Product Review: MAC Cosmetics Pro Longwear Paint Pot

MAC was the first place I ever got "real" makeup when I was a teen. There was a location around the corner from my grandmother's condo, so on our next visit out there, after I started experimenting with the shitty drugstore eyeshadow available to me at the time (it was soooo gold...), my mom took me to MAC for my first legitimate eyeshadow. I believe it was Jest, a soft, frosted peach. It was basically my skin tone, but shimmery and prettier. I've been hooked on nude shades with a creamy luster ever since.

I hadn’t been to MAC in forever because I still had all the eyeshadows I gotten from the store in high school (so unsanitary, I know, don’t worry, I finally tossed them all this year). But as someone who doesn't really "do" eyeshadow on a regular basis, they lasted me forever. For that same reason, primer is simply not a part of my makeup routine. However, recently, my mom and I were at MAC, for old times sake, and she was telling me how much she loves their Paint Pot, which is a cream shadow that can also act as a primer. After she and the salesperson waxed on and on about its benefits, I gave in and said "fine, let's get it." Well, let me tell you, sometimes my mom really knows what she's talking about.

I got Painterly, a nude shade for my easily sunburnt tone of fair. In the store I was leaning toward Bare Study, which is a light beige with gold pearl (have you heard I like sparkle?), but I'm really glad my mom and the MAC employee steered me toward the matte shade. I've found I can use it as a base, or all on its own for a more put together approach to the minimalist look than my prior attempts. I have normal/combination skin, veering on oily, so eyeshadow tends to run right to my creases after a few hours. I tried the primer samples Birchbox sent me and never got into them. I used to just run my finger over the crease and hope I would achieve a more smudgy lewk than just an "I wiped off my makeup with my hands" visage. Well, crease smudges, BEGONE! This cream shadow/primer works it. My eyeshadow stays in place all muthafuckin' day with the little guy underneath it, no matter the amount of shimmer or sparkle. And it's honestly so soothing to put on because its velvetiness just allows it to gliiiiide over your lid. It dries super quickly too. In fact, my only negative is now, when I mess up while doing my eye makeup (a frequent occurrence), it's a lot harder for me to simply swipe at my eyes a couple times and wipe off my mistakes.

So if you're like me with some oily lids and have never given primer a fair shake because, eh, go try this baby!