MAC • Mineralize Foundation / Loose - Medium • Powder

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florencesophieallen on 2/21/2013 7:23:00 AM more reviews by florencesophieallen

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

The packaging has been updated to a glass jar but I don't think it's that great, and you still waste a lot of product. The texture is nice and looks natural. I wouldn't use this on its own though, It wouldn't be full coverage enough for me. Does give a nice finish to a foundation and very sheer. But wouldn't buy again.

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redlipstick47 on 9/17/2012 2:32:00 PM more reviews by redlipstick47

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Oily, Medium Brown   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I liked this product to replenish my sun protection over a full face of makeup, but they have since re-formulated and the product no longer has spf. IT now has no use for me, so I will not repuchase.

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FW03 on 8/27/2012 6:24:00 PM more reviews by FW03

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I always stuck to MAC for my foundation. I started off with the studio fix fluid, and then discovered this mineralized foundation. What I love about this foundation is that it is veryy light, and although it is mineral the coverage it gives is amazing-I was iffy at first too because I thought it wouldnt cover well, but the coverage is very good and the best part is that because its mineral it looks very, very natural! I know most people probably use a big kabuki brush, however I use a regular foundation brush, because I find that it wastes less product and sticks on my skin better. The only cons about this product is that it can get very messy, and can result in wasting product, the other thing is that because its just loose powder you run out quickly, which means spending money again, lastly-you dont have the convenience of bringing it to places with u for a quick touch up, which is why i sitll keep my studio fix powder handy-I take that with my for when I go out as its small, compact and has a mirror. However-it is a great product-feels very light and covers amazingly!

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KOuilhon on 2/23/2012 2:17:00 PM more reviews by KOuilhon

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

Ladies, I just went to repurchase this at MAC and they have brand new packaging for this now! I like it so much better than the old packaging. It comes in a clear, hard jar. I love it because it feels much sturdier than the old flimsy plastic one. You can also see when you are running low on the product. With the old container, I had to work to get enough powder out. This one is much better, a little tap on the side of the jar and voila. I love this powder. I sweep it over liquid foundation to give me a flawless look. This isn't cakey or chalky. It's smooth and gives you a pretty glow. I've tried other products and I love this the best. So glad they changed the packaging!

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kbhunny86 on 12/12/2011 7:12:00 PM more reviews by kbhunny86

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Dried out my face completely, the shade darkened my face so much, i looked dark and red within an hour. Really didn't like this product at all. I was very disappointed.

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Ney on 11/18/2011 9:59:00 PM more reviews by Ney

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Tan   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I absolutely LOVE this foundation. I have been using it for about 1+ yr now and I will never trade it for any other foundation. I apply this with a Kabuki brush which really buffs the foundation on to my face and gives me a more natural finish. I also love how build-able it could be depending on how you want your coverage. I use the MAC Prep + Prime with SPF with this and it stays on my face for a long time. I also use it a lot over the summer since Powder has a higher melting temperature and the product doesn't melt on my face! :)

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*TOP REVIEWER* manishap on 8/24/2011 9:34:00 AM more reviews by manishap

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Olive   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I have been using this for a couple off weeks and i love it. I apply with a brush over my liquid foundation. I am a medium plus and found the colour is great and also looks flawless. I have noticed people saying the colour changes to orange after a while but i have not found this. I think everyones skin is different so just go to the counter try it and then if you like it buy it.

When on the face it leaves a nice dewy sheen and i do not have to reapply during the day which is always a bonus.

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sleepeystar on 7/4/2011 5:29:00 AM more reviews by sleepeystar

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Coarse   Eyes: Black    

Love how light it feels on the skin! And it's great that it's buildable. I love that they provide a disposable applicator sponge cover, it is a must cos in humid Singapore, the perspiration and facial oils definitely stain and wear out the sponge & having a replacement handy is always nice. I use Medium shade, but it is slightly pink for my skintone. The puff is a little difficult to get around the eye area and nose as I have a high nosebridge, to overcome this I have to use a powder brush, not a big issue. I have repurchased this for I can't remember how many times, but it's probably been 3 years since I first started using this product. I highly recommend it.

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mamicantik on 2/2/2011 7:13:00 AM more reviews by mamicantik

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Great product wth terrible packaging, I wish mac will change the package. The spnge I can't use it around my nose, coverage sheer medium, medium stay power, I love the matte finish, and the spf :)

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jeanettemarfil on 6/28/2010 3:34:00 AM more reviews by jeanettemarfil

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I bought this mineralized loose powder about two weeks ago n I did like @ first! I apply it with mac 187 brush I spray fix+ on it and then dab it into the powder I like the coverage it gives me it looks natural it gives a matted look, reduces the apperance of pores when I set it with my makeup forever HD powder! But what I've noticed is that @ the end of the day ur face will look somewhat orangy! I didn't like that I didn't noticed untill my husband pointed it out to me n said why do u look red orange then I looked in the mirrow n it was true! So I guess it wrks good for like 6hrs or so! But I had never had this problem with other foundations overall I think I'm going to stick to my Nars sheer glow!

