MAC n00b

[girloflowers]

Well, here i go..

I've never used any mac products in my life. Well, apart from this one ndue lipstick sample that my sister gave me. Anyway!

The Fafi collection comes out on my birthday (the very same day! ooh!), I was wondering, what would you guys reccomend? Should i buy stuff from that collection, or just look into some regular products?

I'm currently looking for:

Green eyeshadows/pigments
Blue eyeshadows/pigments
Paint Pots (any colours!)
A loose foundation thats really pale
Coloured, clear and plain mascara (doesn't have to be MAC)

I was also wondering if someone could explain to me about the 'pro' stuff? What's the difference between regular mac and pro mac?

Thanks a ton!

 

[zabbazooey]

Fafi is going to be way fun, so if something catches your eye, pick it up (it's LE!) but don't go overboard.

MAC has AWESOME green eyeshadows. Juxt, Greensmoke, Humid, Swimming, and Bitter are so pretty. Vex is a good highlighter when using green eyeshadows as well, it's a green/pink pale duochrome....awesome.

As far as blue goes, they have great stuff!! Sea Me shadestick is a blue-teal shade that works as a base for other eyeshadows. Sea Me looks killer with Freshwater (deep blue pearl). I also pair Freshwater with Tilt (light blue/goldish color) and Shroom (very neutral sheer white) to make a really sexy smoky eye.

For neutrals, I really like Rubenseque paint pot for my base. It's a rosy-gold pearl color, and really makes neutrals (or any shadow) pop! Paint pots make great bases for pigments as well.

My HG neutral items are Sable (bronzy-brown), Sketch (plum purple), Jardin Aires pigment, All That Glitters (light pinky brown), and the Teddy eye kohl liner (beautiful metallic brown!). Good highlighters are Nylon (goldish pale lemon white, sheer), Shroom, and Vanilla pigment (pink-white, sheer)

Some awesome MAC brushes I couldn't do without are the 217 and 239 brush. 217 is awesome for blending, and the 239 is perfect for all-over general application of eyeshadows, paint pots, pigments, etc.

For loose foundation, I don't use MAC. I use Bare Escentuals. It's super easy to put on, and covers well, but their brushes are horrid. I suggest buying a MAC kabuki brush (not sure of the number) in lieu of using the BE brushes!

I don't use MAC mascara, either. My to-die-for mascara is DIORSHOW in 090. It's waterproof, never clumpy, and stays put all day! It's pricey ($23) so maybe you could try something a little less expensive to start out with.

Anyways, welcome to the MAC addiction! Makeup is so much fun to play and experiment with. Let us know what you came home with!!!

 

[zabbazooey]

I didn't even mention pigments. For greens, I have Golden Olive. This one's a lot of fun to blend and work with.

For blues, I have green blue (I think) and Blue from the rebel rock collection. Personally, I would recommend the green blue. It's a lot more natural looking and easier to tone down for day time or work!

I also forgot to mention Electric Eel for blue eyeshadows. This is a neon blue color, that I really like to pair with Chrome Yellow and Swimming. It's a more matte color, which can be a turn off to some people.

 

[girloflowers]

excellent!
thankyou so much for being so helpful, i'll definitely have to save up (mac is SO EXPENSIVE OVER HERE)... just wait til im a pro, pro card here i come, beetches.

I'll probably have a limit of about $150, so i think I'll look into the fafi lipsticks first, and then the piggy's and eyeshadows you talked about.
I'd kill for that mascara.. ahh goodbye cash!

thanks!

 

[zabbazooey]

Too bad MAC is so expensive over there! I could make a run for you and ship it for cheaper I bet!

I'm so excited, my roomie is going to go to hair school....PRO discount...yesssssss!! :-D

 

[LeeanneMarie]

Definitely look into Fafi, there are a lot of pictures up here already, but don't buy anything unless you KNOW you'll use it a lot. (Like it was something you would have bought anyways) Its LE, but sometimes we get so carried away in all of the new collections that we forget about MACs wonderful permanent line.

As for pigments, don't buy the full sized jar. You'll never use it up in your lifetime. Buy the pigments in samples here on Specktra on the clearance bin forum. You still get a ton of product (more than you'd use probably) for about 4 bucks a color depending on the seller. Some pretty greens include nightlight, pastorale, emerald green, and golden olive. Some good blues are softwash grey (a blueish grey), naval blue, and azreal blue.

