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Review: MAC Studio Finish Concealer

October 3, 2009

I got a MAC Studio Finish Concealer from Marionnaud when I ran out of my favorite Artdeco concealer (which I’ve been using since November, btw). This MAC concealer is an oft-reviewed product all over the world so I’ll make this quick and summarize everything you need to know about the product.

What I love about this product:

  • Perfect shade match! I got my shade in NC 30. Always remember to get your exact shade when buying concealers. Picking one in a lighter shade will make you look like you have a fungi infection. On your face.
  •  Thick, creamy consistency. Easy to apply, easy to blend out.
  • 7 grams. That might sound like a miniscule amount, but my Artdeco concealer is only 4.5 grams (pan is as big as half my thumb) but it lasted me for close to a year. 
  • Stays put all day. Minimal caking.
  • SPF 35! This prevents your blemishes from darkening more due to sun exposure.
  • Comes in sleek packaging. You won’t be self-conscious about whipping this out in public. It’s MAC!

What I don’t like about it:

  • The price. Sorry, I’m cheap. On top of that, MAC has increased prices in the Philippines. I remember their concealers cost only P870 early this year. Now it’s P900 a pop.
  • Doesn’t give the coverage I want in one swipe. I need to layer 2-3 times to cover my major blemishes. Too time-consuming. This is a huge deal for me.

So there you go. Everything else is ok, except the coverage. I’m not very happy about the coverage, I cannot emphasize that enough. I regret that I didn’t buy a Cinema Secrets Concealer when it was 10% in MOA during the major sale a couple of weeks ago. One pot is ~P1300 but the coverage just makes me swoon. It can cover your dirtiest littlest secrets.

Overall, this is a good product worth the investment. Will I buy this again? Hm, I don’t know. I’m sure there’s something better out there and I want to try it next. In the meantime, I’ll be sticking with this until I run out.

 

PS Check out my review of other MAC products - the Fluidline Eyeliner in Blacktrack and MAC Blot Powder. Also, don’t forget to join my contest! Clinique items up for grabs!


Posted by projectvanity at 7:00 am | permalink

Previous Comments

Thanks for giving this an honest review. I also like my concealers to be heavy duty, and I almost forgot about the Cinema Secrets one, I’ll just have to save up for it!

Posted by Nina at October 3, 2009, 2:02 pm

Yikes. Really? Can’t cover everything in one swipe? :( Too bad for its price. Thanks for the review!

Posted by teeyah at October 3, 2009, 8:10 pm

nina: yup! me too!

teeyah: yeah, i expected so much. i didnt really test it in the store when i bought it, kasi its mac. i expected it to be better than the artdeco camouflage concealer. it is, in some ways (no caking, perfect shade match, spf) but i dont know, i need coverage more than anything eh.

Posted by projectvanity at October 4, 2009, 5:49 pm

MAC is price friendly, but it’s really cake and streak-prone if you build it up too much. :( Cinema Secrets is by far one of the best concealers I’ve tried. It’s buildable, crease and streak free, and works well with cold weather. My Shu Pro Concealer almost turned into stone when I was in Eu, and CS (though not as emollient as it should be) was the only one that withstood the temperate climate!

Posted by Roanne @ All the Vanity at October 5, 2009, 6:45 pm

wow! now im even more excited to try cinema secrets!

Posted by projectvanity at October 6, 2009, 1:03 pm