What delivers bright-eyed, bushy-tailed looks in less than a minute and works as a great base for all of your favorite gold and beige eyeshadows? — heck, for most of the other colors in your eyeshadow collection, too?
Wait — before you answer, have you met MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study?
Hint-hint. 🙂
MAC Bare Study Paint Pot: How to fake getting eight hours of sleep in 30 seconds or less
One of those super easy “Wake me up before you go-go” shades, to borrow a reference from Wham, this $18.50 golden beige cream shadow gives me heart palpitations (but I’m told this kind aren’t dangerous).
Bare Study is perfect for last-minute appointments. All I do is pat a small amount on my lids and blend out the edges with a finger, coat my lashes with one or two quick layers of mascara, and treat my lips to a bright lipstick, and it’s off to the farmers’ market for me!
The soft, light-reflecting pearl finish makes me look almost like I got a good night’s sleep. Little would anyone know I spent half the night awake (and biting my nails) while reading the last half of Angelfall (highly recommended if you liked The Hunger Games).
A shade for makeup lovers of all levels of experience
If you’re shy about wearing a lot of color on your eyes, try a dash of Bare Study on your lids paired with your favorite eyeliner, and then maybe one day if/when you felt a little more confident about eye color (but still not gung-ho), you could try layering it under neutrals like brown, beige or gray.
If, instead, you’re all about eye color, then Bare Study has other strengths you might like. For one, it loves to layer with a wide variety of colors.
Lipstick worn in this look: MAC Crosswires
A few ideas for looks…
Sometimes I’ll layer it beneath beige and gold shadows like Shroom, Sweet Satisfaction and Ricepaper, because it gives ’em a little extra oomph, or to brighten and intensify purples, greens and blues.
One nice thing about Bare Study is that it’s not a fickle pickle. Whether you’re a makeup beginner or a veteran with years under your belt, I think it’s a great color to have in your makeup bag.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
The MAC Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorite products from MAC’s permanent collection
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Tarnish Eye Kohl
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Kohl Power Pencil Liner in Feline
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Iridescent Powder/Loose in Silver Dusk
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Iridescent Powder/Loose in Golden Bronze
- MAC Unsung Heroes: C-Thru Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Loud & Lovely Cremesheen Glass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Breezy Sheertone Shimmer Blush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Care Blends Essential Oils, Grapefruit + Chamomile
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Modesty Cremesheen Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Double Dare Cremesheen Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Sandy B Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Club Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Uniform Technakohl Liner
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Red Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Tempting Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Phloof Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Crème in Your Coffee Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Paramount Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Mocha Blush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Oh Baby Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Mulch Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: The Cremestick Liners
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Sable Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Soft Ochre Paint Pot
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Ricepaper Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: This Cremesheen Glass Is a Veritable Deelight
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Lipglass in Spite
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Impassioned Lipstick (and Watermelon)
- MAC Unsung Heroes: This Lip Pencil Is In Synch
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Soba Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Bombshell Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Sunbasque Sheertone Shimmer Blush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Clear Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Humid Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Naked Lunch Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Russian Red Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Syrup Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Blushbaby Blush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Bare Study Paint Pot
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Rubenesque Paint Pot
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Big Baby Plushglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Ambering Rose Blush
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Pink Poodle Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Fresh Flare Pro Longwear Eye Shadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Viva Glam V Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Viva Glam VI Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Prep + Prime Vibrancy Eye Primer
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Right Image Cremesheen Glass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Bamboo Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Speak Louder Cremesheen Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Sweet Satisfaction Pro Longwear Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Lady Danger Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Ruby Woo Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Retrospeck Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Twig Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Party Line Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Melon Pigment
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Sumptuous Olive Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Vex Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Costa Chic Lipstick
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Fast Response Eye Cream
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Strobe Cream
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Blot Powder/Pressed
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Subculture Lip Pencil
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Soft Brown Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Hero: Woodwinked Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Hero: Powersurge Eye Kohl
- MAC Unsung Heroes: All That Glitters Eyeshadow Is Not Just Another Gold
- MAC Unsung Heroes: The Technakohl Liners
- MAC Unsung Hero: Groundwork Paint Pot
- MAC Unsung Hero: Nymphette Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Viva Glam V
- MAC Unsung Hero: Blacktrack Fluidline
- MAC Unsung Heroes: Lychee Luxe Lipglass
- MAC Unsung Hero: Gorgeous Gold Eyeshadow
- MAC Unsung Hero: Patina Eyeshadow
I never picked this up, because I already have Benefit RSVP. The two are very similar, so I decided to hold off on Bare Study.
