It's hard to be a natural girl using Mac

[Sushi_Flower]

I can't take alot of bright colours, it doesn't suit me and also i'm not that brave but i still love Mac. The only problem is that most people that are into Mac love bright colours and the collections do tend to have alot of emphasis on brighter colours and contouring etc so i get excited with everyone else on the new stuff but i just can't get it all and use it much like most people.

Today the MA put Invenive Eyes on me and did alot of contouring and lots of eyeshadow layered on which can look great on other people but i got abit of a shock when i looked in the mirror and it nearly put me off the quad until i myself did some application on my other eye the way i would prefer it (and i did buy it after alot umming and aahing). I do try to 'inject' subtle colour in with liners and subtle use of bright colours in general though and i know Mac can cater for people who prefer natural looks aswell as i have managed to find lots of products and colours that i want but i am finding that i am having to go to Bobbi Brown, Nars etc sometimes to find natural lip and eye colours that are warm and natural and suit my skin tone, especially for lipcolours as i really can't find anything that suits me.

I'm not having a moan about Mac at all, just talking about how i find it personally, i know Mac isn't meant to be about natural looks and is meant to be fun and expressive and that is actually why i love it and find it unique but i just realised that i don't wear Mac like most Mac fans especially after the MA applied my eyeshadow today!

Anyone else like this?

 

[leppy]

Yup.. but I don't think its hard. Its true that a lot of the promo stuff certainly isn't pushing a natural look, nor do they have their MAs wear natural looks (how can you when you're required to wear so much at once??) but I don't find it that difficult to adapt a look to my tastes and to tone it down. I mean, even when I want to go dramatic it still has to be lighter, less, etc. because of my colouring.

As far as the inventive eyes quad, I find it just weird. I don't know what that girl was doing?? This is one of the few collections that is obviously geared towards a more subtle look, I kind of think you just got a bad application. Unless I use Inventive e/s in the crease or try to do crazy things with that one, its hard to GET a very dramatic look with this quad for me. I can't see inventive being meant to be used that way, at least not on someone pale thats for sure. Its best as a liner, or blended into the other shades to give them a touch of oomph. Anyway I'm rambling..

 

[Sushi_Flower]

Yep that's what i mean, most of the promo and 'exciting' stuff is geared towards dramatic looks which i love looking at but i can't wear myself.

I'm not pale, i'm an NC43 (but for some reason i still look very pale for one!) but i do have the type of skin and face which would look scary if i have too much eye makeup on especially as i don't have a huge eye area.
She just did very heavy application in general, it seriosuly looked drag queen like. She applied the lightrst colour as a very heavy brow bone highlighter and the mid shade over the lid and used Inventive as a crease and not a thin natural crease either..its was thick and it was even thicker in the middle where the crease bends down..it actually looked artistically applied but it was just way out there. I don't even like to use a natural coloured crease too much nevermind a dark purpley crease! I'm not criticising her though as she was great to me today and helped alot, i guess she just wasn't advertising the quad as a 'natural' look very well or at all.However she did show me how to use Inventive as a liner after i told her that i don't really wear colours like that and prefer natural looks but she didn't spend much time applying it as a 'natural' look on the other eye and didn't do a full eye look either so i kept hesitating about buying the quad as it was hard not to judge it on the other overly made up eye.

Anyhoo i got the quad..my first quad ever!!! I'm so excited! I would never have picked up any of these colours from a permenant collection but got caught up in the ''ooh quad of a natural collection'' moment so i'm hoping this will open me up to new looks and colours i would never have tried.

 

[lah_knee]

i think most mac fans are attracted to mac because of their colors. not very many makeup brands (high end) have a nice variety of colors like mac has and the quality of mac is just outstanding so thats a double whammy. the thing is, mac already has a wide array of neutral colors. theres only so many nudes and browns and grays that can be made. but colors are endless. sometimes i think they launch too many similar colors which sucks but im hoping they finally come out with more unique ones.

anyway i think thats why people like mac... for their wide array of colors. otherwise, most people would just go to bobbi brown... or lancome... or chanel.

 

[lovemichelle]

I don't buy MAC anymore and I switched to Bare Minerals. I like a natural look, not something over the top. I feel like I don't need those crazy colors anymore. I'm only 22, but I feel like I'm too old to have all those bright colors on.

