mac Archives * Style Chicks

MAC PREP + PRIME FIX + SPRAY: Does it Meet the Hype?

December 20, 2017 · 11 Comments

What do flowers and your face have in common? Both need consistent hydration to stay fresh and look their best. How can you keep your face hydrated without disturbing your makeup? Try MAC Prep + Prime Fix + Spray with hydrating and soothing vitamins, green tea, and cucumber for soft, dewy, supple skin.

MAC COSMETICS Prep + Prime Fix + micro-mists green tea, cucumber & vitamins onto skin for soothing hydration to foundation and skin.

If you live in a cold climate, makeup can dry out and crack. Makeup can melt in a hot one. Forced indoor heat pulls moisture out of foundation, leaving a dry, unnatural looking look. Can a makeup setting spray help? And how do you find the right one for your skin type?

WHY USE MAC PREP + PRIME FIX + SPRAY

Harsh forced heat and air conditioning within many apartments and office buildings can make skin dry and makeup crack. We’ve tried out a few setting sprays lately, and have come to love MAC PREP + PRIME FIX + to make our foundation stay put while our skin looks dewy, supple and hydrated.

ABOUT MAC PREP + PRIME FIX +

MAC says the MAC PREP + PRIME FIX + is “a lightweight water mist that gently soothes and refreshes skin and finishes makeup.” It contains vitamins and minerals, green tea, chamomile, and cucumber to soothe and refresh the skin.

Makeup is refreshed, but there is not a glittery glow or weird wet, slippery look. It absorbs quickly to give an instant boost of hydration while delivering a soft sheen to refresh and finish makeup. Existing makeup is not disturbed by the micro-spray mist.

WHY NOT JUST USE A WATER SPRAY OR WET SPONGE?

These tactics can work, but I find it does not help the makeup stay fresh in the first place, it only helps blend out creasing makeup before applying more makeup. This may seem like one of those makeup products that you don’t need because a damp sponge can rehydrate dried out makeup. That is only one of the benefits.

When I use Prep + Prime Fix + to set my foundation in the morning, I do not need to reapply foundation during the day (except for touching up with YSL Eclat for some brightening, more to look awake under harsh gray lights than reapplying for coverage). Dabbing Prep + Prime Fix + with a Beauty Blender mid-day or before going out after work is also a way to refresh concealer and any foundation that has settled into fine lines around the mouth or folds of the nose.

DRY & SENSITIVE SKIN

If your skin is sensitive or dry, it helps keep the foundation moist. Sensitive skin will like the soothing cucumber and green tea to keep redness and irritation at bay during the day. Dry and delicate skins will also appreciate that this setting spray does not sting like those that contain alcohol.

OILY SKIN

If you have oily skin, MAC PREP + PRIME FIX + keeps the color of your foundation color true so that it does not get darker during the day, but some oily skin gals report that the spray does not help set their foundation and they still need a mid-day foundation re-touch. If you have oily skin, you may prefer one of the Urban Decay setting sprays.

HOW TO USE

I shake the bottle, hold it about 12 inches away, and mist my face after doing my foundation or foundation and powder as the last step before I do mascara and liner. If my face is exceptionally dry, I mist my face once before foundation application as well.

During the day, I spray it again on before any concealer or foundation touch-ups and dab with a beauty blender to smooth out any caking or creasing. MAC PREP + PRIME FIX + comes in a smaller purse size bottle as well.

My makeup stays dewy even in cold, harsh weather or in a very dry office environment.

WHY WE LIKE MAC PREP + PRIME FIX +

A few things I prefer about MAC Prep + Prime Fix+ over other misting and setting sprays is that it is Ophthalmologist tested and Non-acnegenic. I was surprised to see how many acne-causing ingredients appear in some well-known brand sprays.

It also leaves skin feeling smooth, not sticky. There are a few setting sprays that leave more of a light hairspray type of tacky stickiness on the skin, that I do not like.

I also like that it smells only of the green tea and cucumber, there are no overpowering scents, I smell nothing once it dries down.

My makeup doesn’t crack or crease during the day, any touchups are minimal, even on long days.

MAC COSMETICS Prep + Prime Fix + micro-mists green tea, cucumber & vitamins onto skin for soothing hydration to foundation and skin.

MAC PREP + PRIME FIX + spray

WHERE TO FIND IT

MAC Prep+ Prime Fix+ is $24 for the 3.4-ounce size and $12 for the purse size. Right now, three limited edition versions are also available: a lavender, a rose, and coconut scented Prep+ Prime Fix+ sprays.