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azahygcomel on 5/12/2010 10:09:00 PM more reviews by azahygcomel

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

The packaging & applicator sucks. The formula is good however. My skin stay matte the whole day. But I'm not sure whether this foundation oxidized or the color does not match my skin tone as it makes my skin look darker after a few hours. I'm not going to repurchase it though.

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*TOP REVIEWER* starbuck65 on 2/14/2010 8:10:00 AM more reviews by starbuck65

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

Although this is a "foundation" it works well setting liquid foundation for extra coverage...like the younger gals can do with StudioFix Powder. This, to me, works like a softer, gentler version of StudioFix Powder for that reason, to pack on StudioFix on my 44 y/o skin...not pretty, although I can use it with a brush and sometimes have to hose it down with Fix+, the Mineralize loose is not the chalky, powdery, drying, heavy finish that SF Powder can be (on older skin). I've read that it provides "light" coverage, I would say on my skin it provides medium+/buildable. I am somewhere in the NW25/NC25 (often mix the two foundations)so in winter I wear the Medium, in summer the Medium Plus.
Packaging...I get why the puff could be nice in theory, I don't use it except to "puff" it on to the skin and blend with a brush. The concept is similar to Philosophy's foundation, didn't like that applicator either, it's too large and inflexible so it's not posible to get around the nose...
The powder is very finely milled, not drying, it provides a natural matte finish but doesn't look cakey or dry on my dry skin, nor does it settle in to my fine lines. I love it! I'd also like to mention something that I've noticed with every other mineral foundation/powder that I haven't noticed with this one (or MSF Natural). Once upon a time when mineral foundations were born, it was said they were ideal for sensitive skin...Not so much for this sensitive skin. Every other powder has made my skin itch, burn, break out in hives...in the summertime. I don't know if the ingredients are different, haven't checked, I do know that I do not have that problem with this foundation at all. It's the only one I haven't had that problem with.
As far as the container and getting it out or just using a brush or the applicator I find that if I just want to puff it on I simply tip it over (with the lid on securely), give it a shake and then open, puff away. If I were to use just a brush, unscrew the lid so that it's loose BUT STILL HOLDING THE LID IN PLACE as not to get the powder anywhere but the inside of the container, loose as in it has more room between the powder and the puff, tip upside down, give it a little shake, take the lid off, insert brush...voila!

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CherylLaura on 1/24/2010 5:13:00 PM more reviews by CherylLaura

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Oily, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I have extremely pale porcelain skin that is extremely oily with very large pores. I have been in the search of something that would break me from my addiction to liquid foundation that has always caused my oily skin to be even more oily. I have always thought that the need to re-powder or blot oil up every 2hours is just something I would need to do. I started out trying BE Matte which I loved that it had great coverage except even the palest color turned my face BRIGHT ORANGE. This made me want to switch to a mineral powder so I tried MAC's Mineralize in Extra Light. I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE this product.

My only complaints with this product is the packaging the brush in the top is horrible and sucks up the powder leaving me less to use out of the small package. The extra light is the best match for my pale skin that I have ever encountered. I love love love that I have no orange make up line around my jaw. I went from blotting every 2 hours to about every 4 or 5 hours and have come to terms that I will never have a perfect matte face.

I top off this powder off with their Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing powder and it is so perfect. My pores appear much smaller and although they don't cover them perfectly it is a large improvement from what they are naturally. I have given this product two weeks before writing this review to make sure I would continue to use it.

Until something comes along that is better than this I will continue to purchase this product. It is now a must have in my purse.

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dkirk02 on 12/24/2009 10:50:00 AM more reviews by dkirk02

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Hazel    

I have combination skin with the dreaded oily t-zone and large pores. Wanting to retain the natural look with just light coverage, I first tried Bare Minerals, as I've always heard good things about it. As odd as it sounds, Bare Minerals is just too natural-looking for me; just not quite enough coverage. I wanted something with just a little more coverage.
Based on reviews here, I thought I'd give MAC Mineralize a try.
Wow! It gives just the right amount of coverage (light-medium) and lasts all day long. It blends really well and, while the coverage is a bit more than Bare Minerals, it still looks really natural.
Mineralize does a great job of covering up the little flaws without looking caked on. But the thing I love most about it is that it does not clog my pores at all, and, after 3 months of use, it has never caused a single blemish.
While there are tons of other mineral products out there, I think I'll stick with this one!
Worth mentioning - The packaging of this product leaves a lot to be desired. I would recommend that you remove the sponge applicator from the underside of the lid (just give it a good tug and toss it) and apply the powder with a good kabuki brush. A kabuki brush will give you more control over your coverage and the sponge just tends to waste a lot of product. Ecotools has a great kabuki brush at a great price. Check it out.

