Mac vs Sephora

Feb 1, 2011

Brittny C.

Hi ladies,
I'm a newbie to the makeup world and i was wondering which store is best as far as quality and price for me to get started on my makeup collection. I hear reviews that Mac is the best but they are so expensive, and my mall just open up a new sephora so i do have a option to go there. What do you think ladies?!

Feb 2, 2011

Linda D.

Sephora no doubt about it! They have a lot more brands to choose from and MAC doesn't always work well with everyones skin. Really check out Sephora and try out some samples.

Feb 2, 2011

Korie S.

I totally agree with Linda. Sephora has tons of other great makeup brands and different types of products that MAC doesn't offer. I think you might get overwhelmed with all the different products you will see :P

Feb 2, 2011

Brittny C.

Thanks ladies!

Feb 2, 2011

Linda D.

Also really look into ELF. I know that they are available at certain Targets but if not you can always order online. Extremely inexpensive make-up and quality is great for such a good price. 

Feb 2, 2011

Erica L.

Sephora is the way to go. I love MAC no doubt, but it's not always so affordable. If you're starting out, Sephora is a great store to check out. And like Linda D. says, Elf cosmetics is a great cheap affordable make up brand. From my past purchases, their studio brushes are great, and so are their mineral lipsticks. If you have any questions about Elf, I'm the one who will give you the answers, ha! 

Feb 2, 2011

Shawna J.

For more variety I would say Sephora would be the way to go. They carry a wide variety of makeup brands but the Makeup they carry is probably just as expensive as MAC.

If you are just staring out your might want to take a trip to the drugstore. There are some great drugstore brands that are great additions to any makeup collection. Elf and Wet n Wild are examples of inexpensive brand that give you alot of bang for your buck.

My advice is do a little bit of homework before you head out to the store so you have an idea of what you want. Their are tons of youtube videos and makeup blogs to refer to.

Feb 2, 2011

Samantha S.

I agree with everyone who has commented before me. Sephora has an amazing array of cosmetics from all types of prices and brands. MAC has a great variety, but some items that aren't as affordable compared to others products that Sephora carries.

I would definitely try drugstore products as well. I've used ELF, Wet n Wild, Milani, amongst other products. Watch as many youtube videos and get the opinions from the gurus and see what they rate products as well.

Good Luck!

Feb 4, 2011

Samantha N.

Like Linda D. said, E.L.F. is awesome, most of their products are only $1.00 and the quality is good! Sephora is amazing though, and a really nice brand they carry there is Nars. The cosmetics by Sephora are great too!

I agree with Samantha S., watchj YouTube videos! They're so helpful.

Feb 5, 2011

Melanie Jane H.

Both lines are great but for different things.

I love MAC shadows, you can tell the difference in pigmentation when you compare them to cheaper alternatives like Coastal Scents palettes but I'm NOT a huge fan of their foundations. They make me break out EVEN when I wash my face!

I like a lot of Sephora's "Profressional" line stuff like their primers, cream eyeliners, setting powder, etc because they're good and not that expensive BUT I bought a pressed powder compact from them when my MAC Mineral Finish emptied out and *insert groan* it was horrible. It left my skin feeling dried out, smelled weird, and cause me to break out too.

I actually DON'T have sensitive skin and break out very little so I know when a product is bad for me when I have fast reactions like that.

Feb 5, 2011

Shelly T.

Many of MAC's products are actually *less* expensive than stuff at Sephora. Some of them -- namely the brushes -- are on par with Sephora prices.

That said, my answer is BOTH.

MAC has some fantastic eyeshadows with tons of colours to choose from. Ditto for lipsticks and blushes.

On the other hand, there are brands at Sephora that do just as well in all of those categories (NARS or Illamasqua with their blushes, those two brands + MUFE with lips, MUFE with their eyeshadows) and excel where MAC seems to fail (primers and foundation, for example).

And definitely don't rule out your local drugstore/Walmart/Target/K-Mart. You'll find some steals there, too.

Overall, though, it's up to you determine which products work best for you. Some of them may be from MAC. Some of them may be from brands sold at Sephora. Some of them may be from the drugstore.

Feb 6, 2011

Avi C.

I love Sephora. You get a wide variety of brands and products to choose from. Your dollar can go along way there. I only have 4 MAC eyeshadows because I haven't found any other color that I like from them. But i do use their brush cleaner, lip conditioner and fix +.

But hands down when I want to go makeup shopping it is to Sephora I go.

Feb 17, 2011

Savannah S.

this is pretty simple, MAC is obviously, MAC only, and Sephoria is everything ur little heart desires. #TeamSephoria

Mar 2, 2011

Cashmere B.

