Saturday, April 21, 2012

A few of my old never-fail products - and yep, they're all MAC.

I'm sure most of us makeup fanatics have a few products in our makeup stash that you can consider your "never fail" products. They are the often neglected, but never forgotten products that you know you can use, and they'll never let you down. You may not use them every day, but once you run out, you know you have to purchase another to replace it. Maybe it's a certain eyeliner or a particular blush. Maybe it's one item in each category. I'm sure I have a few more than I'm mentioning - but I wanted to dedicate a post to these few that stood out to me and always have a warm place in my heart: MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation, MAC Studio Finish Concealer and MAC Select Cover-Up.

It's a complete coincidence that they're all MAC products - and it's even a bigger coincidence that they are some of the first MAC products I ever tried.

I remember my first trip to MAC like it was yesterday. I was a senior in highschool and it was my first time ever buying non-drugstore makeup. I purchased (George purchased it, actually. We just started dating at the time!) Studio Fix Fluid in NC40, Blot Powder in Med-Dark, Select Cover-up in Peach, Paint in Bare Canvas and Eyeshadows in Gorgeous Gold, Moons Reflection and Aquadisiac. Aside from the shadows, I continue using all of those products till this day.

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Studio Fix Fluid is basically everything I look for in a foundation. It has a very nice, creamy consistency that blends easily, medium to heavy-medium coverage, has a satiny finish and is long-lasting. The colors are spot on for my golden-yellow complexion and no matter what kind of skin day I'm having, I can always rely on Studio Fix Fluid to make my skin look airbrushed. I always make sure to have a bottle on hand, and it's probably my most re-purchased makeup item ever. *Side note: I always make sure to set with a powder when wearing this foundation as my skin can get shiny after a few hours.

Blemishes - They will be camouflages for the most part, but if you have dark or very red blemishes, you may find that using an additional concealer may be necessary for full coverage. Minor blemishes should be covered.
Application - My favorite application method for this foundation is using a duo-fiber brush for the most natural finish. I also like using a flat top brush, but in order for it not to look too heavy on my skin, I'll usually moisturize skin beforehand or spirtz my face with water. With this particular foundation I don't like using my fingers because it can look too heavy/porcelain. I think the way this foundation looks really depends on your application method. 
Often complaints are - It causes breakouts, it has a chemical smell, it's too heavy/cakey, the shades are either too yellow or too cool - there isn't a good in-between. 

In the past, I did get a pimple here and there when wearing Studio Fix Fluid on a daily basis, but with a proper skincare (cleansing and exfoliating) routine, I don't have anymore breakouts when wearing it. But it might also be because I usually don't wear it for more than a few days in a row (I have way too many foundations to stay loyal to one). Everyone has a different sensitivity to certain products, so this may or may not irritate your skin. I highly recommend washing your face well at night to avoid break-outs. 


Studio Finish Concealer is one of my - if not my favorite cream concealer. I often search for new concealers because I get bored easily with using the same products all of the time, but this concealer never fails me. It's not too dry, and it's not too creamy. It's a good in-between so it spreads easy, yet it doesn't move around. Often cream concealers can be too emollient, causing the concealer to crease, cake up, transfer and look shiny throughout the day, and some drier consistencies can look dry and flaky throughout the day. I think MAC has the formula down pact on this one. It works well for the under-eyes and it also works well at covering blemishes. I usually have it in a few different shades - one that matches my face (NC) and one with peachy-pink tones that will counteract my dark under-eyes (NW). I'm never without this stuff in my stash.

Not too many people talk about MAC Select Cover-up, but it's definitely one of my favorite liquid concealers. It's creamy (not watery) - not too thick and definitely not heavy. It provides a good light-medium coverage, so in conjunction with a medium coverage foundation, this concealer is really all you need. It's not going to provide opaque coverage for those with severe darkness, but for those with minor to average dark under-eyes, this should do the trick. It has more coverage than Moisturecover (that stuff just does nothing for me) and just does a fabulous overall job of brightening my under-eyes. 











Here's a few photos to show my under-eyes without concealer, and with Select Cover-up and Studio Finish. You can see that with the Select Cover-up, almost everything is concealed, but a little darkness still peaks through. In the photo wearing Studio Finish, little to no darkness is peaking though. 

What are some products you always keep in your stash? Let me know in the comments!

39 comments:

  1. Great post! I love Studio Fix Fluid. After having tried a lot of high and low end foundations, I definitely think it's one of the best out there. Especially for us yellow-golden girls.

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  2. I love Mac products..

    Kissies

    Pinar

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  3. I love these products too! No matter what I try I always go back to Studio Fix ;)

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  4. Thanks for sharing this! I have a love and hate relationship with some of these products, especially the foundation! I'm still on a hunt to find my perfect mac foundation!

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  5. I love MAC but their face products make me brake out, I'm one of the unfortunate ones

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  6. I use to love the mac studio fix but i fell in love with my mac pro longwear. The studio fix concealer is awsome.

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  7. I agree about Studio Fix! It's gives really good coverage and finish to the skin but I'm not a fan of its scent too..

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  8. I want Aquadisiac. It's funny MAC still has the same shades from back then. Goldmine and Blunt blush were my first but I don't care for them anymore. I do love Face and Body and Studio Finish concealer, those would def be my all time favs. MAC is such a great brand, I don't get why some dislike it.

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  9. great review and before + after pics. now that i think about it many of my never fails also come from MAC including pro long wear foundation and concealer .. wearing it for years.

