MAC are shit!

[NomiMalone]

Their foundations are rubbish. That I already know.

I just received an order.

Mineralize Blusher in Dainty - awful pigmentation. Dusty and powdery formula. Sleek blushers are miles better and £5.

Pigment in Vanilla - again, awful pigmentation. Patchy and horrible.

Eyeshadow in Star Violet - so faint I can barely see it. I have an Urban Decay dupe that kicks it's arse.

I do like the lip pencil in Soar and the lipstick in Mehr but the rest is getting returned.

Grrr.

[yolandafostersfridge]

That is very disappointing. If I was you would complain.

I recently sent an email to their head office as I have been using their face primer with SPF50 for years. It was the only thing that would control the oil on my face. The bastards have only gone and changed the bloody formula. It didn't feel anything like what the product used to be like. Its now just a very expensive sun screen with no oil control, £24 for 30ml!

After doing a bit of internet research I found a few complaints from people stating the formula had changed. However MAC UK have denied that it has changed at all. They were brilliant though and gave me a full refund without having to return the product.

Their customer service is fantastic so if you are not happy send them an email.

[mrsmugoo]

Since when can you return opened/used makeup items?

[mrssmooth]

I would return the products if they weren't up to scratch. I bought a Clinique foundation, tried it but returned it because it just slid off my face. I doubt you'd get far trying to return lower end products like Rimmel etc but something like MAC or higher end stuff I'd definitely be taking them back to the shop if I wasn't happy ...

[yolandafostersfridge]

You can return opened/used make up mrsmugoo. Especially the higher end stuff where a make up assistant may have advised you. By the sounds of the OP it was an on line order so I would definitely email MAC customer services first and they can advise what to do.

That is a lot of money wasted on shoddy products.

[ggirl]

yup return , I have returned stuff that looked shit when i put it on.

[NomiMalone]

Well there's a returns form in the package so presumably returns are a thing.

It's so expensive. I don't mind paying high prices for quality but MAC is not what it once was. I have been buying lots of drugstore stuff (Sleek, Makeup Revolution, Max Factor) and it's out performing the ££ stuff.

[mrsmugoo]

It's subjective though isn't it? Just cod you didn't like it or it didn't work for your skin type doesn't mean it's faulty?

[NomiMalone]

Not really mrsmugoo.

If it was a case of it just not working on my skin then I would have said as much in my op and not described the shit pigmentation and chalky quality of the products.

They're charging £13 quid for individual eyeshadows that are crap quality. Thankfully they're being exposed by new brands such as Makeup Geek who are able to produce infinitely better quality eyeshadows for about £3-4. Consumers are catching on and aren't fooled as easily anymore by the fancy packaging and 'cult' lure of brands like MAC.

[OldFarticus]

I also find Mac totally shit. I have returned a foundation and a nail varnish (that chipped horribly after 1 day!) No quibbles at all. If it was No 17 or whatever I would have chalked it up to experience, but the whole point of a pricier range is decent pigmentation etc.
OP fwiw I still use the Mac lip pencils but I don't think you can beat Urban Decay for eyeshadows. I recently bought the UD primer and it even improves the staying power of crappy eyeshadow

[missmoon]

I agree, I went for a makeover while heavily pregnant with DD2 as a treat (desperately needed to look a bit less frumpy), and ended up spending a small fortune at MAC. I truly regretted it afterwards as products seemed quite poor quality, but didn't think to return them!

[VivaLeBeaver]

I've moved from mac to bobbi brown for a lot of stuff. Not much more expensive.

[Bombinate]

Their face powder is great.

[mrsmugoo]

The products you describe are classic MAC staples that have been in their main line for years - they discontinue poor sellers very regularly so on that assumption those products must be liked and purchased by plenty of others - therefore your opinion that they are poor quality is just that - Your subjective opinion.

I agree wholeheartedly that there is a lot of high St makeup that kicks the arse of high end stuff for a fraction of the price these days.

[ihatethecold]

Their foundations make me look orange.
The mascara made my eyes sting.
I think the eyeshadows are so overpriced.

[NomiMalone]

My subjective opinion as a professional makeup artist counts for more than most peoples on this subject.

Those of you who agree about the poor quality I do really recommend buying some Makeup Geek shadows. They're the best quality eyeshadows I've ever used and that's not even taking into how reasonable they are .

[VivaLeBeaver]

Where can you buy makeup geek from?

[mrsmugoo]

I'm also a makeup artist and I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you about MAC products - my point was really just about being surprised you're able to return makeup because you don't like it. I always thought that wasn't possible.

[AmelieinOz]

Never liked MAC. The only MAC product I have is one of their face powders from the Archie collection, the pink blue-toned one I use as blush.

The StudioFix foundation make my face itchy.

[Shonajay]

MAC used to be much better. Still love their strobe cream and lipliner "subculture" though, their make up remover wipes are notorious for breakouts though. Their foundations are awful I agree.

[Pancakeflipper]

I took my recent purchases (bought after spending time with their sales counter person). I looked like a ghostly clown. Totally not suitable for me and not what I asked for to suit my skin.

I was wondering if to go back but recalled a thread on MN years ago about another ghostly clown going back to the store.

Had no problem getting my money back. So it can be done.

[Bombinate]

It's not our subjective opinion if we've used them for years and they've changed the formulation though is it?

[Turquoiseblue]

Interesting! I have a few eyeshadows I always get from MaC and have felt the most recent replacements weren't working as well for me- like you say pigmentation etc- they used last the day without being retouched now ever with eye primer they need touch ups. I don't see much difference with urban decay and have found the naked palette as useful (whereas before I preferred mac). I was putting it down to my skin changed though - wonder if it s the product changed?!

[goodasitgets]

Makeup geek have a website and the eyeshadows are amazing. So pigmented. I also have the lorac mega pro palette - barely need to touch the colours to use, and they're like butter

[Marylou2]

I think Mac are pretty similar to other brands,some good products and some poor ones. I'm not ready to write them off yet though. Can't imagine a world without Face and Body foundation, Ruby Woo or Teddy .

[ihatethecold]

Make up geek looks like an American site.