topic Re: MAC NC or NW in Beauty

MAC NC or NW

beach-mom — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 06:04:12 GMT

I'm watching the midnight show and listening to the MAC expert Fatima explain whether someone is NC or NW.

What she said is the exact opposite of what I was told when I first started wearing MAC. So I'm going to chime in.

First, this was DD's first and favorite brand when she was a teenager. DD is the fairest of the fair, cool, with green eyes. They matched her to NW15. I saw the "W." Warm? How can this be? Neutral WARM? The MAC mua, who actually now is the manager of a MAC store (she had been at Macy's), simplified things for me.

She said to think of NW or Neutral Warm as "Needs Warmth." That made sense. DD is fair (Nicole Kidman) so she needs warmth. NW15.

I didn't try MAC until a lot later. I was happy with Laura Mercier and Bobbi Brown at the time, along with others of course! I was getting DD some colors for Christmas gifts one year when one of the young girls we had come to know asked me if she could try some products on me. I always thought this line was for younger women, but she said it was for all ages. So I said OK.

I'm warm with hazel eyes and light skin. She matched me to NC20. If I thought about what the other girl said, it made sense. NC for me translated to "needs cool." I wore NC20 for years, along with blushes, fluidlines, lipsticks, and shadows.

So that is my MAC story. Maybe it will help someone else who is questioning the perfect shade!

Re: MAC NC or NW

Shanus — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 11:36:00 GMT

I match foundations to the skin tone as it is, not trying to warm it up or add cool tones. If skin is fair, it's fair and needs a cool or neutral foundation.

Warming up my fair skin is usually impossible w/ bronzer and warm toned foundations throw off my entire face (too yellow or orange) because it does not match.

Re: MAC NC or NW

Shanus — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 12:19:02 GMT

Amber Times Nine is a warm toned palette with amber, bronze and apricot shades. The lipcolor is a warm brown/rose shade.

If you're fair, light eyes...a definite NO to the shadow. If you want to spend your money to get 2 liners and a mascara that may be wearable, the TSV may work for you. The brown liner was described to have red in it...for cool toned skin?

Re: MAC NC or NW

San Antonio Gal — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 13:05:51 GMT

The TSV is a great buy and the MAC rep said anyone can wear these colors.

Re: MAC NC or NW

Cwoldie — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 14:04:52 GMT

These are definity warm toned so I will not be buying. I wish they had offered a choice between this one and the one available next time on auto delivery. That one looks cool toned.

Re: MAC NC or NW

Lipstickdiva — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 14:10:11 GMT

I subscribe to Lisa J on YouTube and she is a former MAC make-up artist and trainer. Just last night I watched a new video from her using MAC oldie but goodie products.

She specifically explained the shade range with MAC because she said it's very different. The N stands for neutral and means beige undertones. The C stands for cool which is golden/olive undertones and W is warm which is more pinky/rosy unertones.

A product that is an NW is going to have pinky beige undertones and a product labeled NC is going to have olive beige undertones. She said it's the opposite of what we are used to.

Re: MAC NC or NW

Dusty1 — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 14:17:49 GMT

The Mac explanation is some artsy thing that I don't ever remember (And, I worked for Mac for a few years!).

I just know that NC is more neutral/yellow. NW is more neutral/pink & I go from there.

I am NW18 basically, but I can wear a lot of shades around that & depending on how pigmented they are, they will work.

I love the colors in the Amber palette. They look really pretty on. I am fair/cool/green eyes/grey hair.

Creme In Your Coffee is my most used lipstick. It is neutral enough that it goes with most looks.

Like Mac Warm Soul Blush. When I don't want to think about what blush to use or just need a nice neutral. They should have Warm Soul as an add on purchase!

Is this set going to please everyone? No.

Is it a great basic way to try several Mac products? Yes.

Re: MAC NC or NW

PamfromCT — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 14:25:33 GMT

@Shanus wrote:
I match foundations to the skin tone as it is, not trying to warm it up or add cool tones. If skin is fair, it's fair and needs a cool or neutral foundation.

Warming up my fair skin is usually impossible w/ bronzer and warm toned foundations throw off my entire face (too yellow or orange) because it does not match.

@Shanus, Thank you for adding some common sense advice. I am very fair, and I do match any foundation to my skin, adding a bit of blush. Nothing is worse than skin on your face different from skin tone on hour neck, in my humble view. I rely on clothing colors or accessories to brighten my face.

Re: MAC NC or NW

Janey2 — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 14:50:19 GMT

I saw Shawn last night in this makeup. I think she is very attractive and looks good in almost all makeup she wears when on the air. That being said, I thought this Mac collection did nothing for her. As a matter of fact I'm going to say it, I thought she looked terrible. Of course, that does not mean it would look terrible on others. It just struck me as a bad choice for a special.

Re: MAC NC or NW

JudyL — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 14:54:52 GMT

I bought the TSV on AD and usually I am a light/medium cool toned. Looking forward to using all the products. The colors are ones I know I'll use. At some point down the line, I may try the foundation but will go into my local Ulta store and get matched first.

Thank you @beach-mom for your explanation. It made a lot of sense to me as I was confused with their shade system.

