MAC Waterweight Foundation and Smashbox Camera Ready BB Water: Dupes and Similar Products

MAC's Studio Waterweight Foundation SPF30 is the latest foundation from MAC, and it has been getting tons of raves online for its lightweight, water-like texture. However, the foundation really made its way onto my radar because I was asked by my colleague at work whether I was going to review it or not. After sheepishly admitting that I probably wasn't (not because I don't want to, but because I'm already backlogged on my reviews), she told me that she had heard that it was a dupe of a Smashbox foundation, the Smashbox's Camera Ready BB Water SPF30. So I just had to check it out!

MAC Studio Waterweight Foundation SPF30 vs Smashbox Camera Ready BB Water SPF30: Dupes or not?

Of course, the ingredients nerd in me was piqued by this. Certainly this wouldn't be the first time a product has had a dupe, and is hardly surprising to me. In my 5 years of blogging, I've encountered beauty dupes for everything from brush-washing tools to colour-changing lipbalm to face creams, so nothing fazes me. But it is interesting to see a product being duped so early into its release.

Smashbox Camera Ready BB Water: A new Smashbox product, rumoured to be a dupe for the MAC Waterweight Foundation (Source)

Turns out, as you might guess, the MAC Waterweight Foundation SPF30 and Smashbox Camera Ready BB Water SPF30 are indeed extremely close, if not identical. But I wanted to find out more - what if there were other similar products out there? So began my journey into ingredient nerdiness.

Stuff I've Used Up: Lots of Empties and Pans!

It's been a few months since my last empties post, so here's a check in on what I've been using! I'm happy to add, I have a lot of empties to show you! I don't know about you, but since I'm a beauty hoarder (one of the problems of being a beauty addict, I suppose!), I have way more product than I can ever use up in my entire life (that might not, by the way, be an exaggeration), so I get overly excited whenever I do actually use up something!

Empties! So many empties, including skincare and makeup items of all sorts!

This time round, I have a lot more empties than normal because I decided to consciously use up some of the products that were starting to run low, especially for colour makeup, which I don't always do. I actually set a blush that looked like I could hit pan on it to be my "everyday" blush until it actually got used up, and I couldn't be prouder of myself, haha.


All my empties! Look at how much stuff I actually use up!
Anyway, let's start taking a look at these empties! Empties this time include both makeup (eyeshadow, blush, foundation, lipstick, and more), and skincare (moisturizers, pimple products, eye cream, sunscreen), so there is a lot to cover! Most of these are products I like, probably because I wouldn't even use up products I hate. So I think that the fact that I used all these products up says something!

Stuff I Actually Used Up: Skincare and Makeup Empties!

Yes, I did it! I have pan porn and empties to show you guys! And because my last empties post was sometime back in September last year, and because I've been diligently consistently using products until they were all gone, I do have a good amount of finished products to show you this time, and I'm so excited about it! It's been six months, and I've accumulated all this pan!

So proud of my many empties!

Look at all that! Look at all that makeup and skincare that I managed to pan! While it might seem odd to non-beauty junkies, the sheer amount of makeup I have means that using up something is always an acheivement - I take it to mean that 1) I'm not as much of a hoarder as I think I am, and 2) Why yes, I could indeed buy another lipstick to replace the one I just used up! (Nevermind the fact that I already have many other lipsticks...*ahem* incriminating Instagram evidence here.) But I guess if you just have a lot of makeup, it's always a good feeling to actually use something up!

So, without further ado, let's take a closer look at what I've managed to use up in the past half year!

Sticky Nars Case? How To Clean It (Without Ruining It)!

A long time back (almost two years back, in fact), I made a post on how to clean a sticky NARS case. Basically, this involved the use of alcohol to remove the rubberized part that has disintegrated. While it worked, this method of cleaning the case results in any logos or printing on the rubberized surface being removed as well. So unfortunately NARS logos on the compact will be affected, if the part the logo is printed on has deteriorated so much that alcohol cleaning removes the print. However other brands that don't print designs or logos on the rubberized portion of the compact, like Smashbox or Becca, should be unaffected.

Thus, begins the problem - how does a girl with NARS products clean them, without removing the logo? That time, a commenter on my blog mentioned that using a silicon-based lubricant instead of alcohol to clean the casing helps to solve this problem. Then a brainwave struck - I may not have silicone lube, but I do have silica powder! And if the silicone is indeed the magic ingredient, then it shouldn't matter too much whether I get it in a powder or liquid form. Ergo, with my silicon powder, I should be able to de-stickify my NARS compact! So, I set to work.


