MAC Studio Fix Powder NC50 Review

Hey My Lovelies,

I hope your week has been quite swell; mine has been amazing so far.  I recently went into Selfridges sometime last month to buy some makeup for my sister who came in from Nigeria to spend the week with me- will tell you all about what we were up to in another post (if you are interested, otherwise that's fine). I decided to purchase the MAC Studio Fix Powder which has been a long time favorite for me.  Although i keep trying other lovely powders out there, I still find that I am always drawn to the MAC Studio Fix Range especially the Powder. I love the concealers as well but the foundations are definitely not for me.. Sorry MAC!! :-). I'd just dive right into the review for fear that i may keep rambling on and on if you let me.

Packaging

Of course you knew this would be the first heading, didn't you? Well, I won't elaborate more on how the packaging of products really contributes to me buying products in the first place. I love most of MAC's packaging and the Studio Fix powder is no exception. It comes in a round compact complete with a mirror and a small powder puff (who ever uses that though?!!). I love how the black casing gives it a really classy look and adds an extra edge to my makeup bag especially when i bring it out for touch ups. I have used quite a few of the Studio Fix Powders and one thing i love most about the packaging is they really protect the powder inside as this has slipped off my clumsy fingers many a time but the powder has remained intact..Praise Jah!!

Match

My shade is the NC50 and I think that is my perfect shade because it suits my skin tone all year round even when I am a bit lighter or darker due to different weather conditions which is why this powder holds a very special place in my heart. It matches really well to my skin tone and actually gives it a little flattering glow during the summer. 

Application

I apply this with my simple mini kabuki brush from Black Opal and blend in further with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush which both act as excellent applicators for a flawless finish. It really does apply and blends easily which is excellent. I find that using the Black Opal Mini Kabuki Brush prevents a huge mess and fall out for me as opposed to a normal fluffy face brush. On my skin, it feels really smooth and velvety and blends in really well like a dream.

Coverage

This is the best reason why I love it- it is a full coverage powder and it can still be built up although i don't imagine building it too much to avoid the infamous cake face. Recently,I have skipped the whole foundation and concealer route and just stuck to my MAC Studio Fix Powder because the coverage is that good. I can't say it covers all the blemishes completely as i still have quite a few but it does blur them out in a good way.

Cost

To be honest, i don't think it is an extravagant spend at £21.50 given the excellent quality and amount of product you get in return. I know somehow MAC has slyly upped the price of this lovely powder because i still remember buying it for about £19 or so. It usually lasts me for about 2-3 months depending on what coverage i go for and this is when i use it everyday.

Verdict

I am pretty sure you already know what the verdict is- I absolutely love this powder which has always made its way back into my makeup stash no matter how many other powders i try. I give this 9/10..oh yeah!! it deserves it because it is amazing like that.

I hope you enjoyed this post and yes, i have to apologize again for not being as regular in this blog like i should be but sometimes, life gets in the way and this time around it is both life and work but I will be getting back to my normal schedule...just stick with me i promise it will be worthwhile :-)...see you in my next post!!

My Go-To Makeup Essentials

                    

Hey Lovelies,

The weekend is here already and I have been waiting for it for like forever. I hope everyone has had a nice week. Mine has been super busy and I am not even going to talk about it. Let's talk about lovely things that make us feel elated.

I love makeup which you may know by now but I don't have the time to make up to my heart's content because I am always dashing off to work which is why i have my Go-To Makeup Essentials.  My routine includes:

                 

Moisturizing: I have oily/combination so i prefer a moisturizer that will hydrate my skin without leaving it oily. I find Nivea Express Hydrating Primer perfect for that. It feels really light when applied (I can't stand heavy duty moisturizers) and it gets absorbed within seconds leaving my skin really soft. I originally bought this solely as primer even though I had doubts about its "priming" qualities. My instincts were right; it does no priming for my makeup/skin whatsoever but i think it's an excellent moisturizer.


                  
Concealer: My MAC NC50 Studio Finish concealer is definitely my best concealer. It is full coverage and it hides all my dark spots and blemishes. I actually think this magic tiny mini deserves its own blog post. It is very easy to apply with a brush or you can tap it gently into your skin with your fingers.

                  

Toner: My current toner is from Lush and its called a Breath of Fresh Air. It really feels very refreshing but i do not apply it directly on my face rather i spray it lightly on my concealer and foundation brush which also makes application of my concealer and foundation very easy.

                  



Foundation: I have already raved about this product a lot so I won't bore you. My current and favorite foundation is the YSL Teint Eclat Foundation in B70. It is a light to medium coverage but thankfully my concealer does most of the work. This basically illuminates and gives my face a natural finish. If you want more details about this foundation, click Link to the blog post for it.

                    

Brows: I have been flipping back and forth from Brow Kits to just using Brow pencils to outline my brows. At the minute, i just use a Brow pencil. My current one is the Sleek Eye Brow Pencil in 191 Brown. It is my exact shade of my brows so i just outline and fill it in and voila, I am out of the door. I must say using just a pencil was made easier by getting my brows threaded so I just basically fill it in.
                     


Lips: First product that goes on my lips is my Lip Balm just to moisturize my lips because it has been a bit chapped by the horrid weather. My current favorite is one from H and M and its called the Vanilla and Ginger lip balm. It smells really good and works well which is excellent for a £1 product.

                    

Next on my lips is my Lip liner which is a really random brand i got from Pak Cosmetics and it was 3 for £1 which is surprisingly really good. Its a brownish pink color which is perfect for my nude lipsticks. My all time favorite lipstick is MAC's Hug Me which is a nude/brownish flesh pink color (thumbs up for weird descriptions). I have a blog post on this lipstick; so click the Link if you want more details about this Lippie.
                       

Face Powder: The Only powder that works for me to keep my skin matte with an oil and shine free appearance is the MAC Studio Fix Powder and I am in a shade NC50. I love this powder to bits because it properly takes care of my oily skin. I apply this with a huge powder brush all over my face.

And, I am good to go. These steps only take me about 15 minutes because I do the same steps everyday and it's a routine I have stuck to for a long while which works for me. I grab my bag, my lunch and I am out of the door ready for a busy fulfilling day.

What are your Go-To Face Makeup Essentials?