Find MAC COSMETICS PREP+ PRIME+FIX at MacCosmetics.com, Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Ulta

How to Look Wide Awake with MAC Eyeshadow in Yogurt

January 6, 2017 · 12 Comments

LOOKING BRIGHT-EYED & WIDE AWAKE WITH MAC COSMETICS EYESHADOW IN YOGURT

SUMMARY: A brightening, go-to neutral base that is prettier than beige and taupe shadow bases, MAC Eyeshadow in the shade Yogurt gives a wide awake look to the eye and cancels out lid darkness. Does not appear pink upon application.

USE MAC COSMETICS EYESHADOW IN YOGURT TO BRIGHTEN TIRED EYES

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT MAC COSMETICS EYESHADOW IN “YOGURT.”

QUICKLY LOOK WIDE AWAKE: THE POWER OF SHELL PINK
If you look tired because you are 1) indeed tired or 2) due to dark circles/eyelids, pale pink eye products can brighten up the eye and make you appear wide awake.

This concept works with a shell pink based concealer, rimming the waterline with a shimmery pink pencil. Shell pink also works wonders lifting the eye with browbone highlighter like Benefit High Brow Eyebrow Highlighter, and of course, shell pink as an eyeshadow.

IN SEARCH OF THE RIGHT PALE SHELL PINK EYESHADOW
Finding a good pale shell pink can be a challenge. The wrong shade of pink can make eyes look puffy and irritated. Some pinks look too “Katy Perry/Barbie Doll” for situations you are expected to be adulting, like job interviews and other non-sparkly occasions. And some pale pink shadows are specifically geared towards tired eyes but are very chalky and too pale. So we were elated to find the very blendable MAC shadow shade Yogurt, it is a go-to product for looking wide awake in no time.

ABOUT MAC COSMETICS EYESHADOW IN YOGURT

COLOR: MAC Yogurt is a matte soft pink, no sheen or shift. It is blue based but not lavender or lilac. A prettier and more flattering neutral than a beige, taupe or brown, it very useful for pale skin tones with darkness around the eye.

TEXTURE: Blendable and not chalky, but with a few caveats:

Be cautious when applying over a shadow primer or foundation that your base is dry. Otherwise, it can make this shade look cakey, depending on your eyeshadow brush.
Apply sparingly; this does not require multiple layers, one layer does it. Be especially sparing on the inner corners of the eye, this is the only area I found I had some creasing sometimes.
I’ve used my Beauty Blender to smooth and buff out this shadow on my lid for a sheer finish.

I do however find MAC’s Yogurt to be the least cakey or chalky and the most natural looking of the pale pink shadow bases geared towards giving a wide-awake eye look.

FINISH: Matte and clean, fairly blendable. No shimmer, not cakey. Not glittery or Barbie-like, this is an elegant pink, soft and subtle. The pinkness is not detectable as pink once applied, it seems just like a neutral base.

FALLOUT: I did not get any fallout with use, it wore all day over an eyeshadow primer or foundation.

USE: MAC Yogurt Eyeshadow works great for:

A highlight on the brow, but I use it for an all over the lid up to the browbone base.
For a quick eye look, I use this and just something for definition above my brow crease, maybe even a quick swipe of my blush. It is a basic neutral that compliments most colors.
If you have undereye circles and dark lids, this cancels the darkness nicely without using lots of heavy (cakey and aging) concealing product.
As it is matte, it is suitable for daytime (read work/office) use and as a base for a full range of eye looks, ranging from simple to flashy.
Useful for deep set eyes to bring them forward without using a glitter or shimmery shade around the eye.
For a no fuss/no-makeup look where you still want to look wide awake.

SIMILAR PRODUCTS OR DUPES

MAC Yogurt Eyeshadow is a more blendable, less chalky dupe of TRISH MCEVOY Deluxe Eye Shadow in Shell, but warmer and more natural in tone.

MAC Yogurt is matte, Estée Lauder ‘Pure Color Envy’ Defining Wet/Dry Eyeshadow in Cheeky Pink has shimmer and is a more coppery-peach of a pink.

MAC Vapour Eyeshadow is similar but has less pigment and is shimmery.

WHO WEARS IT BEST:

Best suited for those who wish to make the eye look brighter, rested and wide awake.

WHERE TO BUY

Yogurt eyeshadow is just $6 if you buy the pan refill, $16 in the pot.

Find it at MacCosmetics.com.