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  10. Such a great informative post... I love Studio Fix Fluid! I'm just finishing up my studio finish concealer and will definitely re purchase.
    I love you did before and after pictures... You're such a great beauty blogger! :)
    xx

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  11. Hiya! Great blog, keep up the good work.
    I was wondering whether you could help me out with a question, pls. My ideal tone in Studio Fix Fluid is a combination of nc25 with nc30. As there is no nc25 available in studio finish concealer (strange!), would you recomment nw25 as undereye concealer?
    Many thanks for the tip

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  12. ...that was "recommend"...

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  13. Lijken me fijne producten ^^
    ik volg je trouwens via bloglovin, volg je me terug? xx

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  14. Nice! they look great! I never used the studio finish but I had the select cover and I love it! so I may try the studio finish! thanks for the post!

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  15. I love how this is like a combined review. I have the first two products and yes it makes me break out. I only use it every now and again now and its fine...but I wouldn't use it all the time..and I do like my studio finish concealer.never fails me either. it's always been in my stash too

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  16. Have u tried their select spf 15 liquid foundatioN if so how does it compare to studio fix fluid

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  17. I recently got on the MAC studio fix fluid bandwagon. Let me just say, I've been missing out! It's an awesome foundation and it's definitely something I will be repurchasing. My must have product is MAC's prep and prime loose powder. No matter what foundation I wear I always set it with P&P. It makes skin look flawless

    Xo

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  18. Great post! I am using most of that stuff! They are realy great!

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  19. hi natalie <I love your blog !I'm having a litlle issue with my prolong wear!when i take pictures indoor I get a white cast,more like ashy looking but outdoor it looks perfect?any suggestion to fix that problem thank you ! love leslie

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    1. Hi Lesie,

      Thank you! In my experience with Prolongwear, it photographed pretty well. But the issue could possibly be the SPF in the foundation, or if you use a moisturizer or setting powder containing an SPF. SPF (Titanium Dioxide) in foundations are usually always the culprit for a white cast in photos and the active ingredient in MAC Prolongwear is Titanium Dioxide. There is really no way to fix this problem, unfortunately. :\

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  20. I never thought i'd be a MAC fanatic...but I am. Their products are reliable, in an assortment of colors and formulations. I love SFF, it's my favorite foundation so far. I purchased Studio Sculpt too just to check it out but It's harder to set.

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    1. I agree. They are reliable, and they are cheaper than most high end brands which is an added plus. I loved Studio Sculpt in the past, and repurchased it a few times. It definitely is a "moist" foundation, so I've realized with it that less is actually more. I like using only a tiny bit with a stippling brush and then buffing in a powder foundation to set.

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  21. Great post I love reading other peoples fail safe products :) most of mine are mac too haha! My foundation is studio sculpt with a stipple brush it gives me the skin I wish I had!

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  22. This is so true! I still use these and they never fail me, even when my skin is all over the place doing whatever it wants to do.
    Great post!

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  23. I love MAC and I have these products too (except the Select Cover-up) as my no-fail makeup stash! :)

    ♥,
    Shari
    The Misty Mom

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  24. These are all my never fail products too! :)

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  25. I've been a MAC addict for awhile but I just tried the Studio Fix Fluid yesterday for the first time and I absolutely love it! Great review and pictures!

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  26. Hi, just came across your page and I am thinking about buying the Studio Fix Fluid. I was wondering what type of powder you put over the top to set it in? I asked the girls at MAC but they weren't very helpful. Just wanted you opinion. Thanks, Olivia - Australia.

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    1. MAC Blot Powder or Careblend Powder works great! You want to look for a setting powder. Some powders (such as MAC Studio Fix Powder) are powder foundations and have as much coverage as a liquid foundation. You don't want that because it can look too heavy, opaque or even cakey on top of a foundation. Setting/Finishing powders are to be used on top of foundation to seal them in and remove any excess oil/shine. They won't provide any extra coverage. If you want something inexpensive to try out, check out Rimmel Stay Matte Powders. They are only a few dollars and work great with a large powder brush.

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  27. I have found that Mac studio fix fluid is very easy to apply and has a smooth coverage. It also leaves a flawless and professional look which is non-occlusive and oil free.

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  28. Im NC40 too! Can I ask what SF concealer shades u use, for undereye? for pigmentation? how abt on prolongwear?

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    1. I have a few different shades, but NW25 is my favorite shade to use. It's peachy toned, so it cancels out the darkness really well and because it's slightly lighter than my skin, it brightens as well. If you don't want something lighter, NW30 works well too. For pigmentation, I use NC35 on my cheeks/face. In the Pro Longwear concealer I use NW25 as well. It's slightly darker than the NW25 in Studio Finish. It's perfect!

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  29. Hi! Do you apply a primer underneath the Studio Fix Fluid? Thank you! :)

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  30. http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp/ItemID=8213
    ^^^ A girl on here copied and pasted your review on this product... She's done it to me, so I thought I'd share.
    -Amber

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  31. When I use MAC select concealer under my eyes it emphasizes the texture of my skin terribly, all imperfections become much more visible, and plus it creases like crazy even when settled with powder and applied in a thin layer :(

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  32. I have the same issue. When tried it on at mac it was wonderful brightened my eye area but now seems to do nothing for them and it does crease like mad

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  33. Hi - what shade of Studio Fix Fluid are you wearing for all over the face? In other pictures of NC40 online it looks rather dark. I'm curious because you and I have very similar yellow undertones and my current SFF shade is appearing to orangey on me. Thanks :)

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