Hello, firstly, I'd like to say what a great forum! Exactly what I was looking for regarding my question! Great job guys!

Secondly, is my actual question:

I usually use mac face and body, which is great and I do like it, especially when it gets to half way down the bottle and the liquid thickens slightly and is absolutely lush on my skin regarding coverage and texture and so on. However, I'm about to buy another one but before I do was wondering whether the mineralize skinfinish liquid might be better? I like the idea that it's dewy and gives an illuminating glow, but with slightly more coverage than the face and body. Is this true? Or does it give equal coverage to the face and body? What are the main differences (spf aside)? Face and body does last all day as well, and you can add more for the evening, without it caking, which is great - is the mineralize like that as well?

I have dry skin, but look after it well so it only really looks a little dry if I've been out all night or slept in my make-up or something (lovely, I know), and usually it's fine again once it's been cleansed and moisterised. I generally like it dewy, I have slight uneven skin tone so use a concealer/stick foundation on certain areas (under chin, around nose, under eyes). Occasionally I may use a light dusting of powder if I'm going to a gig or somewhere hot. If you recommend the mineralize should I maybe invest in the loose powder version too, to set the make-up/increase coverage for special occassions?

Hope you can help, I'm hoping to buy tomorrow afternoon. (I'm in the uk, by the way).

Thanks!

besides the spf, the main differences between the two are that F&B is water-resistant, where MSF isn't. F&B isn't buildable like MSF is, however, if you set MSF with a powder, you don't wanna add more MSF on top of the powder, only on top of itself to build it.

do set MSF, you don't wanna use mineralize loose foundation, because it too is a foundation. you never want to set a foundation with a foundation, otherwise it builds up too much foundation and can look cakey. i would suggest you set it with MSFN, especially since you are dry. any other powder will catch on your dry flakes. also, with the MSFN, you can get a little more coverage with it since it has some coverage to it, where any other powder (blot, select sheer) doesn't have coverage.

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Thanks Erine, when you say MSFN is that Mineralize Skinfinish Natural? Just looking at the website now to check it out, I've been using the select sheer...

And also, because MSF is buildable, you'd recommend that over the F&B regarding coverage? Do you have a preference for which looks nicer on the skin?

yes, MSFN is mineralize skinfinish natural. select sheer is good too, but it doesn't give any coverage.

mineralize satinfinish (MSF)is buildable, and even if you don't build it, i feel it has more coverage with a singer layer than F&B does. i've only tried a sample of F&B (i work at a counter, and only stores sell it), but i like MSF better. i use it on most customers that want something sheer. its my favorite foundation outta the whole lot.

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THANKS!!! Am off to buy some now!

i'm also indecisive between the two, does msf has enough staying power as f&b?

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in progress...

Hi, I bought some mineralize foundation about two weeks ago, I usually use face and body. With face and body I was a C5, I thoght I could maybe go a shade darker I wasn't sure, so the sales assistant at mac recommended the NC44, which I thought was a little dark and actually it is too dark, makes my face look a bit orange (however I did ask for an NC, maybe I shouldn't have). I can JUST about get away with it in summer, if I lighten up the center of my face)

Colour aside, the foundation is ok, good even. I haven't made up my mind whether I prefer to face and body, as face and body was so easy to get to grips with as soon as I got it. With the mineralize I found it gave more coverage (but as it's so dark I tend not to use too much as I don't want to look completely orange, I use my stila foundation stick and revlon skinlights concealer pen in the center of my face to make it look less dark), but I had some difficulty with setting it. The first time I wore it I used a tiny amount of powder to set it and went out in daytime, thinking my skin would "set" itself, which it used to do for f&b, however my skin only looked really greasy, and not in a healthy dewy look. It looked unblended, dispite contantly blending it in. So now I've been using select sheer to set it, and alot more than I usually ever use as generally I like my skin dewy (I am planning on gettng the MSFN but need more time to decide which colour, the london stores are RAMMED and I don't want to get the wrong shade again after waiting for half an hour).

However, once I set it properly with a powder (I left my cheeks as I wear cream blush), it really did last, and not cakey like you might think. It also kinda looks better the longer you wear it? My skin felt really smooth and everytime I checked in the mirror I didn't really need to re-touch or anything, my skin got more glowier by the eve, nice even surfice, smooth, after having it on all afternoon.

So generally I give it thumbs up, once you get your head around using a powder to set a LOT more than you're prob used to (but that's cause I hardly used to use powder at all before). You really don't look cakey/powdery/dry by setting it with powder. And I'm sure with the MSFN your skin may look even more beautful. I may still buy a face and body as sometimes I'm not sure I want to deal with all the powder and center face lightening up, and face and body is simpler to use, lighter (texture), and is great if you're skin tone is even. Face and body also sets really nicely onto skin, you can't really see it on, doesn't look foundationy, just dewy, where as the mineralize definately looks more foundationy. Also, the fact that my mineralize is very much the wrong colour it does kinda stop put me thinking it's better than my f&b, which is a shame as that shouldn't reflect my opinion of the foundation. I'm trying to use it up quick so I can buy the right colour and REALLY test it.

If you have VERY dry skin, mineralize is good for you. I'm gonna keep playig around with it though, maybe in a month I will have a better idea of it and can give you a better answer.