MAC • Prep + Prime BB Beauty Balm SPF 35 • BB Cream

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cmartin02 on 5/17/2013 9:08:00 PM more reviews by cmartin02

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

I really wanted to like this after reading the good reviews but sadly it was awful. It immediately would settle into my pours and make them more visible, even after blending well. I was looking for a BB cream that could be a primer and even out my skin tone as well but this didn't fill the bill.

After a few hours it looked like I hadn't applied anything on my face and worst of all I started breaking out after using it a few days. I cleared right up after I stopped using it so I know it was the cream. Plus the color the sales girl gave me was too light for my skin tone even though it was the darkest they had. Really disappointed!

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Leeleegbb on 5/3/2013 11:18:00 PM more reviews by Leeleegbb

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

This is the first BB that I have tried...and it works great for me. I especially like the amount of SPF protection (35 I think). It matches my skin an looks natural....probably will be my go to for the summer. I wear it alone and set with powder, I would describe it as light coverage. I tried the very light shade as I am quite fair.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

catherinelenore on 5/2/2013 2:13:00 AM more reviews by catherinelenore

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

I love this product because it lasts through out the day! The only downside is that I find that it can make my shine a little shinier than I'd prefer after a few hours of wear but that's nothing a blotting paper can't fix! The price is good for this product and one of the tubes goes a long way.

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ilmatar on 4/17/2013 4:58:00 PM more reviews by ilmatar

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I was looking for another BB Cream because I am running out of my Smashbox Camera Ready one. I have a few MAC eyeshadows and a foundation - and I'm really loving their products! This BB is exactly what I was looking for. It helps control oil, it has a SPF of 35 (which is really good for me because I am so pale!) and it goes on for a nice sheer natural finish. It does have a bit of a sunscreen smell, but that doesn't bother me. I usually wear this alone without powder, but if I'm having a day where my skin wants to be a bit problematic, I will apply some translucent loose powder to my t-zone. It stays on well throughout the day. It's not as waterproof or smudge resistant as the foundation that I have by MAC, but it works well for me. It really covers up the redness that I occasionally have in my cheeks and around my nose. It helps me achieve the flawless 'no makeup' look that I am most comfortable wearing. I apply it with my fingers and blend blend blend until it looks even. It isn't difficult to blend it that way, however, if I use a regular foundation brush, it gives me a very 'streaky' or even sometimes a 'cakey' look. If that happens I just blend it out with my fingers until it disappears. This is a very nice product, good for the warmer months when I need something a bit lighter.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

greeneyestellnolies on 4/17/2013 10:22:00 AM more reviews by greeneyestellnolies

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Other   Eyes: Green    

I am extremely disappointed in this product. I have only used 2 others, but in comparison this is the worst so far.
It is fairly expensive for the amount you get, in fact I think the cap is made larger so it is even more deceiving just how little product you are getting for $30.
I don't feel that it applies as easily as my others, I use a foundation brush and it was very streaky, and I had to keep blending it out.
What I specifically do not care for though is rather than floating above my skin, giving me a flawless look, it seems to settle into every pore, looks very dry and noticeable. It looks like I have a powder caked on my face, which is definitely not the look I wanted.
My purpose in using a BB is to even out the redness in my cheeks. I have sensitive combination skin, but even on my oily nose this is flaky.

If I had to try and pinpoint some positives, it is slightly luminous rather than overly shiny, so you look healthy not oily. Tone-wise they seem to be more natural rather than the ghost effect some seem to have.

For my needs, this is not the right product, and for this price it needs to be...my search for the perfect BB continues!

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kwill89 on 4/15/2013 7:51:00 PM more reviews by kwill89

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight   Eyes: Brown    

EDIT: I was a little harsh on this product in my last review...It's not that bad, especially since I've tried more products since. The middle shade "Light" is perfect for NC15, and it has great SPF coverage....The trick is to apply this with a brush like the Real Techniques Buffing Brush...it makes all the difference in the world! I alternate between this BB cream, Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation in shade 51 (Light Vanilla) and Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer in Porcelain. Mac at least has SPF coverage, while the Bourjois and LM do not (LM says it does, but the ingredients say that it's a ridiculously insignificant amount). I do like this and will continue to use it on and off.

ORIGINAL REVIEW:


I have only tried one other BB cream to compare this to, and that was the orange bottle of SKIN79 which totally sucked for me. I am NC15 (pale with warm undertones) and so I originally bought this Mac BB cream in Extra-Light, which looked like a white mask on my face, so I exchanged it for Light which matched perfectly to my skin tone. The formula is very thick and it smells like sunscreen. It has great coverage for a BB cream (at first...), but it feels too heavy to wear all over the face. I have sensitive, dry skin and I am prone to little breakouts here and there...This cream is not ultra-hydrating and it does have the best coverage. I don't like wearing foundation over my entire face, I tend just to wear concealer where I need it, and I was hoping this BB cream would serve as an SPF35-type of tinted moisturizer!

