I’m quite taken with these mini MACs – or Little MACs as they’re known. At London Fashion Week MAC had a vending machine which might become a thing and I can quite see myself being tempted at £12 to use it and have a mini lipstick or mascara dispensed. It’s much less of a commitment at that price, and these days, who uses all of a lipstick up?
Here’s how the mini lipsticks compare next to a full size.
A full size MAC lippie is 3g while a Little MAC is 1.8g. MAC has mini sized several products – Pigment, Lipglass, Mascara, Strobe Cream, Prep & Prime Fix+ and the Lipsticks. Everything is £12.
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There’s a very obvious draw to the mini versions – you can cram a tiny make up bag like mine above with as many color options as you like (actually there are only 10 shades in mini but the line up includes favourites such as Ruby Woo) which is very useful for travelling and holidays. I try not to take full size luggage (I’ve got carry on down to a fine art) if I’m going away for anything up to 5 days so this is genuinely a good space saver for me.
Less obviously, the Minis provide an affordable entry point to MAC in the chaotic and competitive beauty market. It’s fairly obvious, even if you don’t work in the beauty industry, that drawing in new consumers is a priority for every brand. It’s the big question – how can we get more customers? I think MAC would have to plead guilty to neglecting their core market but I actually think minis might draw back those who’ve strayed away despite the fact that they’re probably looking at attracting younger consumers with less disposable income. Looking at the feedback from my previous MAC post when I asked where MAC went wrong, poor counter experiences and too many unrelatable collaborations rank highly, but the Minis are core and you don’t particularly need a counter confrontation to get them because you can order on line. Actually, if you order 3 products from the Little MAC collection, you get 3 extra free samples (samples currently are Strobe, Prep & Prime Yellow and a tiny In Extra Dimension Mascara) and postage is free HERE.
Would you shop from a MAC Vending Machine for £12? I’d honestly be mightily tempted… in fact, I’m giving my niece her first Ruby Woo at Easter because who needs more chocolate?!
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All products are sent to me as samples from brands and agencies unless otherwise stated. Affiliate links may be used. Posts are not affiliate driven.
11 comments
Jane, once again you have tempted me to spend money haha. This is a fab idea by MAC. Browsing their site right now for the first time in I don’t know how long x
@Kerrykegs
I know right.. minis have an allure!
Hey! I use up all my lipsticks, right down to using a lip brush to get the last dregs out. LOL! My experience with MAC counters hasn’t been positive; very loud music and staff who aren’t terribly interested. I would use the vending machine just to avoid the counter. The mini lippie isn’t that much smaller than the full size or are my middle aged eyes deceiving me?
That’s something that keeps coming back as feedback – counter experience. I know a few of the MAC reps and they’re all so nice so I don’t know what’s going wrong.. what a shame.
Depends on the counter for me – the one near Liverpool St station is great, the staff at the St Pancras should possibly rethink careers in customer service.
But I am also a “lipbrush down to the dregs” user.
I collect miniature lipsticks. I have them from all kinds of brands high-end to high-street. 20 pieces so far, Chanel, Guerlain, D&G to Kiko and the like
I have never bought a MAC because I simply find the bullets ugly. When I read the headline I thought to myself: “This is it, now I’ll give in and buy one since they are tiny.”
But the price tag is ridiculous for a miniature lipstick. I’ll never buy one at that price and the miniaturation doesn’t make up for that bullet again 😀
Now I want to collect mini lipsticks! I’m going to…
Hahaha! Shiseido do impressive ones.
My fave is Chanel Arthur and Kiko’s matt red from a few month’s back, when they had their anniversary collection with the topic “miniatures”. <3
I have never bought or owned any MAC! I know, right?
That’s all about to change.
Thanks Jane
oh I don’t know whether to be proud or ashamed!
So cute! I agree that £10 would make more sense, though – a full-size MAC lipstick is £17.50* so a tenner would feel like a real discount. Tempted by a mini Ruby Woo though, I’d never use up a whole one.
*(When did MAC lippies get to £17.50? I thought they were £15.50!)
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