MAC Face & Body vs MUFE Face & Body

~ stashy

This post kicks off “Comparison Week” here on the blog!  I’ll be comparing a bunch of products, showing differences and similarities, and maybe even unearth some dupes!

Today I’m comparing 2 foundations with the same name: MAC Face & Body and Make Up For Ever Face & Body.  Having the same name and similar claims naturally lend them to be compared against each other.  Since I posted my base stash not long ago, I had a few questions about my opinion on them, so I hope this comparison will help.
MAC_MUFE_FB2
MAC F&B comes in a plastic squeeze bottle, whereas MUFE comes in a glass bottle with a pump (the addition of the pump is a recent phenomenon, it used to be just a pour bottle).

First, I’ll review each separately and then compare them:

MAC Studio Face & Body Foundation in C2 (available in 11 shades) – $43 for 120ml / $32 for 50ml (MAC stores and online)
MAC describes this as: A lightweight foundation that delivers a natural satin finish and sheer coverage.  Long-wearing (8 hrs), water-resistant and instantly hydrating.
MAC_MUFE_FB4
This foundation is a staple at fashion shows since it is rub resistant and looks incredibly natural on the skin – making it perfect for applying on arms and legs (nothing worse then bruised shins on the catwalk!) I originally went into MAC to buy the 50ml bottle since they had just introduced the smaller size – I had been holding off on buying the 120ml because that’s a ridiculously large bottle of foundation for one person to use! But the SA talked me into getting the larger size since it’s way more economical – I expressed concern that the bottle would go bad before I finished it but he assured me that it would keep. So far so good – I’ve had this bottle for 2 years now and it’s about 30% gone.
MAC_MUFE_FB6
This foundation is very watery and has a tendency to separate in the bottle when not in use – it must be shaken up well prior to dispensing. The dispensing nozzle is slightly messy but it doesn’t leak out of the cap.  The other distinction about this foundation is that it is best applied with fingers. And it must be applied in a rubbing / massaging motion onto the skin. It may sound odd, but the more rubbing (lightly!) of this foundation onto the skin, the thicker the foundation becomes, and it kind of melds and sets onto the skin. It’s a really unusual formulation, but it just works. This foundation also layers very well – I normally do a light all over application and then do a 2nd layer concentrating on nose and chin area where I want more coverage. The result is a natural skin-like finish that’s water-resistant and very long wearing.

I own the shade C2 which is a fairly good match – just ever so slightly more yellow than my skin tone but since it’s quite sheer, it’s forgiving.  I find myself reaching for this on weekends and casual days – it evens my skin and makes for a “no makeup makeup” look.  This foundation does not offer good oil control on its own – powdering is a must if oil control is a concern.

Make Up For Ever Face & Body Liquid Foundation in Ivory 20 (available in 12 shades) – $46 for 50ml (Sephora stores and online)
From Sephora: This waterproof, ultra-light, water-based gel contains no emulsifiers and provides a totally natural, satin finish.
MAC_MUFE_FB5
In the bottle, this foundation behaves like jello! At resting state, it “solidifies” into a more solid (jiggly) form – it is also recommended that the product be shaken up prior to use (although I noticed no separation of the foundation in the bottle like MAC’s). Once shaken up and dispensed through the pump, the foundation has a fluid consistency. Two pumps of this foundation covers my face and neck. It isn’t nearly as runny as MAC but it does behave a little similarly during application – it thickens when rubbed onto the skin and then sets. But I noticed that this formula isn’t as rub resistant as MAC’s.
MAC_MUFE_FB7
This foundation is one of the newer ones in my stash – I bought it in late Fall of 2014 before I went on my No-Buy.  I find it ridiculous that I am matched to the lightest shade, Ivory 20, when I’m typically the 2nd or 3rd lightest in most foundations – what about fair people, MUFE?  The colour match is quite good, perhaps just ever so slightly pink. This certainly is not a sheer coverage, I consider it light-medium coverage but it does look very natural and it does not settle into lines. This foundation has a perfume-y scent.

