MAC Attack!

MAC Attack! 

In all honesty, I’ve harbored an irrational bias against the MAC brand for years. After one heavy-handed “makeover” at a department store MAC counter many years ago, I shrugged it off as a contrived, more-flash-than substance beauty brand better suited for glitter-mad tween stars or the type of middle-aged women who wear Hello Kitty diamond jewelry. (Last spring’s Hello Kitty collection didn’t exactly change my mind.)

I’ve never even been swayed by the many professional makeup artist kits I adore spying on, kits that always hold more than a few MAC products for film and TV actresses, magazine photo shoots, ultra-finicky brides and other pretties. Someone in the know is always raving over some dab of Studio Fix something or other here, some swipe of LustreGlass there, but nothing relevant to Real Life Beauty. Or so I thought.

I have a very conservative friend who rocks the whole tennis club look with bobbed hair, pearl-studs and head-to-toe L.L. Beanery. And yet…the only makeup she will wear is MAC. That girl, she loves her some glitter for “date night” and for everyday, she’s all mauvey-plummy shimmers or frosts. She’s been a loyalist ever since the brand’s RuPaul days and won’t try anything else. So, on a recent shopping trip for gifts for her teenage nieces, she insisted on the MAC store no matter how many other ideas I offered up.  I lethargically followed her from display to display, barely noticing the products amidst the elbow-to-elbow customers, blaring music, crazy strobe lights and gooey-glam decor.  Snob that I am, I resisted repeated sales pitches with “No thanks, I’m good” or exasperated “I’m just waiting for her” nods towards my friend. And then, it happened.

In minutes, my friend had been replaced by a younger, smoother, glowing yet frost-free woman. I couldn’t tell where her foundation or blush began or ended – she was a smooth, plush blend of even skin and velvety Mandy Moore-peachy cheeks.  “Wow,” I breathed, “You look amazing!” The MAC Girl cooed “It’s the new foundation – Studio Sculpt – you’ve gotta see it on.” I finally caved in to a mini-makeover and was, I must admit, totally won over. The lightweight, gel-based Studio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation ($28) gives medium coverage, but can be layered for more while still disappearing into your skin. The finish is fairly matte, but not mask-like. A light dusting of the invisible Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Powder ($21) blotted down my shinier spots and a light sweep of Fleur Power Satin Powder Blush ($18), a fresh, bright pinky-coral, finished the naturally flawless glow that I was more than proud to flaunt around the mall.

Yes, to get to the Real Life Beauty I did have to skip over the kitschy, Bad-Kitty glittery gloss and peacock eye shadow, but beneath MAC’s oft-gimmicky limited-run collections is some magnificent “everywoman” makeup. I admit when I’ve been wrong; MAC, you’ve sold me. All products are available at www.maccosmetics.com.