MAC vs. Sephora

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I go to Sephora more, because it is bigger and has way more variety to choose from. I tend to only go to MAC when they have something new I want to buy. I like both places though.

 
I really like both, but I definitely would have to go with Sephora. I love the variety and the girls that work at mine are so sweet and helpful!

 
I would've said MAC, but I prefer Sephora. The associates at the MAC free standing store here, ignor you if you're not a fashion model, or hold a MAC pro card...This is Kansas City, there;s no reason for that. At Sephoras you're not stuck on one brand. I prefer Sephora's brushes by far. I still go to the MAC counter, and buy eye shadow if I run out of a color I use. At Sephoras I'm treated very well. 

 
i love mac brushes, but the associates are pretty snooty. i do my research first, then buy from mac. as for sephora, i get to meander and play with everything. so if i had topick, sephora would be the winner winner chicken dinner!!!!!!!

 
I cant say much about MAC because i dont own or tried anything from them before due to their high prices on stuff but i love Sephora a lot. There are so many things to choose from. Someday i will buy something from MAC ( probably my first thing will be a blush) but i have too many choices in sephora for less money that i tend to spend my makeup money in Sephora instead of just 1 item from MAC

 
I've had nothing but good things to say about MAC, I know a lot of the girls in the local MAC store and they have always been pretty friendly when I go in to look around. The very first time I went to MAC, I didn't have an appt but they didn't care, they sat me on a chair, had a chat with me about what I wanted and went to work on me. I was blown away not only by how they talked me through each step but also showed me the steps on how to repeat the exact same results. No sales pressure but I ended up buying a couple things anyways.

I have no experience with Sephora, I just bought my first product from them online but with that purchase was a coupon good for a one hour appointment with a make up artists at Sephora so I plan on utilizing it and seeing what they do for me. 

Should be an fun time! :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 
As for make up prices, they are both pretty much the same, quality also. I love the MAC counter at Nordstroms. Those girls are amazing.

 
Easy, Sephora! I like some Mac products but Sephora has so much more variety, sales, samples, & it's not limited only to cosmetics. I like some Mac but if forced to choose, Sephora.

 
You can't beat MAC for their pro program. Sephora doesn't offer any pro discounts, but if I need something quick it is great. 

 
Originally Posted by MkpArtist /img/forum/go_quote.gif

You can't beat MAC for their pro program. Sephora doesn't offer any pro discounts, but if I need something quick it is great. 
Click to expand...
The only bad part about that is that not everyone can qualify for the Mac Pro program.

 
Sephora. For all of us, is a huge playground! I find that testing things are easier here, simply because I don't feel like I'm pestering the sales people by asking them for samples or for assistance. I feel much more independent and its much more of a leisurely experience at Sephora.

With MAC, I'm not really browsing. I know what I like, and because I have MAC products that are staples to my routine ( fix+, lingering eye brow pencil, MSF Natural), I usually just ask the sales people directly as opposed to wandering trying on everything. I don't know why, but I sort of feel a sense of pressure when I'm there. Could just be me. MAC does draw me in with their collections tho, and I will play around with those.

 
I used to work for MAC (many moons ago). I found the quality had changed. I love their brushes and my original set still looks new. I love Sephora for the selection - lot's to choose from. As for the customer service, both places are very helpful.

 
mac has younger staff here.... sephore is always oldies not giving a darn about customers.

 
I love my local Sephora (inside JCPenney). The staff is FANTASTIC. M•A•C not so much, all the employees we knew and liked are long gone and the new staff are snobs. Granted I rarely bought in the first place (in the last five years I've only bought two lipsticks, two lip glasses, two eye shadows and... and... I forgot what the other item was). The biggest turn off for me has been the price. I don't know why I feel their prices are overpriced when I don't mind dropping the same amount or more at Sephora. I think probably because I get samples, points and perks from Sephora and at M•A•C I don't. I can get a pro card if I want but can't justify spending money on a card I may not utilize enough of to make it worth the price ESPECIALLY since it's a YEARLY fee not a one time fee.

