I’m a former Air Canada Flight Attendant. MAC did it all! From Drag Queens and performers to Flight Attendants! While working in the 80’s and 90’s, all I wore was MAC. The airline wanted makeup to look professional and healthy, and nothing theatrical. MAC fit the bill. It lasted for a full 12 hour, or more, day of flying, with only minimal touchups. I can remember sitting at the MAC counter in Toronto and learning the how’s and why’s of doing appropriate workplace makeup that would last, without looking heavy or made up. This was my first “high end” makeup experience…and as you know, a girl never forgets her first. 😉
I went to flight attendant school last year in Vancouver and we went to Mac on Robson street for a field trip about proper airline makeup etiquette and they gave us discounts.
MAC is also HUGE in the international market - specifically the Middle East and East Asia. I think we have a tendency here in the West to think the beauty world revolves around us but MAC has a solid consumer base outside of North America.
It’s also massive in Europe, especially the Nordics since we don’t get a whole lot of brands in-store. Probably the biggest brand over here where I live, it’s the only makeup brand to have their own store in our malls (in collaboration with a bigger department store but still).
Middle Eastern here 🙋♀️ ans I agree! Although I'm so late to the party 😅 I just bought my first M.A.C lipstick a couple of weeks ago 😢 it was from the exclusive Ramadan collection , it's called ( set in stone ) , it is described as ( WARM TAUPE BROWN ) oh yes I'm angry 😠 😢 because on me it turned out dusty beige 😞 and it was too much lighter than the picture! Anyway, the matte formula reminds me of e.l.f Velvet lipstick (in the black packaging) but a bit comfortable 😅 I also got the empty quads , I got 2 & they're not magnetized 😤 !!!??????? I have Colourpop singles that won't stick in the quad , I tried everything!! I even pulled out the slots & there was kinda of film on there & I couldn't figure it out too !! HELP because I want to make my own quads 😢😢😢 I'm frustrated that I just bought unusable plastic !!
Middle East here, honestly MAC is still my go-to for lipstick and blush. MAC lipstick plays really nice with my two tone lips, other brands require several coats and it's honestly a pain... Of course I still go to other brands for many other things, but I don't see any reason to stop using MAC when even its dupes don't approach the same quality of the reasons I use their products.
They're still definitely a staple among many older twenty somethings up to the above 50 crowd here in the Saudi Arabia. Their foundations, concealers and setting sprays are the industry standard to this day. Not a fan of their later eyeshadows though. Never liked their lip products since day one, there's something about MAC lipsticks that murders my lips in minutes, not a fan of lipgloss and I've found equal performing lip liners in cheaper euro brands like Kiko, Deborah and Karaja.
They’ve never really fallen. Their staples are still consistently good at doing what they’re supposed to do. New lip products are usually good too. I just wish they’d go cruelty-free again. Their skinfinish-line was amazing before we knew what a highlighter is, lol.
They will likely never go cruelty free because then they couldn’t sell products in china. I don’t know about other countries but in china all makeup products must be tested on animals. The consumers they would gain from going cruelty free just have no way of matching the purchasing power of china.
You need to blame the parent company for choosing to sell in China where animal testing is required for imports by Chinese Government selected labs. MAC wasn't doing the actual testing. Keep in mind cruelty free brands may be owned by non-cruelty free companies. Urban Decay is an example. They are owned by L'Oreal. So your Urban Decay purchase still profits a company that tests on animals.
I also wish they were actually cruelty-free again. I miss quite a few of their products and I liked the brand’s original mission but I refuse to purchase anything from them while they still allow their products to be tested on animals.
I struggle to believe many of the popular clean beauty brands like Kosas or Merit will be around in 10 yrs. The clean beauty movement was really a marketing campaign started by Sephora to create the next trend. Companies like MAC or Makeup Forever will continue to be around for decades simply because they specialize in products for makeup artists, not consumers. MAC never really followed treats, they just marched to their own drum and continue to do so.
It will also depend on what their international markets look like too, which continue to remain pretty weak. MAC has stayed afloat when sales dipped in the States because its stores internationally continued to do well.
I think MAC isn’t as prevalent as it once was, but hasn’t had a downfall like other brands in this series. I don’t hear MAC talked about a lot on social media, but I have quite a few MAC products in my collection and I have and will repurchase certain things. This is such an interesting series and I really enjoy it. I love that it’s in an informative way and not gossipy.
I think because it’s perceived as a “boring” no thrills brand that just works. Many people just use Mac without singing about it cause everyone knows it, it’s like singing about Coca-Cola
They don’t need to pay influencers or hype their products so I think it leads to the misconception. Outside of the US, where Asian markets are big and there is a trend to start wearing their natural skin colored foundation (because light was better), MAC is one of the few good options, with a variety of finishes and undertones with depth.
You did your homework! I started with MAC in the very early days and worked with Frank and Frank. There were really no MUA brands at that time. Bobbi Brown was the next artist to start a MU brand. Mac has amazing products and had a culture that was so new and different from the industry at the time, it was groundbreaking. It’s where make up artists aspired to work. EL let MAC be MAC for years, but eventually it became more corporate. Also, new artist brands popped up everywhere to compete. Most of the original people at MAC may no longer be there, and the culture may have changed, but their color products are still some of the best in the industry.
I find these “The Rise and Fall of…” so interesting on so many levels. It’s like a lesson in PR, the history of make-up, cultural anthropology, just to name a few. You research these companies so well and bring into the picture your own education and experience. I really appreciate these videos, and listen to them with the same interest as I do with a Lisa Eldridge make-up documentary. Many thanks!
I still see MAC in my everyday life, and on social media. It may just depend on one’s algorithm. I don’t believe MAC has ever truly had a downfall. They’ve always stayed consistent in my eyes, they did reach a peak a couple years back. I’ll always have room in my collection for MAC.
MAC is also still huge for makeup artists! They do an amazing pro discount that makes their products nearly drugstore price, and they still focus a lot on pro-friendly products, like lipstick and foundation palettes.
I'm from Canada and was buying MAC single eyeshadows when other brands were basically just making tinted chalk. I remember a MAC employee blowing my mind when she introduced me to eyeshadow primer so my eyeshadows didn't crease - I'd never seen any brand sell any product specifically for priming eyelids like that. MAC was really ahead of the times. I don't buy from them anymore, but they definitely changed my makeup game back in the day👌🏻
Great video! I'm in my 50's and have recently rediscovered Mac and don't know why I ever stopped. Their lipsticks are the best in terms of finish, feel and shade range. I feel like they are making a bit of a comeback.
I was in HS in the late 90s and MAC was the standard, all the girls wanted it. I remember my mom taking me to the MAC counter to get a few products for prom and I felt like I'd won the lottery. The beauty market is so saturated today but I always know I can turn back to MAC for good quality product. They were always LGBTQ inclusive and carried a wide foundation range before it was trendy. Their lipglass in Oh Baby is so nostalgic for me.
1. Your hair is freaking magical & complete goals 2. I wish Mac & Nars were cruelty free because I just love the clean (as in simple, sleek packaging) aesthetic and wanna try the well loved products
And what's extra upsetting is that both of them used to be cruelty-free! Hopefully one day. Completely agreed on the aesthetics and the products. I've never found a good replacement for the NARS pot concealer I loved years ago for covering blemishes :/
I used to work at MAC at the head office. It was actually all about their packaging especially for the collections. Same products but different packaging. And they sell it as if it is something new but it is the same thing.
I have to slightly disagree…I feel like they were more so never about trends. For a long time, their LE collections such as the yearly Viva Glam campaign had lavishly embellished and unique packaging. They had makeup collectors running to stores. Thing is, LE releases were rarely trend-based and instead revolved around the aesthetic of the collection or the person representing it. I do agree that standards for packaging (functionality and look) have changed a lot since then, & may [for some] no longer compare to the plethora of innovative packaging we have today. Regardless, one of their biggest selling points for the limited edition releases was the packaging.
