MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Bare Study Review

Is this perhaps the best all-round eyeshadow product ever? Maybe.

I picked up MAC’s Bare Study last year on sale. I wanted another champagne coloured eyeshadow product to replace my beloved Stila Kitten that I had hit pan on. Bare Study looked to be a similar champagne gold colour, but in a slightly different formula. While this goes on creamy, Stila Kitten was in powder format.

In terms of pricing, these come in at £22 each which is not cheap. You can often find them for a discount if you search around though, I picked it up from ASOS for about £16 on sale.

Bare Study comes in a weighty glass pot with a screw on lid. The packaging means it’s easy to apply the product with fingers or with an eyeshadow brush. Most of the time I use my fingers to warm up the product slightly, as these longwear paint pots have a tendency to dry up slightly over time.

I’d describe the colour as a champagne gold with a slight pink undertone. It leans warm, but I think would suit people with both warm and cool skin tones. It has a good amount of shimmer running through it, but it’s very fine. You’ll find no chunky pieces of glitter here.

The Pro Longwear Paint Pots are designed to be worn either as a primer or standalone. I usually use them as standalone products as I’m not into fussy eyeshadow looks, but they can act to prolong the wear of other eyeshadows.

In terms of colour payoff, it’s semi sheer to begin with but is buildable to a more opaque coverage. As they’re designed to be longwearing, the colour sets fast and it’s difficult to correct once dry so I have to get blending quite quickly. I can easily get 12 hours wear from it, with minimal creasing. Although I also sometimes wear it on my lower lash line and it fades much more quickly there.

MAC’s Bare Study – My Final Thoughts

I’d definitely recommend MAC’s Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Bare Study if you’re looking for a “one and done” sort of eyeshadow product in a champagne colour. I think this could be a universally flattering shade, and that it doubles up as a primer means you get more bang for your buck. I can also see it lasting a long time – I’ve had it since last year and have barely made a dent (although I only really use it at weekends). I’m looking forward to using it to create some summer looks though.

What do you think about MAC’s Paint Pots?

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