Long Time MAC users -has quality declined since being taken over by EL?

[athena123]

I've heard from a couple of longtime MAC users who claim the quality of MAC has declined since being taken over by the huge conglomerate that is EL. What is your opinion of this?

I'm too new to MAC to tell... I do find the trend that every cosmetic under the sun is now under either the Loreal or Estee Lauder umbrella rather disturbing; eventually we'll have very few choices left should this continue.

 

[frocher]

.....

 

[athena123]

Whoops, sorry for beating a dead horse.... I used the advanced search to try and find existing topics but came up with zilch. Keywords monopoly, takeover, estee lauder. Would it be possible to point me to existing threads?

Thanks!

 

[glamella]

nope, not IMO. I think it's gotten better over the years. The line that suffered under EL was Stila IMO.

 

[Turbokittykat]

Yes, quality has definitely declined. It's even been noticable over the past 5 years or so. I used to buy virtually everything from every collection, now I find there is very little I actually want. Partly this has been due to giving up work so having to be more careful with money, but mostly it's been the realisation that most of what's released now is a re-vamp (or a duplicate) of a previous product, or simply fails to live up to my expectations in some way.

 

[FrazzledOne]

Since I am a shadow ho, I can only comment on them but I agree, the quality has declined since EL took over. I have been using MAC since 2000 and the pigmentation and texture of the shadows since then have been, to put it nicely, not so good.
Plus with the "collection of the week" , I think they are flooding the market with too much product and most of the LE items can be duplicated with older stuff. Besides, how many shades of green eyeshadow can one make?

 

[seymone25]

I have been using MAC forever and the quality of products have changed for the worst, specifically with the foundations.

 

[bellasera]

^^ I agree with you about the foundations. I don't by them from MAC anymore.

 

[SMMY]

The foundations are pretty bad. I rarely have problems with breakouts, but MAC foundations irritate my skin badly.

 

[christal24]

yup I totally agree with you! I never use any MAC concealers, powders or foundations anymore.....totally make me break out. I use mineral foundation or MUFE foundation

 

[athena123]

I tried a sample of their mineral satinfinish but it turned colors on me. Think I"ll stick to the MAC eyeshadows and lip colors; they're so bright and vivid compared to the natural/organic eyes and lips I've been using!

 

[Macnarsandlove]

the quality in brush sets and some of the lipcolors i have seen the quality decline. the brush i have from 6 yrs ago look better than the ones i have got in holiday 06

 

[cloudburst]

I started buying MAC when it was still only available in Canada and eyeshadows were only $8.00 CND!!! I remember my first purchase was Mylar e/s...

Anyways, the main area I have noticed a decline in quality has been the brushes. MAC brushes used to all be made in France & the natural tapered "tip" of each animal hair was maintained and carefully aligned to shape the brush. Now I find many of their brushes have had the ends of the hair cut to create the brush shape. Brushes with cut ends don't lay pigment down as nicely as ones w/ the natural tips maintained. As well, they used to offer a wider array of brush shapes & types.

The other area I find has changed considerably has been their colour stories. I find that after EL bought out MAC , their colour stories became alot more trendy with less "substance".

All this being said I still love MAC & many of their products. They are still one of the best dept store brands out there.

 

[lainz]

am i the only person that hasnt noticed a negative change? ive been using mac for a number of years now and i am in no way unhappy with any products...except for their moisturizers....but thats cuz my skin is picky about cleansers and moisturizers.

 

[CaraAmericana]

Anyone know off hand when it was specifically that EL bought MAC

 

[COBI]

EL became majority-owner in 1994, and acquired remaining equity in 1998. So, it's been a long-time, and I imagine many changes were/are subtle to the average consumer versus a "power" user such as an MA, afficiando or such. I am not sure that I had ever heard of MAC in 1994, being 19 and in an area that didn't have MAC available at that time (or even 4 years later.)

The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. to Acquire Remaining Equity Interest in M.A.C=

 

[MACa6325xi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by smith130 the quality in brush sets and some of the lipcolors i have seen the quality decline. the brush i have from 6 yrs ago look better than the ones i have got in holiday 06

I agree that the quality of the brush sets has declined. I know that an SE brush set that I purchased over 10 years ago was of better quality than the ones manufactured now. I also think my 129 brushes that I bought years ago are better quality than the ones they make now.

 

[rouquinne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloudburst I started buying MAC when it was still only available in Canada and eyeshadows were only $8.00 CND!!! I remember my first purchase was Mylar e/s...

did you start with the counter at the old Simpson's store on Queen Street in Toronto?

Quote:

The other area I find has changed considerably has been their colour stories. I find that after EL bought out MAC , their colour stories became alot more trendy with less "substance".

oh, yes!

Quote:

All this being said I still love MAC & many of their products. They are still one of the best dept store brands out there.

i am still loyal to MAC, but i have to agree with Frazzled about flooding the market with too much similar product. case in point - TwigTwig in the "Originals" collection - being a lustre, it's practically a dupe for Entwined and VG5 and VG6.

however, the super-milling technology available now for some eye shadows (Veluxe and Veluxe Pearl) and powders (hello Select Sheer!) offer improvements in those areas. of course, all makeup companies have that technology available to them too.

of course, it's nothing like the beginnings when you would see Frank Toskan himself and he'd say "hello, angela, i've got this new shade of X that i think would be gorgeous on you!"

*sigh*

 

[cloudburst]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rouquinne did you start with the counter at the old Simpson's store on Queen Street in Toronto? i am still loyal to MAC, but i have to agree with Frazzled about flooding the market with too much similar product. case in point - TwigTwig in the "Originals" collection - being a lustre, it's practically a dupe for Entwined and VG5 and VG6. however, the super-milling technology available now for some eye shadows (Veluxe and Veluxe Pearl) and powders (hello Select Sheer!) offer improvements in those areas. of course, all makeup companies have that technology available to them too. of course, it's nothing like the beginnings when you would see Frank Toskan himself and he'd say "hello, angela, i've got this new shade of X that i think would be gorgeous on you!" *sigh*

Rouquinne - no alas I did not start w/ Simpson's in T.O, you got me beat there! I first bought MAC when it first appeared at the Bay, (this might have been when EL was distributing them (1994), but did not have any creative influence).

Did you ever go to one of those seminars MAC used to throw for their customers?

 

[rouquinne]

cloudburst, i used to buy my makeup directly from Frank and Frank before they had the Simpson's counter. (i'm 47.)

MAC still has customer seminars. i haven't gone to any since i moved here to London 2 years ago, but when i lived in Ottawa, i went to them alllllll the time!!! ask your fav MA about getting on their mailing list and they'll let you know about them. once i won the gift basket and another time i got to be the guinea pig!