REVIEW: MAC Cosmetics Pro Long Wear Paint Pot in Vintage Selection

MAC Paint Pot in Vintage Selection

It comes in a glass packaging 

~AG~

Discovered this cream eye shadow by MAC Cosmetics when I was in university. This long-lasting cream shadow comes in an array of colors. MAC Cosmetics offers matte as well as shimmery finish. This MAC Paint Pot costs US$22 (S$30) for 5 g of product. MAC Paint Pot claims to last for 15 hours without flaking or caking. MAC also claims that Paint Pot is water-resistant.

I would describe the color as a bronze pink

This cream shadow is simple to use. For a fuss-free way, simply use your fingers. You can also use a brush to apply the cream shadow. The texture of the cream shadow is smooth and not too soft. It does not crease even in Singapore's humid climate. It is highly pigmented and does not fade away throughout the day. Vintage Selection (A33) is described as a frosted dirty peach. But I would describe it as a bronze with pink undertones. The color is beautiful and flatters my medium skin tone. This shade is great for everyday day use. It brightens my eye area with its fine shimmers. The shimmers in Vintage Selection did not irritate my eyes.  Yay! Some shimmery Korean eyeshadows such as Etude House or Espoir for some reason irritate my eyes.

I would totally recommend MAC Cosmetics Paint Pot to anyone that is looking for a long-lasting eyeshadow for everyday use. It is so easy to use, and great for on-the-go! I would not hesitate to check out the other selections from MAC Paint Pot. 

After wiping the area with tissue, there was still an ample amount of cream eyeshadow

Eyeliners Series 2: Comparison of Gel Eyeliners

GEL EYELINER

~AG~

This is my second favourite eyeliner type. Gel eyeliners are like colour paints that require a brush for application. This is the most versatile type of eyeliner, you can use it to create a fine tip or dramatic cat eye. However, the catch is, it requires lots of practice to get the results that you want. It took me more than 10 tries to finally get the eyeliner look that I want. So, don't give up if you are trying to use gel eyeliner and it does not give you the look that you want. Just keep on playing with it :)

For some people, gel eyeliner works great and stays on all day. But for me, the creamy formula seems to smudge off after a few hours. Even makeup artists' favourites such as the Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner smudged on me. Do note that, gel eyeliner staying power is longer than that of pencil liner. However, I personally attest that felt-tip liner are the most long-lasting one. 

To successfully apply a gel eyeliner, you first need to invest in good eyeliner brushes. I recommend that you get at least two eyeliner brushes. One to create a soft eyeliner look and another for a bold look. Another great tip I learned is to brush excess eyeliner on the back of my hand for smooth application. This creates a clean and non-flakey eyeliner look. 

 

A slanted angle brush to create winged liner or cat eye. 

 

 

A fine eyeliner brush to line closest to the eyelids. Perfect for days when you want a no-makeup look.
 

 

 

MAC Fluidline

PROS:

• This gel liner is creamy and easy to apply. 
• It dries quickly on application which is good because I don’t have to keep my eyes closed for a long time (<30 seconds). 
• This eyeliner can be used to draw fine lines or more dramatic lines such as winging. 
• The color that I tried was Dipdown a rich brown shade. Even though it looks light brown on the pot, it is more pigmented in real-life. Great for everyday use.
• More affordable than Bobbi Brown at US$16

CONS:

• It still smudged to my bottom eye area even with eye primer and shadow. I was not expecting this after all the rave review.

P.S: Some people complain that this gel eyeliner dries out after a while but mine is still creamy after more than a year. A trick that the lady at the MAC counter told me is to put it back into its original box. She says it somehow helps reduce it from being dried out.

*If you are thinking of trying a gel liner, you should definitely try this out

Tony Moly Backstage Gel Eyeliner

PROS:

• This gel liner is more creamy compared to MAC Fluidline
• The packaging comes with a handy eyeliner brush, which is great for travelling
• The most affordable gel liner that I have tried. If you purchase it in Korea, it costs less than US$10. 

CONS:

• It smudged to my bottom eyelids after a few hours. It is more long-lasting then Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner. However, I would not recommend it in Singapore's humidity. I think it works better for non-humid weather.

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner

PROS:

• This gel liner is not as creamy compared to Tony Moly Backstage Gel Eyeliner or MAC Fluidline
• For a recent wedding that I was a part of, the makeup artists used this on my waterline. It is safe to use on the waterline, it does not irritate the eyes.
• This eyeliner can be used to draw fine lines or more dramatic lines such as winging. 
• Very pigmented

CONS:

• Expensive at US$25
• It smudged to my bottom eye area after two hours of use. I was expecting it to be more long-lasting.

Eyeliners Series Introduction

~AG~

In the next few days, I will start a series of posts regarding eyeliners. Over the years, I have tried more than 20 eyeliners. Some drugstore brands, some high-end brands. You name it, I have probably tried it. Bobbi Brown, MAC Cosmetics, Urban Decay, Stila, Lancome, NARS, Tony Moly, 24k Palette, Almay, Revlon, Milani, Eyeko and The Face Shop. All the different formulas I have tried - pencil, liquid eyeliner, felt tip, gel eyeliner.

A little introduction about my eyeliners experience.  I have single eyelids that tend to smudge eyeliners to the lower lids. So, I am always on the quest to find THE perfect eyeliner that would not smudge, is waterproof and is easy to use. Simple enough right? To find such a perfect eyeliner has been full of trials and errors. Now, I can narrow down my HG eyeliners to 3 eyeliners. Stay tuned to see which 3 eyeliners are my HGs! 

MAC Liquidlast Liner Tip

~AG~

MAC Liquidlast Liner is one of my most HG eyeliners. However, I found that I don’t use it often enough due to the brush. The thin brush is difficult to control especially if you are trying to create a natural eyeliner look. A few days ago, I decided to try a new way to apply MAC Liquidlast liner. I took my Ecotools Angled Eyeliner brush, and generously brushed on the MAC Liquidlast liner at the tip of the brush. I wait for about 5 seconds before applying the liquid liner. After it becomes tacky, the liquid liner becomes more of a gel-like texture. Especially for my monolids, I find it easier to apply liquid liner this way. With this method, MAC Liquidlast liner becomes more convenient to use. It is easier for me to create a fine eyeliner look. This method also allows me to use MAC Liquidlast liner for tightlining.

I’m really happy that I found this new method of using MAC Liquidlast liner. It will work especially well for those of you that like the staying power of liquid liner but find it difficult to apply. Try it out for yourself!