Here are the 2 swatched side by side:
MAC_MUFE_FB8
(it’s a bit difficult to show foundation when blended, because, well, it’s supposed to match and look seamless! I applied thicker layers in these swatches to show the texture and colour)

Similarities:
• runny texture
• must be shaken up prior to use
• best applied with fingers
• better suited for normal to dry skin types – limited oil control

Differences:
• MAC is longer wearing and more rub resistant
• MUFE is light-medium coverage while MAC is sheer-light coverage
• MAC is more economical (cheaper per ml)
• MUFE has a scent while MAC does not
• MAC is made in Canada, MUFE made in France
• Shelf life as indicated on the bottles: 24 months for MAC and 12 months for MUFE
MAC_MUFE_FB3
My personal preference:
While they’re both great, I like the MAC F&B slightly more than MUFE because of how natural it looks.  Even though they share a name, I think they have as many differences as similarities between them (certainly enough to own both, I keep telling myself!)  Do you own either of these foundations (or both)?

PS. I’m testing something new – watermarking my pictures. When I post photos that aren’t mine, I normally post directly from the url so it links back, or I use stock photos from the brand’s site.  I’m unsure where I stand on watermarking my own photos since it would be nice to get credit for my work but I also don’t want my tags to be distracting. What are your thoughts about watermarking?

43 thoughts on “MAC Face & Body vs MUFE Face & Body”

  1. MAC Face and Body is my go to foundation for everyday use. I absolutely love it and am reluctant to try others…
    I used to use my fingers but have recently gone to using my first RT brush (yay) to apply. Think I need to try the technique that you recommended.
    I haven’t seen the MUFE foundation around but based on your comparison – I’m probably not missing much – will continue sticking to my MAC.

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    1. Glad to hear another person who loves the MAC F&B! I was pretty skeptical at first but it’s such unique formulation. I’m glad I gave in and bought it. If you love the MAC, stick with it – the MUFE isn’t as natural looking.

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  3. Great comparison!
    And good to have a little discussion on watermarking, as I have the exact same dilemma. I don’t want anything too distracting, but would like to start marking them.
    I have to say I like the way you have done yours here, not too much 🙂
    xx Anne

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    1. Thank you! Yes, I think watermarking makes sense these days with google search and social media – images can get picked up and attributed so easily. I would be interested in seeing how you do yours!

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  4. Oh wow, more lemmings! I had been half-considering the MAC, but now I really want to try both of these. The MAC looks like it’d be a better color match, considering how yellow I am, but the consistency of the MUFE sounds really nice, too. (How on earth is that the lightest shade they offer, though?!) I’ll have to go in store to see if I’m C2 or C3 in MAC.

    I don’t mind an obvious watermark, but then again, that’s what I use. :p As long as it doesn’t overlap the actual product too much, I’m good with any watermark! I was gonna say I like yours, but I’d make it more OBVIOUS. Hahahahahaha! It actually didn’t register with me until you mentioned it, then I was like, “oh right”. If that’s what you’re going for, then, success!

    BTW I love the run test. LOL!

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    1. There was a real risk that the MAC F&B was going to drip down onto my backdrop there – lol!
      Go to MAC and get them to give you samples! I like how they are really good with samples rather than pushing people to buy.

      Re: watermark: I wanted something VERY subtle. I was looking around at how others watermark their images and of course yours was a prime example. I wanted to incorporate the watermark more into the image so that people wouldn’t be able to crop out the watermark if they were to “borrow” the image. I’ve seen people do that with other people’s photos!

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      1. Yeah, people can be pretty shameless with stealing photos, ESPECIALLY the eBay sellers. :/ Sometimes they even use the watermarked image. Grrr.

        If that’s your main concern, I’d recommend also angling your watermark a bit, or maybe even overlapping the product image a little, just to make it harder to crop out!

        I need to be better at asking for samples. I always feel funny! Which makes no sense at all.

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  7. Interesting post. I’ll probably pass over these 2 since oil control is a must for me with foundation. I’ve been watermarking my photos for a while now. It just makes sense if you took the photo and wouldn’t want others using it for their own benefit. I’ve come across obnoxiously large ones in some photos in the past. I don’t think it’s necessary to go to those extremes with photos as long as it’s visible enough.

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  8. Love the comparison post. I’ve never tried the MUFE Face and Body, but I have tried the MAC Face and Body. While it’s not my go-to foundation, I do think it’s a good one to have on hand.