 

[fairytale22]

It's true that a lot of MAC girls aren't too into 'neutral', but MAC has TONS of gorgeous neutrals: Coco, Blue Brown, light shimmers like Surreal or soft lavenders like Beautiful Iris! And don't even get me started on lipglasses! I admit I was attracted to MAC because of the bright colors, but honestly, I'm glad I found it because the neutrals are perfect as well. <3

 

[glittergoddess27]

MAC does carry some nice neutrals,.. they are just VERY understated. I have a whole palette of beautiful neutral colors,.. and Woodwinked, Retrospeck, and Tan pigment is to die for. (Yes, I really do have neutrals,.. though I like bright myself) Many of the stuff for lips etc look one way and you think "No way" like that Spring bean lustreglass,.. come on,. its GREEN in the tube,.. but on me its a pretty natural looking shimmery sheer pink. And Breath of Plum blush,.. looks medium to dark purple but when applied,.. voila a light soft golden glow on your cheeks,.. MAC has a lot of products that are like that. I think it was PrettyKitty who said "Yurk BBQ powder" about the Quiver pearlizer (PrettyKitty, if that wasn't right LMK and I will edit it out) and it turned out to be sheer and very pretty. I think you had an MA who wasn't savvy on the whole natural thing. They are all kinda influenced to promote and push the bright and trendy/flashy,..

 

[72Cosmo]

I purchased the Beau quad. I'm a NW20 and this is a very natural look for me. I don't wear the bright shadows however I find Mac has a great selection of soft shadows also. One of my favorite combos is Beautiful iris with moth brown and pink opal. It comes out very soft. I think a lot of it is how you apply the shadow.

 

[Hikaru-chan]

With me it depends on the season I like wearing brighter colors in spring and summer and more natural colors in the autumn and winter. I love both and I love that MAC make such a huge range of colors.

 

[PrettyKitty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by glittergoddess27 I think it was PrettyKitty who said "Yurk BBQ powder" about the Quiver pearlizer (PrettyKitty, if that wasn't right LMK and I will edit it out) and it turned out to be sheer and very pretty.

Yep it was me, it looked like that to me, because I hate orange or copper. It may be pretty on someone, but it was only my opinion. That's still what I think about it!

 

[Ms. Z]

I agree with Sushi Flower, MAC is definitely not for the shy. I understand, I also prefer the neutral colors; I was looking forward to the Naturally Eccentric line, what a disappointment.

I never felt comfortable wearing bright colors (I wore only Clinique, Elizabeth Arden & Lancôme products), but in the last 1 ½ years I have experimented a little with color when I saw MAC’s Deep Truth and decided I had to have it (still not brave enough, I wore it only as an eyeliner). Later on I fell hard for MAC’s Ingenue Blue and wear it quite often (I own a lot of Turquoise & Teal clothes).

Recently when the MAC MA put Rebelrock’s Say Yeah! and the new gigantic compact bronzing powder on me, I was horrified. She laid it on thick. I was like who wants to go around this shiny, like a bronze statue (No, I didn’t tell her that!). I do wear Say Yeah!, it’s one of my favorite colors, but I keep it light by wearing it with Elizabeth Ardens Adobe and Walnut eyeshadows (discontinued items) and/or MAC Shag (my favorite MAC brown). OK, I tone almost everything down by wearing it with some shade of Nude or brown (matte or light shimmer shades).

 

[Sushi_Flower]

Yep i do that too, i'll tone things down my way if it's a beutifull colour but too strong for me.
I thought it was just the MAs at my counter who wern't very good at subtle application. Are they taught to always do it like that? I never really get anything applied on me by MAs as i don't like to spoil the makeup i have on at that time and having to take off what they've put on and reapply my concealer etc which i can't be seen without but when i have it's always been heavy application. Also i'm 19yrs old with a small young fresh face, it ages me to wear thick countoured eyeshadow and highlighter! I have seen some MAs who always look natural with their Mac though, it'a hard to get served by who you want though.

Also this isn't just about Mac but in general i can't find lipcolours that i love enough to buy and use all the time anywhere. I always have to mix a pale pink, a light brown and a little bit of punchier pink to get my perfect lipcolour. If i do that with any brand gloss without even putting too much effort in i always end up with a colour that i love, a medium warm pinky/brown with that doesn't make my lips look invisible. Why can't no company make a colour like that?!