MAC ZOOM LASH Mascara

January 5, 2017 · 8 Comments

MAC Cosmetics ZOOM LASH Mascara

SUMMARY: MAC ZOOM Lash is a volumizing mascara that sells for $18 for the full size and ZOOM Lash little MAC for $10, an airport-friendly, purse and travel size mini.

About ZOOM LASH Mascara

LOOK: Defining and Lengthening. Makes lashes pop without looking like fake lashes, could skip bottom eyeliner entirely and eyes/lashes will still appear defined.

WEAR: Without a cream or liquid foundation, I got about 5 hours of no fallout or smudges. With cream foundation, it lasted closer to 4.5 hours.

ZOOM LASH MASCARA DETAILS:

FEATURES: LENGTHENING, VOLUMIZING, DEFINING

COLOR: I got Zoom Black. The mini Zoom Lash mascara also comes in the shades beet, blue, green, plum, and gray.

WHAT MAKES MAC ZOOM LASH MASCARA SPECIAL?

The BRUSH. This is one of the selling points of the ZOOM LASH mascara, a special three-sided fiber brush geared towards lash separation, and the brush gets close to the lashline, so there is no tell-tale bare lash root and mascara starting line. The brush does exactly what it promises and gets right in close to the lash root. It looks like a regular brush, but it is not.

Examining the brush, you’ll notice a spiral binding like a coil at the base, it holds bristles snugly and makes deeper valleys between the bristled rows which allows the brush to get into spaces other brushes and mascara wands cannot.

MAC ZOOM LASH mascara brush features

THE PERFECT DREAM MASCARA WOULD…

The ideal mascara to me is both lengthening and volumizing, SO dark black, and to stay fresh without fall out. I prefer a thin consistency with no clumps but with major lash payout. Is that too much to ask? Sometimes. Here is how MAC ZOOM LASH stacked up:

PUTTING MAC ZOOM LASH TO THE TEST

IS IT DIFFICULT TO APPLY?
It is very easy; there is a quality versatile wand brush

IS IT SLOW OR FAST DRYING?
Dries quickly, especially for a strong statement mascara. There is no need to try to prevent yourself from blinking, so that you don’t smudge

CLUMPS/FLAKES: Light clumping upon application, easy to comb out with a mascara wand or lash comb. No clumping when applied with a mascara fan wand. MAC Cosmetics makes a good one. (Read more about the MAC Mascara fan brush in our recent recommendation review.)

IS THERE FLAKES AND FALLOUT? RACOON EYES?
After about five hours, it seemed to wear off somewhat and not look crisp, but I did not have raccoon eyes, it just sort of faded away without leaving large flakes on my undereye.

DOES IT HOLD AN EYELASH CURLER CURL AFTER APPLICATION?
Somewhat, I had some drooping of my lashes even after just one coat of ZOOM LASH, but not as much droop as other heavy hitters such as Benefit BadGal, Diorshow, Scandal Queen Fairy Drops or Fiberwig. The mascara does not feel heavy on the eye like some mascaras can.

BEST USE
Best used for shorter events such as having a photo taken or briefer encounters (i.e. meeting someone for coffee) to give major lash that is defined yet wispy

CONCLUSION

A solid mascara choice, especially if you favor using non-black mascara colors for a primary or secondary coat. Lashes are defined and separated for about 5 hours, but it does not last the full work or school day without a mid-day touch-up, and it requires a touch-up to complete re-do for going out after work. But a saving grace is that it is a buildable mascara that doesn’t get clumpy with multiple coats, so you don’t have to remove it, you can just reapply, and you won’t get mid-day raccoon eyes. So if touchups don’t bother you, MAC ZOOM LASH Mascara could be a good choice for full, long, defined lashes.

Find Mac Cosmetics Zoom Lash Mascara at MacCosmetics.com

Product Review: MAC 205 Mascara Fan Brush

December 18, 2015 · Leave a Comment

MAC 205 Mascara Fan Brush Review: An Ode to Mascara Fan Brushes and why you need one.

Why Use a Mascara Fan Brush?

A mascara fan brush seems like an unnecessary product since mascara generally comes with its own wand and lash tools exist to comb out clumps. I felt this way until I used a mascara fan brush myself. Here is why I love my MAC 205 mascara fan brush.