I find this has given me little bumps on my forehead and in certain areas of my face. I'll keep it to use it a few times a week, but definitely not every day. Disappointed that this didn't turn out to be my dream BB cream. The colour match is ideal though, but at NC15 I am used to being the palest of shades, and the extra-light was too light for me. They need to work on their colour range, because the darkest is "Light Plus" which is not that much darker than the Light which I wear...

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HeartsConsent on 4/11/2013 1:06:00 AM more reviews by HeartsConsent

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I tried this product to see how long it lasts -the wear- and it lasts for a good amount of time! Which should have been expected since it says "Prep + Prime". I haven't tried other BB Cream, but I am amazed by MAC's. It has minimum coverage, but it seems to cover enough for me. My face looked so fresh after I put it on. I definitely saw a change. The packaging is simple and it's really expensive. I do recommend this product to those who can afford it. I am in love with this cream though. What amazed me is that it actually cleared up my face a bit and kept it nicely moisturized. Keep in mind, I have never worn foundation or concealer.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

McKennaMalik on 4/10/2013 1:24:00 PM more reviews by McKennaMalik

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Oily, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Hazel    

I really enjoy this product. I have fair skin and they have such good colors that I wear their darkest shade! The scent is light and I love the coverage and texture of this product. It gives me enough coverage that you can still see my freckles and it is wonderful! :)

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shanncat on 3/29/2013 7:54:00 PM more reviews by shanncat

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

Good coverage, matches my skin tone well but, it makes my face look so dry!

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*TOP REVIEWER* mariella99 on 3/19/2013 7:16:00 PM more reviews by mariella99

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this BB cream from MAC. Last week, I got the Clarins BB cream and while I really like it, I do find it (the lightest shade they have) to be a bit dark for me. I wish I'd tried the MAC BB cream first. While the Clarins runs dark, MAC runs light and right now, they don't have any dark shades at all. I got a very generous sample in the shade "Light" and it is perfect. Coverage is excellent - light but still effective in covering up what needs a bit of "hiding" - and very natural looking but it makes my skin look so "enlivened". I just love the effect it gives. And this has a really pretty, pleasant scent as well. I think I may well purchase the full size of this to use now, and once summer hits and I'm a bit darker (even though I always wear sun protection), I'll use the Clarins BB to finish it up. But I think this MAC BB cream and the Tarte one (once it gets Canadian approval to make sun protection claims) are the best of all the ones I've tried and they will probably be my mainstay BB creams. If your skin is on the fairer side, do yourself a favour and at least give this a try.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

GiselaMiller on 3/18/2013 12:27:00 PM more reviews by GiselaMiller

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brown, Coarse   Eyes: Hazel    

The MAC sales lady gave me a sample of the ligh plus BB cream. I was hesitant at first since I tried other BB creams before. This stuff is AMAZING! It leaves my skin extremely soft, does not show my pores or redness around my nose, coverage is totally buildable. I apply with the Elf powder brush (see Wayne Goss video on how to apply foundation). If I want more coverage I add a second layer or simply apply my MAC Pro Longwear foundation over the areas that I need more coverage (with my Tarte airbrush foundation brush). I did not think I would like this b/c I was used to covering up my face with heavy foundation. I love this BB cream and highly recommend.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

jarrah on 2/28/2013 2:38:00 AM more reviews by jarrah

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Huh, and i thought that the Garnier one was good enough.
This is the best BB cream i have ever tried!!!
Went to MAC to try pro long-wear foundation, and as the SA was trying many shades on my face in every area, we finally found the right match (NC 25) so as i was removing my make-up, my skin looked red and dry. The SA decided to bring one of their new BB cream to try it on my face. It looked so good, so fresh, so dewy and so natural. so I had to buy it, right? Oh my lord, the amount of money we spend on Make-up
anyways, Pros:
- SPF 35 (very high)
- Perfect shade, at least for me (got this in Light Plus)
- works as a TM and a Primer
- did not breakout from this. Not too oily, not too dry

cons:
a lot of people couldn't find a right shade, but MAC will release more colors in the next few weeks.
Arigatō MAC

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

peachesndream on 2/14/2013 7:50:00 PM more reviews by peachesndream

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I cannot talk about this product highly enough! I just can't! I am over the moon about it. I bought it last weekend at a CCO and just went back today to buy out the stock but they were out :( I have oily skin but really oily in the nose and large pores. No major issues to cover up, just the pores and overall evening out of skin tone.

Foundation (even geared towards oily skin) initially looks good on me (with oil control primer) and then my mid day is not good on my nose area and can look thick or sliding off in other areas.

I have tried everything it feels like.

This product, oh my word! It lasts well into the night for me and looks the same as when I applied it in the morning. It is light but buildable and I usually put two layers on (on top of my primer and Clinique pore cream on my nose) and then a powder (plus other face cosmetics like blush).

