyeshadow!
4. Tilt Eyeshadow!
5. Blush in Frankly Scarlet, Bikini, Dame, Well Dressed, and Coygirl!
6. Dazzlelight eyeshadow!
7. Plumage eye kohl!
8. Early Morning Eyeshadow!
9. Pandemonium quad from Baloonacy! (Backed up, yay!)
10. All original Matte2 Matte squared) eyeshadows!
11. White Frost Eyeshsdow gets an honorable mention! It remains one of top favorite smooth frosty pearl white! 🙂 Yay!
I like pigments, but I prefer pressed formulas (across all boards), so when I think favorites, I think about the products I love/would reach for/would wear often 🙂
I gotcha! I did that as well, but based on MAC products I would and do reach for most! 😀 I do have your picks and must say they are great picks and I see why your choices with your skin! Satin Taupe is a beauty! All shades you chose I’ve been through a few myself. Add patina, shale, bitter, steamy, lavender-dah, sweetie, there’s a good handful I’ve used completely and replaced multiple times…. Lol! Working with them made me love them but that affair stopped prior and after Alluring Aquatics & B2M.. I’ve probably not bought anything other than that for nearly a decade. Lucky Green & Bitter were both loved dearly.. I could go in but I’m stopping! 😛
I was so glad when they made Lucky Green permanent!
Of course they made it permanent after I stocked up on them! Lol! But I agree! It’s not fair for people just experiencing MAC to miss out! It’s fab-u-lous! 😀
Top 10 is based on products I have repurchashed:
1. MSF Natural in my seasonal color
2. Eye Kohl in Teddy
3. Lip pencil in Soar
4. Viva Glam V
5. Lustreglass in Love Nectar
6-8. Shroom, Woodwinked and All that Glitters eye shadows
9-10. Mocha and Melba blushes
I need to add the wax brow finisher as well as I buy them in sets of 3 and Fix+ as well. Can never just do 10…
Love Nectar is so pretty!
Well, let’s see.
1. Blow Dry lipstick- my first Mac product ever, hated the lustre formula but it was such an awesome color.
2. Viva Glam Cyndi lipglass- omg everything I ever needed.
3. Malt eyeshadow- my go-to transition/crease shade.
4. Viva Glam Miley lipstick/glass combo- I’m just soooo weak for hot pinks.
5. Flatter eyebrow pencil- my perfect shade, lovely formula, devastated it’s discontinued.
6. Salad Dressed nail polish- probably in my top ten favorite polishes ever
7. Softsac in Mint- definitely overpriced but it’s my favorite makeup bag
8.Hyperion nail polish- just because it perfectly matches my engagement ring 🙂
9. Reubenesque, Perky, and Stormy Pink paint pots- all great for everyday looks
10. Teddy eye kohl- my go-to eye pencil
Honorable mentions: Redhead MSF, strawberry blonde veluxe brow pencil, Beautiful Moves mineralize glass, Spring Bean lustreglass, Fulfilled plushglass, Vanilla eyeshadow, Next To Skin blush, Bare Minimum and Artificial Earth eyeshadows.
They did such a great job with Viva Glam Miley, IMO!
Viva Glam Cydi LG made me fall in love with coral lippies. I think I have bought at least four on ebay.
Aw, I love your picks, they’re such well thought out fan favorites and it made me smile that you included VGI, IMHO it might be MAC’s most underrated red.
My top 10 in no real order:
Haux e/s
Ruby Woo l/s
Phone Number Kohl
Breath of Plum blush
Pearl CCB
Coppering e/s
Smoky Mauve e/s
Sketch e/s (Actually not my favorite texture but it can’t be beat for adding lowlights to berry eye looks. Or hey, if you know of something similar in color but better in texture please prove me wrong!)
Viva Glam II l/s
Free to Be e/s
Two very faves that were omitted because they’re DC:
Pink Swoon blush
Exxxhibitionist Kissable Lip Color
VG I is just such a classic red to me. Not classic in the blue sense, but it’s more of a vintage red that I really feel looks good on nearly everyone (I’m sure there are exceptions).
Ok, so now I *must* finally buy VG I lipstick! Because I DO have a red l/s addiction and this seems to be a universal fave!
My picks:
Angel lipstick. This is actually tied with Bitch Perfect as my all time favorite.
Expensive pink eyeshadow. Soft brown would be a close second.
Prolongwear concealer. My every day concealer.
Mineralize skinfinish natural powder. Use this almost everday too.
Expensive Pink is pretty!! I remember when it first came out.
It’s odd–I would never have considered myself a super-fan of MAC. It could be because their disappointing products have been *real* disappointments for me. That said, though, I realize there are many MAC products that I really wouldn’t want to do without-more so, actually, than any other single brand. I have used, loved, and replaced several times over: Warm Soul blush, Teddy eye kohl, Blooz eye kohl, lipsticks in Impassioned and Modesty, and Hush CCB.
How interesting 🙂 Warm Soul has a really lovely finish!
Viva Glam I was my first MAC lipstick and basically started my love for the MAC lipstick formula <3 It's basically the perfect red on me!!
So glad you love VGI, too, Tina!
Silly Christine, number 1 should clearly be Jealousy Wakes!
No LEs 🙂
Is that why Young Venus is gone? 🙂
Oh, this had to be so tough for you! I can’t even begin to imagine your Mac stash. I need to check my stash to see if I have the viva Glam I. For some reason I think I may. But, I may not. if not, I need to add it and Be a lady into my collection. I agree on the shadows from Legendary Lure.. I still feel like mac hasn’t been able to top that collection!
Well, at least I reduced it to permanent only, haha! That took out half of the stash!