I am pretty sure that MAC is doing pretty well. Every time I am in Ulta there are always regular consumers over MAC candela buying their holy grail products and actually buying new realeses (even the stupid release that's "refresh your lashes". MAC+ is a cult favorite product that stands the time. Their lip products are still one of the best. Thank you for your videos and opinions ❤❤❤
I was waiting for you to talk about the time when MAC was putting out collection after collection and people would go crazy over the limited edition products. I felt a decline around the time other brands started to copy that model.
MAC was the only brand from the 80s through the early 2000s that had colors that worked for me, a medium cool olive East Asian. It will forever be around if it sticks to roots.
I too read the Estée Lauder earnings report. I feel so seen 😅 Love these series!! This is how I first found Kelly’s channel. Would love your take on Max Factor - though I feel like it would be a doozy to make because of it’s rich and long history. Other ideas: Almay and Jane were 90’s brands that fell off the face of the earth. Does Neutrogena still make make up?? Hard candy still exists but is it popular?? In the 90’s they were as cool as Urban Decay. Aveda use to make makeup and I had a lot of it. They were really popular for a while because their compact was featured on the cover of an Everything But the Girl album (totally dating myself here 🤣). And this is not a serious makeup brand, but I’d love to hear about the rise and fall of Bonne Bell, which used to make makeup, peel off nail polish and fragrances for tweens/girls as well as lip smakers.
I'm working in Saudi Arabia for nearly 2 decades now. They started closing physical stores even before the pandemic hit my place. My small city used to have at least 4 shops now there's only one. Most of the physical stores are centered on the major cities now like Riyadh and Jeddah. For a brand that was once sure as hell present in any place with at least one big mall seeing them slowly disappear was surprising considering how big and popular they were. And those malls aren't dying malls
All the MAC stores I frequent in Eastern Province are still open, and I feel like a few more opened, but the median age here skews a little older than Riyadh and Jeddah so...
What a great video! No matter where MAC is now or goes in the future, they were born out of artistry and inclusion. That will always make them iconic. ❤
I’m a recent convert to Mac (they have a lot of good quality dependable products) and I will usually politely pipe up about the claims they’re falling off. Not because the brand needs me to fight for them but it’s just a narrow self-centric mindset. Sure the advertising is not as loud in the US (possibly UK) but they’re incredibly popular in other places. In these other places like the Middle East and Asia is where they’re shelling out the big bucks for large ad campaigns and collaborations. Because that’s where the brand is getting the greatest return on investment. Why focus on a market with the most competition when you’re really a global brand. Estée Lauder has shown us this for years have brand easily drop CF status in favor of entering China and increasing profits. Mac is still doing collections targeted at the “western” audience but also releasing custom collections for Lunar New Year and Eid. A lot of the Mac maker’s releases are not US or Uk based creator’s like we saw in the 2012-15 era. The creators chosen are from the wider world. All of this clearly represents the mindset of the brand.
I miss using MAC; I wish they were still cruelty free! Also, does anyone else immediately get TLC’s “Unpretty” stuck in their head on a loop whenever they see MAC anything? “You can buy all the makeup that MAC can make” 🎵🎶🎵🎶
MAC is the only brand I actively miss after going CF. Like at this point I have found dupes for (almost) all my favorite old MAC products. But kinda just miss the brand overall. The consistent quality, and the options between basics and fun products. And I miss that “cool” feeling I got when going into the MAC store. I k ow it’s complete corporate smoke and mirrors, but it totally worked on me!
Kelly you do such a great job with the research you put into this series. One thing that wasn't mentioned was that MAC was the first brand that had new collections coming out that would have people waiting in line before stores opened and would sell out immediately. They had the best ads in magazines in the 90's and none of the makeup artists at the counters were snobs. MAC was what all the other brands aspired to be.
What you said about NYX following in MAC’s footsteps when they launched - I can’t agree more!! I remember when NYX stores started to open here in Toronto, I’d go every day during my lunch break to get inspired by the staff (who always wore really bold, colourful makeup) and get their recommendations on products and help with techniques. It’s a shame that NYX has started to move away from the colourful, bright, slightly counterculture vibe they used to have, like MAC
I live in Toronto and was a MAC artist for 4 years back in 2010 and it definitely was the 'it' beauty brand. If I ever mentioned that I worked at MAC, women would just all of a sudden give me compliments and act like they wanted to be your new best friend - there was a lot of respect for the artists that worked there (we were called MAC Girls). However, the downfall which I would guess be noticed by artists and not the average consumer is the approach to MAC over the years and quality. When I began working there, it was mostly about artistry and the technique to sales was to teach to your customers on how to use their products... Eventually that shifted and a lot of pressure was put on us to make sales and to make enough, you couldn't spend a lot of time with a customer to complete a sale. It became more about profit and less about artistry. The other downgrade was quality and consistently discontinuing products. Sure, not a lot products last forever but some staples were eventually replaced or reformulated (Face and Body). The biggest quality issue for me was going to synthetic brushes. They look nor they perform like the original natural hair bristles. A classic 217 brush bought 10 years ago looks and performs very different than a 217 today. Lastly there has been some issues with employment and the pandemic. Some of my fellow employees who continued to work there eventually lost all their benefits that they were on contract to have. Estee lauder just took them away and started having 2 sales associates work the entire mac store. It has increased but, they again are focusing on profitability and it rubs the wrong way - it feels more greedy than just making a profit. Anyways, super glad you mentioned from Canada. Not a lot of people know that. But it's the truth and there's proof too - just look at the label at the bottom of your mac product, it will say Toronto on it. 😉
amazing Mac products worth the money: glow play blushes, lip liners, fix+, extended play mascara, mineralize skinfinish natural, paint pots, face and body foundation, mineralize blushes, and probably lots of other products i haven't tried. still use my 8 year old 217 brush every day.
Wow that is a very long time. I just purchased two MAC brushes at my local Nordstrom today a skunk looking brush and also a rounded foundation brush. Hopefully they last a long time. Im sure they will. I really like MAC lipsticks too so I bought a few of the liquid lipsticks as well.
I hope so too!! I would still buy so much from them. I still love their products a ton. But I just can’t justify it when there’s sooo many options offering amazing CF products.
@jlm3619 Same! Their Viva Glam Lip Glasses, blushes, paint pots, and pot concealer were all staples for me and I'd buy them again FOR SURE if they become cruelty-free again. But of course just can't justify it! Love that we have so many amazing CF options these days.
I doubt it- the reason many brands aren't cruelty-free is because they sell in China, and unfortunately China requires animal testing. So, in order to be labeled cruelty-free they need to stop selling their products there, which is such a huge lucrative marked.
@QManagerin I know. In recent years, China has ended certain testing requirements and allowed companies to apply to bypass others, and I hope this will continue!
Mac is still pretty much the holy grail high end brand in South Asian countries. Growing up, other than Loreal, Mac was pretty much in every other makeup stores. Back then, inclusive foundation shades were not much available. It still is a big part in makeup stores today. China is a huge marketplace, so maybe for this reason Mac is no longer cruelty free.
Just to reiterate what I've seen other people say too -- MAC is huge outside of the US. I went to Japan and Taiwan last year and MAC (+ many Estee Lauder brands) were EVERYWHERE. Kat and Hailey of Beauty News did a really interesting episode a while back about cruelty-free beauty and how it would be more reasonable for Chinese animal testing laws to change rather than MAC go cruelty free because if they do suddenly go cruelty free and pull out of China and it would basically bankrupt them because their Asian market is so big. I appreciated the nuanced discussion they had.
I think MAC is still popular in the US, it's just not hyped on social media. They seem to send out less PR, so that probably affects it. But all my friends use MAC for staple products. And the MAC counter is always busy. And people were definitely excited when Ulta started selling MAC.
Former MAC artist here. Excellent video and you covered all of the main points. I was around during the rise of social media and the company refused to get on board with it. They were so strict about things being tagged to their brand. That is what made MAC lose it’s “cool and trendy” factor. However, This is a case of social media vs. real life. Artists, people in television, people that work at reception desks, etc. still buy and wear MAC. It’s not about trends for them; the products are consistent and they work. That’s why MAC is still around and doing well, despite TikTok/IG/RUclips not talking about the brand as much.
i remember both Mac & Bobbi Brown being absolutely huge in the 90s. Bobbi Brown had actual tv ads & Mac products were often cited in any beauty/fashion spread in a magazine ( People, US, Glamour, Allure, Vogue, etc) My budget never allowed for Dept Store makeup brands in the 90s so I never used either brand. I was still using drugstore makeup well into the 2000s.