This is the first time I actually don't dread looking in a compact at mid-day in horror at what has happened to my face. I honestly don't even need to powder. I have rec'd so many compliments recently, which is so encouraging. I love the SPF, the texture of the product, and the finish.

The one I bought didn't have a color listed on it. When I went on MAC's website right now, there are now a lot of colors. I asked the MAC artist on the chat feature and she said the original launch was in the color Light. It is a great match for me (NW20).

If you are looking for major coverage, this is not it. If you want a light product that you can build, does not add to shine, and you can put many other products on top of, I say give it a try!

7 out of 9 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

KarineMUA27 on 2/8/2013 8:31:00 PM more reviews by KarineMUA27

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Red, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Green    

The best product of all time for my skin. I said good bye to my 50$(cdn) STILA BEAUTY BALM. THANK U MAC. My skin is perfect...healthy, glowy and fresh all day long!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

dlgdcpa on 2/3/2013 10:54:00 PM more reviews by dlgdcpa

Age: 44-55   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight   Eyes: Green    

Could this be better? I don't think so. After trying SO many I gave up on this whole concept and thought it was a marketing myth. I've tried. Bobbi Brown, EL, TF and Dr. Jart. This is the only one that looks like what I wanted, a TM with a high SPF. It is SPF35, that is darn high. I am NC25 and went with the golden Light Plus, still a bit light on me, but gives decent coverage that will even out your skin but not cover acne, etc. It feels great and supposedly has a primer built in, if that is possible. I have dry skin and it has enough moisture for me, and as I want for this as few steps as possible that is great. My skin is dry so don't need powder, stays on long, dewy type finish, and high SPF. Late to the game but worth the wait. Was told med. skin tones were coming out soon as I see many comments below about no match for higher than NC25. There will be a good six colors at least, and I find it absolutely offenisve to offer one color, or even two, Dr jart offers ONE, and it's gray.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Mia538 on 2/3/2013 12:45:00 PM more reviews by Mia538

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

I'm an avid MAC fan and having read the great reviews on MUA, have been trying to get hold of this product in the UK for months. Finally, I managed to find it in stock at the online MAC store for £22 and eagerly awaited it's arrival! What a disappointment! I ordered the darkest shade available (Light Plus), however i still found it too pale and left an almost chalky finish, certainly not the dewy fresh faced look I'd hoped for! For reference, I'm about an NW22 (I normally mix NW20 and NW25) and would say this shade is more suited to paler complexions, maybe NW15-NW20. I have quite sensitive combination skin and I found this product accentuated dry patches which I've never found to be a problem with my normal mac foundation (studio fix fluid). I was after a lighter coverage for day wear but found this to be too sheer for me and will definitely be reverting back to my Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser in future! 

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

sgrplmfairy333 on 2/1/2013 1:21:00 PM more reviews by sgrplmfairy333

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

this is my first bb cream and it is everything i had hoped. it provides spf protection and has the perfect amount of coverage. even though my skin is generally spot free, i tend to be a little ruddy across my cheeks and nose. this provides enough coverage to even my skin out, and also acts as a great base for other makeup. i use this with tarte blissful cheek stain and my skin looks super healthy and fresh.

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p030jle on 2/1/2013 12:05:00 AM more reviews by p030jle

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

Really great product! Mac foundations tend to be too heavy on my skin.
I enjoy fresh, dewy, light coverage. I am an NC-20, and use Light BB cream. This is an exceptional product that provides the perfect amount of coverage.
Works well on all skin types and stays in place all day. Color selection could be better, I live in California and in my area most women would benefit highly from medium shades up. Get it together
Mac.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Winterwise on 1/29/2013 4:54:00 PM more reviews by Winterwise

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I am skeptical about this product's status as a BB cream, (since it doesn't have a huge assortment of magical, trendy, pseudo-scientific ingredients that make impossible claims like reversing the aging process) but I am a believer in this product as a medium coverage foundation with a better than average broad spectrum SPF. Packaging is okay- it is a squeeze tube with a tiny orifice for controlling your dose. The actual product is thick for a liquid foundation, and the coverage is opaque. If you want to use this as a sunscreen, you'll need to apply liberally, and I'd really recommend a brush for a natural finish. Otherwise, just use a moisturizer with SPF, and use this product to touch up the areas on your face that need brightening or smoothing out. This product also has good staying power, even after working up a bit of a sweat. My only complaint is the pitiful shade selection- no options for darker complexions, at all. Really? Get with it, MAC. It's nice that you promote the line using multicultural ad campaigns, but they're just lip service when you only offer three shades of Caucasian for your latest bandwagon products. Still, if you fit into the tiny range of shades, and are looking for a smooth-finishing, medium coverage foundation with good longevity and a proper SPF, I'd recommend this product.

6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* CJCJ on 1/28/2013 5:17:00 PM more reviews by CJCJ

Age: Unknown   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Extra-Light is too dark for NW10's.. it also turns a funky peach shade after a few minutes.

What the hell, MAC?!

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No