Re: MAC NC or NW

beach-mom — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 20:14:28 GMT

@JudyL wrote:
I bought the TSV on AD and usually I am a light/medium cool toned. Looking forward to using all the products. The colors are ones I know I'll use. At some point down the line, I may try the foundation but will go into my local Ulta store and get matched first.

Thank you @beach-mom for your explanation. It made a lot of sense to me as I was confused with their shade system.

You're so welcome @JudyL! I was so confused at first too. All I knew back then was I was hearing "warm" for DD. It would be like putting Nicole Kidman in a warm foundation! The system that was explained to me works for both DD and me, so I do hope it will help others.

Re: MAC NC or NW

Love orchids — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 20:43:35 GMT

@Janey2 I agree, that presentation at midnight was a hot mess. The vendor rep and m/u artistist were very timid and Shawn interrupted them and was all over the place. The explanation about the warm/cool skin colors was totally confusing for someone that had not used MAC before. Hope the hour show later is better, but I don't hold out any hope; if Jane Treacy is the host will will get mostly anecdotes. Courtney K would be better. We will see.

Re: MAC NC or NW

Shelbelle — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 22:20:51 GMT

The eye shadows are talc based, I try to avoid talc in my shadows.

Re: MAC NC or NW

Shanus — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 12:34:07 GMT

.....I'd like to add re: the TSV that I already have the lipstick and it is a nice, neutral rose shade. I never purchase the foundations/concealers because the shades are confusing, even to me. Since Estee Lauder owns MAC, the Double Wear foundation is similar in the numbering being reversed from what most of us have learned. I'm familiar w/ DW from experience.

I've also been turned off by many MAC counter artists. Some wear over the top looks that are not appealing or univeral. I always advise, when looking for new makeup, check out all the counters and try to find an artist that has a complexion similar to yours, a look you'd like for yourself and maybe even close in age.. You'll be more apt to be happy with your purchases.

Re: MAC NC or NW

Shanus — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 12:40:48 GMT

@Love orchids wrote:
@Janey2 I agree, that presentation at midnight was a hot mess. The vendor rep and m/u artistist were very timid and Shawn interrupted them and was all over the place. The explanation about the warm/cool skin colors was totally confusing for someone that had not used MAC before. Hope the hour show later is better, but I don't hold out any hope; if Jane Treacy is the host will will get mostly anecdotes. Courtney K would be better. We will see.

@Love orchids @Janey2 SK is awful when makeup artists/lines are presented. She gushes over her experiences with it and her purchases often talking so much, we don't get to hear the vendor.

She does the same thing when RMS is presented. We rarely hear the ideas from Rose Marie Swift who developed the line. Who would know more than the vendor?

Re: MAC NC or NW

author — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 14:12:44 GMT

I watched some of the MAC presentations yesterday and was completely confused with their saying that cool pink complexions should choose the NW shades....what?

Warm colors with yellow in them make me look ghastly, so I would never take a chance and order without seeing or swatching some in person with that kind of confusing info.

I did like the look of the TSV and all its components but the shades on the models looked very pink/mauve, even the lip, but the products looked warm/golden.

Too confusing to give it a try and no, I don't need any more makeup! The second AD palette looked lovely though.

And Shawn was totally confused about the cool/warm info.

Re: MAC NC or NW

all — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 14:51:44 GMT

I wish Fatima would not have been cut off so much. She is the expert. Maybe she was a little shy for TV? I'm picking up an NC and NW from Ulta to figure it out myself.

Re: MAC NC or NW

JudyL — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 15:16:40 GMT

At some point I may try a MAC foundation. Found out there is a MAC store not too far from my house so would go there rather than an ULTA. Went to ULTA yesterday to look around and no one asked if I wanted/needed help while I was looking at the MAC section. If they had, I may have asked for a shade match just to see what I was.

Think Fatima did fine yesterday - better with some hosts than others. Although I don't think the explanation of the foundation shades was done very well by Fatima or the Q hosts but chalk that up to MAC having a weird shade system.

Re: MAC NC or NW

Lipstickdiva — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 16:07:41 GMT

@Shanus wrote:
.....I'd like to add re: the TSV that I already have the lipstick and it is a nice, neutral rose shade. I never purchase the foundations/concealers because the shades are confusing, even to me. Since Estee Lauder owns MAC, the Double Wear foundation is similar in the numbering being reversed from what most of us have learned. I'm familiar w/ DW from experience.

I've also been turned off by many MAC counter artists. Some wear over the top looks that are not appealing or univeral. I always advise, when looking for new makeup, check out all the counters and try to find an artist that has a complexion similar to yours, a look you'd like for yourself and maybe even close in age.. You'll be more apt to be happy with your purchases.

I'm not sure the idea behind MAC was ever to be universal. Their counters were always the most lively inside the stores. They typically had music playing, their displays were more unique and their reps more outgoing and fun, often wearing wearing that isn't anything I would personally wear but the artistry behind the look was appealing. I more than one make-over at a MAC counter and they were some of the best even though the artist creating the look wasn't wearing make-up in a look I would wear on the daily.

Someone down the line though MAC seems to have lost its edge and I don't really hear anyone talking about them anymore. The free standing MAC stores in my area have closed. I haven't been to a mall in so long, I have no idea what the counters are like now but I put MAC in the older, dated line of products like Clinique and Estee Lauder. They need some type of boost.