M.A.C. will never have a downfall, they will just go underground again. It's a very savvy brand, and they are a staple in beauty / make-up schools in North America, especially. Their starting kits are inexpensive for students, and larger schools can make volume deals to help lower cost, as well. Most MUAs I know never strayed away from the brand because they got used to using it, the set looked coordinated and professional (this makes a bigger difference than you think), and it was ubiquitous, so if you traveled and needed to replace part of your kit there was no struggle to do so. I feel like this is partly why early beauty "gurus" focused on this brand so much. I am not a fan of their foundations, but their paint pots are outstanding, and for that alone I will always buy from that brand.
I love Mac’s lipsticks and blushes. Great quality and beautiful products ❤❤❤ I think Mac just have loyal customers. Like I don’t need advertisements from them to go buy one of their lipsticks because I know I love their formula❤
I absolutely agree. I love Mac lipsticks and blushes! It is fun to try other stuff and I have a lot of other lipsticks which I like, but Mac is staple for me.
Surely they'll rise again. ❤ Random story: while working in telemarketing back in the 90s one of my supervisors pulled out a MAC lipstick and I casually remarked "MAC Twig!" The discombobulated expression on her face almost embarrassed me. I guess even these days guys can't usually identify lipstick colors at a glance, but back then I was like tantamount to a unicorn. 8:15 I KNOW! Russian Red! But many of the cool girls preferred Ruby Woo. 15:?? They must have meant "Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation" because the liquid is like...Ava Max. She the new girl and has to prove herself before being able to attend the ball.
I am from Latin America ( I now live in the states) but mac is SO big in latin america because we don’t have sephoras there!! I bought all my first makeup at mac because that was THE place to buy makeup and for a lot of people it still is!! My cousin recently needed a new concealer and she wasnt traveling soon so she told me it was either mac or drugstore!
Back 2 Mac still exists. They just don't give you a free product for doing it. I remember when Makeup Geek disrupted Mac by selling her (dupe) shadows for $6, so then Mac dropped their pan price to match! I bought so many of both brands. Even better when Mac had sales and I got them for $4 each! Now they're back up to $10 (I think), so wait for sales.
I still remember the first MAC products I purchased at 19, and years later memorizing almost every eyeshadow and lipstick shade they had. They're still a brand I love and sometimes will go back to them like hmmm I wonder what MAC is up to today and to be honest I'm rarely disappointed by their products. They are consistent and I appreciate that.
MAC is still huge and arguably bigger than the current trendy brands. It is huge oversees and in general in the older age demo. Plus there products are still staples in people’s makeup bag of all ages. Just because it is not the biggest brand on TikTok and RUclips does not mean it has fallen. Remember a lot of makeup users do not engage with the online beauty space.
I'm here for this! Mac was my first intro into eyeshadow in high-school and early 20s. Before I got my first palette from a different brand in 2018, and also started to be more conscious of buying cruelty free makeup. 😊
I don't know if they have been down, the truth is every make-up drawer i've seen here on YT they have at least some highlighters,blushes, lipsticks, the Fix+ Spray and their Foundations 😅😅😅😅. Every time i watch declutter series there is always someone who asks the YT what shade has in MAC foundations, so this is something. I never knew they were cruelty free 😮. So they have staples products that people buy over and over again! I am 33 years old and to be honest i buy mostly products that i know work and never let me down, i am not keen on paying 50€ for every new released foundation on the market !
I still have two MAC products in my collection that I love: the face and body foundation and the devoted to chili powder kiss lipstick. I haven’t found cruelty free replacements for either of these.
My first ever high end purchase was MAC technakohl liner in graph black and that was all based on beauty youtube from 2009 - 2011. I'm canadian and MAC was always super easy to find because its sold at all Bays. I still to this day purchase their studio fix powder, mineralize skin finish and studio fix concealer. The concealer isn't my favourite for undereyes but it works as a spot concealer and sometimes as a thin foundation. I've always loved them. When I was a kid MAC had the coolest editorial pics. And I couldn't wait to find out what the collabs packaging would look like. I think colourpop has taken over the collabs space now. But I think if MAC started to focus back on their artistry in their ads, it would speak for itself. Either way they're still an icon and I can always rely on the quality I'm buying from them. They might not have the most aesthetic packaging or be the "in" thing but I always know what I'm buying. (side note: it was like a huge deal when MAC started to be sold in Sephora here. Cause all of a sudden you could earn points towards VIB and that was so nice! But nowadays I don't actually care cause I shop less at Sephora, and am more likely to order from MAC directly because the discounts are better.)
as a teenager of the 90s, i coveted my one MAC eyeshadow! Crystal ✨ such a step away from what i loved about the brand, with them no longer cruelty free or recycling w/ Back to MAC. no longer a customer :(
I’m in Australia and it still seems quite popular here. I used to be so into it and bought so much, then tried other brands for years but now that I’m in my forties I have started going back to all the staple MAC products that I know are good quality and work like the foundation and lipsticks. I just think the brand is not talked about as much now but still many people buy from it 😊
I have an incredible sense of loyalty to MAC. Even though I am aware that the founders are no longer involved, I still can't help but support the brand. I am turning 50 and remember when MAC was small but the talk of the town. They were so welcoming, classy yet camp, and always spreading awareness of what was happening in their communities. Many of us remember what the 80's and 90's were for people suffering from HIV/AIDS. Most of us lost people we loved or had people diagnosed (what at the time seemed a death sentence). MAC was part of the evolvement from fear and cruelty, to empathy, compassion and treatment. I have tremendous respect for the few that made their voices loud at the time. There were many unknown heroes during that time who worked tirelessly yet not many with a recognizable name. That is why we remember Princess Diana's simple hug and visits because it was such a tiny gesture that changed many viewpoints. Also,on a lighter note, their products tend to be staples. Studio Fix, Fix +, Some of their shadows and blushes and of course their lipsticks. xx
I remember MAC up the street from me in West Hollywood when I lived in LA. I worked for a talent agency that included dancers and I remember Madonna’s tour and our represented dancers. I remember also how MAC was the IT company at the time in the 90’s! I used to collect alll the lipstick colors and eyeshadows. I have to say their eyeshadows don’t have much pigment which once the palettes came out with super pigments and that’s when I feel MAC fell off! I still love there lipstick great color choices and a lot the collections sell out. Thanks Kelly!!! 😊
i never got to buy mac because well i was a kid and poor, but now that i can buy mac wow. everything really is that good. everyone knows what a mac creme cup looks like. everyone knows what painterly looks like. it’s so easy to reference anything mac. i really do love it.
When Estes Lauder bought MAC that squashed a lot of the originality. Do you remember how long you had to wait for help at a MAC counter in the early 90’s?! I still love MAC. I appreciate the work they do for AIDS and that they thought of everybody when they started the brand. I only have one MOB Beauty product but, I plan on buying more.
I agree!! As a GenXer, I find it so amusing that with the surge in popularity of "blurring" soft matte lipsticks, all the young'ens are acting like it's the most new and innovative formula. 🤭 MAC and K-beauty brands have been doing it for decades! ❤️❤️❤️
I stopped purchasing from M.A.C. when they stopped being cruelty-free but they have some undeniably great staple products that people keep coming back to. I think you’re right, Kelly, there is a disconnect in the beauty community in terms of what’s “trending” and what everyday people are actually buying. Most people just repurchase their holy grail products once they find them especially when it comes to foundation. M.A.C. has been consistent and has some really solid products. I do miss a lot of their products but I can’t in good conscience buy anything from them while they still test their products on animals. I hope they go cruelty-free again in the future.
