It is cult makeup product time! One of my all time favorite cult makeup products is MAC’s Paint Pot in Painterly. These things last ages, which is why it took me some time to get this review up. I owned one of these previously, but it took me years to use it up and being able to open a fresh one to be able to take pictures. But now that has run out, I can finally share my love for this staple in my makeup routine.
MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot Painterly
Since this product is by MAC, you know it won’t be cheap. MAC can be expensive and especially staples like these, that they know people will repurchase, are up there in price. This particular paint pot set me back €23. Yikes! For an eyeshadow base that I only use to block out my lid, that is quite steep. Still, I use this thing every. single. day., which is why I knew it would be worth it for me.
The Packaging
MAC Paint Pots come in their iconic glass pots. This is a much thicker product than most eyeshadow bases. That is why the jar packaging is necessary: this would not work if you put it in a tube. That would be more hygienic, but if use a brush with this you can keep it clean. After a while and if you do not screw the lid on tight enough, this will of course dry out. What I have found though is that you can stir it back together using a toothpick to redistribute the moisture. That will enable you to use up an entire jar.
The Paint Pot
Painterly is the more pink toned, beige shade of the paint pot range. That makes it perfect for use an eye base. But that is not how paint pots are necessarily intended to be used. In fact, paint pots are cream eyeshadows and they come in 13 different shades and many contain shimmer. I have used several in the past. I used to own four, but I have since decluttered two of the shimmers as I no longer used them. My main use for the shimmer versions of this product is as a cream shadow when I travel when I want a quick and fuss free makeup look. Painterly is the only one I have ever repurchased.
The Swatch
From what I can tell, most paint pots are shimmers, but Painterly is a beige. It is perfect for those of us with a cool or neutral undertone. If you have a more warm undertone to your skin, then Soft Ochre is your best bet. If unsure, definitely go to a MAC store to ask advice. Painterly is a nice neutral, that once sheered out, matches my skin very well. It blocks out my lid color very nicely.
Because of the thicker texture, I do feel I have to double prime my eye lids. I use a thin eyeshadow base to make sure my eyeshadow doesn’t slide around first. Without that, a paintpot will crease on me. Once applied I also like to set it with a light cream colored powder eyeshadow. I don’t like a tacky base as I feel it doesn’t make my shadows blend as easily on top. However, many people like leaving this tacky for more color intensity on the eye. I simply prefer building up my shadows more.
The Application
My preferred method of application is my finger. If you don’t like that, then using a brush with this works fine too. I especially like the Sigma P82 for applying cream eyeshadow, so that is a great recommendation if you were looking for a brush to use with your paint pot. I find I get a more seamless blend with my fingers. Because the product is quite thick, I feel the warmth of my finger helps with applying the product and creating a seamless blend. It simply creates the thinnest, most even layer.
The Conclusion
The MAC Paint Pot is a cult product for a reason. It may not make my eyeshadow last but it does create the most perfect base for applying shadows. With this, my eye looks look more intense and colors blend better on top. I love this as a color base to ensure the eyeshadow performs at its utmost best. Now that people are recommending using these with some recent palette releases (yup, that would be the Morphe X James Charles palette), I feel that MAC Paint Pots have been brought back into the limelight. Grab one and you will have it for years, provided you take care of it and use it regularly enough. Must have if you feel your eyeshadows need a base to stick to or to have them stand out more.