Aaaargh, Mac base turning orange again.

[Sushi_Flower]

Arrgh i had this problem last time i tried a Mac powder - Studio Fix and gave up on it. I'd been using Blot Powder which is mostly colourless but gave me a little whitish cast which i could work with as i don't mind looking a little paler rather than darker.
But i got Sheer Pressed Powder for the 1st time yesterday, i purposefully got it one shade lighter to avoid the going orange look..and it's gone orange!!!....or atleast i think it has, in some lights it looks fine and others it looks quiet orangey.

 

[sassy*girl]

What is your colouring like? Back when I used to use that, I got an NC20 and I was an NC30/C3 for Studiofix. That's too bad though. Maybe you can try going back to MAC and telling them what happened so they can exhange it for you.

 

[Sushi_Flower]

I use NC43 in Studio Tech. How low do you think i should go down the shade range to get the right colour? I think i may be able to go again to Mac in a few days for an exchnage but after that it might be the last time for a very long time so i'd have to live with whatever i end up with. Please help!

 

[sassy*girl]

Hmmm, Maybe... so you got an NC40 Select Sheer pressed? I'm not really sure what to recommend. Maybe the NC45? Have you tried to do a LiveChat with a MAC MA from their website? They might be able to help you out more specifically than I can.

 

[Sushi_Flower]

Yes i did a Livechat before i bought it and she suggested NC40 to prevent the orange look!
NC45 is one shade darker than NC40 though isn't it?

I was thinking maybe i should go for one shade lighter than NC40 but what if that isn't light enough, i won't be able to get to Mac to change it again.

 

[sassy*girl]

Oops, I totally misread that when you said go down the shade range I meant to go higher and say 35 *slaps head* I think it should still be okay since it's sheer anyway... do you use a lot of it? Because like I said, I was an NC30 and the MA suggested NC20, two shades up, for me. I think when you get the chance to return it, you should ask the MA if she think it'll be too light, and if possible, maybe you can even test it on your skin and check how it looks outside before you decide to exchange it.

 

[Sushi_Flower]

Oh i see, i was thinking ''why is she wanting to make me more orange?!?" lol.

I love Mac but i'm going to be honest, the lighting at the counters is rubbish at seeing colours and so testing base colours is never done very accurately in their lighting and also the MA always say ''yeh that looks fine to me'' even when i go home and see it's not, maybe that's because of the lighting aswell.

I think NC35 should be ok for me hopefully, but i do use alot of it as i like a matt look and the coverage it gives me.

 

[sassy*girl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sushi_Flower Oh i see, i was thinking ''why is she wanting to make me more orange?!?" lol.

Hahaha, I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. That's what happens when I'm lacking sleep

Hopefully NC35 will be okay and not too light either! I hate it when I'm between two shades! Tsk. Anyway, I agree about the lighting, even some MAs told me that they think their lighting isn't that great. *sigh*

If you like the matte look, have you tried using a mattifying lotion under your Studio Tech? Although I never tried that before so I'm not sure if that will work or not... or maybe blotting film?

 

[Sushi_Flower]

I've tried Mattifying lotions and i liked it at first but then realised it's not good for me to use lotions that aren't made for my skin type and also i got a more fresh look if i put on powder over a more dewy base.

I just wish i could have some Specktra members in person to give me their opinion on wether i look orangey or not!

 

[parfait_amour]

i found that happening to me a lot as well so i talked about it with the ma. she said that even though my skin is NC to make it look less orangy/olivey that i should use an NW the difference is really noticable, so maybe it would work for you too?!

 

[Sushi_Flower]

Oh that sounds like a good idea but i'd be worried that the pinky cool tones might show too much on me. I'll keep it mind though.

Ok i'm reeeally mad now. Before my face looked really orange and i've been reapplying through the day so i can get a good idea of how it will act on me on a normal day and it actually looks ok now and in some lights looks perfect, it does look slightly orangey in some other lights too but not as much as before. This has just confused me even more.
I've been trying to get a perfect base or even a base that looks ok, for over a year now..