You have the best investigative reporting in your videos!! Thank you for what I can only imagine was hours upon hours of hard work and pages of notes to bring us the best info! ❤
So behind on RUclips videos so I have my watch later playlist playing on my phone while doing stuff on my day off. About to feed one of my twins (my girl is awake, my boy is taking a nap) and the last video finished and I looked at my daughter and said, “who’s next? Oh, Kelly Gooch! We love Kelly Gooch! She’s from Michigan.” Maura smiled (they are one year old!). :) Love you, Kelly!
I remember when Mac first released bronzers. This was in 1999ish I believe. It was a huge deal because bronzers really weren’t a big thing before that. Even fix plus was around before other brands released any sort of setting or hydrating sprays. The mall in my city has a Mac store, a makeup counter in the department store and product in the Sephora. 3 locations in one space so I think it will be just fine.
Vavavoom! That hair and blouse- absolutely STUNNING!! The MAC Viva Glam lipstick they did with Niki Minage was absolutely gorgeous! I ended up getting 3 of them because I knew it was limited edition and I also got so many compliments whenever I wore it. I also gifted it to friends. Man was it pretty:) As a lover of makeup and history of makeup I’m absolutely loving this series. It’s so fascinating. Can’t wait for the next one 😊 Xo 🇨🇦
To the best of my knowledge, MAC was the first makeup line to offer single-color eyeshadows. Before, other lines only had palettes with three or four colors together and you were stuck buying the whole thing even if you only liked one color. Another Canadian company, Annabelle, was also very early to offer single-color shadows.
I still use and love Mac products everyday. All the new, trendy releases are fun, but when it comes down to what I’m willing to splurge on or not… I’ll always have more trust in Mac. I feel the same way about Revlon at the drugstore despite some complaining the brand isn’t innovative enough. I like that their products seem to have more thought behind them and stick around for longer.
I remember coming into the beauty youtube world when MAC was big and watching shaaanxo with all her Mac lipsticks! Back then I was not really in a place to afford them but I've tried some things from them that I've liked a lot since including the MAC studio radiance face and body foundation which I'm wearing today. The MAC store is still alive and seemingly well in my mall.
I loveee your hair 😍. And I will always love mac , yes it's not "clean " but I like how their makeup is both open to makeup artist & a regular consumer. My first makeup item was a Super pink blush from them that my aunt got me .
Loved this video and every other deep dive you have done. Thanks for always doing all the research for us and educating us. I think it is really interesting that MAC continues to grow even though their internet presence is not great. It makes me realize that there is potential for business outside of social media marketing but also, they have become such a household name, that they do not NEED social media to hit their numbers. I do not think any brand could do what MAC is doing now in terms of business and social media marketing. Most business rely on social media to grow. I think I have owned like one MAC product my whole life. I am pretty cheap and usually only wear drugstore makeup but I always loved watching MAC videos during the early days of beauty RUclips!
I am getting more into Mac. I hadn’t used much of the brand earlier but now I’m loving it more and more. The foundations,the shadows,blush,powders,all so very good.
Fantastic coverage of the MAC story! I really went to MAC for their complexion and lip products. Such a phenomenal shade range. Love their extended play gigablack mascara.
I recently found my love again for MAC! I used it when I was growing up in the 90s and would save up money to purchase from them and the first thing I tried was the Mac paint points and used it everyday haha I recently got their concealer, brozner, blushes, highlighter, foundation and lipsticks and fell back in love !!! And now back to being obsessed w them and cannot get enough!! I love their glow play blushes !!
I would love to see a deep dive on Smashbox! They recently pulled out of the UK market, so I wonder what their future holds!! Amazing video as always! 🥰❤❤
I agree about it still being popular with the everyday consumer. I stopped using Studio Fix years ago and my two best friends are just now, in the last year or so, branching out and trying new foundations. They've both still been using Studio Fix for a decade at this point.
Ugh i wish MAC would go back to cruelty free. And release another classy Hello Kitty collab like they did in the late 2000s (i was a broke middle schooler when it released but im still obsessed.)
I have actually come back to MAC recently, when I figured that everything I went looking for, new and exciting, they already have, and better, and for longer time. Like brow stylos, and baked powders, and cream blushes... Back to MAC
I was a MAC addict back in the day! Couldn't wait for new collections! Find memories of the Hello Kitty and Dame Edna collections, just to name two. I was disappointed when they were no longer cruelty free. Haven't purchased anything since. And, I don't see MAC in my you tube feed either.
I remember getting color matched in 2009. I was 20/21 at the time. They told me I was an NW20. I based every foundation I ever bought off of that shade and always wondered why I never looked right on the neck. I went to another MAC store when I was around 27 and asked for a foundation in NW20 and the girl said “really? You’re an NC20”. It explained a lot. 🙃
MAC was the first makeup brand for me, i used to see their products in magazines and to go to the store looking for them. I have many eyeshadows from them and the lipsticks are a staple for me because of the bold tones. I'm 43 and the last time i did back to MAC the personal at the store had no idea of the products i had, they thought they were fake! Or sometimes they say "we do not make 15 pan eyeshadow palettes" and i think to myself "you don`t anymore, but there was a warm neutral palette years ago". I think i will always see what MAC has to offer. I liked a lot this video. :)
I used to love Mac so much and I still love their lipsticks and lipglosses. My problem started when I realized they're not cruelty free and they kind of trying to hide it. Also your hair looks amazingg
I’m a former Air Canada Flight Attendant.
MAC did it all! From Drag Queens and performers to Flight Attendants! While working in the 80’s and 90’s, all I wore was MAC. The airline wanted makeup to look professional and healthy, and nothing theatrical. MAC fit the bill. It lasted for a full 12 hour, or more, day of flying, with only minimal touchups.
I can remember sitting at the MAC counter in Toronto and learning the how’s and why’s of doing appropriate workplace makeup that would last, without looking heavy or made up.
This was my first “high end” makeup experience…and as you know, a girl never forgets her first. 😉
Sooooo true. I agree
I worked with someone who was a flight attendant in the 70s and she said the same about MAC makeup!
MAC has been my favorite brand since the early 90s and continues to be my favorite
I went to flight attendant school last year in Vancouver and we went to Mac on Robson street for a field trip about proper airline makeup etiquette and they gave us discounts.
MAC is also HUGE in the international market - specifically the Middle East and East Asia. I think we have a tendency here in the West to think the beauty world revolves around us but MAC has a solid consumer base outside of North America.
It’s also massive in Europe, especially the Nordics since we don’t get a whole lot of brands in-store. Probably the biggest brand over here where I live, it’s the only makeup brand to have their own store in our malls (in collaboration with a bigger department store but still).
Middle Eastern here 🙋♀️ ans I agree!
Although I'm so late to the party 😅 I just bought my first M.A.C lipstick a couple of weeks ago 😢 it was from the exclusive Ramadan collection , it's called ( set in stone ) , it is described as ( WARM TAUPE BROWN ) oh yes I'm angry 😠 😢 because on me it turned out dusty beige 😞 and it was too much lighter than the picture! Anyway, the matte formula reminds me of e.l.f Velvet lipstick (in the black packaging) but a bit comfortable 😅
I also got the empty quads , I got 2 & they're not magnetized 😤 !!!??????? I have Colourpop singles that won't stick in the quad , I tried everything!! I even pulled out the slots & there was kinda of film on there & I couldn't figure it out too !! HELP because I want to make my own quads 😢😢😢 I'm frustrated that I just bought unusable plastic !!
Taiwan here! 👋🏻 Mac is very relevant here tbh, their base products and brushes are loved here❤ Hope they go cruelty free though
Middle East here, honestly MAC is still my go-to for lipstick and blush. MAC lipstick plays really nice with my two tone lips, other brands require several coats and it's honestly a pain...
Of course I still go to other brands for many other things, but I don't see any reason to stop using MAC when even its dupes don't approach the same quality of the reasons I use their products.
They're still definitely a staple among many older twenty somethings up to the above 50 crowd here in the Saudi Arabia. Their foundations, concealers and setting sprays are the industry standard to this day. Not a fan of their later eyeshadows though. Never liked their lip products since day one, there's something about MAC lipsticks that murders my lips in minutes, not a fan of lipgloss and I've found equal performing lip liners in cheaper euro brands like Kiko, Deborah and Karaja.