BACKSTORY I love dark, thick mascaras but they are difficult to apply well: I love dark blacker-than-black

Thick Mascara quickly applied and combed in less than 30 seconds with MAC 205 Mascara Fan Brush

wet mascara but often these formulations are heavy and weigh lashes down too much to hold a good curl. They often are messy and clumpy on application and can flake. So many mascaras I LOVE upon application like Fairy Drops Scandal Queen, Calvin Klein CK One, Hot Lashes Mascara, Dior DiorShow, even Benefit BadGal are SO dark and lovely and give my lashes OOMPH, but I must apply them too heavy handedly because my mascara looks way too obvious and fake no matter how much I clean off the wand before application. I like a thick lush lash, but somewhat natural looking. Or at least not multi-lash stuck together clumpy disasters. While lash tools and combs are useful, they rarely give even application of mascara, and generally cannot create the look of individual lashes, combs generally leave at least some lashes stuck together.

SOLUTION: To solve this beauty dilemma, use a Mascara Fan Brush to de-clump and apply these lovely dark, thick, wet mascaras smoothly and clump-free for wispy, fluttery, long, dark THICK lashes – even coat the tiny lash.

Finding a Quality Mascara Fan Brush

There is a range of mascara fan brushes on the market from a basic drugstore beauty chain store fan brush to the $65 Barney’s Claudio Riaz Lash Touch Brush. A good quality mascara fan brush is the MAC 205 Mascara Fan Brush for $20.

Mascara Fan Brushes can individually “paint” and coat each tiny or long lash separately for AMAZING definition of your lashline. Each lash stands out with no clumping yet appears naturally dark and long and thick.

About The MAC 205 Mascara Fan brush

MAC 205 Mascara Fan Brush

The MAC 205 Mascara Fan Brush is frequently used by bridal makeup artists for a few reasons:

to create wispy lower lashes
to coat mascara onto to the top lashes for those lowered lid bridal photo shots
to better blend false and real lashes together with mascara application
to apply mascara to individual fake lashes without disturbing their placement
for all day, clump-free lashes that do not require touch-ups.

This brush is probably 40% smaller than competitor mascara fan brushes such as the Paula Dorf, and has tiny soft wispy guard bristles that make it easier to remove clumps and create feathery lashes.The MAC is:

Easier for those with the steady hands of a true makeup artist than a regular makeup fanatic like myself to use.
MAC 205 Mascara Fan Brush Bristles

But a little practice went a long way and now I can always get a good application the first time, which reduces the time I spend declumping and combing excess mascara upon application (but keep q-tips at the ready) and reduces how much reapplication or clean-up of mascara I do when touching up my makeup.
Notice the longer and shorter bristle lengths in the photo to the right. When using the MAC 205, try to load the mascara onto the shorter fan bristles, not the longer guard bristles. Do this by bending and holding the longer guard bristles away from the shorter bristles with your finger while only coating the short bristles with mascara. This way, you can apply the mascara with the short bristles and comb out clumps and direct the lashes with the longer bristles.

MASCARA FAN BRUSH LEARNING CURVE

Mascara Fan Brushes take a bit to get used to, mostly how to wiggle it into your lash line without being too heavy-handed to spread the product evenly. But once you get the technique down, it lasts for the day without touchups and goes much faster than traditional wand application and de-clumping. In the photo seen above, this was Calvin Klein CK One Mascara, a thick black mascara that stays put but is too heavy to apply directly from the tube. In this photo, I did a quick running-out-the-door-I-am-late, 30 seconds for both eyes, didn’t have to de-clump much (although I see one clumpy spot on my lower lashes I could have fixed) and I didn’t have to reapply at all during a 13 hour day. No real flaking during the day either or undereye cleanup. While the Mac Mascara fan brush can do a perfect application within a few minutes, this photo is a realistic every day quick use of a THICK BLACK mascara applied with the brush with some practice.

HOW TO USE A MASCARA FAN BRUSH

Comb through your lashes with a clean lash brush spoolie or lash comb, especially if you have curly lashes or flat lying lashes. Curl lashes now if desired.
Sweep the wand of your favorite over-the-top wet, dark mascara against the tip of your mascara fan brush to deposit enough mascara for one eye. Brush away any obvious clumps. Start with less than you think you need, you can always add more.
Begin with your upper lashes and lightly touch the fan bristles horizontally to the center of the root lash line, depositing some product. Then wiggle it into the lash root and comb through in one stroke, gently pushing that color out along the length of the lashes, taking your time, lightly painting your lashes up and out. Comb through with a clean spoolie if you use too much product or have any lashes stuck together. You can also separate lashes any stuck together wiggling the brush vertically as well.
Repeat the same procedure with the lashes on the outer corner, applying in vertical strokes where necessary to catch all the lashes. Then proceed to do the same the inner corner lashes
Check your upper lashes for any clumps or stuck lashes, use a spoolie if needed or lash brush. If mascara got on the waterline unintentionally, clean up with a q-tip.
Do the other upper lashes of the other eye

BEGINNER’S TIP: If you do not have a steady hand, hold the fan brush bristles close to the lash base, and slowly blink your lashes over and through the bristles to paint on the product.

