Great article and thank you for all of your insight.

I def have collector tendencies... I have all my life for anything that I get into. I don't think there is anything wrong with collecting makeup... as long as you enjoy it. I don't believe that you should not pay bills or use your grocery money towards Mac... that is wrong. I made a comment a few days ago that I said that I will be eating beans on toast but that was a bit of a joke. I use my spending money on Mac... that is money after all bills, food, and savings. I have alot of excess money every month... I don't drink or smoke and really enjoy buying makeup. It is something that gives me fulfillment and makes me happy.

I have tons of makeup and have spent alot of money but I use everything that I have. I put everything into rotation and make sure that everything get used within a month. There are colours that get used more than others but those are usually my highlighters.

Since I started collecting in 2006, I have only ever regretted about 3 sets of purchases... CShock, Fafi, and Antiquitease MES. I ended up selling them and getting all my money back... so I wasn't too bothered about it. I have dupped some colours but I am usually very careful in what I buy so I don't have too similiar colours. I have fallen into the hype and as I said regretted a few purchases.

If you enjoy it, don't feel bad about spending money on Mac and getting excited about the collections. I love them and love Mac... I don't agree with some of their policies and do wish they would stop have so many LE collections... I think one big collection and month would be brilliant.

Will I stop buying Mac... No.
Will I think about what I buy... Will try but you never know w/ me.

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Mel's Sale Page

Thank you so much for taking the time to write up an educated analysis of mac's philosophy and marketing techniques and their effects on us (as the consumers). It has been a real eye opener and wake up call to me, as a 'newbie' to mac (i only started buying mac last christmas), although in this short space of time I have fallen into many of the marketing traps that you have outlined. I am glad I have read this before I do further damage to my (or rather, my parents') bank account. Yes, Mac is very clever with it's marketing schemes and has successfully done what all companies seek to do: reach the maximum target audience possible (did I word that right?) as stated in their 'philosophy'. Mac has many followers from young (I should know im 15) to old. I think modern technology plays a very important role in it's popularity amongst consumers. I have noticed that no other company that has got such outstanding results from 'guerilla' marketing. You are soooo right when you explain how Mac takes advantage of the human tendency to accept gifts in such a manner that negativity towards the gift is [i]never[i] occurs, infact very much the opposite. This does lead to a chain reaction in consumers. Easily. As simple as... the beauty blogger receives the 'gift' (a selection of an upcoming *never before seen* collection, and reviews the products in such a manner that the average consumer is compelled to obtain whatever 'item' at any cost. This proves to be a problem for people who just cannot help themselves, but is probably sending Mac's sales through the roof! Mac doesn't even have to spend millions on advertising - we do the dirty work for them.

But really, I think that it is a lot of fun and very exciting (lol very much like at christmas) when we find out about *exclusive* information (yes clearly mac has me tied down.....), as long as we do not get too carried away. This is when the problem arises. I have learnt a lot from reading this excellent report, and in future I will always ask myself those Important Questions before any purchases.

MAC = geniuses

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Seeing the New Kids on Oct 16th!!!

Excellent, insightful article. Very well written and very true.

I completely agree with what you said- its insane how much better a feel about myself when I put on make-up.. esp MAC.. its like "pretty in a bottle" HAHA... I know it sounds so bad but Im glad that I have someone who can relate to me on that level...

It def is a mask... and a damn good one at that

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And when you realize LOVE is all that matters after all...
It sure makes everything else seem
so small...

Thanks for this very interesting article and I think you really prove to be an intelligent consumer who cares not just about herself but also the general well-being of the makeup community.

I have some friends who boycott MAC - their LE collections are one of the main reasons. Why so many LE? Is it really LE? and whether the colours are just repeats? I know makeup enthusiasts will say NO - but everyone has their own viewpoint.

For myself - I strictly control what I buy and I will only buy stuff that I need - there will be a never-ending list of MSFs, MES... and yes I do fantastise that I can own a whole collection!

But fantasies aside, I really use whatever money I have in excess of what needs to be paid, I never owe credit cards bills and what I have from MAC (not alot, really) is what I need!

Thank you for writing this article. I found it really interesting how MAC indirectly advertises it's products. I especially liked the questions at the end, to see if we were swept up by the hype. There have been many times when I thought "No, I don't think there's anything I like from this collection." and then after reading threads and discussions, I find myself buying the product! Thank you again for this article.

Thank you, ruffage, for your series of intelligent, analytical posts. I find it refreshing in a sea of LE madness. I've been into MAC since 1996 and don't recall a time when I was on alt.fashion (Usenet newsgroup), where MAC collections caused such a frenzy that people were prompted to buy a) whole collections and b) multiple back-ups!

It is of course anyone's perogative to spend their money however they wish, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. But at the same time, I appreciate that there exists a logical perspective that takes a few steps back from this unusual consumption behaviour and asks, "what is really going on here? How does it affect all of us?"