They’ve never really fallen. Their staples are still consistently good at doing what they’re supposed to do. New lip products are usually good too.
I just wish they’d go cruelty-free again. Their skinfinish-line was amazing before we knew what a highlighter is, lol.
MAC is still the best-selling makeup brand worldwide!
They will likely never go cruelty free because then they couldn’t sell products in china. I don’t know about other countries but in china all makeup products must be tested on animals. The consumers they would gain from going cruelty free just have no way of matching the purchasing power of china.
You need to blame the parent company for choosing to sell in China where animal testing is required for imports by Chinese Government selected labs. MAC wasn't doing the actual testing.
Keep in mind cruelty free brands may be owned by non-cruelty free companies. Urban Decay is an example. They are owned by L'Oreal. So your Urban Decay purchase still profits a company that tests on animals.
I also wish they were actually cruelty-free again. I miss quite a few of their products and I liked the brand’s original mission but I refuse to purchase anything from them while they still allow their products to be tested on animals.
I struggle to believe many of the popular clean beauty brands like Kosas or Merit will be around in 10 yrs. The clean beauty movement was really a marketing campaign started by Sephora to create the next trend. Companies like MAC or Makeup Forever will continue to be around for decades simply because they specialize in products for makeup artists, not consumers. MAC never really followed treats, they just marched to their own drum and continue to do so.
they're gonna have to start putting preservatives in their products if they want to survive this decade!
It will also depend on what their international markets look like too, which continue to remain pretty weak. MAC has stayed afloat when sales dipped in the States because its stores internationally continued to do well.
10 years? Kinda an overestimate given that their products expire after 10 days
totally agree. those kinds of brands are gimmicky and trendy. brands that aren’t as exciting but that serve staples will be around for ages.
No I love merit lol. I defffffinetely prefer merit over mac and will continue to not buy Mac lol
I feel like Mac just shifted from being trendy to being mostly staple products for people!
Yes and tbh the latter is preferable
I think MAC isn’t as prevalent as it once was, but hasn’t had a downfall like other brands in this series. I don’t hear MAC talked about a lot on social media, but I have quite a few MAC products in my collection and I have and will repurchase certain things. This is such an interesting series and I really enjoy it. I love that it’s in an informative way and not gossipy.
I think because it’s perceived as a “boring” no thrills brand that just works. Many people just use Mac without singing about it cause everyone knows it, it’s like singing about Coca-Cola
Yes! Certain Ulta stores have a dedicated MAC section. I think they are similar to legacy brands like Laura Mercier because MAC has a loyal clientele.
They don’t need to pay influencers or hype their products so I think it leads to the misconception. Outside of the US, where Asian markets are big and there is a trend to start wearing their natural skin colored foundation (because light was better), MAC is one of the few good options, with a variety of finishes and undertones with depth.
You did your homework! I started with MAC in the very early days and worked with Frank and Frank. There were really no MUA brands at that time. Bobbi Brown was the next artist to start a MU brand. Mac has amazing products and had a culture that was so new and different from the industry at the time, it was groundbreaking. It’s where make up artists aspired to work. EL let MAC be MAC for years, but eventually it became more corporate. Also, new artist brands popped up everywhere to compete. Most of the original people at MAC may no longer be there, and the culture may have changed, but their color products are still some of the best in the industry.
I find these “The Rise and Fall of…” so interesting on so many levels. It’s like a lesson in PR, the history of make-up, cultural anthropology, just to name a few. You research these companies so well and bring into the picture your own education and experience. I really appreciate these videos, and listen to them with the same interest as I do with a Lisa Eldridge make-up documentary. Many thanks!
I still see MAC in my everyday life, and on social media. It may just depend on one’s algorithm. I don’t believe MAC has ever truly had a downfall. They’ve always stayed consistent in my eyes, they did reach a peak a couple years back. I’ll always have room in my collection for MAC.
MAC is also still huge for makeup artists! They do an amazing pro discount that makes their products nearly drugstore price, and they still focus a lot on pro-friendly products, like lipstick and foundation palettes.
I'm from Canada and was buying MAC single eyeshadows when other brands were basically just making tinted chalk. I remember a MAC employee blowing my mind when she introduced me to eyeshadow primer so my eyeshadows didn't crease - I'd never seen any brand sell any product specifically for priming eyelids like that. MAC was really ahead of the times. I don't buy from them anymore, but they definitely changed my makeup game back in the day👌🏻
Great video! I'm in my 50's and have recently rediscovered Mac and don't know why I ever stopped. Their lipsticks are the best in terms of finish, feel and shade range. I feel like they are making a bit of a comeback.
I’m 49 and same…just rebought the spice lip liner and mocha lipstick from the 90s me.
I was in HS in the late 90s and MAC was the standard, all the girls wanted it. I remember my mom taking me to the MAC counter to get a few products for prom and I felt like I'd won the lottery. The beauty market is so saturated today but I always know I can turn back to MAC for good quality product. They were always LGBTQ inclusive and carried a wide foundation range before it was trendy. Their lipglass in Oh Baby is so nostalgic for me.
1. Your hair is freaking magical & complete goals
2. I wish Mac & Nars were cruelty free because I just love the clean (as in simple, sleek packaging) aesthetic and wanna try the well loved products
Yes!! These 2 brands are so amazing but don’t buy bc of their CF status 😢
And what's extra upsetting is that both of them used to be cruelty-free! Hopefully one day.
Completely agreed on the aesthetics and the products. I've never found a good replacement for the NARS pot concealer I loved years ago for covering blemishes :/
Ikkkkkk please go CF!!!! Radiant creamy concealer is my fave but I’m going CF and don’t know what I’m gonna do😭
It seems like social media marketing cares more about the packaging and MAC has never been about the packaging.
Maybe that’s why I’ve never liked the blush packaging 😅😂
I actually was all about the packaging...I liked the sleek black look
I used to work at MAC at the head office. It was actually all about their packaging especially for the collections. Same products but different packaging. And they sell it as if it is something new but it is the same thing.
I have to slightly disagree…I feel like they were more so never about trends. For a long time, their LE collections such as the yearly Viva Glam campaign had lavishly embellished and unique packaging. They had makeup collectors running to stores. Thing is, LE releases were rarely trend-based and instead revolved around the aesthetic of the collection or the person representing it. I do agree that standards for packaging (functionality and look) have changed a lot since then, & may [for some] no longer compare to the plethora of innovative packaging we have today. Regardless, one of their biggest selling points for the limited edition releases was the packaging.
I am pretty sure that MAC is doing pretty well. Every time I am in Ulta there are always regular consumers over MAC candela buying their holy grail products and actually buying new realeses (even the stupid release that's "refresh your lashes". MAC+ is a cult favorite product that stands the time. Their lip products are still one of the best. Thank you for your videos and opinions ❤❤❤
they are doing well, and she mentions this in the video
I was waiting for you to talk about the time when MAC was putting out collection after collection and people would go crazy over the limited edition products. I felt a decline around the time other brands started to copy that model.
MAC was the only brand from the 80s through the early 2000s that had colors that worked for me, a medium cool olive East Asian. It will forever be around if it sticks to roots.
Same!
I too read the Estée Lauder earnings report. I feel so seen 😅
Love these series!! This is how I first found Kelly’s channel. Would love your take on Max Factor - though I feel like it would be a doozy to make because of it’s rich and long history.
Other ideas: Almay and Jane were 90’s brands that fell off the face of the earth. Does Neutrogena still make make up??
Hard candy still exists but is it popular?? In the 90’s they were as cool as Urban Decay.
Aveda use to make makeup and I had a lot of it. They were really popular for a while because their compact was featured on the cover of an Everything But the Girl album (totally dating myself here 🤣).
And this is not a serious makeup brand, but I’d love to hear about the rise and fall of Bonne Bell, which used to make makeup, peel off nail polish and fragrances for tweens/girls as well as lip smakers.
I'm working in Saudi Arabia for nearly 2 decades now. They started closing physical stores even before the pandemic hit my place. My small city used to have at least 4 shops now there's only one. Most of the physical stores are centered on the major cities now like Riyadh and Jeddah. For a brand that was once sure as hell present in any place with at least one big mall seeing them slowly disappear was surprising considering how big and popular they were. And those malls aren't dying malls
All the MAC stores I frequent in Eastern Province are still open, and I feel like a few more opened, but the median age here skews a little older than Riyadh and Jeddah so...
