{Review} MAC Fix+ (Original)

MAC Fix+

Fix+ by MAC is one of those products I've been wanting to try out for a while, but was never sure of it's place in my makeup collection. Or in my skin care routine. According to MAC, Fix+ is, and I quote, "An aqua-spritz of vitamin and minerals, infused with a calm-the-skin blend of green tea, chamomile, cucumber, topped off with the fresh, natural, energizing scent of Sugi. Adds radiance, finishes makeup. Spray it on. Skin drinks it up!" Which basically tells me absolutely NOTHING. So, prior to purchasing this product, I went online and did some googling to see how other beauty bloggers use this product. What I found was that a lot of people were making their own versions to suit their own skin types for pennies. So I tried it, liked it, and decided to just go with that for a while. Then MAC released these cute little mini's, designed to pass through the TSA checks with no problems and I found that I couldn't resist anymore. Given that the mini version only cost me $10, I decided to give it a try.

MAC Fix+

So how do I use the real Fix+? I use it several ways. One, I use it to "set" my makeup. I put set in quotes because this is not really a makeup setting spray, per se. Actually, I would say that instead of making your makeup last longer, this stuff will cause it to wear off quicker. I don't use foundation often, but when I do, I set it with powder. What I like Fix+ for is to make my makeup disappear. I powder my face and then I spray a few spritzes of this all over my face, wait for it to dry, and presto, my makeup disappears. You can no longer see my powder at all, which I love. Two, I use it to refresh, somewhat. I add the somewhat because it's not gonna magically rejuvenate your makeup. Not by a long shot. What I do is I spray this on around 3-4 pm, after I've been wearing my makeup for 7-8 hours. I do some blotting, powder again, lightly spritz again and wait for it to dry. My face looks clean and fresh, better than if I'd just blotted and powdered. Three, I sometimes use it as a toner. I spray it on my face, and before it dries I apply a serum or moisturizer. These are just a few ways to use it, and I'm sure there are many more out there.

Here are a few tips for using this product. One: don't spray too close to your face or you will end up very sticky and greasy looking even. Glycerine, one of the main ingredients, is an emollient that sits on the skin, sort of like petrolatum, locking moisture in. Too much and it will make you look greasy. Two: if you are using this to dampen your brush before applying an eyeshadow, again, don't spray too much or your shadows will end up creasing faster. Three: if you're spraying it on your face, spray about 6-8 inches away, and in a quick circular motion. That way you waste less product. I wish the spray was a finer mist. I find that this sprays in a circle, so a lot of it misses the center of my face. My DDF toner spray was so fine that two spritzes and I could get my entire face covered. I find myself using 5-6 sprays each time I use this product. 

MAC Fix+ Locked

One of my favorite things about this product is it's ability to lock and unlock. MAC really outdid themselves with the packaging. I absolutely hate sprays with caps in my purse. The caps almost always fall off, the head of the spray bottle leaks inside my purse, I end up with a big mess and a product I hate. No such problem with this product. There is no cap! I love that! I just twist the lid, toss it in my purse, and no worries! I've never had an issue with any leaking with this this product, which I really really appreciate.

MAC Fix+ Unlocked

MAC Fix+

What it comes down to with this product, in my humble opinion, is a simple question: do you need it?? My answer is no. Why? Well for one, there are a lot of products out there that do a similar task for a lot less. They aren't marketed the same way (usually just sold as spray toners), but they really do the same thing as Fix+. And that is not really much. Fix+ is handy, I'll admit, but nothing in it's formula distinguishes it from other spray toners. In fact, compared to those, Fix+ comes up short. For one, when it dries, it has a tendency to feel sticky/tacky to the touch. I found this out when I when to pat it into my skin one hot hot day. I rubbed to excess into my hands, which, when the liquid dried, felt sticky, like I spilled a bit of juice or something. In addition, this product doesn't really treat my skin. I had no difference in softness, color, hydration, or texture when using this product, where as other toners definitely made my skin softer. If you have very dry skin, I can see you liking this product a bit more. It really does nothing special.  The way I was using this product, I could have easily just sprayed some water and gotten the same result, making spending $10 on 1 oz of product seem a bit much. In my opinion, you don't need this at all. I do however see myself reusing the spray bottle, which I find very convenient. I just don't see myself ever repurchasing this product again.

What do you think about MAC Fix+? Tried it? Loved it? Hated it? Let me know in comments!

