Mac macstack mascara brown
- Shade: Chestnut brown
- Key ingredients: Synthetic beeswax, carnauba wax, kaolin
- Shades available: Black, chestnut brown
- Why we love it
- Flake-free
- Long-lasting
- Makes lashes look longer and thicker
As one of the brand’s bestselling products, I’m sure many of you reading this have probably tried the black version of macstack before, so forgive me for going back to basics about the formula. For those yet to try the mascara, welcome, as I’m about to take you through exactly why this product is so popular.
The formula
Mac’s macstack formula claims to be resistant to clumping, flaking and smudging, which is quite the tall order. Being a buildable formula – the clue is in the macstack name – it’s able to be applied a huge number of times (forty-plus) while still delivering a fanned-out effect.
This is thanks to a blend of synthetic beeswax, carnauba wax, kaolin and a whole host of other ingredients helping to make a creamy, buildable formula that won’t flake or crack.
However, it probably goes without saying that the more layers you apply, the more spidery your lashes will look. So, two-to-three was my personal sweet spot for a natural-looking fanned-out effect that kept all of the grand claims mentioned above.
The applicator
Most mascaras focus on different key traits such as volumising, lengthening or thickening, and the macstack is all about volume. Because of this, the applicator is incredibly important, so it’s clear a lot of research has gone into making this one a standout.
Looking and feeling like tiny, spikey claws, the bristles of this brush do feel rather sharp, scraping the product right through the lashes to completely coat them in the formula but without making them feel heavy.
Personally, I found scraping the excess off of the brush allowed for a more seamless finish, although if you’re fond of layering, more is more in this instance.
The shade
Mac has dubbed this colour ‘chestnut brown’, weaving in shades of red to the lash-extending formula. As someone with brown eyes, this seemed to really make them pop, although marketing images on blue and green eyes seems to show a similar effect.