@@hind__ The DMA is a big ticket area. The biggest mall in Saudi Arabia is around there right?
What a great video! No matter where MAC is now or goes in the future, they were born out of artistry and inclusion. That will always make them iconic. ❤
I’m a recent convert to Mac (they have a lot of good quality dependable products) and I will usually politely pipe up about the claims they’re falling off. Not because the brand needs me to fight for them but it’s just a narrow self-centric mindset. Sure the advertising is not as loud in the US (possibly UK) but they’re incredibly popular in other places. In these other places like the Middle East and Asia is where they’re shelling out the big bucks for large ad campaigns and collaborations. Because that’s where the brand is getting the greatest return on investment. Why focus on a market with the most competition when you’re really a global brand. Estée Lauder has shown us this for years have brand easily drop CF status in favor of entering China and increasing profits. Mac is still doing collections targeted at the “western” audience but also releasing custom collections for Lunar New Year and Eid. A lot of the Mac maker’s releases are not US or Uk based creator’s like we saw in the 2012-15 era. The creators chosen are from the wider world. All of this clearly represents the mindset of the brand.
I miss using MAC; I wish they were still cruelty free!
Also, does anyone else immediately get TLC’s “Unpretty” stuck in their head on a loop whenever they see MAC anything? “You can buy all the makeup that MAC can make” 🎵🎶🎵🎶
OMG HOW IS THAT SONG 24 YEARS OLD?!! God I’m old
That song was looping in my head during this entire video!! 😆 How funny! ❤❤❤
MAC is the only brand I actively miss after going CF. Like at this point I have found dupes for (almost) all my favorite old MAC products. But kinda just miss the brand overall. The consistent quality, and the options between basics and fun products.
And I miss that “cool” feeling I got when going into the MAC store. I k ow it’s complete corporate smoke and mirrors, but it totally worked on me!
Wait THAT is the lyric?! Hahahah have officially always sang that line wrong until now 🙊
@@eddyaaaaaaa me too! I thought it was “that man can make” not mac 😆
Kelly you do such a great job with the research you put into this series. One thing that wasn't mentioned was that MAC was the first brand that had new collections coming out that would have people waiting in line before stores opened and would sell out immediately. They had the best ads in magazines in the 90's and none of the makeup artists at the counters were snobs. MAC was what all the other brands aspired to be.
What you said about NYX following in MAC’s footsteps when they launched - I can’t agree more!!
I remember when NYX stores started to open here in Toronto, I’d go every day during my lunch break to get inspired by the staff (who always wore really bold, colourful makeup) and get their recommendations on products and help with techniques. It’s a shame that NYX has started to move away from the colourful, bright, slightly counterculture vibe they used to have, like MAC
I live in Toronto and was a MAC artist for 4 years back in 2010 and it definitely was the 'it' beauty brand. If I ever mentioned that I worked at MAC, women would just all of a sudden give me compliments and act like they wanted to be your new best friend - there was a lot of respect for the artists that worked there (we were called MAC Girls). However, the downfall which I would guess be noticed by artists and not the average consumer is the approach to MAC over the years and quality. When I began working there, it was mostly about artistry and the technique to sales was to teach to your customers on how to use their products... Eventually that shifted and a lot of pressure was put on us to make sales and to make enough, you couldn't spend a lot of time with a customer to complete a sale. It became more about profit and less about artistry. The other downgrade was quality and consistently discontinuing products. Sure, not a lot products last forever but some staples were eventually replaced or reformulated (Face and Body). The biggest quality issue for me was going to synthetic brushes. They look nor they perform like the original natural hair bristles. A classic 217 brush bought 10 years ago looks and performs very different than a 217 today.
Lastly there has been some issues with employment and the pandemic. Some of my fellow employees who continued to work there eventually lost all their benefits that they were on contract to have. Estee lauder just took them away and started having 2 sales associates work the entire mac store. It has increased but, they again are focusing on profitability and it rubs the wrong way - it feels more greedy than just making a profit.
Anyways, super glad you mentioned from Canada. Not a lot of people know that. But it's the truth and there's proof too - just look at the label at the bottom of your mac product, it will say Toronto on it. 😉
I still have my original 217 brush before they started only making synthetic.
I have a 217 & a 266 from the mid 90s! And shhhhh … I have 2 shadows from those years too
mac beacame SMAC
amazing Mac products worth the money: glow play blushes, lip liners, fix+, extended play mascara, mineralize skinfinish natural, paint pots, face and body foundation, mineralize blushes, and probably lots of other products i haven't tried. still use my 8 year old 217 brush every day.
Wow that is a very long time. I just purchased two MAC brushes at my local Nordstrom today a skunk looking brush and also a rounded foundation brush. Hopefully they last a long time. Im sure they will. I really like MAC lipsticks too so I bought a few of the liquid lipsticks as well.
The downfall of MAC happened for me when Makeup Geek sold $5 or $6 singles, were better quality for sensitive skin.
Right? Then they eventually dropped theirs to like $7 but have since went back up to $10.
RIP Makeup Geek 😭
I remember when MAC was cruelty-free! I loved several of their products. Maybe one day they will be again.
Hopefully!
I hope so too!! I would still buy so much from them. I still love their products a ton. But I just can’t justify it when there’s sooo many options offering amazing CF products.
@jlm3619 Same! Their Viva Glam Lip Glasses, blushes, paint pots, and pot concealer were all staples for me and I'd buy them again FOR SURE if they become cruelty-free again. But of course just can't justify it! Love that we have so many amazing CF options these days.
I doubt it- the reason many brands aren't cruelty-free is because they sell in China, and unfortunately China requires animal testing. So, in order to be labeled cruelty-free they need to stop selling their products there, which is such a huge lucrative marked.
@QManagerin I know. In recent years, China has ended certain testing requirements and allowed companies to apply to bypass others, and I hope this will continue!
Mac is still pretty much the holy grail high end brand in South Asian countries. Growing up, other than Loreal, Mac was pretty much in every other makeup stores.
Back then, inclusive foundation shades were not much available. It still is a big part in makeup stores today.
China is a huge marketplace, so maybe for this reason Mac is no longer cruelty free.
Just to reiterate what I've seen other people say too -- MAC is huge outside of the US. I went to Japan and Taiwan last year and MAC (+ many Estee Lauder brands) were EVERYWHERE. Kat and Hailey of Beauty News did a really interesting episode a while back about cruelty-free beauty and how it would be more reasonable for Chinese animal testing laws to change rather than MAC go cruelty free because if they do suddenly go cruelty free and pull out of China and it would basically bankrupt them because their Asian market is so big. I appreciated the nuanced discussion they had.
I think MAC is still popular in the US, it's just not hyped on social media. They seem to send out less PR, so that probably affects it.
But all my friends use MAC for staple products. And the MAC counter is always busy. And people were definitely excited when Ulta started selling MAC.
Former MAC artist here. Excellent video and you covered all of the main points. I was around during the rise of social media and the company refused to get on board with it. They were so strict about things being tagged to their brand. That is what made MAC lose it’s “cool and trendy” factor. However, This is a case of social media vs. real life. Artists, people in television, people that work at reception desks, etc. still buy and wear MAC. It’s not about trends for them; the products are consistent and they work. That’s why MAC is still around and doing well, despite TikTok/IG/RUclips not talking about the brand as much.
i remember both Mac & Bobbi Brown being absolutely huge in the 90s. Bobbi Brown had actual tv ads & Mac products were often cited in any beauty/fashion spread in a magazine ( People, US, Glamour, Allure, Vogue, etc) My budget never allowed for Dept Store makeup brands in the 90s so I never used either brand. I was still using drugstore makeup well into the 2000s.