First, I started off with a NARS case. This here is my NARS Tokyo Eyeshadow Duo. It's been cleaned to remove most of the debris and dust that was stuck to the case, but it's still very sticky to the touch. Yuck.


Then, I got out my secret weapon - silica powder! Mine is decanted into the MUFE HD Powder container, among others, but I really just get mine from Coastal Scents, and I get a huge bag for quite cheap.

I was worried I'd ruin my case even more, I won't lie. But I figured - hey, if it works, it's a great thing, and if it doesn't work, then, well, lots of things I've tried before haven't worked - water, soap, wet wipes, so this will just be one more on the list. So I began, rather cautiously, putting a bit of silica powder on the case. I decided I would go slow, and test a small surface first. So I started with the backside of the case (noone except me is going to see that part), and I rubbed some of the silica powder onto the case.


And then, I inspected my work so far, looking at the back of the casing. Not bad. It actually works! The case may feel a little powdery, but at least it's not sticky and gross anymore. Good thing I used silica powder, since that is transparent. If the powder was coloured, it might have coloured the case too! You can see the right side of the case (which was treated with silica powder) isn't sticky anymore, whereas the left side of the case (which hasn't yet had silica powder applied to it) is still sticky.


Emboldened, I finished powdering over the base of the NARS case. I waited for the world to explode. Nothing happened, and my NARS case was safe. So I put it on the front of the NARS case. And then I began spreading the powder evenly over the casing:


And viola! I had a non-sticky NARS case! And the logo is still intact! And it feels just like a new NARS case too!

The importing thing to note is that you have to remove as much of the debris from the case before you spread powder on it. Any remaining debris will get trapped when the powder is applied and show up on your finished product. I'm not sure how exactly this method works - I'm guessing the silica powder sort of absorbs the stickiness and forms a coating over the deterioriated packaging that restores it to its previous state. And I'm also not sure if you can use just normal powder. I used silica powder because the suggestion by a reader was for silicon-based lube, so it seemed like the right ingredient to use. I imagine some types of normal powder could just cause more dust on the casing, but I can't verify it until I try it out one day.


So there you have it - the most aesthetically pleasing solution I've come across for cleaning up a sticky NARS (or Smashbox or Becca) packaging so far! This doesn't remove the rubberized packaging unlike the alcohol method, and it won't wipe away your NARS logo that's printed on the packaging. I'm so glad the experiment worked out - I would have hated to ruin my NARS duo!

Stuff I'm Actually Using Up: Smashbox Vapor Eyeshadow

Look, look! Here's another item in my vast makeup stash that I'm actually using up! This is non other than Smashbox Vapor eyeshadow, and you can actually see more than half the pan of the eyeshadow! I'm so proud of myself!

Please excuse the really, really gross looking container. I know it makes the eyeshadow look that ancient, but it's only been with me for less than 2 years. It's just that the rubberized packaging gets dirty sooo fast, and I never bothered to clean it. Also, I dropped it a couple of times (as you can tell), so the eyeshadow got all smashed up in its container, and some of the eyeshadow powder got stuck onto the rubberized packaging. I did have a how-to clean a sticky case tutorial on my blog, but sheer laziness, that greatest of obstacles, prevented me from cleaning this particular eyeshadow. I kept thinking, "Oh well, I'm going to use it up anyway, why do I need to clean it?" LOL.

Anyway, all that muck on the eyeshadow casing is why I absolutely HATE the NARS/Smashbox/Becca packaging - it just gets sticky and dirty so fast, and normal soap and water, or wet wipes, doesn't clean it at all. But gunky packaging aside, Smashbox does have great powder eyeshadows, in general I've found them to have a nice soft texture, and be quite blendable. Some shades are more pigmented than others, but the good ones are excellent. Vapor, this particular shade, has been one of my go-to all-over lid shades, for days where my eyes look tired and I want a MLBB (My Lids But Better) shade to even out the colour tone and make them look more awake.

