It's taken me years to finally take the plunge and buy my first ever MAC foundation - the whole NC/NW shade system confused the heck outta me, was it just me? - but it's better late than never! When the Studio Waterweight SPF 30 Foundation first launched last fall, I was instantly drawn to the name - like a moth to a burning flame - on account of my unhealthy obsession with lightweight, natural bases with SPF.
MAC Studio Waterweight SPF 30 Foundation
30ml, 1oz | 23 Shades
MAC's shade system is one of the most counterintuitive concepts I've ever come across. All their foundations are categorized into either NC (Neutral Cool) and NW (Neutral Warm). Now, if you were to believe you'd match a NC foundation if you had cooler undertones and NW if you were warmer, you'd be dead wrong. Instead, NC foundations all have warm, yellow undertones while NW foundations have cool, pink undertones. Yes, you probably all know this already, but still, what the heck?! And not to mention all the times I've tried getting color-matched at a MAC counter only to be matched to a different shade and undertone. Sigh. But alas, this foundation launched last year and generated so much buzz that I just couldn't help myself.
MAC claims this foundation "delivers color in an ultra-fluid, elastic gel-serum formula with a virtually weightless feel" that not only controls oil, but also provides all-day hydration. The foundation comes in a frosted glass bottle with a dropper applicator, which seems handy but actually gets pretty messy around the opening. The consistency of the foundation is like a serum - very fluid and runny - and blends and melts effortlessly into the skin. It feels weightless, as MAC claims, and has very natural, skin-like coverage that can be built up from sheer to an almost-but-not-quite medium, leaving a dewy, natural finish. This is one of the few foundations that doesn't cake up even when I add on layers, and I find that a flat-top brush give the most coverage and the most seamless finish. While this doesn't have the best lasting power on me - I notice fading after just five hours - it doesn't separate or get patchy, and wears away quite naturally. From the get-go, this looks dewy on my oily-combination skin and I get progressively shinier in the T-zone throughout the day. So powdering and blotting is a must!
I ordered this foundation online and had to base my shade decision off online swatches, and ended up picking NC20 that works fine as my winter shade, but NC25 or NC30 would've definitely been a better match. Since hauling this earlier in the year, I've worn this a handful of times during the hotter months and was not all impressed - this streaked down my face once while I was out walking Riley, dripping down and staining my crisp, white T-shirt. The horror! The humidity also made me look like a greasy, sweaty mess, so if you're also oily and prone to heavy sweating, avoid wearing this in the summer. In the winter, however, this foundation has proven to work wonders. As the weather's now turned chillier here in Hong Kong (thank the heavens, it's about time), I've been reaching for this almost everyday as a natural, everyday base for work. I see this working best for those of you with dry to normal, and even combination skin types that prefer lightweight, natural coverage. Oily girls, don't be afraid to give this a try as long as you accept that this foundation will make you look shiny (and lasting power will be slightly lacking).
Swatched | Blended out
Side note - I hear this is an exact, and I mean 100% identical dupe of the Smashbox Camera Ready BB Water SPF 30. Same ingredients, same formula, same exact foundation. How, you ask? Well, turns out both MAC and Smashbox are owned by Estee Lauder, so I guess they thought it was a smart marketing strategy to release this new formula under both companies. Smashbox is more expensive than MAC at $42USD for the same amount of product, and offers only 8 shades compared to 23 shades. So unless you're a ride-or-die Smashbox fan, there's a pretty clear winner here.
Now that I've tried my first MAC foundation (and somewhat figured out the infuriating shade system), I'll definitely be swatching some of the other foundations next time I pass by a MAC counter. Holler in the comments if you have any favorite MAC bases!
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