MAC And Me
Friday, March 20th, 2009I could be talking about MAC, the Mysterious Alien Creature from the 1988 cult movie “Mac and Me,” but I’m not. (Well, aren’t you glad?)
What I am talking about is MAC or Make-up Art Cosmetics, a Canadian cosmetics company founded by Frank Toskan and Frank Angelo in 1984 and which was later acquired by Estée Lauder.
I was thinking of all these when I dropped by my favorite MAC store at Rustan’s Shangri-La yesterday evening. This Saturday, March 21, 2009, is the brand’s official launch of its Hello Kitty cosmetics in all MAC branches in the city, and Kitty lovers like me are eagerly awaiting its debut on Philippine soil. Next to its socially relevant programs (my favorite being the Back to MAC Recycling program), I happen to think that its color collaboration with Hello Kitty is one of it’s best ideas yet. Although not entirely novel as MAC also brought in Mattel in 2007’s Barbie Loves MAC, the idea was greeted with enthusiasm by many who grew up with the mouthless feline creature of cuteness.
Of course, I had called the store earlier in the day to ask about the launch. I was informed that the event was a whole day affair, but unlike launches in cities abroad, no specific program had yet been laid out. I was also told that I could reserve items in person even before the launch as the products had already reached the counters the night before. I had planned to take a leisurely day yesterday and spend hours playing with Mario Kart Wii but the call changed my day’s plans. Knowing that I would have mere hours to get ready, I cancelled my afternoon Wii game play and set about making myself decent and ready for the store trip early evening.
There were already a few others checking out samples arranged on the make-up counter when I arrived. I looked at product lines, sampled some of the colors, and chose the items I wanted. I was a little ambivalent, though, about the eye palette since I hardly use any eye color except on special occasions. I’m actually more of a lip and cheek girl, the no-fuss type when it comes to everyday make-up.
I took doubles of the items I wanted, one to use and one to save, but A prevailed over me on this one. He said that if I intended to buy extras, then I should use them as well and just keep the containers as souvenirs. A’s no-nonsense approach set me right again and shook some sense in this Kittyholic. So while I did take doubles, they’re doubles of the colors I want and will use in the future.
I absolutely love the colors I chose; they suited my coloring very well. Unlike my previous foray into HK cosmetics (mostly made by some unknown Japanese cosmetics company), I love that I can trust my skin and face to a reliable brand. (I tend to to drift more to Estée Lauder, Clinique and Shu Uemura for make-up, and Clinique or Shiseido for skincare.) I am absolutely bowled over by the Hello Kitty packaging. Too bad, though, that the MAC Hello Kitty accessories (doll, bracelet, cosmetic bags, brushes) weren’t made available in the country. That would have made the whole experience more complete. Still, I chose to buy my MAC HK items here in the country, if only to prove that our local market is reliable, alive, and booming, even in these uncertain times. Who knows? Maybe if they do see that, they’ll think twice about the accessories think and fly them over as well. I’m crossing my fingers.
I love my MAC!