I discussed my skin type in my previous post so do take a look at that for reference as, what works/doesn't work for me, may have completely different results for someone with a different skin type.
Firstly, let me point out that MAC will confuse the hell out of any first timer owing to their ludicrous shade guides. Whilst the average makeup company would guide their products as WARM for yellow/golden undertones to the skin.....and COOL for a pink undertone... MAC sticks a finger up at logic and gives us NW (Neutral WARM - Pink Undertone) and NC (Neutral COOL - Yellow Undertone). According to what I've read online, I gather MAC's reasoning is something along the lines of colour correcting, meaning they would recommend you use the opposite of what you skin undertone is so as to counteract the underlying colour. HOWEVER, having used MAC's foundations, I can assure you that the yellow/pink tones in the foundation are FAR to intense for this to be viable. I am very yellow based and even I find that the NC range CAN look a little liver-failure-chic...especially in the lighter shades.
If you are what we would refer to in Britain as, an 'English Rose' - pale skinned (for those of you to whom this is lost upon) - then this post may not be for you as MAC products are primarily targeted to an audience who's skin tone is somewhere between 'Tangerine' and 'Rich Mahogany'. That being said, a couple of their foundation lines do go relatively light, but by no means anywhere near Alabaster or even Ivory.
As a final note on MAC shades, DO go in and check with a makeup artist in store, or better yet, take home a sample of the product you wish to try. The shades do NOT translate across their full makeup range, for example, the NC15 in Studio Fix is nothing close to the NC15 in Studio Sculpt....so do check before parting with your hard earned cash.
Right, so I wear somewhere between an NC15 and NC20 (depending on my tan). I wear a shade a little lighter than my skin tone as a rule as these foundations seriously oxidise! This is a medium cover foundation and is buildable. It has an SPF of 15 and is a matte finish.
Application wise, these foundations go on beautifully and the coverage is pretty damn good (MAC do a concealer in the same range for those pesky blemishes, which I highly recommend). I would say that application with a flat foundation brush can end up with it pasted on a little thick... but then this is usually the look the majority of MAC's clientele are after. Personally I would recommend application with a stipple brush or a rounded foundation brush (Real Techniques Expert Face Brush), and buff it into the skin for an airbrushed finish. As I previously mentioned, this foundation really does oxidise so don't forget to take this into account.
Longevity with this foundation is a hard one to comment on as my skin is oily and even the most stubborn of foundations would have a hard time clinging to my face for anything longer than 5 hours. I would say, in comparison to other foundations, the staying power is fairly good - it does need powdering and a fixing spray will also help if your skin is prone to oiliness. I did also find some issues with patchiness and creasing but nothing overly catastrophic. If you're looking for a foundation which will last you a day of active wear...then this is probably not the foundation for you; it doesn't deal well with perspiration, it transfers extremely easily, and it's certainly not waterproof. However, if you're simply looking for something to last you a day at work or cocktail night with the girls then this may be just the ticket.
Comfort wise, this is where I find this foundation falls down. As a fairly heavy foundation, it is a given that it will feel a little heavy on the skin, but with this foundation I find that as the day goes on, this goes from 'heavy' to 'mask-like' with little to no exertion. Personally I find that my face feels very clogged whilst wearing this makeup and as such it needs a fair amount of extra attention to keep it in good condition. This, again, may just be my oily skin coming into play and for a drier skin this may not be an issue at all.
Overall I would say that this is a good, medium to full coverage foundation which wears well for basic day-to-day wear. It photographs nicely with some flashback in extremes but nothing too offensive. I like the fact that you can purchase a concealer to match which blends seamlessly with this foundation. Touch ups are easy peasy with very little issue with layering or muddiness (unless you layer over a bronzer - BIG no no).
Negatives are its transfer issues, slight creasing and patching as it wears off, oxidising, colour matching, heavy 'mask like' feel whilst wearing, and of course, it is fairly unsuitable for sports or swimming.
Are you a MAC Studio Fix wearer, share your comments on this foundation below, I'd love to hear from you.
Check back in with me soon for another step forward in my hunt for the perfect foundation. Next up, Double Wear by Estee Lauder.
Emma-Louise
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