Mac Paint Pot Dupes That Are So Affordable, It’s Crazy to Miss Them!
I only recommend products I love and I think you will, too. If you click on links I provide, I may receive a little compensation. Learn more.
Mac is undoubtedly one of the most trustworthy makeup brands. Once you get into the habit of using their products, it’s hard to look back. Literally.
When I tried their paint pots, I knew this was a one-of-a-kind product. I’ll rarely ever see something similar. So, for the longest time, I gave in to their hype. And I don’t regret it a single bit. But it was until…
I tried this Mac paint pot dupe. It’s the one and the only closest thing to the real deal and is so damn affordable that It’ll be crazy not to buy it. So, let’s see what it is and how it is compared to the Mac pots!
mac paint pot dupes
1. E.l.f. putty eye primer
I have always raved about e.l.f. Products and how many of them are reallllllyyyyy close dupes for high-end makeup. And the quality is not bad too.
And when they launched their putty eye primer, it instantly went viral of how similar it looks and feels to the Mac paint pots. Not only does it have the same pot packaging (although cheaper), but most of the e.l.f. shades are identical to Mac’s shade.
So let us compare the two and see if it is just the talks or is e.l.f. putty eye primer really a dupe for mac paint pots.
Honestly, elf primer is very pigmented and can be used as an eyeshadow or an eyeshadow primer. It has a thinner, less sticky, and more slippery texture than the mac pots, but I kinda like that. I don’t enjoy heaviness on my eyes much, so e.l.f does serve me nicely.
Talking about eyeshadow intensity, I’d say that, to my surprise, Mac paint pots didn’t intensify my eyeshadow as well as e.l.f’s primer, but the difference wasn’t too drastic. After completing the whole look, I have to give it to both of them. They looked just fine, very similar, but the mac pots do have a little more tackiness to them, which I know is better for holding the color longer.
At the end of the day, obviously, Mac paint pots had the better-looking eyeshadow, but if you ask me honestly, the difference doesn’t justify $16 more dollars. I cannot even begin to say how similar they are.
And for $9, I can get all the elf shades, whereas I’ll get just one for Mac. So overall, I think the elf putty eye primer may have a little stiffer consistency, but the coverage and holding power were definitely similar to Mac paint pots, making them a stunning dupe.
The shade cream in Elf is the dupe for soft ochre in Mac pots. The rose is a perfect painterly dupe on application. And elf putty eye primer in the shade clay matches exactly to the Mac groundwork pot.
Are there any other Mac Paint pot dupes available?
If you are here to get true opinions and don’t wish to waste your money, I would not recommend using any other “supposedly” Mac paint pot dupes floating in the market. And I have reasons for all of them.
Maybelline color tattoo eyeshadows are one of the popular choices, but they are nowhere near Mac paint pots. I tried the shade VIP to match it with Mac painterly on the recommendations but was just heartbroken (Too glad it was not expensive). First of all, it has peach undertones as compared to the pink ones from Mac and elf.
Not to forget, the coverage is way too light, and the holding power is not even to talk about. I mean, it does what it is supposed to do – be an eyeshadow, but other than that, I do not call them Mac paint pot dupes.
NYX’s eyeshadow base was also disappointing. It creases so much quicker than the Mac ones that I just couldn’t see the use of a primer here. ColourPop also had a cream eyeshadow, but they apparently discontinued the product. I, however, asked my friend about the review, and she said that it’s so dry and stiff that she doesn’t even use it anymore. And definitely, nothing compared to Mac pots.
Final thoughts on Mac paint pot dupes
Considering everything, I’ll suggest trying the elf putty eye primer if you want a texture similar to Mac pots and results. It is just as good but won’t break the bank. It indeed is highly pigmented, long-lasting (not as much as Mac, but still pretty good), and so affordable that you won’t regret this purchase even for a second.
So what are you waiting for? Get your hands on this Mac paint pot dupe now!
I searched E.L.F website high and low for the dup colors you mentioned – Cream (dup for MAC Soft Orche), Rose (dupe for Painterly) and Clay (dup for Groundwork) and I don’t see them. I checked the putty primer options and any product in a cream to make sure I didn’t miss it. All your links to go the same Poreless Putty Primer. What am I missing? I was really looking forward to a good MAC dup. Thank you!