MAC Unsung Heroes: Face and Body Foundation - Makeup and Beauty Blog

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MAC Unsung Heroes: Face and Body Foundation

by 34 Comments

mac face and body foundation

While there are many things I’ll miss about the world after the coming zombie apocalypse — hot showers, modern dentistry and Frosted Strawberry Pop Tarts among them — few losses will be missed as much as MAC Face and Body Foundation, one of my much-loved creature comforts.

I can’t imagine life in the badlands without it…

This sheer-to-medium coverage liquid foundation is just one of those fantastic MAC performers ($33 for the 4-ounce bottle above), and it’s the only foundation I’ve been wanting to wear these days.

mac face and body foundation bottle

Yesterday morning while walking Tabs outside on his leash, we saw that the leaves have started to turn yellow and fall from the trees. There’s also a new chill in the air early in the mornings.

Yup, it’s fall. Or darn near. And now that it is, I feel like it’s time for a more dressed up face look — something less dewy and casual than my spring and summer routine with NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer.

mac face and body foundation swatch

mac face and body foundation c5

I like the way Face and Body’s satin finish looks with the kind of makeup I’m starting to want to wear more often, now that it’s almost that time of year — slightly more formal smokey eyes and dark lips — and because it’s not quite a matte, the finish still has a little oomph to keep it looking like real skin.

If you’re worried about finding a shade that’s a good match for your skin tone, MAC Face and Body Foundation comes in 13 shades, so you stand a good chance of finding a pretty good match (I’m wearing C5 with my current summer tan).

The long-lasting, lightweight formula is also water resistant — perfect for those late summer/early fall beach barbecues. It lasts from dawn till dusk on my combination skin and feels comfortable the entire time.

As an option, if the $33 for the 4-ounce bottle seems like too much, MAC recently released a smaller 1.7-ounce bottle for $27 with their new Face and Body collection. Although it’s not a great deal based on the price per ounce, the smaller bottle would be handy for air travel.

Migraines…I’m so over you

Had a really bad one yesterday that started around 3 in the afternoon. It was a little dark and overcast in my office (getting to be that time of year), and I guess that staring at my bright computer screen pushed that button in my brain that doesn’t like stark lights, and once it started, it wouldn’t stop. Painkillers weren’t even helping at all.

Anywho, ’tis a new day, and I feel much better. I hope you’ve had a good week so far. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S.
TGIF!

The MAC Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorite products from MAC’s permanent collection

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jess says

    Wanted to comment on the migraines, if they get to be a problem (mine were daily for awhile) maybe try taking at least 500 mg of magnesium a day.

    Reply

      • Futuralon says

        My migraines can be triggered by atmospheric pressure change so if it was pretty cloudy, it could have been that. If aspirin doesn’t work in 15 min (if it does, it’s a headache), then it’s a migraine and you need some “big guns.” My family of migraineurs use Imitrex prescription drug – works GREAT – but there’s dozens of triptan and ergotamine prescription drugs available. Imitrex is available as generic and is affordable as I’m sure others are. There’s no magic bullet that works for everyone but bloody oath, get some prescription meds, even if it’s a heavy duty painkiller like Vicoden that dulls rather than kills pain. Good luck.

        Reply

        • Advah says

          I get pressure migraines too, and they’re just awful! I thought I was crazy when I started linking the weather to my migraines, but I’m slowly discovering it’s not just me..

          Reply

      • C says

        Karen,

        I come from a family of migraine sufferers. We all take different medicine/prescriptions based on what the neurologist prescribed us. My sister takes prescription Maxal for ex. for on the spot treatment. I take a daily Topamax and when I get just the headaches I take Excedrin.

        Hope this helps!
        -C

        Reply

  2. Fieran says

    I love the face and body foundation when it’s freshly applied, but after 6 hours or so, it melts a wee bit on my face. This is despite priming properly so I can’t decide if I should buy it or not. I’ve asked for samples a few times and still can’t seem to decide.

