MAC Cosmetics

When it comes to makeup, I’m pretty loyal to MAC Cosmetics. This is partially because MAC has an excellent recycling program and partially because I love their product and colour selection (I find that a lot of other brands don’t carry the vibrant colours that I’m seeking when I’m looking for makeup — I don’t often wear makeup or even much makeup but when I do, I want it to be good quality and to be visible!).
What sets this location apart from the other MAC Cosmetics locations I’ve visited is the service I receive when I visit this location. Quite honestly I’ve never had better service than at this location — while the other locations are perfectly fine, I find I get better service from the staff at this location, I prefer the lighting, and I often end up spending more money when I visit this location (okay spending more money may not be my end goal but yeah). I do like the fact that MAC Cosmetics staff are always willing to test out makeup products on you and provide tips and application techniques for makeup.
On my most recent visit I was able to reserve an item that wasn’t yet in stock (it is a popular item) I had a question answered with an item that I currently love (and which has convinced me to wear makeup more often in recent weeks!) and I also got to drop off 6 empty or used makeup products for recycling in exchange for a new eyeshadow colour! A very useful visit overall.

Saw Danielle to have my makeup done, and ended up buying almost every product she used on me. Her choice of shades was perfect, and she really did a great job. Everything she sent me home with looked just as good doing it myself.
It is super overpriced, not just because it’s good quality (it is) but because of the name for sure. They have a great return policy, even on used cosmetics. Most of the girls at this particular location seemed helpful and friendly, and they all looked like they knew what they were doing. Easy to make an appointment, and often they give free gifts with purchase.
No off-​brands, only their own, but decent selection and helpful staff.

This is another store that I always pass by but never walk into. I really don’t wear too much make up, really none at all, so I really don’t feel like I need to shop at MAC. But I decided to take a closer look at some of their products. The thing that I really like about their store is how colorful their items are. They have some really interesting colors that I think I would be too afraid to wear but I would actually like to picture myself wearing them. Another great feature about their store is how you can test their products for yourself. The staff is really friendly and super helpful and knowledgeable. They really took the time to help me out and answer my questions on which type of blush would be better, what colors would suite my skin and stuff like that.
The store is pretty bright but I think that’s what always draws me to their store; if not too go into but to walk by and look into it. I guess I’m like a fly on the wall trying to avoid that electric zapper!
Great place to come and look around and asks some questions about what color combinations would look good on you.

I don’t know what to rate this. I don’t know anything about makeup but everytime I walk past this store it is slammed with girls so I would assume they have excellent makeup. The store is also pretty big so I’m guessing they have a good selection too.
Girls not nuts for mac, and it’s funny watching from the outside. There are no guys inside, most boyfriends and husbands wait outside, they know better than to enter that habitat.

After reading the book «Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without me» by Paula Begoun, I learned that expensive beauty products are not always better than drugstore-​brand cosmetics. In fact, often the cheaper stuff is better. But even after learning this, sometimes I still feel like I want something expensive and something «nice.» I wanted to try MAC, because I had read that their powders were rather amazing.
I visited the store at West Edmonton Mall. It can get kind of crazy here, and the store is small. I was looking at the powders and I chose one that I thought would suit my skin, which was NC 20. No one asked me if I needed any help, so I had to grab a girl. I asked her if she thought the colour would suit my skin. She said, «Oh yes, this would be a beautiful colour on you!» Then I asked her if warm shades were for pink undertones and if cool shades were for yellow understones. She told me yes. I was wrong, of course, but so was she, yet she’s the expert.
Then she asked me if I wanted to try the powder. I always feel weird when people put makeup on me in the store, but I said okay. So she took a large brush and started powdering my face. I looked in the mirror, and I thought that maybe it was a little too pink on me, since I have a lot of red in my face that I do not want to accentuate, but she insisted that it looked amazing, so I bought it.
When I got home, I noticed the shade did look a little pink, but I thought it still looked pretty good. This powder was rather amazing – it almost looked like skin. But after a few hours, I noticed that my face started to look a bit orange, and I realized that the powder had oxidized! First, I wasn’t happy because I had got a cool shade, when I should have a warm shade, but then it turns orange? I felt like I paid $ 27 for crap.
I still wouldn’t mind getting another MAC powder someday, but I’m afraid that I might get matched to the wrong shade again. Besides, I found an amazing Maybelline powder for only $ 13 that’s just as good or even better than MAC anyway.