Hey, everyone! I'm finally ready to present to you my two favorite powder foundations which I've used for a year now. They're both almost empty so you can see I've used them well enough to make this review and comparison. Are you ready?

Presenting... from the imaginary blue corner at the left side, weighing 15 g, made in the U.S.A., a one-step powder and foundation that provides a smooth, flawless, all-matte, full-coverage finish; claims to be long-wearing with velvety texture that allows skin to breathe, and available in a wide range of colors... MAC STUDIO FIX POWDER PLUS FOUNDATION!

And from the imaginary red corner at the right side, weighing 15 g, made in Taiwan, a high quality cake foundation which can be applied wet or dry, containing Vitamin E that nourishes and softens skin, with UV-protection and oil-control... FANNY SERRANO TWO-WAY CAKE FOUNDATION!

Are you ready to rumble? Let's do this!


I was matched to an NC30 for the MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation and I find that the Fanny Serrano Two-way Cake Foundation in Chino blends and "disappears" on my skin. I hit the pan with the MAC one after having used it almost daily for 5 months straight and I hit the pan with the Fanny Serrano one in just 2 months of continued use! From then on, it should take roughly 1.5 months until it's completely empty I think.


I hardly use the sponge that came with these two compacts and it's only when I want to blot out my face and I happen to have the compact with me. Take note that I use my favorite Sigma F80 Kabuki brush when I apply this on my face. I need medium to heavy coverage because of my acne and blemishes. Sometimes I spritz some water onto the brush before taking some powder.


Both of these compacts are marked with their  batch/production code/numbers at the back. The MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation I got reads AC2, which means that it was a first batch run (A: first batch, B: second batch, and so on...) from a production in December (1: january, 2: february, 3: march, 4: april, 5: may, 6: june, 7: july, 8: august, 9: september, A: october, B: november, C: december) in the year 2012 (the last digit represents the year of production). I bought this MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation at Rustan's in Ayala Cebu last March 2014. For the Fanny Serrano Two-way Cake Foundation, there's the LOT# as well as the manufacturing date of April 30, 2013. I actually bought this first back in October 2013. When buying makeup (or any product for that matter), remember to always look for batch/production codes to avoid buying counterfeit products or fakes.


As you can tell by their packaging, these two products are very similar in appearance. But when you swatch the products, here's where the difference is pretty obvious. Even though both of them are finely milled, you can see that the Fanny Serrano Two-way Cake Foundation is not quite packed or "pressed" as the MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation, which is the reason why I think I hit the pan with it quickly because there is a major tendency to take a lot of the product out and with me using a brush all the time, well, it's not the most economical method, is it? Anyway, both of these products are buildable and when applied right you can layer it on without looking cakey. Just remember to blend, blend, blend...

MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in NC30

Fanny Serrano Two-way Cake Foundation in Chino

Now for the price. You can get the MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation for only $27 plus tax in the U.S. but here in the Philippines, Rustan's retails them for Php 1,800! You can also get it from online sellers starting from Php 1,500. On the other hand, if your budget just won't allow it, the Fanny Serrano Two-way Cake Foundation is the perfect dupe and also comes in various shades to complement the Filipina skintone (from pink to yellow undertones!). The compact sells for only Php 399.00 at SM! And best of all... it also comes in refills!




But here's the deal breaker for me now that I have fully tested these two products. The Fanny Serrano Two-way Cake Foundation is what I reach for when I'm off to a quick errand, when I'm going to buy some groceries or go to a doctor's appointment, or even when I bring my son to school. After application without face primer, it lasts approximately 3-4 hours (depending on the humidity) until I get shiny. (Note: Oily, acne-prone skin here!) However, if I want a long-lasting base, like when I know I'll be out and about for more than 6 hours or if there's a special event I'm going to, then I have to use the MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation because even with my oily skin there is absolutely no need for a retouch. I just blot the oil and I'm good to go. Even without primer! You can most likely extend the hours of use of both products if you use a makeup base or primer.

Bottomline: I would use the Fanny Serrano Two-way Cake Foundation during the daytime (since it has SPF!) and the MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation at night because it is more flash photography-friendly. No white cast whatsoever!

And now for some selfies and #FOTDs...

Using MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation because it’s not just so you can hide your imperfections but it’s something you can use to bring out the best in you… So you can be who you want to be and become who you are meant to be.

MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in NC30

MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in NC30

MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in NC30

Probably my worst breakout *EVER*! Using Happy Skin ZZ CREAM, Naturactor cover face, and Fanny Serrano Two-way Cake Foundation in Chino

Fanny Serrano Two-way Cake Foundation in Chino

Fanny Serrano Two-way Cake Foundation in Chino

Fanny Serrano Two-way Cake Foundation in Chino

Depending on the ambient light, it looks like my skintone changes. But I'm actually using the same shade of powder foundations and it really blends well with my oily skin. Note that the Fanny Serrano Two-way Cake Foundation actually contains parabens. Some people believe that may increase your risk of breast cancer, but then again parabens have been found by the FDA to be safe for use in cosmetics, and it also says that, based on the weight of all the current scientific evidence, there is no reason for consumers to be concerned about the use of products containing parabens, because after all these prevent the growth of microbes in cosmetics. It can, however, be absorbed by the body. So yeah, just a word of caution for all those who may be concerned. I would love to go organic and all natural if I could, but that means shorter shelf life and more expensive products. I guess I'll take my chances. Tee hee.

Both MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation and Fanny Serrano Two-way Cake Foundation contain talc in the ingredients which can clog pores. So at the end of the day, JUST BE SURE TO REMEMBER: ALWAYS WASH YOUR FACE OR CLEAN IT before hitting the sack. :)

I hope you find this blog post helpful and please leave a comment if you have any makeup products you would like for me to review or make comparisons of. Thanks for reading and dropping by my blog!



TWITTER ★ http://twitter.com/bastaigat_sikat
FACEBOOK ★ http://facebook.com/bastaigatsikat
INSTAGRAM ★ http://instagram.com/bastaigat_sikat
PINTEREST ★ http://pinterest.com/mrsnoodleboy
YOUTUBE ★ http://youtube.com/mymaria
BLOG ★ http://www.bastaigatsikat.com