    Do you have any tips on how to make it long lasting for combination oily skin? The MUA suggests touching up with powder, which I’m definitely considering. So tempted to get the foundation, though 🙂

    Sorry to hear about your migraine but glad to hear you’re feeling better now. I hope the Kitty Model grants you some well deserved rest this weekend. Take care Karen.

    Reply

    • Karen says

      Hi Fieran,

      I’ve been layering the new Prep + Prime Natural Radiance primer beneath it and topping it off with Careblends Pressed Powder. I wore this combo all last weekend in Tahoe and I kid you not — it lasted a good 14 hours.

      What are you using to apply the product? I like a rounded buffing brush, which I use to apply a few layers. Buffing the product into the skin and using layers seems to help make it last for me.

      Reply

      • Fieran says

        Thanks for the tip Karen!

        Prep + Prime Natural Radiance primer is out of stock at the Nordstrom near my hotel (for the next week or so). I got a sample and am wearing it today with Studio Sculpt. If it works alright, I’ll definitely get Face & Body then, seeing as it’s now available in a smaller bottle. Not sure how much of it I will use anyway since I’m a foundation junkie who loves using a different foundation on a different day.

        Speaking of primers, have you tried Estee Lauder’s Matte Perfecting primer? It’s kind of good, even better than the Laura Mercier oil free foundation primer, in my opinion at least.

        The brush that I use to apply is either MAC’s 130 or Real Techniques Stippling brush. Is there a special brush (model) that you recommend?

        Reply

  3. Chelsea says

    I need to find a Pro Store, so I can buy the white Face and Body foundation! It makes your skin look fab!

    My migraines are mostly food related, so I’m no help 🙁 That sucks! Maybe hugging Tabs will help.

    Reply

  6. Jenn S. says

    I’ve heard good things about magnesium for migraines, as well. Might be worth you looking in to, especially since pain meds weren’t working for you. Ouch. I sympathize with you. I had a mega two day migraine that started early Tues. morning and ended Thurs. morning. They leave me feeling like I am drained of all energy. Peppermint oil on the temples and forehead really helps headaches, IF you’re not sensitive to smells while your head is pounding.

    Reply

  7. Kim says

    Hey, TGIF! My goodness, if I bought everything that looked great on you, I’d have to rent a warehouse to store it all. 🙂 I don’t know if I could ever set aside my beloved Tarte Smooth Operator, but these pics are making me think about it.

    PS You need to scope out a MAC warehouse to hole up in when the apocalypse begins. Preferably one in a remote area. HAHA!

    I’m sorry about your migraine. Friends who get them tell me that the change of seasons often makes it worse, too. It hasn’t hit here yet (still 80s, with 100% humidity). We’ve had an unusually long and beautiful summer!

    Reply

      • Ruchita says

        Thanks! He’s only 2 lbs, but the’s a bundle of energy. We’re keeping him mostly separated from the other cats for now, but Mingus has been okay when he sees him. Surprisingly Nina isn’t crazy about him. She’ll hiss sometimes when she seems him. Ella’s too lazy to come upstairs so she hasn’t seen him yet. 🙂

        In the next couple of weeks he’ll be going to his permanent home with my sister-in-law. I’m so thankful we were able to give him to a family member so I can visit on a regular basis.

        Reply

  10. Cammie says

    Sorry to hear about your migraine. 🙁 On the bright side you do look hella hot in that photo. Any chance of you doing a step by step look break down on this one? Please. 🙂

    Reply

  11. indoorkitty says

    Karrrren! This used to be one of my favorite foundations but I’ve forgotten how I put it on. I’m doing a bunch of work travel and srsly considering just bringing it with me + playing with each brush I own in my spare time to find the mojo again. I think I used to use a stippling brush then buffed it out… Which brush do you use to apply/buff it? Please share! It pains me to have such a massive bottle of this in the right shade without being able to put it on successfully.

