My first MAC experience remains memorable. I was in the company of my mother on my 16th birthday, and we went on a two-hour trip to a mall; one with a MAC counter. That was the first time I had my makeup done by an expert, and that was the first day I bought my first professional makeup kit. In what seems like a rite of passage, MAC was the center of attraction. It is important to note that every matriarch in my family is a die-hard enthusiast of the MAC brand because MAC has a vast range of products suitable for every skin type and tone.
It’s been a while since I had my first Studio Fix compact experience. I have about MAC products in my kit, and mostly are lipsticks. Those black tubes are arranged on my vanity, and this has made it easy for me to choose my color every day. MAC is the makeup brand my girlfriends demand for most times. These are the MAC makeup essentials you NEED to have in your kit.
1. Lipstick in Ruby Woo
MAC did not invent the red lipstick, but the brand has dominated the market with the iconic shade with Ruby Woo. This fantastic product is the best selling product at the moment. As a die-hard fan, you should also have the Russian Red and Relentlessly Red in your lipstick collection.
2. Prep + Prime Fix+ Finishing Mist
If you want to look like a diva on the red carpet like Jennifer Lopez, drop the highlighter and choose the setting spray. This mist removes a cake-like foundation without removing the effect of the mascara. You can spritz it on your base brush before using the product for a more natural-looking finish.
3. Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle
It seems everybody is focused on strobing (popularly known as highlighting) in recent times, and this compact is one of my best skincare products. I enjoy using a fan brush to apply this sparkling powder to my chin, upper lip, nose, and cheekbones.
4. Lipstick in Diva
If I did not purchase a new red lipstick from MAC, that means I am searching for a moody product. MAC has a vast list of dark plum and brown shades, and Diva, the burgundy shade is among the bestseller list. I am in love with Cyber (a blackberry hue) and Film Noir (Mahogany).
5. MAC In Extreme Dimension Lash Mascara
Even though Naughty Mascara and MAC Haute get mentioned on the beauty blogs a lot of times, this formula sells more. The dense wand enables each lash to be volumized and extended. It has a HUGE wand, and the tines are firmly joined, meaning each lash covered with inky-black color.
6. Lipstick in Flat Out Fabulous
While Red remains my favorite all year-round, I enjoy combining it in the Summer with a sharp-pink shade. Flat Out Fabulous got mentioned in our MAC list due to its super brightness and had a lasting impression. The intense fuchsia matte color possesses blue and purple undertones that make it an excellent shade on every skin tone.
7. Eye Brows in Spiked
In recent times, the popularity of bold brows has grown with the trend of the #EyebrowsOnFleek. You also need an excellent color product to fill in your arches in addition to your brow gel and concealer. You can make use of this incredible pencil to draw hair-like strokes. Spiked, a rich-brown shade is the most popular color; you can check out the warmer and lighter alternatives if you are a redhead or blonde.
8. Fluidline in Blacktrack
The most versatile tool in your makeup kit is gel eyeliner. It can be used to define brows and eyes or utilized as a shadow in a real pinch. For every MAC enthusiast, Fluidline is a necessity because it is waterproof, and stays for a longer time. It does not have an extreme black color. It also dries down to more of a gray, and this works for everyday eyeliner.
9. Eye Shadow x15 in Warm Neutral
Around Christmas, I used to visit the department store aisles in anticipation for the limited-edition palettes to get to the stores. This is the only period of the year when several MAC shadows were presented in one kit. Presently, there are two fantastic 15-shade shadow books, and these are permanent items to the lineup. The colors in the warm neutral palette include gold, dark brown and pale cream. We also have a cool neutral variety with more blue-based powders.
10. Prep + Prime Natural Radiance in Radiant Yellow
In a bid to offer my skin a dewy finish, I used a primer with a highlighter finish. This natural radiance cream compels any foundation a brightening formula (think of pregnancy glow). The radiant yellow is the hue with the highest demand, and perfect for darker skin tones, and also available in pink for brighter complexions.
Most times, I hear a complaint about the MAC matte lipsticks that they are so drying, and I reply to this criticism by offering my favorite Prep + Prime Lip for a short period. It glides on like a lip balm and fills in those vertical crevices, and delivers my Ruby Woo a few more hours of life without leaving my lips dry.
12. Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation
The MAC brand has maintained its relevance and popularity over the years because it has a vast range of foundations that depicts several skin tones. A perfect example is the classic powder foundation; available in forty different shades, whereas NC 35 and NC40 are the most sold hues. This compact also offers the smokiest coverage when you lay on a few coats without having to leave your skin cakey.
13. Lipstick in Velvet Teddy
I think Kylie Jenner deserves to be blamed for the popularity of Velvet Teddy. The hue shares a striking resemblance with her beloved MAC shades, Brave and Whirl. This color is the incredible combination of beige and pink, a complicated balance to strike.