Smashbox Vapor has really accompanied me everywhere for the past nearly 2 years, including on major translantic flights (24 hours on a plane, oh joy), as well as moving house (and not just house, moving country!) not once but twice! So I guess it's also so gross-looking because it's seen a lot of wear and tear. Due to rough handling by baggage handlers, house movers, and just me dropping the eyeshadow, lid is cracked and broken in two parts. But it still fits the container, and it still works! That's not too bad, right?



Anyway, apologies that I don't have any swatches this time round (I suck I know, but there isn't much of the eyeshadow left for me to swatch with), but it's somewhat similar to Smashbox Strike, which I've featured before, except that Strike is slightly darker and yellower. But anyway, there you go - another item I've used up. Now I can feel at liberty to acquire yet another eyeshadow! :P

How To Clean A Sticky NARS, or Becca Compact Case

Edited to add: It has come to my attention that this method of cleaning the case results in any logos or printing on the rubberized surface being removed as well. So unfortunately NARS logos on the compact will be affected. However other brands that don't print designs or logos on the rubberized portion of the compact, like Smashbox or Becca, should be unaffected. I have been told that using a silicon-based lubricant instead of alcohol to clean the casing helps to solve this problem. I've tried cleaning a sticky NARS case with silicone powder to good effect, do read the post if you're interested in an update!

Every girl who has had a NARS item for long enough will know that the sleek, rubberized NARS packaging will eventually become a hot, sticky mess - literally. The plastic starts melting and it basically becomes tacky goo that picks up a lot of dust and is sticky to the touch. And for some reason, it has been my experience that hot, humid climates tend to accelerate the degeneration of rubberized packaging. Often, when this happens, people resort to depotting (removing the metal pan from the plastic packaging). Fortunately, there is a fast and easy way to restore the packaging to non-stickiness that does not require you to depot.

NARS, of course, is not the only brand to use such rubberized packaging. After all, if it looks cool, everyone's going to do it. Smashbox also uses identical material for their packaging, and Becca uses something similar, so here, I'm going to show you how to clean up a sticky compact using a Smashbox case. As long as the material is made out of the same type of rubberized plastic material, this cleaning method will work.

Here is the before picture. You can imagine how sad I was to find my Smashbox eyeshadow trio looking like this:



Yes, it was horrific. It was gross, sticky, and everytime I touched it, my fingers would come off with gooey residue. It needed cleaning, stat.

Before I start, I'd like to mention that two of the more popular methods I've been seeing around - baby wipes and water - don't really work when your NARS or Smashbox case has disintegrated to this level. (Trust me, I've tried.) Both are good for cleaning off the dirt when the case is just dusty but hasn't gone sticky yet. However, once your case has degenerated and becomes sticky to the touch, neither method is particularly useful.

In order to clean your compact, you need alcohol. And I'm not thinking of booze, I'm thinking of isopropyl alcohol. If you're in the USA, rubbing alcohol is sold by the bottle, and it's relatively easy to get one. If you're in the UK or elsewhere, isopropyl alcohol isn't usually sold by itself, so you'll have to settle for surgical spirit, or a similar alcohol-based surgical disinfectant. It may not be isopropyl alcohol, but usually as long as its some sort of alcohol it will do the job. Just make sure the alcohol content is decent - I normally suggest 70% alcohol and above.

So, now that you've gotten your rubbing alcohol, all you need is a piece of tissue paper, and your sticky compact. Pour a little of the isopropyl on the tissue, and start wiping your compact:



You'll notice the alcohol will somehow remove the stickiness from your casing, leaving only behind a shiny plastic surface. It seems like the ispropyl alcohol somehow dissolves the top rubberized layer that was getting sticky, but left the underlying plastic casing untouched.

After a few wipes, this is what your new-and-improved NARS or Smashbox case will look like. Look ma, no stickiness!



However, there are going to be issues with this packaging that will make some people unhappy. For one, it changes the surface of the packaging. Before, the packaging was rubberized and matte in finish, but after cleaning, because the alcohol dissolves the rubberized bits, the casing that is left behind is a shiny black casing that's plastic but not rubberized. I guess this is how NARS, Smashbox and all the lot of them make those casings that look so cool - they get cheap black plastic containers, and coat them with some sort of rubbery material to get that matte finish. So it seems to me like it's the rubbery coating that gets sticky over time, not the plastic beneath it. Wiping the compact with alcohol removes that rubbery top surface.