I agree with Linda G and everyone else who has posted. Sephora offers more of a variety, M.A.C can be a bit mainstream and all of their products aren’t that great. You may find a line you like over the other, if you chose M.A.C alone there isn’t anything to compare or contrast their products too. 

Mar 5, 2011

Nicole P.

If you have an Ulta near you, check them out! They carry both the higher end brands along with drug store make-ups and of course NYX! :) 

Mar 6, 2011

Rachael Y.

Sephora and Ulta (if you have one near you). Sephora has a huge selection which is great. MAC seems to always be the go to line for a lot of people but I personally think that it is overrated, not to mention over priced. There are so many great lines out there other then MAC. Sephora can be expensive but atleast you have many brands at your fingertips. For makeup lovers... that store can be trouble (on your wallet). I agree with the people above... try ELF. It is inexpensive so if you dont love it, its not a big deal. I normally research the product ahead of time (google it... so many gurus have reviewed it already). I buy my ELF online b/c there are no local stores that carry it. If you are in search of inexpensive makeup brushes try ELF Studio. They are fantastic. Oh and I agree with @nicole P., NYX is amazing.

Mar 28, 2011

Lirra T.

Hi loves.

I am a makeup artist at Sephora. You can call me biased. However, I am a regular consumer like everyone else. So I'm not advertising by any means. I'm just makeup OBSESSED! `=P So I do shop other brands, drugstores, stores & counters. I pick and choose from different lines .. definitely. But I do like Sephora because you have such a variety. You have your makeup, your skincare & your haircare. The variety of lines Sephora carries does range in price as well. Different brands pinpoint different skin types, finishes, ingredients (IE: All natural) Sampling products is AWESOME! &the Beauty Insider program is pretty sweet too.

<3 Hope this helps.
With love & lipstick, Lirra

Mar 28, 2011

Daphne R.

I adore Sephora!! I love the VIB Perks and I am impressed with their customer service in-store. I love the fact that when I go into the store the regular staff is all jazzed - and offer great suggestions based on what I like!!

I know that Ulta is supposed to be the same kind of store but I've yet to find an employee who has any in depth knowledge about what they are selling.

MAC is...well MAC. I adore them, the innovation the obvious training the Makeup Artists get/have and adore how willing they are to slap your ass in a chair to play with the makeup.

Okay, on the subject of grocery store brands... I really do see a difference in terms of the quality. It might be an age thing... my skin is less forgiving and I have found that a lot of the lipsticks fade and then change color. I'm willing to consider confirmation bias as a reason I'm not enamored of the drugstore lipsticks. :)  

D

Apr 2, 2011

Stephanie M.

when i first started wearing makeup i pretty much only wore sephora... not because i didnt like mac, its just that mac can be overwhelming. mac has so many colors of everything and its REALLY expensive. now as a "pro" i know what colors look best on me. definitely start off at sephora and try out multiple brands, and then work your way to mac!

Apr 4, 2011

Ana C.

MAC was my first love. The color stories for the past.. two years (?) have been less-than-impressive for me. I shop at Sephora more now. I've loved both for years now. ;]

http://she-said.org

Apr 4, 2011

Christine R.

Personally whenever i go into sephora or mac i feel like a lot of people who work there are a bit clueless about actual makeup techniques and such. i tend to go and pick up what i need and leave. MAC's quality has gone down A LOT since I first started shopping there and I feel like brands in Sephora that are actually good quality are so over priced its ridiculous. I dunno, thats just me. I do have a lot of high end makeup in my kit, but sometimes I feel like there's no point in spending the extra money when you can get the same, if not better quality for less $$. 

Apr 4, 2011

Christine R.

p.s. and if your a newbie start with good quality makeup from drugstore brands, because you tend to "waste" a lot trying new things and figuring out makeup. (not that its a waste doing that, but if your gonna by a $20 eyeshadow you might not wanna just use it on experiments)

Apr 6, 2011

Sydney R.

I used to be a die hard MAC fan but when I started going to Sephora I was exposed to so many other makeup brands. I do still go to MAC but not nearly as often. So, I'd suggest you go to Sephora because you may find some other brand that you'll love. Especially if you're a newbie Sephora is like the best place to go and try out the brands before purchasing :) Hope this helps! 

Xo,
Sydney

Apr 13, 2011

Rai C.

Definitely depends on your budget and what you're looking for. MAC only offers their brand while Sephora offers several. The cheapest line in the Sephora store is their actual brand, but everything else is high end.

But since you're just getting started in makeup I recommend checking out the drug store or more low budget makeup. You wouldn't want to go spend money on high end products when you're new to makeup. 

Oct 26, 2012

Jennifer L.

Elf