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(*affiliate link) Hey guys! Thanks for coming back to Glammining.com! I was away for a while because of my work stuff.. anyway, I’m very happy to be able to write the review for these new MAC Paint Pots * (plus some original ones) that are just added to my collection!
I first saw these new MAC paint pots in Ulta *, and I waited a long time before they are available from other retailers. I got mine mostly from Macy’s *. They have a completion selection of all the shades from the originals to the MAC paint pot new colors.
The 2 MAC paint pot new colors I got are Currant Affair (described as intense reddish purple) and Ultraviolet (described as electric purple shimmer), while the 2 original ones are Vintage Selection (described as frosted dirty peach) and Groundwork (described as mid-tone neutral taupe).
Table of Contents
About the MAC Paint Pots
I’m sure many of you already know what the MAC Paint Pots are, I’m gonna be brief here!
These MAC Paint Pots retails for $23 USD a piece, each containing 5 g or 0.17 US oz of product in the pot. There are broadly 2 types of finishes: matte and shimmer. I think there are difference among the shimmer finishes, some contains larger glitter particles than others. However, to me, I think the different is quite subtle on the eyelid.
In this new 2021 release of the MAC paint pot, there are 17 new colors added.
According to MAC *, the Paint Pots are highly pigmented and the intensity and vibrancy can last for 24 hours. They also claims that these Paint Pots are “second skin-like creamy shadow formula blends smoothly over lids and creates seamless, buildable coverage without looking heavy or cakey”.
Some of the shades can be used as thicker form of eyeshadow primer that help to create a barrier between the skin and the eyeshadow applied on top, which is how I like to use my MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre!
Ingredients and formulation of the MAC Paint Pots
The full list of ingredients for these MAC Paint Pots are on their website (here *). For sure they do not contain talc as they are cream eyeshadows. There are however different forms of dimethicones and silica early in the ingredient list. Beware if you skin is sensitive to these ingredients.
Here is a picture of these MAC Paint Pots compared with my Soft Ochre paint pot:
For the textures of the matte paint pots (Groundwork and Currant Affair), they are very similar to Soft Ochre. If I have to be picky, I would say Currant Affair is tiny bit drier, but it doesn’t affect the blendability and the general performance of the shade.
The shimmer shades Vintage Selection and Ultraviolet, I can completely feel the difference in the formula and textures. Vintage Selection, while it is an older shade in the line and probably many of you also own this, feels very smooth and creamy, without any patchiness and the application is very even with only one swipe. However, for Ultraviolet, it is much drier and not as evenly picked up with a finger. I tried to use a eyeliner brush for Ultraviolet, but I needed to run over the liner many times before I can even tell the color showed up.
From these shades that I got, I can tell the original MAC Paint Pots or the mattes in general performs much better and smoother.
Swatches for the New & original MAC Paint Pots
I was a little surprised for how much lighter Vintage Selection and Groundwork are on me! I searched some online pictures and they all appear darker. Both arm and eyelid swatches give the same conclusion. So I’m a little disappointed for these 2 shades, especially Groundwork: I was expecting to use it as a one-and-done cream shadow on my lid. Groundwork is not a taupe to me, but a very light neutral to cool brown.
For Vintage Selection, I found it to be nice shimmery cream shadow to be used as a base for regular powder shimmer shades. It makes the shade on top more long-lasting and more vibrant. I tried use the Tarte Chrome Paint Shadow Pots * (reviewed here), or my favorite Tom Ford quad in Suspicion * (reviewed here), over Vintage Selection and it helps the loose shadows to stick better and makes them more reflective! For the color, again, it doesn’t look like a ‘dirty peachy’ shade to me, but more of a light dirty pink.
Currant Affair is also a very nice and relatively creamy reddish purple shade, which leans much more red than purple to me. I used this shade couple times with a brush and it performs great and very even with such application.
Ultraviolet is also a bit of a let-down in my book. Although the swatch in the picture looks pretty nice, it is somehow sheer and muted in my opinion. It won’t work unless you apply several layers of the shade over the same area. The first layer or swatch was very patchy and uneven. I swatched 2-3 layers in the picture.
Comparing MAC Paint Pots with the KVD Beauty Super Pomade Vegan Eyeliner, Shadow & Brow Pigments in Dark Brown and Aubergine
Initially I was thinking MAC Paint Pot Currant Affair looks very similar to Aubergine from the KVD Beauty Super Pomade Vegan Eyeliner, Shadow & Brow Pigment *. But after putting them together side-by-side, I can see how much redder and more vibrant is Currant Affair.
For these KVD Beauty Super Pomade Vegan Eyeliner, Shadow & Brow Pigments, I got the shade Dark Brown first for my brow, I fell in love with it immediately! It is so creamy, easy to use and stay put on my brow! However, I’m not sure if the Aubergine I got was a dud or something, it was so so so dry and I barely picked up anything even with my finger. I had to push harder and keep swirling my finger in the pot to warm it up before I can pick up something. The qualities of these KVD Beauty Super Pomade Vegan Eyeliner, Shadow & Brow Pigments seem very inconsistent.
You can also see how patchy and dry is the shade Aubergine on the swatch, while Dark Brown is much creamier and smooth.
I feel like the KVD Beauty Super Pomade Vegan Eyeliner, Shadow & Brow Pigments are almost more pigmented than the MAC Paint Pots. As the swatches appear darker than the colors you can see from the pot, while it is the opposite for the MAC Paint Pots.
Since the KVD Beauty pigments are $3 USD cheaper than the MAC Paint Pots, if the colors are similar, I would pick the former one not only because of the price, but they also seem to be more multi-tasking. Given that they are not dried up already!
Here is a YouTube video I’ve put together for the clos-up of these paint pots, swatches and comparison:
Eye looks created using the MAC Paint Pots
I think this look is very wearable, it looks good close-up. However, when you see it in a distance, I just can’t see much going on the lid. I think it can be a nice no makeup makeup look for this reason.
Again, Groundwork is just too light for my skin tone. If you’re much more fair than more, I think you may like it as a casual brown eyeshadow. For Vintage Selection, it gives a good amount of sparkle to the look. It is a good base or priming shades for shimmer powder eyeshadow.
This second eye look is rather a dramatic one for me. I just wanted to show these 2 MAC Paint Pot new colors in action. Currant Affair’s performance did not disappoint, but I did have to put more work for Ultraviolet. I had to build it up to make it appears smoother and more pigmented.
I will definitely want to incorporate Currant Affair in more of my eye looks as I really enjoyed using this shade.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I like these original and new MAC Paint Pots. I think the mattes are especially well-made. For the new colors, I would say try to avoid getting the shimmer shades. I will recommend them if you are going to use them couple times a week, like using them as a base color or primer. I use Soft Ochre almost everyday as a primer. Otherwise, I think it isn’t worth $23 USD for a single shade.
I did make a second order for these new MAC Paint Pots recently and I’ll review them soon, so stay tuned if you’re interested!
I’ll rate these MAC Paint Pots as:
- Texture: 8/10
- Color payoff: 8/10
- Longevity on eye lid: 9.5/10
- Quality consistency among shades: 4/10
- Shade range: 8.5/10
- Affordability: 4/10