    I’m starting to see more and more of the watermarking. I don’t think it takes away from the photos or images. In fact I rarely notice them. It’s a shame we need to resort to such measures, but not many people like to give credit where it’s due. I think it’s good to protect your work. I should probably do it myself, but I’m too lazy lol. 🙂

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  9. I’ve never tried either of these foundations but have wondered about trying a MAC foundation sometime. Though I’m perfectly happy with my cheap Rimmel Lasting Finish lol. I think it’s a good idea to watermark your pictures because you never know who might try to use them. I try to leave links to the sites if I don’t use my own pictures but I try to always use my own if I can. 🙂

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    1. Nothing wrong with drugstore foundations at ALL. I very much enjoy my CoverGirl Outlast one – if it had come in a plain bottle with no brand name, I would have thought it was Estee Lauder or something higher end. Honestly, the MAC Face & Body is the only MAC foundation I’ve found to work for me so far – they have great shade range but I don’t love the formula of most of them.

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      1. Well that’s good to know. I have never tried a higher end foundation. I have just always stuck with foundations from the drugstore. One that I really want to try though is the Urban Decay Naked Skin. It sounds nice a lightweight. 🙂

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  10. Last time I was at the MAC counter I got a sample of F&B foundation and I was immediately in love !!! I’m finishing older ones and then I’ll run to MAC . Great comparison 🙂
    I should watermark my pictures but I always think it kind of ruining it a little bit … xxx

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      1. My favorite foundation combo is Annabelle Skin True mixed with PerriconeMd No Foundation Foundation Serum 😀
        I know watermarking is a pain in the ass 😦 (We should still do it !!!)

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  11. I have the MAC one – it’s good but not my favourite. Actually as much as I love MAC, their foundations disappoint me 😦 I think this is great for people with already close to perfect skin-for any blemishes or extreme redness, it just isn’t enough in my opinion.

    With regards to watermarks, yes I’m all for them as long as they’re small or else not too harsh. Yours is fine and not a bother at all 🙂

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  12. Thanks for this review, I’m still a bit undecided whether I should repurchase MAC foundation. I’m completely skint just now, so maybe next month haha. I think I’ll need to retry it in the shop, though. I’ve been kind of stuck with Body Shop Foundation for a while now, even though I have few others.

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        1. Oh I’ve never tried that one. The only one I’ve tried from Body Shop were the Minerals one and the BB cream – I had to return the BB cream because it broke me out! I think the MAC Mineralize Moisture SPF 15 foundation might be a good option for you if your skin is dry. 🙂

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  13. Wow, thank you so much for sharing this post with me, as much as I love MAC their foundations… I’m not usually fond of, but their colour ranges are fab! But this is by far my favourite foundation by MAC. I haven’t actually tried any of MUFE products yet, as it’s difficult to purchase where I am, but I’m going to purchase online at the end of the week. Is there any products you recommend! Thanks again for another great post!

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    1. I’m glad you found this helpful! I also tried more MAC foundations recently through some samples and I really liked the Matchmaster one – have you tried that? It’s really neat because it self adjusts to match your skin and it totally works somehow!
      Here’s a post I did on it:
      https://stashmatters.wordpress.com/2015/11/23/mac-foundation-samples/
      As for MUFE products, I like their Artist eye shadows, I did a review of the eye shadows AND they made my favourites of 2015 list! Here are the posts:
      https://stashmatters.wordpress.com/2015/02/23/make-up-for-ever-artist-shadows/
      https://stashmatters.wordpress.com/2016/01/04/best-of-2015-discoveries/
      (sorry I keep linking you to posts but they’re on topic though lol)

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      1. I really apprechiate it, thank you so much! I have tried Matchmaster I liked the foundation but unfotunetly its the one Mac foundation that breaks me out, I would like to try it again though!!😀

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  16. Like always great review 😉 Crazy how they looks very similar when blended out! And I guess the foundation does it’s job because they certainly are VERY skin like and you can’t even tell there’s product there! Now I want to try this foundation even more lol, & I gotta agree with you, I think the MAC one seem’s a tad better, especially the whole rub off ..no one wants to be rubbing foundation in places that shouldn’t be spread ahem collars lol 😛 I’m no stranger to mac counters yet I’ve never swatched this foundation.. next time I’m at a mac counter I’m going to test it out 🙂 Your watermarks are awesome, not distracting one bit! When I started off I didn’t watermark my photos and I totally regret it. We take sooo much time and effort into getting that nice crisp perfect photo and for someone else to steal it! -.- Which is why I started watermarking my photos, it’s more tedious but it’s well worth it. I try to make mine as un-noticeable as possible but it’s hard sometimes lol,

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