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ChaiSahara on 12/6/2009 8:30:00 PM more reviews by ChaiSahara

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I bought this almost a year ago as an alternative to liquid. I wanted something easier to use and lighter for every day use.


My major gripe in the packaging. I don't use the sponge applicator at all - in fact, I took it off completely. Therefore, if I tip it over, the powder comes out of the grates and goes up into the handle/lid. So I have to be very careful. I apply it with a MAC 109 brush, just FYI.


The product itself I love! I hate the feeling that liquid foundation would give me, so this powder was a great relief. I feel like I have nothing on my face at all, but it provides a good amount of coverage. It evens out my skin tone, and covers very light blemishes. I also lasts all day, 8-12 hours just fine. The SPF is a nice added feature.

Even after a year of use there is plenty of product left, making it cost effective. I'm sure it'll take another year or so for me to use it up. I will repurchase most likely, even though I wish they would redo the packaging and get rid of the built in sponge/handle lid.

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Rak on 9/18/2009 2:03:00 AM more reviews by Rak

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I'm going to be 25 next month and this product is my 5th foundation ever in my entire life. I started getting obssessed with make-up only until a few years ago and love the wonders it can do to your overall image. I love the overall look this foundation gives me. It glides on smooth and it looks flawless and most importantly. not too caked on and made up.It pretty much stays on the whole day and doesn't "melt" in this hot, humid weather. As much as I love this product, I gave it only 4 stars because I absolutely HATE the packaging. The handle doesn't do one any good and there's this protective sheath like thing on the sponge appllicator that keeps coming off when I apply it to my face, even when I'm not being forceful with it. I would buy this product again unless I find a better one and i hope MAC will do something about this packaging!

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HMB25 on 9/12/2009 5:33:00 PM more reviews by HMB25

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

The product itself seems great! The coverage seems a lot more like a powder than a foundation. Fine by me though as I love the MAC studio sculpt for foundation & then put some of this on top. It feels so light & nice on my face!
The price is a little high, even for MAC but you get a good amount of product. Wish you could tell when you're about to run out though, which you really can't since the whole container is black!
My biggest gripe though is the sponge applicator. It feels so awkward to use! I love using regular makeup pads for applying powders because you can really feel where you're putting it. The sponge is hard to use and I found it VERY hard to get the powder out without closing the lid and turning it upside down. Is that how you're usually suppose to get loose powder out??

Update: It's been a little while now since I first reviewed this and I have to say, I really don't like it. There seems to be practically little to no coverage. I mentioned before that I put it over my regular foundation but I really just prefer to put a sheer pressed powder or a blot powder of my foundation. This just sits in my makeup drawer now because I really can't find it good for anything..

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xxlilsirenxx on 8/21/2009 9:00:00 AM more reviews by xxlilsirenxx

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I love this product but absolutely HATE the packaging. Let's list the reasons why:
1. The handle on the lid takes up way too much precious space in my makeup bag

2. I don't use the sponge applicator at all because it applies too much at once... so all it does is sit there and picks up and absorbs my product, wasting it.

3. My brush doesn't fit so I have to get a dish or lid to use it.

4. You can't tell how much you have left! I learned this the hard way on a trip. I had only brought this for foundation and when I went to apply it, I realized I was OUT. I was at a hotel by myself, it was late, and I didn't know where anything was in the town so I couldn't go buy ANY foundation... I sat there and pounded at the bottom to get whatever miniscule amount was left and had to make do with that.

Other than that, the product itself is good - mostly matte but not so much that it doesn't look natural (which it completely does!)

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kisstina07 on 7/27/2009 5:03:00 AM more reviews by kisstina07

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

I love this stuff, I use it EVERYDAY. I live in SoCal and as you all know it gets hot down here so I don't like most foundations out there that are full coverage- it'll just come right off in a few hours- plus my oily skin doesn't help the out any. I have had issues with acne in the past but this product doesn't flare that up at all. I've read other reviews about the sponge applicator being horrible, but thats the exact reason I find this product to beat out its competitors, its so convenient to not have to carry around loose powder (that can get EVERYWHERE) and a buffer brush... with this product its all in one container! Overall, its good stuff :)

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Polpette on 7/15/2009 5:50:00 PM more reviews by Polpette

Age: 44-55   Skin: Very Oily, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I got this about a week ago and I'm liking it so far. It give good, sheer coverage without adding sparkle. I have to be really careful and not apply too much because it will turn a lot darker on my skin and give me that weird Lohan look.

The only thing I don't like about it is the packaging. The sponge applicator is terrible since it picks up too much powder and you can't get it into that crease around your nose. The MAC representative told me to use a still powder brush and that's what I'm using. It's hard to get the powder out onto the brush though, so I'm still working on that. I have super oily skin and it's routinely over 100 degrees where I live and I make it to the end of the day without looking like a blotchy oil slick, so overall I'm happy.

Update: After going back and forth with this product and trying to make it work for me, I've given up and switched to something else. No matter how light a hand I used it always ended up turning orange on me.

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