(1) Please Me lipstick – I go through tubes of this stuff. This lipstick makes me feel happy.
(2) Ricepaper- my must have under the brow highlighter
(3) All that Glitters- best transition/blender shadow
(4) Soft Brown- best base shadow
(5) Mac RED lipstick- made me fall in love with red lipstick
(6) Fix plus- love the smell
I love a lot of their stuff but these are things I could not live without.
Ricepaper is a great brow bone highlighter!
MAC favs not in order
*MSFN dark gold
*fleeting romance blush
*make you mine blush
*coppertone blush
*keep it cool casual color
*lavender jade L/S
*relentlessly red L/S
*embrace me L/S
*pink pigeon L/S
Fleeting Romance + Make You Mine have beautiful finishes!
I just placed an order with MAC and these are most of what I like from them.
They have a coupon for $10 off every $50 till June 22.
1. Antiqued eyeshadow
2. Brown Script eyeshadow
3. Uninterrupted eyeshadow (pro longwear)
4. Deep Damson eyeshadow – but I went with Sketch as I read a lot of reviews where people found DD hard to blend
5. Moisture cream travel size (skincare)
Other 5:
6. Teddy eye Kohl
7. Strobe cream
8. Lightful c softening lotion
9. One lipstick – plumful/craving or a hot pink one from viva glam, the lipstick palette looked really good.
10. One brush – 239/217
You know, I only thought about color stuff, but if I had included tools, the 239 for sure!
I own three out of ten, not bad 🙂 Lucky Green, Be A Lady and Blue Peep really are winners! I’m actually wearing Blue Peep today 🙂
What a coincidence 😀
My permanent MAC Favorites (no particular order):
Eyeshadow: Woodwinked, Soft Brown, All That Glitters, Brown Script, Painterly Paint Pot
Blush: Melba, Modern Mandarin, Sunbasque
Lipstick: Brave, Crosswires, Kinda Sexy
Love your choices, Ashley!
Great picks. I love Copperplate and VG I, such a rich but wearable red. I’d have to add Face and Body foundation (mixes so well with others), Lady Danger, Chicory lip pencil, Blushbaby and Full of Joy blushes, Sumptuous Olive, Cranberry, Stars n Rockets eye shadows. That’s ten!
I love the texture of Copperplate SO much!
One of these days, I’ll break down and get Satin Taupe.
It’s a nice one!
For me…Rebel lipstick is the love of my life 🙂
Great shade!
Naked lunch eye shadow and Syrup lipstick! Pretty neutral but usable everyday, that’s what I like!
Nice picks, Jules!
the only one that coincides with your choices is satin taupe. such a pretty shade.
my mac favourites are really basic actually haha
1. soft and gentle highlighter
2. whirl lip liner
3. 217 brush
4. satin taupe eyeshadow (i wish i had amber lights)
5. undercurrent pearlglide liner
the rest are lipsticks tbqh … twig, heroine, up the amp, rebel, russian red
… just got velvet teddy and viva glam v … and i think i will like them 😉
Velvet Teddy is a great beige! Love it.
I have four of the ten. And now I must swatch VG1 and Marque as well as Be A Lady. I do think I have Be a Lady on my to get list,though 🙂
My favourite MAC products, this is a hard one to pick out, but I have some I use almost every day.
Malt, Quarry, Brulée, Copperplate, Smut, and Blanc Type eyeshadows. Then Trax, All that Glitters, Plum Dressing, Star Violet and Lucky Green eyeshadows.
Rebel and Violetta lipsticks, Miley VD lipgloss and Rhianna VG 1 both gloss and lipstick.
Frankly Scarlet blush.
Rebel nail polish.
I guess I’d really have to do a 20 favourites. To get this down to ten is impossible.
And now I have a few more to look closely at, thanks to you. I love getting inspiration for new hauls!
VGI is a real classic.
Ten is really tough!
No particular order:
Satin taupe and Sketch eyeshadows
Silver sun extradimension eyeshadow
Coffee eye pencil
MSF Natural in my winter and summer shade
Syrup, Plumful and Vegas Volt lipsticks
Fix +
Silver Sun is pretty!!
I’m still newish to MAC bu I have a package coming today, so hopefully I’ll have some to add later. But here are my favorites so far:
Lipstick: Viva Glam V. It’s basically a shimmery MLBB on me and is SO pretty.
Eyeshadow: Uninterrupted. It’s my HG transition shade. I like to wear cooler blacks and greys, but cool tones do not play nice with my complexion. When I use this eyeshadow before applying cooler shades, it looks great and I can actually pull them off.
Brushes: 217 and 219–do these need explanation? 217 at least is pretty universally popular and if 219 isn’t it, it certainly should be.
Hope you find some new favorites in your order, Beary!
MAC Red, Ruby Woo, Dubonnet and Miss Dish Lipsticks
Viva Glam Cyndi Lipglass, Squirt Lipglass (it was green but gave a sheer honey color), Pop Mode Lipglass
Folie and Swiss Chocolate Eye Shadow
Studio Fix Powder Foundation
Dubonnet is a nice warmer red!
Eyeliner -Tarnish
Lipstick – Hue, Myth, Angel
Lip Liner – Dervish, Stripdown, & Soar
Eyeshadow – Amber Lights, Expensive Pink, Sumptuous Olive
I wish I could wear light shades like Myth! So lucky.
I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I was to see COPPERPLATE on here… it’s one of my all time fave shadows. There are so many days where (I’m a NC30 slightly olive) all I do is contour my eye socket with Copperplate using a 224 brush and that’s it! It’s a perfect shade!!!
The texture of Copperplate is SO divine!