Building a great makeup collection takes some time and money. Building a collection with MAC Cosmetics can take even more time because the cosmetics company has so many amazing products to choose from. It also doesn’t help that the company releases a lot of collections with limited edition items that sell out instantly.
Mac Cosmetics can be purchased at Mac free standing stores, the MAC pro store on Armitage in Chicago and department stores like Macy's, Nordstrom and Bloomingdales in Chicago. Discontinued items from previous MAC Collectionscan be purchased at the Cosmetic Company Outlet (CCO) at the Chicago Premium Outlets in Aurora.
When it comes to starting out with makeup, it’s important to think about how much you need and what will get used. The last thing anyone should do is to buy more makeup than what you need. Not only is money being wasted, but also the product will end up being tossed out after its expiration date without much usage. It’s OK to purchase several different colored eye shadows, but only if those shadows will get used at some point.
Foundation
The first purchase many people make is foundation. MAC Cosmetics has multiple foundations to choose from ranging from $29.50 t0 $32.50. Head to any department store where a sales associate will help find the right shade. The great thing about foundation is that it ranges for little to full coverage.
For those who don’t really like foundation, the next best option is the tinted moisturizer. MAC doesn’t offer much of a variety with tinted moisturizers so I would recommend the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer ($42, www.nordstrom.com). It’s pricey, but it really is the best.
Shadows
With eye shadows it’s always good to start out small and with neutral shadows. Neutral looks good with any outfit and just about any skin tone. It’s a great way to start out using shadows and figure out which shades are the best ones for you. Most popular eye shadows to purchase for beginners with the MAC collection are: Woodwinked, All That Glitter, Wedge and Satin Taupe (pro palette, $11.50 each, www.maccosmetics.com).
Liner
For anyone unsure about whether or not they plan on using eyeliner, buy from the drugstore. There are a few options to choose from: liquid eyeliner, pencil eyeliner and gel eye liner. From MAC the most popular is their blacktrack fluidline ($15, www.maccosmetics.com), which is a gel-based eyeliner.
Lips
Mac Cosmetics is known for having amazing and moisturizing lipsticks. Between the large range of colors- one of the larges selections of lipsticks- and the $15 price, you can never go wrong with these lipsticks. Some popular choices are Syrup, Crème d’ Nude and Ruby Woo for all your ladies who love to sport red lips.
Brushes
Makeup brushes are an important part of any makeup collection. When choosing brushes, it’s important to think about what type of brush is needed. Many cosmetics line offer a wide variety of brushes to choose from, but not all of them are needed.
MAC has their brushes in three categories: Face, Eyes & Lips. The most popular brushes to purchase and start out with are: 239 shader brush ($24.50), 217 blending brush ($22.50), the 168 brush ($34) for applying blush, a 150 large powder brush ($40), the 187 duo fibre brush ($42) and the 190 foundation brush ($32). There’s no need to have every single one of these brushes right away, but they’re a good option to think about. MAC brushes are expensive, but with good care they will last a lifetime.
Lastly, it’s time to think about storage. You spend a good amount of money on makeup so it’s important that it’s being stored properly in a sturdy container like the Sterilite bin ($9.99 - $24.99, www.target.com). This will help keep your makeup organized and stored properly.
What does your makeup collection look like? Share your must-have beauty products below!
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