Here, you can really see the difference. The container on the left has not yet been cleaned, while the one on the right was wiped down with alcohol:



I know some people dislike this cleaning process because they think it cheapens the look of the compact. That may be true, but if you ask me, I'd rather have a clean but shiny (if slightly cheap looking) than a sticky rubberized compact that grossses me out each time I touch it. Of course, it's all a matter of preference, but I've yet to discover a method that removes the stickiness without removing the rubbery layer. I'm hoping I'll eventually find one! But in the meantime, at least I can make sure that my NARS and Smashbox compacts can cleaned and usable again, without having to depot them!

NARS Abyssinia vs Smashbox Strike vs LORAC Persuasion: Dupes or Not?

You know I'm a taupe ho, and a purple ho. But did you know I'm also a beige ho? And not just any beige ho, a specific-type-of-beige ho. In particular, I'm always searching for the perfect all-over lid base colour, for days when I don't want to wear eyeshadow but just want to even out the discolouration on my eyelids, for days when I want to do the no-makeup look for my eyes, and for a base on days when I do indeed want to wear eyeshadow. In other words, I'm searching for the perfect MLBB (My-Lids-But-Better) eyeshadow - the one eyeshadow that looks exactly like your skin colour, to even out any flaws you might have in your eyelid. And it's also my opinion that every girl should have at least one of these - they really do work wonders in making you look wide awake.

But the thing about MLBB lid colours is that they're really personal, because what makes a good all-over lid colour really depends on your own skintone. For some people, this involves years of searching for the right skintone nude - even if you find the right colour, the formula could be crappy. Fortunately for me, being a rather common NC20 in MAC means that I actually have more than one colour that might work. And of course, this means that some of the colours are pretty much dupes of each other. Which means you could potentially save money!

First of all is the much-famed NARS Abyssinia. I know Abyssinia doesn't get hyped up as much as other colours such as Ashes to Ashes, but those who have it like it because of its versatility and it's easy basic-ness. It's a pale neutral beige with slight shimmer.

Secondly we have LORAC Persuasion. LORAC doesn't get much press from other bloggers, but that's really too bad for the bloggers. LORAC eyeshadows are simply one of the best out there, and they are cheap within the US if you buy them from the official Lorac site clearance section. My one great regret was not getting more LORAC eyeshadows before I left the US! All the ones I have apply like a dream, are as smooth as butter, amazingly pigmented, and very blendable. Suffice it to say I haven't met a LORAC eyeshadow I haven't liked yet.

Lastly, we have Smashbox Strike. Now this colour has been foolishly discontinued by Smashbox, but is available online for cheap. Smashbox is also another rather underrated brand, and I really like their single eyeshadows, lipglosses, lipsticks, and soft lights. Strike is a pale nude beige, also with shimmer.

So we have three pale nude beige shadows, all with shimmer. So just how dupey are they?

Here's a view of them in their little pots:



Top Row: Nars Abyssinia. Bottom Row L - R: Lorac Persuasion, Smashbox Strike

They look pretty close, don't they? But as with all things in life, such as dating, guys, and that dress that looked cute on the hanger but not on the body, looks can be deceiving. So here are swatches:



L - R: Smashbox Strike, LORAC Persuasion, NARS Abyssinia.

I know it's hard to see the colours on my skin - after all, these shadows are supposed to match my skintone. But if you squint hard enough, I promise you they're actually swatched on my arm!

From the swatches, you can see very very slight differences between the two. For one, NARS Abyssinia has the worst pigmentation out of the lot. Now I know NARS are famous for eyeshadows that supposedly have pigmentation so great it cannot be used by mere humans, but in real life I've found them to be rather hit-and-miss. Some shades are great, some are not as great. Abyssinia is alright. It's a little sheer, but it works well as a base. LORAC Persuasion and Smashbox Strike are both quite pigmented relative to the NARS.

Also, if you squint hard enough, you can see that Smashbox Strike has a very slight pink tinge to it, as compared to either NARS Abyssinia or LORAC Persuasion. It's just a hair pinker, ever-so-slightly. I don't think my swatches captured it, but I promise you there's a slight difference. Very slight, though.

By now I bet you're wondering why I'm dedicting a post to a bunch of boring beiges, of all things. Well, I'm hoping this helps anyone who is searching for their perfect MLBB lid colour, and since they're pretty similar I thought they'd make a great addition to my "Dupes or Not?" comparison series of posts. I hope this helps someone!