They were best applied in thin layers and built up, but the results were inconsistent and varied a lot between shades. The shimmery finish, particularly more pearlescent/metallic, were significantly more emollient than the matte shades, and this led to sheerer coverage that often applied unevenly and was difficult to apply with precision.

The matte shades were typically semi-opaque to opaque in coverage and longer-wearing–12 to 14 hours before showing a bit of fading–but were varying degrees of blendable (related to how creamy the initial texture was). The matte shades were lightly creamy to slightly stiffer to work with, and with the stiffer ones, I preferred using a brush to get the initial product out of the jar and then use a fingertip to furiously diffuse the product.

The matte finish is most consistent in performance and tended to perform better than the shades with some level of shimmer. The formula is supposed to be “highly pigmented, long-wearing, blendable” and can be used as either an “eye primer” or as a “cream shadow.” The brand says it’s supposed to wear for “24 hours” without flaking or creasing.

Mac paint pot swatches 2021