Example used: MAC Studio Fix Fluid foundation

Did you fall in to the trap not too long ago when everyone was raving about the MAC Studio Fix Fluid, only to find that it dried out your skin, broke you out and carried the peculiar whiff of paint, to mention a few? Even worse, do you have it in the wrong shade all together? These are among some of my own complaints against the now shunned full coverage foundation. Having said that, I am aware that there are many who love this product, if you do that's great! However if it is not entirely suitable for you, then do not fret.

My own  bottle has been lying around rejected and dejected for far too long. I use it very rarely, and considering a little goes a long way with this product, I have a lot of it left. It is such a shame considering it is not the cheapest foundation in the world and that I had bought it back in my college days as an investment when I was considerably skint. For that reason I am reluctant to throw it out.

Mulling over professional makeup, it occurred to me that makeup artists do not buy foundation expecting it to match a client. Rather they buy a palette of a range of shades and mix them up to create the perfect skin color. Both drugstore and premium brands have enticed us to believe and worse still, expect that they can deliver the perfect skin shade for us, nicely package in a single magic bottle. However as many of us are beginning to realize, this is not the case. It goes for finishes too, let me explain what I mean.

Customise Your Color:

Left to right: Bourjois Healthy Mix, MAC SFF

My Studio Fix is far too light a shade for me, an inevitable consequence of buying online without consultation and my newest drugstore foundation Bourjois Healthy Mix is a shade too dark. By mixing these two in appropriate proportions I can  create a shade somewhere in between that will match me much better. Furthermore, as Healthy Mix is a much creamier foundation, it lends that quality to the Studio Fix so the final product is also creamy and moisturizing, This will work with any similar foundation.

Alternatively if the coverage and consistency happens to be perfect for you, then just dust a small amount of bronzer all over the face to give it a natural tinge. I have here Natural Collection's Sun Tint Bronzing Powder in Golden Glow.

Another options I have recently stumbled upon is Bourjois' Bronzing Primer. In the description is says that is can be used in two way. Either as a thin layer under your foundation or used as a traditional bronzer on top of it in the hollow of your cheek. As this product is very soft and very creamy, you should also be able to mix it up with your foundation to darken it.

To lighten mix with a lighter foundation or - read section: Finish

Customize the Consistency:

You've seen this before, it is my Korean moisturizer. If you haven't hop over here for more info and a summarized review!

To thin out my foundation and to give it a lightweight dewy look, I like to mix in a proportion of moisturizer with it. The more moisturizer you add the sheerer and creamier it becomes

 You can also, once again, mix it with any similar shade of drugstore foundation. This obviously works vice-versa. So if you wanted to give your normal foundation a bit more coverage you would throw in the Studio Fix to the mix..

Customize your Finish:


The Studio Fix is a completely matte foundation. In order to give it a radiant, glowing finish, you can mix in a small amount of liquid highlighter such as this Illuminator in Slay from Illamasqua. Popular alternatives to this are the Benefit High Beam and MAC Lustre drops. Most of these products have tiny amounts of shimmer which have light reflecting properties.

Break Out No More!

Although originally the Studio Fix would break me out, by mixing it with other products it feel far kinder to my skin and I know longer need to worry about unpleasant zits! That is for all 3 of these steps!

These tips are not exclusive to the MAC Studio Fix Fluid, I used it as an example only because that is my cause-of-concern foundation. If you too have problems with specific foundations that you have unwittingly bought, or have any neat tricks of your own, please do share it down below, it is much appreciated! And if you enjoyed this post then please +1 it and follow my blog for my updates!

Ta for now!xx