Makeup artists, beauty bloggers, and pretty much most makeup lovers all have some MAC in their beauty stash. It’s a standout beauty brand that never fails when it comes to colour, but what MAC Makeup essentials should you at least try once?
If you don’t have hours to spend at the counters swatching and testing things out, we’ve picked out our favourite MAC makeup essentials.
These are our pick of the MAC Makeup Essentials you should try, at least once. Once you have we suspect they’ll become firm favourites in your beauty kit.
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MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle
One of our favourite highlighters of all time, the MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle is something we go back to time and time again. The shimmering power has just enough glow to be worn on a day-to-day basis, never looks cakey on the skin and results in us consistently being asked what highlighter we’ve been using. The fact that this put lasts incredibly long too is just the icing on the pretty shimmering cake. Just a little of the this product goes a long way too, so we think you'll be surprised by just how long it takes to hit the pan on this product.
MAC Pigment in Vanilla
The MAC pigments, in general, are fun to play with and the whole range of colours ensures there’s something for every look. Plus, they’re multi-use, you can use them for eyeshadow, mix it in with your lipstick or use them as an eyeliner.
But the MAC Pigment in Vanilla takes our top billing, the gorgeous creamy off-white shade is perfect to be used as a highlighter, brighten your eyes, add a shimmery effect to your nail varnish and give your lips a plumped up effect.
The pigments only require the tiniest amount of product too, so you’ll find that you have this one tub for quite some time too.
MAC Mocha blush
MAC have a knack for creating blush colours that don’t look like much in the pan, but as soon as you apply, they transform into a gorgeous, glowing shade that makes you whole face just look better. MAC Mocha is one of these blushes. If you have yet to swatch this blush, head to your nearest counter, try it out, and we’re pretty sure you’re going to buy. It’s a gorgeous natural shade that perks up the skin in one quick application. Not only that but the blusher lasts really well, feels lightweight on the skin, and is easy to blend – it’s hard to overdo it with this colour.
It might not be the most glamorous of beauty buys, but it’s something you’ll find yourself applying day after day.
MAC 217 Blending Brush
Now we really can’t fault our Real Technique’s brushes when it comes to foundation and blusher, but for the perfect blended eye makeup, you really can’t go wrong with investing a little more in the MAC 217 Blending Brush.
It’s fluffy enough to buff colour into the crease, but dense enough to pack a light wash all over the lid. It’s an amazing multi-tasker that works well with liquid products too.
MAC brushes might seem expensive, but they’re a great investment. With a little care and frequent washing, there’s no reason this brush can’t last you ten years.
MAC Strobe Cream
Strobe Cream works well as a creamy highlighter on your cheekbones, but you could also add a blob of cream to your foundation for an extra glow to your skin. We wouldn’t recommend using it on a daily basis, but it’s ideal for those times when you want to give your skin some extra oomph.
It’s perfect for those days when you don’t have time for any makeup too, just a few dabs of this across your cheekbones, down the bridge of your nose and on your eyebrow arches and you’ve got perfectly dewy looking skin.
MAC Fluidline in BlackTrack
The gel formula in the MAC Fluidline pots ensures that these are ideal for creating the perfect cat-eye look. They come in a range of colours, but BlackTrack will, of course, be your most used pot. The colour is deeply pigmented, once it sets it doesn't budge and it's perfect for creating a perfect line or smuding in for more of kohl-effect too - use a cotton bud to get that perfect lived-in effect.
MAC Lip Pencil in Whirl and Soar
MAC Lip Pencils, in general, are a great beauty buy. They come in a fantastic array of colours so you’re almost guaranteed to find something to match your lipstick.
The texture is the perfect balance between hard and soft too. They’re hard enough to be precise and soft enough to blend and feel comfortable on the lips. Plus, they’re beautifully pigmented too, so can be worn alone as a lip colour.
Whirl and Soar are two particular standout shades, despite the fact that they’re both nude colours. They’re perfect for the no-makeup look, over-lining your lips for a Kylie Jenner effect and work with a myriad of different skin tones and lipsticks.
MAC Girl About Town Lipstick
Girl About Town Lipstick is a bright pink shade that flattering on practically every skin type. This shade of lipstick from MAC is the perfect pick-me-up colour that really gives vibrancy to your whole beauty look. It's hard to not be happy when you're wearing this shade.
MAC All that Glitters Eyeshadow
The All that Glitters eyeshadow is a must have shimmer for your eyes that'll make them glow. The powder isn't really glittery, despite what the name might suggest. It's a pale gold shade, with slight undertones of pink. It’s a shade that suits most eye colours and is the perfect base colour for building up a smokey eye, or wearing all over the lid for an eye-brightening effect. Buy it in a pot or buy the pan to build up your own MAC eye palette over time.
MAC Patina Eyeshadow
MAC Patina eyeshadow is a unique shade we think everyone should have in their makeup collection. It’s a versatile shade that you’ll use as a wash all over your lids or mixed in with others for a more dramatic look. It can take some time to get used to using this shade, but honestly, play with and see how you can incorporate it into your makeup routine. Once you’ve mastered how it works best for you, you won’t look back.