HOW TO USE A MASCARA FAN BRUSH ON LOWER LASHES

Assess if more product is needed on the fan brush before beginning lower lashes
Use the apply-to-root technique described above, then wiggle it into the lash root and comb through in one stroke. Comb outside lashes outward, comb middle lashes straight down, and comb the inner lashes inward for the most natural, doe-eyed look.
Clean off the fan and do a quick final comb through for any clumps from underneath the lashes.
Assess if you want another coat.
Clean your brush immediately (or at least later that day), because it will get stuck and gunky quickly.

Where to find the MAC 205 Mascara Fan Brush

MAC Cosmetics Online, $20, free shipping & samples
At eBay, around $20 – $40
On Amazon, third party seller

How to Find a Good Mascara Fan Brush

December 15, 2015 · Leave a Comment

WHERE TO BUY A GOOD MASCARA FAN BRUSH

Here is our round up of the good and the bad when it comes to Mascara Fan Brushes. There is a wide variety of quality and prices when it comes to finding a good Mascara Fan Brush. Here are a few we have tried:

The most popular mascara fan brushes are both around $20. These are the Mac 205 Mascara Fan Brush, and the Paula Dorf Perfect Mascara Fan Brush.

The Paula Dorf is one of my favorites because it is the widest and longest, the right combo of soft enough to maneuver around lashes while stiff enough to “paint” and the easiest to wield. Found mostly on eBay.
Mac 205 Mascara Fan Brush
Mac 205 Mascara Fan Brush. Frequently used by bridal makeup artists, the MAC 205 brush is probably 40% smaller, but has tiny soft wispy guard bristles that make it easier to remove clumps. The MAC is:
- Easier for those with the steady hands of a true makeup artist than a regular makeup fanatic like myself to use. But a little practice went a long way.
- When using the MAC 205, try to load the mascara onto the shorter fan bristles, not the longer guard bristles. Do this by bending and holding the longer guard bristles away from the shorter bristles with your finger while only coating the short bristles with mascara.
  - At eBay
  - On Amazon, third party seller
  - The Mac Cosmetics 205 Mascara Fan Brush is generally available at Mac, $20.

Other Mascara fan brushes:

SEPHORA COLLECTION: Pro Lash Fan #34, $21. Not very fan-like, but quality bristles, good shape for a beginner to load mascara onto the lash, doesn’t have the ability to create wispy lashes like the Paula Dorf, Claudio Riaz or Mac 205. But, this brush can do cream and cake mascara much easier than the other fan brushes.

Surprisingly, there was only one kind of Mascara Fan brush at Sephora at this time. That seems weird. Does anyone else think that is weird?

Claudio Riaz Lash Touch Brush, at Barney’s, for $65.
- The Mercedes Benz/Rolls Royce/Jaguar of Mascara Fan Brushes.
- A bit steep, but a VERY good brush with nice heft and ease of handling, which is good for klutzes like myself. Nice width to the fan which covers about half the lash line.
- Bristles are high quality and easy to work with, easy to get fluttery, wispy lashes with this one. I could argue buying a cheaper mascara or not being loyal to any one mascara or in a mascara emergency, using a drugstore brand (gasp!) and still getting a nice high-end look with the ease of use on getting a nice, clump-free look with this brush.
Royal and Langnickel BX-145 Revolution Fan Mascara Brush
- hard to find stateside, but ships to North America
- reasonably priced
- nice gentle guide feature on the bristles
- Easier to de-clump with, harder to get “wispy” lashes.
Ben Nye also makes a Mascara fan brush, it is around $8, haven’t tried it yet.

So far, I have not found a drugstore/beauty chain store version of a Mascara fan brush that I like. Most are too stiff to apply mascara or to wiggle it into the root of the lash line, and it is not really a fan shape, more like an eyeliner push brush.

For this reason we cannot recommend the Bdellium Tools Makeup Cosmetic Beauty Brush Travel Line – Mascara Fan Brush 731. Most drugstore and beauty supply store fan brushes seemed a variant of this overly rigid push liner brush style, but I would be happy to find a good basic mascara fan brush if anyone knows of a good one.