I don't feel like it rains on anyone's parade - nobody is asking anyone to cease enjoying makeup. I freely choose to partake in the Color Collection forum to weigh in on my fantasy hauls, but at the end of the day I also make my decision to walk away from the counter after taking a good look at the new collections. It is fun to obsess, coo, and drool over the products. For me, part of what is fun about Specktra is the freedom and ability to do just that. But I also welcome "deeper," analytical perspectives and take them as seriously as I do my obsessing over new collections (which I don't end up buying, eventually).

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Foundation matches: NC20 SFF, C25 Studio Finish concealer, C3 Face & Body, RMK 102, Chanel 20, Becca Sesame Concealer, Everyday Minerals Fawn/Golden Fair/Olive Fair, Alima Golden 1/Warm 1.


Currently obsessed with NARS.

This is a very intelligent and well written article. It was a very interesting read.
I think the marketing tactics used by MAC are genius. They're definitely doing a good job of creating this hype and sucking people in. That said, I wouldn't buy it or have made it my primary makeup brand if the products sucked. To me, the colors and quality can't be beat for the price. That's why I use it. Sure, it's fun to buy the LE things, but I only buy colors that are wearable on me and that I like. I'm not the type to buy out a whole collection because its LE. Thank the Lord I have will power, or I would probably be broke. However, I know there are a lot of people that do, just for the sake of collecting. MAC products have become like little collector's items for some. Which is great... if people have the money to do so, then by all means, collect! But I'm not gonna go broke over some eye shadow or lipstick.

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Fantastic post, lots of good feedback in this thread.

From a Specktra perspective - Specktra was founded on an enthusiasm for the MAC brand, a place for open and honest discussion, and ultimately a place where people can connect and educate one another over a common interest. Specktra has no formal association to MAC Cosmetics and though we may be focused on the brand there is no bias and we remain as a community independent from the brand. In fact lately we, your beauty editors and Glam Soup hosts, frequently feel quite critical in our opinion new product introductions. This is not to say that there aren't still outstanding products being produced, or that the line as a whole doesn't still have quality products (because it does!). Specktra is an independent resource and much of our information is homegrown and thus extremely reliable. I'd like to mention the collection you specifically mentioned in your article (Red She Said) was not an intentional leak as I myself discovered the information and it was NOT meant for public consumption.

Specktra was around long before MAC began sending out free product like candy to influential new media (bloggers). Specktra is an original community - what the clones can't replicate is the quality of member here. Members like Ruffage, who has opened the eyes of more people than she probably realized or intended and who has probably given MAC a good view of the eventual finesse they will have to employ in their marketing strategy and product development to retain long term MAC loyalists & MAC evangelists.

While we want to see the best for things we love, as a community exchanging information we have the ability to sort the good from the bad and spare the pocketbooks of many shoppers who read up on their purchases before taking the plunge. LE's aren't so LE anymore, generally you can wait a few days to hear feedback before heading to your counter. There isn't such a short production run for LE items anymore, and many times counters/stores/online will be restocked more than once for popular items. This community also has the benefit of many resident artists who advise us what to look out for and what they might not spend their own money on. All this information presents a very savvy and smart shopper who can make an educated decision at the counter.

If you decide you don't enjoy using MAC Cosmetics anymore, or no longer have a favorable opinion of the brand, don't feel like you're slighting Specktra. The community is varied, independent and while we are founded on enthusiasm for the brand there is an excellent discussion forum full of wonderful people who have more than one brand or interest in common.

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Ruffage, thanks so much for sharing with us your insight and helping some of us reign in our common sense! I'm rethinking my Color Forms pre-order now, not as a knee-jerk response to your article but seriously, I'm buying the palette for ONE colour I'm totally falling in love with and am simply justifying the others because they're "made to work well". And the lips palette because Flash of Flesh was my first LE purchase and I'd love to have it again re-formulated... but I can't see myself using a lip palette often anyway.

Ever since the latest new info release I've reached my saturation point of LE details. I've only been visiting 2 collection threads but sadly for me they hardly move at the pace they did 2-3 weeks ago because of all the other collections. I've wanted to get into reading those other threads but whew, it's waaaay too much reading to go through! I don't know how others juggle reading up on those threads.

And after readying this thread for the last 1/2 hr, your comment totally hit me where it hurts - in a good way! I love Specktra just like I love MAC but I've got to cut down on both and rehabilitate my wallet and my cushy arse!

On a following thought... If I could read Specktra while working out I'd totally do it. =D

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There are alot of valid points raised in this thread. The people at Mac are excellent at marketing. If you want proof, check out the Sonic Chic thread ~ people are posting that they got up early just to order from the website. Mac has managed to create an extremely devoted client base.