REVIEW | MAC Studio Waterweight SPF 30 Foundation

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

$34 USD at MAC, Nordstrom

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!

SAMPLE SUNDAY | Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream SPF35 x Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Intensive Eye Contour Cream

For this week's Sample Sunday, I'm trying out a BB cream that claims to give you flawless, camera ready skin, and an ultra-rich, anti-aging eye cream that claims to target five types of eye wrinkles. I didn't even know there were five types! Let's check it out!

Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream SPF35 |
My first impression of this Smashbox BB Cream was that it felt very similar, in both consistency and coverage, to my NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30, which I love. So that's a good start. This has a thick, creamy texture and has light to medium coverage that instantly evens out my redness and discoloration. Although my shade in Light looks pink straight out of the tube, it turns a golden yellow shade as soon as I start blending it out. I was pleasantly surprised with the oil control - my face looked relatively shine-free (for once) after a long day at work with zero touch ups! With some trial and error, I found this blended into the face the best using a buffing brush - pairing this with my BeautyBlender made my face weirdly patchy. Not cute. Overall, this BB cream really seemed to agree with my skin, and I love that it comes with SPF 35, so I would definitely consider purchasing the full size ($39 USD) once this sample is finished. Smashing!

Swatched | Blended out

Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Intensive Eye Contour Cream |
My mom gave me this deluxe eye cream sample from one of her Shiseido skincare purchases a while back, and although it's targeted for more mature skin, it doesn't hurt to start early! This eye cream claims to counteract five types of eye-area wrinkles, including crow's feet, corner creases, under eye wrinkles, lid creases and vertical lines (not entirely sure what that last one is), as well as improve firmness and the appearance of dark circles. This has a rich and luxurious texture - it's creamy but not greasy - and feels intensely moisturizing under the eyes. Although I used this mainly in my nighttime skincare routine - since it does take a good while to fully absorb into the skin - I tried it a few times in the morning as well and found it worked great under makeup - unlike the First Aid Beauty 5 in 1 Eye Cream, this didn't get patchy or ball up under my makeup. Huge plus! While I can't comment on the wrinkle-resisting claims, my under eyes do feel more plump and hydrated after one week, my dark circles seem to have reduced slightly, and I experienced no sensitivity or irritation. And since a little goes a long way, I would be willing to splurge on the full size in the future ($55 USD for 0.5oz) and say au revoir to wrinkles and aged skin!

Finally, two samples that I was actually impressed by! Although my wallet's not going to be too pleased, my skin will thank me fosho.