M.A.C. will never have a downfall, they will just go underground again. It's a very savvy brand, and they are a staple in beauty / make-up schools in North America, especially. Their starting kits are inexpensive for students, and larger schools can make volume deals to help lower cost, as well. Most MUAs I know never strayed away from the brand because they got used to using it, the set looked coordinated and professional (this makes a bigger difference than you think), and it was ubiquitous, so if you traveled and needed to replace part of your kit there was no struggle to do so. I feel like this is partly why early beauty "gurus" focused on this brand so much. I am not a fan of their foundations, but their paint pots are outstanding, and for that alone I will always buy from that brand.
I love Mac’s lipsticks and blushes. Great quality and beautiful products ❤❤❤ I think Mac just have loyal customers. Like I don’t need advertisements from them to go buy one of their lipsticks because I know I love their formula❤
I absolutely agree. I love Mac lipsticks and blushes! It is fun to try other stuff and I have a lot of other lipsticks which I like, but Mac is staple for me.
Agee they don’t discontinue products that much like other brands do. Plus mac is a brand that’s accessible in a lot of countries.
Surely they'll rise again. ❤
Random story: while working in telemarketing back in the 90s one of my supervisors pulled out a MAC lipstick and I casually remarked "MAC Twig!"
The discombobulated expression on her face almost embarrassed me.
I guess even these days guys can't usually identify lipstick colors at a glance, but back then I was like tantamount to a unicorn.
8:15 I KNOW! Russian Red!
But many of the cool girls preferred Ruby Woo.
15:?? They must have meant "Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation" because the liquid is like...Ava Max.
She the new girl and has to prove herself before being able to attend the ball.
LOL girl, the liquid has been around for almost 20 years now. It may not be the OG, but it’s still an old timer.
to this day i adore twig and ruby woo ✨
Mac Twig forevahhhh!!!!
I am from Latin America ( I now live in the states) but mac is SO big in latin america because we don’t have sephoras there!! I bought all my first makeup at mac because that was THE place to buy makeup and for a lot of people it still is!! My cousin recently needed a new concealer and she wasnt traveling soon so she told me it was either mac or drugstore!
Back 2 Mac still exists. They just don't give you a free product for doing it. I remember when Makeup Geek disrupted Mac by selling her (dupe) shadows for $6, so then Mac dropped their pan price to match! I bought so many of both brands. Even better when Mac had sales and I got them for $4 each! Now they're back up to $10 (I think), so wait for sales.
I still remember the first MAC products I purchased at 19, and years later memorizing almost every eyeshadow and lipstick shade they had. They're still a brand I love and sometimes will go back to them like hmmm I wonder what MAC is up to today and to be honest I'm rarely disappointed by their products. They are consistent and I appreciate that.
I will never let them go. No other brand has so many lipstick shades and finishes as them 🙂
Ohhhhhhhh kayyyy Ms. Girl! Your hair is EVERYTHING 🤩 Its giving volume…it’s giving slay the day….it’s giving THAT GIRL 💅🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
MAC is still huge and arguably bigger than the current trendy brands. It is huge oversees and in general in the older age demo. Plus there products are still staples in people’s makeup bag of all ages. Just because it is not the biggest brand on TikTok and RUclips does not mean it has fallen. Remember a lot of makeup users do not engage with the online beauty space.
I'm here for this! Mac was my first intro into eyeshadow in high-school and early 20s. Before I got my first palette from a different brand in 2018, and also started to be more conscious of buying cruelty free makeup. 😊
You do such a great job on these videos - all the research and the presentation! Your hair looks beautiful - love the curls!
I’m bummed MAC isn’t currently cruelty free, because I adored this story. I would love to support them again, if they change their status.
I’m starting to believe there is no hairstyle you can’t pull off 🙌
Thank you!
There isn't. The BEST hair, hands down.
...And this one looks so sexy! This hairstyle definitely calls for a faux beauty mark.
You’re hair is gorgeous!!
I don't know if they have been down, the truth is every make-up drawer i've seen here on YT they have at least some highlighters,blushes, lipsticks, the Fix+ Spray and their Foundations 😅😅😅😅. Every time i watch declutter series there is always someone who asks the YT what shade has in MAC foundations, so this is something. I never knew they were cruelty free 😮. So they have staples products that people buy over and over again! I am 33 years old and to be honest i buy mostly products that i know work and never let me down, i am not keen on paying 50€ for every new released foundation on the market !
I still have two MAC products in my collection that I love: the face and body foundation and the devoted to chili powder kiss lipstick. I haven’t found cruelty free replacements for either of these.
My first ever high end purchase was MAC technakohl liner in graph black and that was all based on beauty youtube from 2009 - 2011. I'm canadian and MAC was always super easy to find because its sold at all Bays. I still to this day purchase their studio fix powder, mineralize skin finish and studio fix concealer. The concealer isn't my favourite for undereyes but it works as a spot concealer and sometimes as a thin foundation.
I've always loved them. When I was a kid MAC had the coolest editorial pics. And I couldn't wait to find out what the collabs packaging would look like. I think colourpop has taken over the collabs space now. But I think if MAC started to focus back on their artistry in their ads, it would speak for itself. Either way they're still an icon and I can always rely on the quality I'm buying from them. They might not have the most aesthetic packaging or be the "in" thing but I always know what I'm buying.
(side note: it was like a huge deal when MAC started to be sold in Sephora here. Cause all of a sudden you could earn points towards VIB and that was so nice! But nowadays I don't actually care cause I shop less at Sephora, and am more likely to order from MAC directly because the discounts are better.)
as a teenager of the 90s, i coveted my one MAC eyeshadow! Crystal ✨
such a step away from what i loved about the brand, with them no longer cruelty free or recycling w/ Back to MAC. no longer a customer :(
I’m in Australia and it still seems quite popular here. I used to be so into it and bought so much, then tried other brands for years but now that I’m in my forties I have started going back to all the staple MAC products that I know are good quality and work like the foundation and lipsticks. I just think the brand is not talked about as much now but still many people buy from it 😊
You look so pretty Kelly! Love your makeup and hair look! I love their lipsticks and blushes! Hopefully they go cruelty free again!
I have an incredible sense of loyalty to MAC. Even though I am aware that the founders are no longer involved, I still can't help but support the brand. I am turning 50 and remember when MAC was small but the talk of the town. They were so welcoming, classy yet camp, and always spreading awareness of what was happening in their communities. Many of us remember what the 80's and 90's were for people suffering from HIV/AIDS. Most of us lost people we loved or had people diagnosed (what at the time seemed a death sentence). MAC was part of the evolvement from fear and cruelty, to empathy, compassion and treatment. I have tremendous respect for the few that made their voices loud at the time. There were many unknown heroes during that time who worked tirelessly yet not many with a recognizable name. That is why we remember Princess Diana's simple hug and visits because it was such a tiny gesture that changed many viewpoints. Also,on a lighter note, their products tend to be staples. Studio Fix, Fix +, Some of their shadows and blushes and of course their lipsticks. xx
I remember MAC up the street from me in West Hollywood when I lived in LA. I worked for a talent agency that included dancers and I remember Madonna’s tour and our represented dancers. I remember also how MAC was the IT company at the time in the 90’s! I used to collect alll the lipstick colors and eyeshadows. I have to say their eyeshadows don’t have much pigment which once the palettes came out with super pigments and that’s when I feel MAC fell off! I still love there lipstick great color choices and a lot the collections sell out. Thanks Kelly!!! 😊
I love these videos!!! So interesting! Also your look is everything! The hair, the top, the earrings!!!
I wish MAC would go back cruelty-free! I think being sold to these big companies like estee is the killer of all beauty creativity
i never got to buy mac because well i was a kid and poor, but now that i can buy mac wow. everything really is that good. everyone knows what a mac creme cup looks like. everyone knows what painterly looks like. it’s so easy to reference anything mac. i really do love it.
Your hair & makeup is giving Goddess vibes ✨️ 😍
Goddess vibes with a dash of 70s chic! ❤️❤️❤️
I bought face and body recently and I might never look for a different foundation again.
When Estes Lauder bought MAC that squashed a lot of the originality. Do you remember how long you had to wait for help at a MAC counter in the early 90’s?! I still love MAC. I appreciate the work they do for AIDS and that they thought of everybody when they started the brand. I only have one MOB Beauty product but, I plan on buying more.
