Hey beauties! Today we’re diving deep into one of the most hyped concealers out there – the MAC Pro Longwear Concealer. As a beauty junkie, I’m always on the hunt for that holy grail concealer that covers imperfections, brightens under eyes, and lasts all day without creasing or fading. So many of you have asked for my thoughts on this iconic product, and I figured it was time to do a full investigation. I scoured hundreds of customer reviews to get the real scoop on how this concealer performs for different people. Let’s see if it lives up to the hype!
First off, the basics. The MAC Pro Longwear Concealer claims to provide lightweight yet full coverage with a comfortable matte finish that lasts up to 15 hours. It comes in a glass bottle with a pump dispenser and contains 0.3 fl oz of product. With 16 shades available (more on that later), it retails for $26 at MAC stores, counters, and the official website.
Now, on to what the people have to say. One thing that stood out immediately is how polarizing this product is. It seems like customers either absolutely swear by it or find it extremely disappointing, without many falling in the middle ground. Let’s break down the pros and cons.
In the positive camp, the most frequently raved about quality was the level of coverage this concealer provides. Reviewers used words like “amazing,” “phenomenal,” and “magical” to describe how well it covers up dark undereye circles, redness, hyperpigmentation, and even tattoos. Many said a little goes a long way and that you only need the tiniest amount for your whole face.
Mandypoo gushed, “Seriously the best I have ever used. I put this on once in the morning with a bit of setting powder over top and it lasts ALL DAY AND NIGHT with no touch up. It’s my absolute favorite and i have very bad dark circles — purple/grey/red. It’s seriously magical and doesn’t crease or sag from the warmth of my skin.”
The longevity and crease-resistant nature of this concealer was another huge plus for many. Numerous reviewers said it truly lives up to its 15 hour wear claim and doesn’t settle into fine lines or wrinkles.
“It’s one of my top Mac favourites!” raved Carole. “This concealer offers the perfect coverage throughout the day. It’s a staple for me in my makeup kit for clients!” agreed professional makeup artist Lexi.
For those with mature skin, the Pro Longwear Concealer seemed to be a particular favorite. “The unbelievably lasting formula amazes with each wear. Natural soft matte finish never settles into wrinkles of mature skin. Rosacea stays covered until removal,” shared EyePro, a reviewer in the 55-64 age range.
Many also praised the natural, skin-like finish of this concealer. While it packs impressive coverage, customers said it still looks undetectable on the skin. Daph, who is in her 40s, said “This is so natural looking, NO creasing, lasts all day, easy to apply with a finger. Medium and sufficient coverage for dark undereyes and blemishes.”
On the negative side, the most common complaint by far was regarding the pump dispenser. An overwhelming number of reviewers bemoaned how it dispenses way too much product with the lightest touch, leading to a ton of wasted concealer.
“My review is less about the concealer itself, which is pretty good, and more about the bottle,” said Steph. “It’s terrible! It dispenses SO much more concealer than I a actually need, and no matter how much I try to us the pump lightly, it just shoots out enough concealer that I could almost use it as foundation. Like, 5-10 times more concealer than I probably want, so I’m going through it 5-10 times faster than I would literally any other concealer. So disappointing!”
This seems to be an issue even for those who love the actual concealer formula. “The only down side is that a lot of product does come out when you pump it out even if you try to pump out a little bit,” said Dev. KC agreed, saying “My only complain is the pump. It’s very difficult to control how much concealer comes out and sometimes you get too much. I hate to waste a good product!”
Some reviewers, like Sunshine, pleaded for MAC to change the packaging because of how much product it wastes. This is definitely something to keep in mind, especially considering the concealer’s $26 price tag. You may go through it faster than expected.
Another drawback some customers noted was that the concealer can look heavy or unnatural if you apply too much. “It’s as runny as water & the pump squirt pump is a disaster,” said Mrs. Murphy. “It pushes out enough concealer for your entire face, even when I take the time to pump slowly. An absolute waste of money.”
i had a similar experience, saying that using this concealer on spots made it look like there was clearly a lot of makeup in some areas and not others. “You can see the difference in the photo. I used this under my eye, then foundation over my whole face. The difference between my undereye and the rest of my face looks so weird.”