 

[marshmallowfluffy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sushi_Flower Oh that sounds like a good idea but i'd be worried that the pinky cool tones might show too much on me. I'll keep it mind though. Ok i'm reeeally mad now. Before my face looked really orange and i've been reapplying through the day so i can get a good idea of how it will act on me on a normal day and it actually looks ok now and in some lights looks perfect, it does look slightly orangey in some other lights too but not as much as before. This has just confused me even more. I've been trying to get a perfect base or even a base that looks ok, for over a year now..

Maybe I can help you...
If you wear NC43 in Studio Tech, then I would definitely try NC35 if NC 40 doesn't work. Yeah, they are both considerably lighter, but when you take into account that they will go darker once they are on top of the moist Studio Tech (dry stuff gets darker when applied over moist things), and that any oil you prduce will also darken the powder further, you probably will need a lighter shade than you might think.

I run into this all the time at the counter...and those Select Sheer Powders will get darker on the skin almost everytime...expecially when applied over any moist product.

Next time you go to MAC, ask to try on each color over your Studio Tech and then go outside and look at it. Wear it around for a while as you are shopping for other things, give your skin some time to produce some oil, and go outside and look at it again before you decide.

Also remember, the more you apply throughout the day, the weirder it could look...you're adding more and more color each time you apply.
If you have to powder often, Blot powder is your best bet...cause it adds no color. I know you said it seemed light on you, so you might want to try Dark or Deep Dark (not sure which color you had before)and only apply when you get oily spots...on dry skin it will look pasty.

Actually,what you could do is apply your Studio Tech and then buff the Select Sheer Powder (when you get the correct shade) on to the Studio Tech with a the #140 or the #187 brush...the buffing will give you a really velvety matte finish, while also working the powder into the Tech better...making it more durable. Then during the day, use the blot to touch up.

It's true that sometimes you can't trust the lighting at counters. The lighting at my counter is really bright and clear white light (very true color lighting) but I have worked in other locations where the light is flourescent as h*ll and everyone looks greener than they really are.

Let me know how everything works for you!!! Hope I have been of some help

MMF~

 

[Sushi_Flower]

Thankyou Marshmallow, it's nice to get such a thorough helpfull response. You convinced me to go ahead and get the NC35 powder without even testing it out and i've got it on today and it looks so perfect! It looks like my neck colour, really yellow based and light brown. Having said that i do have my oil free moisturiser on today so maybe that's why it looks fine. I'm going to try it out with different moistuerisers to see the effect. I'm hoping my more moisturising ones don't make it turn orangey again as i'd rather have more comfortably moisturised skin.
I'm keeping my Blot powder for touch ups. I just really hope i don't have anymore problems with the base now, i've been trying to get my ''base regime'' right for ages now.

Just a thought - if someones skin oils makes a certain shade of powder go orange then does it make all the shades in that range of powders go orange. I'm just thinking is it one ingredient in the powder that makes it go orange and hence it might turn equally as orange for all the shades or it shade dependant?

 

[marshmallowfluffy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sushi_Flower Just a thought - if someones skin oils makes a certain shade of powder go orange then does it make all the shades in that range of powders go orange. I'm just thinking is it one ingredient in the powder that makes it go orange and hence it might turn equally as orange for all the shades or it shade dependant?

I am so glad you are happy with the way the NC35 powder is working so far!!!

To try and answer your question, what I notice is that when any powder oxidizes and goes darker that it usually turns orange or sometimes a ruddy reddish color. Most of the time, NC's go orange and NW's go reddish, but it will depend on the person's skintone and the amount of oil they produce.
For instance, on a person who gets really oily, the makeup will tend to turn a more noticeable shade than someone who only produces a little oil. And it may turn darker in the t-zone where there is more oil than in the cheeks where there is less oil...

I am not sure if it is a particular ingredient that does this...I just think it is the nature of what happens when something dry gets a little moist. Like sand on a beach...wet sand is a different color than dry sand.

HTH,
MMF~

 

[Sushi_Flower]

I guess you just have to test things out and yourself and see what happens really.