    I hope your migraines go away dolly! I used to have them when I was in high school and college, do not miss them one bit. *hugs you gingerly*

    Reply

  12. Lu Maquiyonkis says

    I’m using it these days (N1 matches my skin perfectly) and it’s even better that I expected to be. Feels and seems just like natural skin with that ealthy dewy finish it has… Just perfect. Even though the coverage isn’t very hih you can uild it up so… What else can we ask for?
    In Spain it costs 36€ (about 40$??) and I think its still worth it. I have combination skin too and I’ve jus became an addict to this base.
    …and also to yu blog! 🙂

    Reply

  13. breyerchic04 says

    I’ve been using Stila illuminating tinted moisturizer for months, and have been thinking about this for fall. It seems like a good deal, if I like the texture at all, so I do need to go get matched.

    Reply

  14. Katherine G says

    Migraine comment: I work in an ER and I get them myself because I have a family history (and had a massive concussion from a horseback riding accident when I was 16), so here are my tips:
    ~ Ibuprofen is great but popping too many or using it every day (several times a day) is asking to damage your kidneys and GI tract. Like other commenters mentioned, Imitrex and other prescription meds work well if you get migraines frequently or get very severe ones. I don’t recommend any type of narcotic as they are addictive, can make you feel nauseous and can only mask the pain of the migraine instead of truly get rid of it (essentially exacerbating the migraine symptoms).

    ~That said, you also will eventually have to determine what triggers migraines. I get mine a few times a year, and the ones at “that time of the month” are the worst and tend to come on without any warning. I know that that time is a bad time for migraines and I go prepared to work carrying pain relief like Excedrin (which has acetaminophen – Tylenol, caffeine, and aspirin in it – better for you than ibuprofen), and caffeine like coffee or Coca Cola.

    ~Lastly, if it is not going away, try to sleep it off. I can take an hour nap and even my worst one will go away. I would also see your doc if they are really bad just because the prescription drugs specifically for migraines are supposed to work well. You may have to try out a couple of different ones, but you will find the right treatment to help alleviate the pain or get rid of them. The pain actually doesn’t get me with mine – it’s the symptoms.

    And also, the foundation looks interesting 🙂 Just wanted to offer what I know on migraines and have experienced myself – good luck and I really hope that you feel better!

    Reply

  15. TrippyPixie says

    So sorry to hear about your migraines! My older sister has them — even as a little kid, she would constantly be suffering from what we thought were horrendous “headaches”. They’re triggered by changes in the weather/barometric pressure, so she really can’t control them. This means that when we get rain or snow, boom, she has a migraine! (She had the worst migraine ever when we had a blizzard a few years ago. She was in bed for 2 days and didn’t move once. She says that even lying there and breathing hurts, and she can’t stand being touched when she has a migraine.)

    She first went to a neurologist a few years ago, and used to take an everyday medicine (Topamax, a kind of anti-convulsant, like what epileptics take), and then another medicine for when she actually had a migraine (Maxalt). Now, she only takes Maxalt (good thing too, since there seems to be some issues with Topamax).

    The Maxalt works, but she’s like a complete zombie the next day, since it basically shuts down everything. When she has a migraine, she always makes herself vomit. (Gross, I know, but she says that it relieves some of the pressure in her head.) She then takes her Maxalt and goes to sleep in a room with darkening shades.

    If your migraines get worse/more frequent, definitely see a neurologist.

    Reply

  16. megan says

    I’ve always wanted to try Face and Body!
    Sorry about your migraines:( I had them from 14-17 yrs old and thankfully haven’t had one in 10 years they are awful and I woudn’t wish them on anyone!

    Reply

  17. Iris says

    Aww! Migraines suck!

    The MAC FA\ace and Body foundation is my HG everyday foundation. I love the sheerness and the slightly dewy finish. The giant bottle lasts me months as well.

    I hope they’re just releasing a smaller size and not discontinuing the big bottles! Do you have any idea if they are?

    Reply

  18. J. says

    Sounds really interesting. I’ve tried some other MAC foundations, and while they were good, I wasn’t completely happy with them. So I might just have to give this one a try!

    Reply

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