An Unsung Hero: MAC Studio Tech Foundation Review, Swatch, FOTD of NC42

In 2008, when I went to buy my first MAC foundation, I had a list of criteria; medium to full coverage without a cakey look, easy to apply and blend, portable, and would hold up well on my combination skin in Mumbai’s heat and humidity. The SA at the only MAC store in South Bombay at the time (at Altamount Road), recommended the Studio Tech. In every aspect, it fit my list of criteria and I simply LOVED it. I then moved on to other foundations but recently bought it again. I truly feel that this is an unsung hero. Read on to know why I feel that way….

MAC Studio Tech Foundation Review in Shade NC42

About the MAC Studio Tech Foundation

“A tri-system blend of water, emollients and powder, glides on as a soft, creamy emulsion. The innovative formula provides a full range of coverage. allowing for true-to-skin shading from very light to very dark in a natural, matte, powder-perfect  finish. Light-diffusing properties soften lines to create a fresh, flawless texture for all skin types.”

Packaged in the standard matte black compact like most of the other MAC cream foundations and pressed powders, the Studio Tech is sturdy and portable thus making it perfect for travel. It two sections with the upper one housing the foundation and the lower one, the sponge applicator. The underside of the lid also has a decent sized mirror making it a perfect foundation for on-the-go applications. The case snaps shut tightly but I seem to have got a slightly defective one this time because the case remains open by a couple of millimeters and doesn’t shut tight like it should. The new foundation also has an aluminium seal over it to ensure hygiene.

I simply LOVE the creamy texture of this foundation which actually gives a cooling sensation as you apply it. I love the way it settles down to a soft matte finish that doesn’t look flat or cakey,  I love how it lasts for 6+ hours without fading or streaking, love how I can build up the coverage, love how I can apply it beautifully with my fingers, with the sponge that comes with it (though I feel the sponge absorbs too much product) or even with my Sigma F88 or the 3DHD foundation brushes. Best of all, I love how naturally flawless it makes my skin appear.  Oh, and I also love how it beautifully it holds up in the hot, humid Bombay weather without making my skin look like a frying pan! And of course, being a cream foundation, it makes for super quick application when you’re in a hurry. It is seriously a very easy foundation to apply. It has no SPF so it photographs beautifully too, making it perfect for brides.

In fact, this is the only foundation I wore for all of my brother’s wedding functions, right from the smallest puja to the wedding and reception because I could control the kind of coverage I wanted according to the function. The small compact packaging barely took up any space at all in my makeup kit; a blessing for destination weddings.

While I usually skip applying a powder on top, I do need to blot my T-Zone after a couple of hours. If you have very oily skin, you would need to apply powder over this. Dry skinned girls would have to moisturise well before using this because though Studio Tech is a cream foundation, it does accentuate any dry patches you might have on your face. Best of all, it doesn’t break me out.

The MAC Studio Tech foundation has an amazing shade range and you are bound to find a shade that suits you exactly. For me, that shade is NC42 though I have been matched to NC37 in the MAC Mineralise foundation. (I wear shade 3W2 Cashew in the Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation.) Since the inner wrist is lighter in shade than the skin on my face, the foundation appears to be darker. On my face, however, it looks like my skin – a flawless version of my skin.

Here are a couple of pictures of me wearing MAC Studio Tech NC42…..

 

I think I need to do a proper FOTD with this foundation and take good pics as well…not just these selfies. But at least you get an idea of how this foundation looks on me. In the picture taken in daylight, I am wearing a very sheer layer of the foundation, applied with my fingertips. Can you see how natural it looks? I know my skintone looks very different in each of the three pictures but that is just because of the different lighting in each.

Priced at ₹2,800, the MAC Studio Tech foundation is worth every rupee. And as I said earlier, is an unsung hero among the Face and Bodys and Studio Fixes and Pro Longwears. It surprises me as to why this foundation hasn’t got the kind of fan following and accolades it deserves. I love it as do the cousins and friends who bought it on my recommendation.

Have you tried the MAC Studio Tech? Which is your favourite MAC foundation? Do let me know in the comments below.