I've had the NC35 powder on all day and i just looked in the mirror and it had gone quite shiny and it's hard to tell in the evening under unnatural lights but i think it had gone abit orange, but then i put on my Blot Powder and my skin was transformed, it looked so fresh and matte again, like i just put it on and the slight orangeyness which i was seeing was gone! I'm so glad i kept my blot powder, i used it alot before just on top of Studio Tech but it's now using it on top of another powder i can see how amazing of a job it does.

Tomorrow i'm going to wear the powder over a different moisturiser, one that isn't oil-free and one that i would prefer to wear so i'm hoping it works well with it but also suspect orangeyness will feature more due to more oils.

Question about using Blot Powder over another powder - When putting on my makeup at the beginning of the day should i put the Blot Powder on then on top of the Sheer powder or only when i think i need it during the day?

My skintone is very similar to hers,(picture of Mac makeup artist from website) also the way she's got her base matte and perfect like that is what i like to achieve with mine.

 

[marshmallowfluffy]

What you described is just exactly what blot powder is supposed to do for your skin when you touch up with it.

YAY!

Here's hoping that you get the same result when you use that other moisturizer! Lemme know what happens.

And I don't think you need to put blot powder on right on top of the Select Sheer Powder, but you can try it and see if it helps keep you more matte during the day. Some people do this with good results...others don't see a difference. It'll just depend on you.

BTW, that MAC Artist is Judy Irizarry, from Miami. I just had a chance to work with her at an event and she is AMAZING. One of the sweetest, most down-to-earth people I have ever met. Not to mention that she's absolutely stunning! If you ever get the chance to go to an event/seminar with her... GO!!! You won't regret it

HTH,
MMF~

 

[Sushi_Flower]

Yay for Blot Powder!

I'm still going to put my makeup on today (i'm in Uk btw) so i'll let you know later how it's working.

Wow, you met her. She looks so cool and looking at her makeup she's the kind of person i'd trust to do mine. When i was talking to a MA on Mac's Live Chat service she said similar things about her! Are you a Mac MA then? No wonder you're giving such great advice! You wouldn't happen to know exactly what she uses do you?! I want my base to look like hers!
I don't think i would get a chance going to any event, i'm just a Mac customer and i live in UK!

 

[Sushi_Flower]

You'll never believe it, i put on the moisturiser awhile ago today, i loved it even more than before when i put it on and was really wishing the powder works with it, then i put Studio Tech on after it was absorbed and then i put the powder on....it went BROWN..not after awhile but literally in front of my eyes as i was putting it on i was going 3 shades darker! It was horrible and i washed it all off straight away.
I've decided to return it and not even try to go one shade lighter again or anything like that. Yesterday when i tried it with the oil free moisturiser i think it did work well but i was at home all day and it's pretty cold at the moment, i think if i had gone outside, been in the sun and produced abit of oil then i would've gone orange and i did notice abit of orangeness anyway. So this product really isn't for me. I'd rather use this great moisturiser than an oil free one which makes my skin tight and also worry wether it's gone orange all day.

I put on Studio Tech again after washing my face, i put on abit more than usual and then i put on Blot Powder..it looks GREAT. That's what i'd been doing all this time but i had convinced myself it wasn't perfect and i needed the Sheer powder. I guess the only thing i was unhappy about was that i wanted some more coverage from powder than applying more foundation but looking at the result i think it's fine applying more Studio Tech and then the Blot Powder.

I wish i never even thought about getting the Sheer powder now! Gotta return it somehow now.

Thankyou for your help Marshmallow, you've been great.

If you ever have any more reccomendations/advice for me then i'd greatly appreciate it.

 

[marshmallowfluffy]

Awww.....I am sorry that it didn't work out as well with your other moisturizer....but at least it still works with the Blot Powder!!

They should let you return it....I hope they will

And yes, I have worked for MAC for several years. I love it!!

The UK does have a Senior Artist...can't think of their name at the moment...just keep in touch with your nearest MAC location and maybe they will be able to let you know about any events that will be coming up.

I if ever hear of anything happening thru the grapevine, I'll let you know.

Feel free to PM me if you ever ned some advice on anything...I'll do my best to help you

MMF~

 

[Sushi_Flower]

Thankyou. Yay i have my own Mac artist to help me out now!