Info:

Price: $10 (for 1 oz, $20 for 3.4 oz)

Ingredients: Water, glycerin, butylene glycol, cucumber fruit extract, chamomilla, camellia leaf extract, tocophryl acetate, caffeine, panthenol, hydrogenated castor oil, fragrance.

{DIY} How To Make Your Own Fix+ Type Spray (For Oily and Acne Prone Skin)

I know that there have been a lot of different tutorials on how to make Fix+, or a type of setting spray. This is my take on it and it is a little bit different. First off, I don't think that Fix+ is really a setting spray that is intended to make your makeup last longer. I think it's more of a refresher spray that is slightly moisturizing. I wanted to make a CHEAPER alternative that will help TREAT ACNE and MOISTURIZE.

You will need:
-1/2 cup water
-10 drops glycerin
-10 drops argan oil (or another oil you prefer)
-15 drops tea tree oil
-an empty spray bottle
-mixing bowl/cup
-something to stir with
-a funnel (optional)

Important: I do not recommend making more than about half a cup at a time because it does not have any preservatives in it and therefore has a relatively short shelf life. This recipe makes a little more than 2.7 oz, enough to fill my container of choosing. You can adjust the ingredients to make however little or much you want.

Now, I use this to help treat my oily skin. I know, a lot of people will be skeptical because of the oils and moisturizers in the recipe, but keeping your skin hydrated throughout the day is one way of cutting down on oiliness. This recipe is great because it absorbs quickly and isn't greasy at all. If my skin is feeling very oily in the morning, I don't skip the moisturizer. Rather, I pat this into my face (see application tips at the end of the post) and pat it into my face. I give it a minute to absorb and voila, a moisturized, but non-greasy face. The tea tree oil is also great for helping treat acne, which sometimes haunts people with oily skin. If you are still hesitant, feel free to modify the recipe to suit your skin type. If you have dry skin, add more argan oil and glycerin and less tea tree oil.

A little about the ingredients:

First, off, glycerin is a humectant. What this means is that it helps a substance, in this case your skin, retain moisture. It is important to note that it doesn't actually moisturize, it simply prevents the loss of moisture. It's very cheap, too. I forget where I bought it, but it was around $4 for 6 oz and you can find it at most drugstores.


Tea tree oil ( mine is $10 from The Body Shop) is naturally antibacterial and is used as an acne treatment. I'm also putting in argan oil because it is very moisturizing. I'm using a little sample I got of it from Sephora, but if you want to try it without shelling out, you can ask for a sample at Sephora. You only really need 10 drops, so the sample should be enough.

1. Pour 1/2 cup water into a small mixing bowl.


2. Add 15 drops of tea tree oil.

You can add less, more, or none at all depending on your skins needs.

You should have something that looks like this:


3. Add 10 drops of argan oil.

If you don't have argan oil, other oils may works as well. You can try other oils like almond or olive oil. Just make sure that whatever oil you chooses won't clog your pores (is noncomedogenic ) and is not irritating, like a lot of essential oils can be. Again, you can adjust the amount you put in depending on your skins needs.

You should have something that looks like this:


4. Add 10 drops of glycerin.

I just drop is straight from the opening. The drops are fairly small.

5. Mix the ingredients very well and pour them into your container of choice. Use a funnel if you need to.

The finished product:





I chose an empty Secrets of Paradise perfume spray bottle because the straw is extra long and it curves into the bottom of the container. This is great for getting to the very last drop of the solution and not waste much at all. Make sure you wash out the spray bottle very well.

How To Use:

IMPORTANT: SHAKE WELL BEFORE EVERY USE!!!

1. As a toner spray. I usually spray this onto my hands (5-6 sprays), rub them together, and pat all over my face. It absorbs within a minute. You can spray directly on your face as well, or use a cotton ball.

2. Refresher spray. I keep this in my purse and whenever I see my makeup looking a little too matte or just blah (to use a technical term, lol!). It absorbs very quickly and leaves the skin feeling very fresh, clean, and moisturized.

3. In makeup application. I spritz this on my face prior to applying cream or liquid foundation and it goes on a lot smoother. With liquid, it makes it go on shearer, and cream foundations glide on easier and look more natural. I also spray this on my brush to make eyeshadows apply more vibrantly.

I hope this post was helpful! I will try to post more DIY recipes in the future! Please let me know what you thought about the tutorial in comments!