This seems to go hand in hand with the complaints about the pump dispensing too much. A few reviews mentioned that it dries fairly quickly, so you have to blend it out fast. If you apply more than you need, it can start to look cakey and obvious on the skin. Definitely something to keep in mind when dispensing – a little goes a long way!
Some reviewers with very fair skin mentioned having trouble finding a good shade match. “Sadly, the NW15 is a bit too dark for me,” said Kelly. I have the NW10 in the studio fix line, but the pro longwear is so much better! I mix it with a bit of white color corrector and it works.”
On the other end of the spectrum, some reviewers with deeper skin tones said they had issues with the concealer oxidizing. “I do find the shade a little on the orange side for me,” said ACE.
However, several customers actually raved about the shade range, especially those with olive or medium skin tones that often have trouble finding good matches. I love MAC for the colour range – it is the only brand that matches my medium asian skintone,” shared Dani. Still, it seems like MAC could expand the shade range even further on both ends to suit very fair and very deep skin tones.
One concerning complaint that came up more than once was the glass bottle shattering. “MAC needs to send this product with a cloth case to protect the bottle from shattering. This is the second one that has shattered and I am really dissatisfied. I might not purchase again due to the delicate bottle,” said SHF. Hopefully MAC addresses this, as it seems like a safety issue.
An interesting discovery from the reviews was how many people use this product as an eyeshadow primer in addition to or instead of a concealer. Those who did really liked it for that purpose.
Some other unique uses customers mentioned were covering tattoos, using it as a highlighting and contour product, and even wearing it as a foundation. I actually use this as my foundation and I love it so much for full coverage, all day wear! It doesn’t settle in my wrinkles,” said JKPERKINS. Hey, whatever works!
A few common themes emerged in terms of application tips from reviewers:
- Use the tiniest amount! Seriously, a pin-sized dot will probably suffice for most of your face.
- Blend it out quickly, as it dries down and sets fast. Taking too long to blend can lead to cakiness.
- Set it with powder for maximum longevity and to prevent creasing.
- Use a damp beauty sponge for a natural, seamless blend.
One thing to note is many reviewers mentioned hitting pan very quickly with this product. While a little goes a long way, the pump dispenses so much that it’s easy to go through it fast. At $26 for 0.3 oz, that’s something to consider. MAC does have a Back-to-MAC recycling program where you can return 6 empty containers for a free lipstick, which is nice.
As with any product, it seems like a bit of trial and error is required to make this concealer work for you. If you can get past the pump issue, it does seem to truly live up to its claims of full coverage and long wear for most. Those with mature skin, fine lines, and dark circles seem to be the biggest fans of this product.
Overall, the majority of reviewers would recommend the MAC Pro Longwear Concealer, and many have repurchased it for years. It’s a favorite of professional makeup artists as well as everyday consumers. If you want a budge-proof, fully pigmented concealer and don’t mind potentially wasting some product with each use, it could be worth the $26 investment.
I’d recommend getting a sample or buying it from a store with a good return policy so you can test it out yourself before fully committing. Make sure to blend it out quickly and use a light hand initially – you can always build up more coverage but it’s harder to tone it down if you use too much.
Personally, I’m intrigued by the hype and definitely want to try it out for myself now! I’m a sucker for a good full coverage concealer. If you’ve tried this concealer, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Do you agree with these reviews? Any tips or tricks to share? Let me know!
I hope this deep dive was helpful and gave you a thorough overview of what real users think of this iconic product. MAC is one of my favorite brands and they’ve certainly made bold claims about this concealer. While no product is perfect, it does seem like this one delivers on coverage and longevity for most.
Thanks for reading! Let me know if there are any other products you’d like me to investigate in the future. Until next time, beauties!
Xoxo, Your Friendly Neighborhood Beauty Blogger
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