MAC Powderkiss is still the greatest lipstick formula of all time. ❤
I agree!!
As a GenXer, I find it so amusing that with the surge in popularity of "blurring" soft matte lipsticks, all the young'ens are acting like it's the most new and innovative formula. 🤭 MAC and K-beauty brands have been doing it for decades! ❤️❤️❤️
I stopped purchasing from M.A.C. when they stopped being cruelty-free but they have some undeniably great staple products that people keep coming back to. I think you’re right, Kelly, there is a disconnect in the beauty community in terms of what’s “trending” and what everyday people are actually buying. Most people just repurchase their holy grail products once they find them especially when it comes to foundation. M.A.C. has been consistent and has some really solid products. I do miss a lot of their products but I can’t in good conscience buy anything from them while they still test their products on animals. I hope they go cruelty-free again in the future.
I worked for MAC when it was an it brand and I miss that excitement. If MAC becomes cruelty free again, I’ll come back.
Same! I worked there when it actually meant something, the second they reneged on their cruelty free policy I was so off them.
You have the best investigative reporting in your videos!! Thank you for what I can only imagine was hours upon hours of hard work and pages of notes to bring us the best info! ❤
So behind on RUclips videos so I have my watch later playlist playing on my phone while doing stuff on my day off. About to feed one of my twins (my girl is awake, my boy is taking a nap) and the last video finished and I looked at my daughter and said, “who’s next? Oh, Kelly Gooch! We love Kelly Gooch! She’s from Michigan.” Maura smiled (they are one year old!). :) Love you, Kelly!
I still love their lipsticks and blushes. I don’t need to be trendy and they have solid high quality products.
I remember when Mac first released bronzers. This was in 1999ish I believe. It was a huge deal because bronzers really weren’t a big thing before that. Even fix plus was around before other brands released any sort of setting or hydrating sprays. The mall in my city has a Mac store, a makeup counter in the department store and product in the Sephora. 3 locations in one space so I think it will be just fine.
i bought the black honey lip gloss from Clinique because of all the buzz and now i want it in like 5 more shades. amazing product!
It used to come in a bunch of different shades. I wish they would bring them back. Black Raspberry was my favorite!!
I feel like I’m seeing more of a Max comeback lately- I’ve been seeing more ppl. Chat about it- idk.. time will tell! Great episode as always!
Vavavoom! That hair and blouse- absolutely STUNNING!!
The MAC Viva Glam lipstick they did with Niki Minage was absolutely gorgeous! I ended up getting 3 of them because I knew it was limited edition and I also got so many compliments whenever I wore it. I also gifted it to friends. Man was it pretty:)
As a lover of makeup and history of makeup I’m absolutely loving this series. It’s so fascinating. Can’t wait for the next one 😊
Xo 🇨🇦
Loved this background! MAC had such a unique background I love it!
You need to do a tutorial on this hair. It looks amazing!
To the best of my knowledge, MAC was the first makeup line to offer single-color eyeshadows. Before, other lines only had palettes with three or four colors together and you were stuck buying the whole thing even if you only liked one color. Another Canadian company, Annabelle, was also very early to offer single-color shadows.
This was such a great video! I had no idea about how beautiful is MAC’s history!
Love the curly hair!! 🥰
Thank you!
Agreed! She looks stunning!
Your hair looks incredible!
You look like a country music star about to do a show at the Opry 😍😍😍 gorgeous!
(Also wonderful and informative video as always. Thank you!)
Love Mac primers, Mel Thompson talked about and used a lot of the products as she was formally a Mac artist in retail stores.
I still use and love Mac products everyday. All the new, trendy releases are fun, but when it comes down to what I’m willing to splurge on or not… I’ll always have more trust in Mac. I feel the same way about Revlon at the drugstore despite some complaining the brand isn’t innovative enough. I like that their products seem to have more thought behind them and stick around for longer.
I remember coming into the beauty youtube world when MAC was big and watching shaaanxo with all her Mac lipsticks! Back then I was not really in a place to afford them but I've tried some things from them that I've liked a lot since including the MAC studio radiance face and body foundation which I'm wearing today. The MAC store is still alive and seemingly well in my mall.
I loveee your hair 😍. And I will always love mac , yes it's not "clean " but I like how their makeup is both open to makeup artist & a regular consumer. My first makeup item was a Super pink blush from them that my aunt got me .
MOB clay blushes are amazing for folks with oily skin. They give a cream blush look, but last on the face for soooo long without breaking up!
Loved this video and every other deep dive you have done. Thanks for always doing all the research for us and educating us. I think it is really interesting that MAC continues to grow even though their internet presence is not great. It makes me realize that there is potential for business outside of social media marketing but also, they have become such a household name, that they do not NEED social media to hit their numbers. I do not think any brand could do what MAC is doing now in terms of business and social media marketing. Most business rely on social media to grow. I think I have owned like one MAC product my whole life. I am pretty cheap and usually only wear drugstore makeup but I always loved watching MAC videos during the early days of beauty RUclips!
Kelly! Your curls look amazing in this video! You should totally wear your hair like this more often!!
I am getting more into Mac. I hadn’t used much of the brand earlier but now I’m loving it more and more. The foundations,the shadows,blush,powders,all so very good.
Fantastic coverage of the MAC story!
I really went to MAC for their complexion and lip products. Such a phenomenal shade range. Love their extended play gigablack mascara.
I recently found my love again for MAC! I used it when I was growing up in the 90s and would save up money to purchase from them and the first thing I tried was the Mac paint points and used it everyday haha I recently got their concealer, brozner, blushes, highlighter, foundation and lipsticks and fell back in love !!! And now back to being obsessed w them and cannot get enough!! I love their glow play blushes !!
Beautifully done video, Kelly! I like the comparison you made with MAC and Morphe and Nyx. I hadn’t thought much about that.
Your videos about the cosmetics industry are my favorites!
I would love to see a deep dive on Smashbox! They recently pulled out of the UK market, so I wonder what their future holds!! Amazing video as always! 🥰❤❤
I agree about it still being popular with the everyday consumer. I stopped using Studio Fix years ago and my two best friends are just now, in the last year or so, branching out and trying new foundations. They've both still been using Studio Fix for a decade at this point.
Ugh i wish MAC would go back to cruelty free. And release another classy Hello Kitty collab like they did in the late 2000s (i was a broke middle schooler when it released but im still obsessed.)
I have actually come back to MAC recently, when I figured that everything I went looking for, new and exciting, they already have, and better, and for longer time. Like brow stylos, and baked powders, and cream blushes... Back to MAC
I was a MAC addict back in the day! Couldn't wait for new collections! Find memories of the Hello Kitty and Dame Edna collections, just to name two. I was disappointed when they were no longer cruelty free. Haven't purchased anything since. And, I don't see MAC in my you tube feed either.
I enjoyed this so much! Extremely well-researched, very organized, and delivered in an engaging way. Thank you!
I live in Dubai, and I ❤ Mac eyeshadow singles and blushes. They run twice a year 40% sale and they’re affordable.
I remember getting color matched in 2009. I was 20/21 at the time. They told me I was an NW20. I based every foundation I ever bought off of that shade and always wondered why I never looked right on the neck. I went to another MAC store when I was around 27 and asked for a foundation in NW20 and the girl said “really? You’re an NC20”. It explained a lot. 🙃
MAC was the first makeup brand for me, i used to see their products in magazines and to go to the store looking for them. I have many eyeshadows from them and the lipsticks are a staple for me because of the bold tones. I'm 43 and the last time i did back to MAC the personal at the store had no idea of the products i had, they thought they were fake! Or sometimes they say "we do not make 15 pan eyeshadow palettes" and i think to myself "you don`t anymore, but there was a warm neutral palette years ago". I think i will always see what MAC has to offer. I liked a lot this video. :)
I used to love Mac so much and I still love their lipsticks and lipglosses. My problem started when I realized they're not cruelty free and they kind of trying to hide it.
Also your hair looks amazingg
I just want them to bring back some of their Le collections. They could capitalize on Millennial nostalgia for products we loved that were LE.