Paint pots are AMAZING and will last you a long time! I've been using one almost every single day since they came out (i think like six months ago) and I'm not even halfway through it. I have one in bare study, its a nude champagne frost color and its gorgeous. However if you don't like shimmer, get a cream color without the frost like painterly or soft ochre (LE). I invested in the MAC paint pot, and I use NYX jumbo pencils as colored bases. They're cheaper and work very well, which is perfect cause I don't use colored bases that often. The bare study paintpot works with everything.

MAC doesn't really have a loose foundation but they're coming out with a mineral one soon, except its LE, which sucks for foundations. I'd recommend looking into bare minerals or something.

As for mascara, I wouldn't buy MAC. You have to throw it out every 3-6 months anyway and MACs mascaras aren't that great except for maybe plushlash. I recommend Max Factor mascaras, they are very very good. Just do some research and buy a drugstore brand. Covergirl's lashblast is good too.

Those are just some suggestions to get you started. Remember it doesn't all need to be MAC or bought all at once. I know MAC can get expensive after a while.

 

[LMcConnell18]

i dont know much about pigments or paint pots... i dont have any... maybe i should tho!! haha!

but i have a mascara from mac... and i HATE it!!!

its clumpy, it dried up sooo fast!!

and i must admit... max factor's mascara is one of the best ive ever used. the only reason i bought mac's mascara was because i was out of max factor and happened to be browsing!

but my sister uses lancome mascara... and that works really well too!

hope it helps!

 

[KTB]

For greens my faves are - Swimming, Humid, Wondergrass (LE but if you can find it it's awesome!! A bright leafy green)

Blues - Freshwater is great as is either Flashtrack or Deep Truth (both good dark blues)

Paint poats - I always use Painterly as a base but like Indianwood too just on its' own. i'm going to get Rubanseque next.

MAC mascara sucks IMO - I just use whatever drugstore one I liek at the moment. Right now I'm using Lash Blast.

Have fun

 

[girloflowers]

thanks girls!

I'l head over to the mac store and check the clearance bin- but i thought most of you didn't accept buyers unless they were established members?

 

[Babylard]

I just got a sample of everyday minerals. its really good stuff. you can get free samples and just pay for shipping.

Mineral Makeup - Foundation, Eye Shadow, Concealer, Lip Colors, and Blushes by Everyday Minerals they have lots of shades

I heard alima is good too, but I haven't tried it yet. you should invest in a MAC buki like #182. #183 works too... i have that one. lol its awesome for mineral foundation. you can also wait for MAC minerals later on, but the samples are worth a try!

i have bare study paint pot and its an awesome staple for me. I put it under all my eyeshadows for extra shimmer and to help the glitters stick a bit more and the shadow colors look nicer.

the FAFI collection has some nice paintpots as well. I have to come back for them because the stoer was closing lol. the the blue roll'lickin and perky and the purple one seem nice. i like shimmery paintpots.

green olive pigment is lovely! you should get it. i like it wet or dry!

as for blue eyeshadows, i really like moon's reflection. its a nice daytime blue. parrot is a nice one too, but you gotta order it online. they are sold out of it everywehre in stores >_<

you should try some MAC lipsticks! omg FAFI's Fun n Sexy + Totally It lipglass is freaken hot. lol. don't let the bold colours scare you. colors are so buildable. Fun n Sexy is a goregeos hot pink with purple shimmer. if you don;t want hot hot lips, just dab it on with some gloss. its totally wearable! i'm in love with it. i just got it today. i was scared of it at first, and the MA sanitized it for me and let me try it on and I was like GIMMEH!!!!!!!!! thats my favourite item from the wholeee collection. check it out!

anywho, as for Mascaras, i think it matters on how you apply it. I have MAC prolash and plushlash. i find it that they work better if you stroke a little vaseline on your lashes first, and then curl, then load your lashes with mascara on. it makes such a difference i swear lol. I think Plushlash is better than prolash. I won't buy prolash again... it makes my curls fall and its not stringy enough for length. Application technique is important though. I can still make any mascara work. Im gonna try Covergirl Lashblast and Benefit's Badgal Mascara and Shiseido's lifting mascara base in the near future when my mascaras die. maybe i'll try zoomlash and mascara x later on as well. if i lived near sephora, i would try Tarte's lights, camera, lashes as well lol.