 
I definitely like Sephora better. There's better selection and usually better customer service. I've had mixed feelings about MAC and their customer service. Sometimes they're rude, sometimes they're really nice, but it's never really in between.

 
Hey,there!I personally love MUFE...The eyeshadows are amazing!Foundation-baby skin![Yet too many parabens!]I am happy with the discount of 40% that I get from them and it's so easy to apply for the Pro Card  whereas Mac actually make you pay certain amount first and afterwards you  have to wait God knows how long b4 you finally receive your Card...Well,may be this is another reason most Pro Artists choose MUFE and who carries it???Sephora.So,I've been in both places in the city[NY],Queens and LI and  can deffinitely tell the difference.If you need Great Customer service,friendly people,experienced personal,quality and variance...look for Sephora.I witnessed such disrespect at MAC when the MUA yelled at the counter girl not to tell her what eye shadow to use because she is the artist and the other girl is just a cashier.Well,let me tell you...If I were her manager,she'd be fired immedietely.I also heard those girls at Mac tend to appear not professional...I guess they're all too young and get involved in too many jealousy related issues...After all,beauty makes us sin.Vanity is dangerous.Look at plastic sergery addicts.Crazy!Anyhow!!!Drama at work is a NO-NO!Well,me as an Artist I wouldn't go there!When I didn't know better I actually went to a Pro Interview,Freelance and stuff..pf,I cannot stress enough how cold everyone was and How proud they all were with working at MAC!May be a positive sign,yet they were so Proud that they didn't realize how dumb they look.lmao.I just cannot get this robotic type of behaviour and I just cannot let myself be brain-washed.WAKE UP PPL,your products are not better than others,they just cost more!And what are you so pround of?Most of you don't even make 15$ and hour...When I go to Sephora people come to me,smile at me...it's so much better!This makes me want to BUY.And let's be honest...At the end of the day,it's all about the sale.I actually encourage you girls to make some research and start using Organic Makeup and Skin care.Try Brands Like the French Terre d'Oc or even Lush cosmetics[even though most lush products are not very organic...]Just open your eyes to what beauty really is and take care of your skin from now...Most of you are too young to use makeup anyway!Just look at the ingredients on the back of your MAC or Urban decay boxes.Disgusting!Peace,yo!!!

 
Sephora, not only do they sell their own brand , but they sell others. They have so many different varieties and styles that you always have something to buy when going. I just love them..

 
Sephora.  Not just because I work there.  I wanted to work there, after all, haha.  MAC tests on animals now, is wishy washy in their previous cruelty free standards anyways, bastardized their own product by repackaging permanent pro colors and releasing them as "new" LE colors with new collections coming out too fast to even keep up with.  And the customer service is hit or miss and they are.. weird in their hiring process.  Don't get me wrong, I like several of their products, but they are simply not my favorite anymore.  I would pick MUFE over them any day, and that's because all of MAC came from MUFE formulations that they purchased in the beginning of  the company.  Want something MAC?  Chances are you can find something better by MUFE.  Not to mention MUFE = long lasting, waterproof, and cruelty free.  MUFE is at Sephora.  So is Sephora Collection, which has actually been getting really awesome as of late.  I have seen huge improvements in formulas over the last few years since I started shopping there in 2006/2007.  They also have the amazing Urban Decay, Too Faced, etc, etc.  They have skin care, nail polish (ILLAMASQUA, yes, I'm a fangirl), and color.  Hands down, Sephora. Anything you want from MAC, I will find you a dupe at Sephora.

 
MAC: Better customer service.

Sephora: Better selection.

Pretty much all the Sephora store's I've been to have had pretty poor customer service. And I won't even get in to the people working there who don't have the first clue about what they are selling. 

 
I've had both good and bad experiences at both MAC and Sephora. Ultimately customer service depends on the location and on the sales staff running that location at the time of your visit. I stopped at a MAC in Vegas and service was more than acceptable. I also stopped in at a Sephora in San Diego and...let's just say the MAC in Vegas was better. Obviously Sephora has a far greater selection and is more well-rounded. But at the end of the day it all depends on what you're looking to buy.

 

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