 

[lovemichelle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sushi_Flower Yep i do that too, i'll tone things down my way if it's a beutifull colour but too strong for me. I thought it was just the MAs at my counter who wern't very good at subtle application. Are they taught to always do it like that? I never really get anything applied on me by MAs as i don't like to spoil the makeup i have on at that time and having to take off what they've put on and reapply my concealer etc which i can't be seen without but when i have it's always been heavy application. Also i'm 19yrs old with a small young fresh face, it ages me to wear thick countoured eyeshadow and highlighter! I have seen some MAs who always look natural with their Mac though, it'a hard to get served by who you want though. Also this isn't just about Mac but in general i can't find lipcolours that i love enough to buy and use all the time anywhere. I always have to mix a pale pink, a light brown and a little bit of punchier pink to get my perfect lipcolour. If i do that with any brand gloss without even putting too much effort in i always end up with a colour that i love, a medium warm pinky/brown with that doesn't make my lips look invisible. Why can't no company make a colour like that?!

I like Milani Lipglosses. One called Secret looks just like MACs C-Thru. They also have a bright pink I love.

 

[fairytale22]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sushi_Flower Yep i do that too, i'll tone things down my way if it's a beutifull colour but too strong for me. I thought it was just the MAs at my counter who wern't very good at subtle application. Are they taught to always do it like that? I never really get anything applied on me by MAs as i don't like to spoil the makeup i have on at that time and having to take off what they've put on and reapply my concealer etc which i can't be seen without but when i have it's always been heavy application. Also i'm 19yrs old with a small young fresh face, it ages me to wear thick countoured eyeshadow and highlighter! I have seen some MAs who always look natural with their Mac though, it'a hard to get served by who you want though. Also this isn't just about Mac but in general i can't find lipcolours that i love enough to buy and use all the time anywhere. I always have to mix a pale pink, a light brown and a little bit of punchier pink to get my perfect lipcolour. If i do that with any brand gloss without even putting too much effort in i always end up with a colour that i love, a medium warm pinky/brown with that doesn't make my lips look invisible. Why can't no company make a colour like that?!

I'm an NC43 too(but I actually look dark for my shade, lol), and a lipglass I really love for neutral is Viva Glam V.

Fancy That is also a GORGEOUS color on my skin tone-was also my first lipglass and still my favorite now-what a lucky pick!

 

[mspixieears]

It's kind of interesting that you say this, because I'm on this neutral lip colour kick at the moment and have been getting into the nude-type lipglasses and lipsticks. On eyes I generally prefer wild colours, but am enjoying some LE lippies of late because they don't clash with anything.

Heheh, I FINALLY understand the fuss over Hug Me! I want one lots!

 

[banana]

I don't have problems creating a subtle look using all MAC products but I would definately say that their products have more edge to them. Even the neutrals have more dimension to them than similar colours by other brands. I might be a bit too old for some of the really bright colours but it is still a long ways away before I have to start buying matte, earth tone bobbi brown makeup.

 

[martygreene]

As many have noticed from my FOTDs, I'm a fairly classic/neutral geared person with my makeup. I don't go in for event makeovers often at all for the reasons you mentioned. I have gone in before, and made it very clear that I want a neutral semi-nude low-maintenance look, and then I get something a lot more along the lines of my preferance.

 

[absolut_blonde]

I've been in a neutral/natural rut lately using all MAC. MAC has tons of gorgeous neutral eyeshadows, some of them just tend to get overlooked-- Retrospeck, Jest, Naked Lunch, Shroom, Patina, Romp, Bronze, Satin Taupe, Mulch, Haux, Woodwinked, so many more I'm sure I'm forgetting!

 

[lovejam]

You're definitely not alone! When I go to try on a shadow at MAC, now I know to just ask them if I can use one of their brushes for a second. They'll say "oh, I can put it on for you," but I will just say "thank you, but I want to make sure that I like how it looks the way I apply it."

They just lay color on so thick, it borders on looking clownish.

It must just be something about MAC, because when I've had makeup applied at other makeup counters, the application was light enough to be tasteful, but bold enough for me to see what the color looks like. So, I'm really not sure what's up with that.

It's not a huge deal, it just means that instead of going to MAC and asking to try something on, I just ask if I can borrow a brush instead.

 

[rouquinne]

about 4 years ago, a friend from out of town came to visit me. she was soooo excited about a Bobbi Brown palette of 3 neutrals she had bought. she paid more than the cost of 3 individual MAC shadows for it.

when we went shopping at MAC the next day, i pulled out 3 MAC shadows - Shroom, Coquette and Mystery - and they were almost IDENTICAL to what she had in her palette.

i am the Queen of brown eyeshadows, i rarely buy MAC's colour stuff. after using MAC since the beginning of the company, i can tell you in all sincerity, that i have NEVER had trouble finding beautiful neutrals with them.