MAC Studio Fix (MAC Studio Fix)

Member Name: Mrs-LT

Product:	MAC Studio Fix
Date:	17/02/09 (168 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Gives a lovely finish for photographs

Disadvantages: Not enough coverage

As with all the MAC products I have tried (apart from the eye gel I purchased last week), I bought this foundation to wear on my wedding day. I painstakingly searched for the perfect one as my skin is not the best and is prone to breakouts so I spent the days before the wedding dreading spots appearing!

I went to the MAC counter to buy eye makeup, but ended up coming away with this as well. It cost me £19 from House of Fraser and as always the MAC assistants were knowledgable, friendly and helpful.

I was eager to achieve the until then unachievable barely-there-but-there-enough-to-cover-any- evidence-of-underlying-bad-skin look, as I had always either ended up with a very thick coverage or a barely-there-because-it-goes-on-subtly-but-leaves- red-patches-showing-through-clearly look. Now the thick coverage is OK for a night out but neither look would be satisfactory to stand up to all-day camera scrutiny so I made it my mission to find something that would do what I wanted it to!

The product is not a traditional liquid foundation, it is a cream compact. The compact itself is matt black plastic which matches everything else in the MAC range. You open it by pressing in a button and it comes with a sponge for application which is very helpful.

It is a powder and foundation in one and claims to combine good coverage with ease of application. The fact that it also works as a powder means you will not look shiny in photographs but it is more moisturising than traditional powders which always look - well - powdery!

The powder and pigments create a matte, velvety texture and it feels very soft when you apply it. Skin feels lovely when it is on as it feels like whipped cream. I know that is a strange analogy but that is honestly what it reminds me of - light and airy. You feel as though your skin is naked but it does not look as if it is. It gives what looks to others like a natural barely-there look - only you will know that underneath is an awful red spot!

It contains Silica, which helps to maintain a matte finish by absorbing oils on the skin, as well as Talc to provide a smoother, less reflective, matte finish. I found that it worked extremely well and worked exactly as I was told it would.

I was very dubious about the idea of a cream compact foundation as I have always used a liquid, but I thought that since I had never looked for a product for this purpose before maybe it was time to give something completely new a try. I was assured that it would give a soft matt finish but would also give medium coverage without looking caked-on.

I took a huge risk when I bought it as I would not let the assistant try it on me, as this would mean removing my makeup in the middle of a busy department store - no chance! Not only that but we had to guess the shade as I had been tanning my body on the sunbed but not my face (as I only started this the week before the wedding or my face ends up lots darker) so it was no good matching it to my pasty face as this would have ended up too light. The assistant admirably (and bravely) guessed a shade based on the tan I had on my body and she was right - on the day it was perfect!

I was really pleased with the way my skin looked when I used this. However, I did not replace it when it ran out because the coverage it gave was not enough for me everyday - without regular skincare (which I just don't have the time for any more) I do need something a bit more for when it is the time of the month.

Sadly my skin is not perfect 365 days of the year and I think this product is better suited to someone who has good skin all year round with the occasional spot. Don't get me wrong it does provide coverage if necessary but you have to build it up - no good if you have lots of areas to cover but fabulous for the odd problem patch.

Summary: Would be great for someone with great skin