Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Mac Matchmaster SPF15: Review







Some of you might be aware that a few weeks ago, I knocked my Mac Studio Fix foundation on the floor, and it smashed into a zillion tiny pieces. At the time, I was devastated, as there was quite a lot of it let, and I do not particularly enjoy having thrown £20 or so down the drain. But I soon came to see it as something of a blessing in disguise, as it gave me a good excuse to try out a new foundation! I did really like my Studio Fix, but truth be told, it was a shade too dark for my skin, and I had been having to mix it with my other Mac foundation, a Mineralise Satin Finish which, ironically, is a shade too light. Now, before you go shouting/ laughing at me for being absolutely rubbish at matching myself up with the right shade, I would like to point out that on both occasions, I was, in fact, advised by someone on the Mac counter. But I won't blame them - the lighting in department stores is not the most 'truthul', and the same goes for duty free shops in airports.

So anyway, I decided that it was time I gave Mac's Matchmaster foundation the time of day, since I clearly can't come up with the right shade by any other means!
Actually, I even had a little mini-problem when choosing the shade of this one, as for some reason, Mac has abandoned it's usual NC/NW shades in favour of numbers alone, ranging from 1.0 up to 10.0, including '.5' shades, so as I was buying online, I was left to seek out a reliable translation chart. I probably should have been more thorough on this, as I initially discovered that my NW25 skin would be about a 2.0, and promptly ordered it. However, after further research, I found out that actually, I would have been better off with a 3.0. But all was well that ended well, as when my 2.0 arrived, it matched my skin tone perfectly, and I mean perfectly.

Mac describes Matchmaster (which is SPF 15) in the following words:

New foundation technology, using translucent pigments to enable a fully personalised finish, influenced by the subtleties of your own skin's undertone. 
Moisturising demi-matte finish. Medium buildable coverage. Line-reducing, soft-focus powders.

The Matchmaster foundation comes in a 35ml bottle (5ml bigger than the usual foundation bottles) and, thankfully, comes with a pump.
Upon first application, I must admit that I was pretty impressed with the colour match, and how well it seemed to sink into my skin (which is apparent in the swatches below), leaving me with what I would call a pretty matte finish. The finish itself is not something I usually go for, as I prefer foundations that give a nice dewy, glowy finish. I never set my foundation with powder, as I don't like the effect, so I can't really say how long it lasts for those of you that do. I would say that without powder, it lasts about six hours, but it does wear a bit during that time.
Something I'm not keen on is the fact that this product does tend to cling to dry patches. In fact, I wasn't even aware I had any until I used this foundation. But after a good exfoliation, this problem was alleviated, though I wouldn't recommend it to those of you who have dry skin in general.




   Summary:
- Good colour match
- More matte than I would have liked, but not a problem if that's the finish you are after!
- Clings to dry patches - be sure to exfoliate!
- Not recommended for people with extremely dry skin.
- Not hugely buildable. Not for those of you who like a fuller coverage.
- Good, but not amazing.

Have you tried this foundation? What did you think?
What's your favourite Mac foundation?

xx

14 comments:

  1. I've been so disappointed with all the MAC foundations I've tried, Estee Lauder is the way for me and is only about a fiver more!x

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    Replies
    1. Hi Georgia, I feel more or less the same! The best foundation I have ever bought was Clinique Even Better, but when I ran out I decided to try Mac. But I'm much more into tinted moisturisers at the moment and love Estee Lauder Invisible Makeup and Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint. Haven't tried any of EL's foundations but have heard that Double Wear is really good.
      Mel xx

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  2. I have yet to try a Mac foundation so I'm interested in what you're saying! I'm glad the shade worked out for you Mel! That's quite lucky when ordering online!
    rach xxx
    rivasoave.blogspot.co.uk

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    Replies
    1. Yeah, the shade did, but it's certainly not my favourite foundation ever. I much prefer Clinique Even Better :)
      Mel xx

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  3. i feel we're pretty similar when it comes to foundations -- i don't like setting mine with any sort of powders, and i like something that has a light, buildable coverage and a dewy finish.
    i just bought benefit's "hello flawless" foundation (i recieved a large sample and totally loved it!) i think it would be something that you would like as well. something to keep in mind for the future :)

    -alexandra
    http://alexisinodak.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ahh, I've had that on my list for a while now, really want to try it! I did have some of their tinted moisturiser, You Rebel, in the past, but didn't get on that well with it, but then again, this was in winter! I feel like I want everything from Benefit at the moment!
      Mel xx

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  4. I'm glad the shade worked out for you! I may have to try this x

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    Replies
    1. Yep, it's definitely the best Mac foundation in terms of shades.
      Mel x

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  5. I love reading blogger reviews, its always great to get peace of mind that a product will work as the company say. Super helpful post. Thanks.
    Anna

    http://opshopaholic.blogspot.co.nz/

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  6. MAC foundation is fantastiC!
    check my blog if you want!
    http://xouxounitsa.blogspot.com
    xoxo

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  7. Thanks for reviewing this so clearly! To me it's really clear what the pro's and cons are of this foundation. I was doubting to try this one, but the fact that it matches the skin perfectly, sounds interesting!
    xxox

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Sal, I'm glad you enjoyed the post and found it helpful :)
      It's a really nice foundation, though as I mentioned, I prefer a dewier finish, so it's not my Holy Grail. I'm currently trying out Revlon Photoready and will be reviewing that this week if it interests you!
      Thanks for stopping by!
      Mel x

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  8. how did u like the mineralise satin finish though? that's the one i'm tempted to switch to instead of studio fix fluid... i'm in a dilemma but unfortunately my mac counters aren't that great customer service wise! xx

    ReplyDelete

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