Hi Chris,
I think it really depends on your skin tone. I have RSVP too, and it looks very pink on me. Both are great shades though!
A oldy but a goody! I love MAC paint pots!
True that! What colors do you usually like to wear it with?
I’ve worn Bare Study almost daily since a MAC artist told me to pick it up months ago! It’s my favorite.
Hi Ariel,
It’s a great color. Have you found any cool color combos that you can’t live without?
This is one of my favorites! I love the glow it gives. I am pretty fair but I love using it in the summer when I am tan!!
Hi Glamorous Mama,
Yes! It’s one of those fab MAC products that works across a wide range of skin tones. 🙂
What other MAC Paint Pots do you like?
I have Stila’s smudge pot in Kitten — it looks similar. Do you know how it compares? The only problem I have with Stila’s smudge pots is they seem to dry out quickly, especially when it’s humid. Do the MAC ones fair better?
Hi Cara,
I get more of a pinky peach with Stila Kitten. I also think it’s a touch frostier compared to Bare Study.
This is my first paint pot and I have been using it basically everyday since I got it! I really love it! It’s so easy to use. I love wearing this all over my lids with satin taupe on the outer corner. Such an effortless everyday look!
Hi Angel,
That’s a great combo. What do you usually do for cheeks and lips when you wear it?
I tried my first MAC powder blush (Fleur Power) and I am so in love that I’ve been wearing that everyday! For lips I usually wear Fanfare with Dee-light on top of it! Just a really effortless everyday look!
Yes! From now on Fleur Powder will be your gateway MAC blush, LOL! Mine is Blushbaby. 🙂
I haven’t met Bare Study, but I think we could get along. In fact, it might be the perfect eye brightening cream shadow I’ve been looking for: shimmery yet not too frosty, and a very neutral shade.
Hi Lulle,
It’s one of those great colors to have around that goes with everything. I hope you like it!
I’ll admit: I don’t love the MAC Paint Pots, especially as a base for other eyeshadow. But still, I really did like owning Bare Study, which is why I was so disappointed recently when I went to use mine and discovered it was all dry and shrivelly :/
Hi Becca,
That’s too bad. Maybe you’d like the MAC Paints instead. They’re really great too.
So this is eight hours of sleep in a jar? 🙂
I usually use either the paint pot in Soft Ochre or Blackground, depending on whether I’m using a light or dark color on top. I never use just the paint pot, though. I always put eyeshadow on top.
Soft Ochre’s a good one! I use it all the time.
I own 2 PaintPots and Bare Study is one of them! I use this one to pieces esp when I just want a quick and easy but finished and polished eye look!
Hi Nina,
Yes! It’s like the perfect color for those days when you wake up late and you need to rush to work, LOL!
Exactly! I alos love to wear Paint Pots during the weekend to even out my lid color!
The other Paint Pot I own is Quite Natural and it is exactly that!
That’s a good one! I haven’t taken it out in a really long time…what do you usually like to wear it with?
When im not wearing QN by itself, I usually tap on some Twinks or Mulch on top of it. Something purple-y like NARS Lhasa or 413 Blkr looks great on top if it too!
I have to try the QN/Mulch Combo. You’re the second person who’s mentioned Lhasa today, how funny. Gotta give that color some love, too! 🙂
I
This is something I keep thinking I need to check out but never do! I always get sidetracked by other more “exciting shades.” I need to get at least one Paint Pot to see how the formula works for me! Cream shadows are my new obsession.
How pearly and pretty, and simple – which I love!
On a side note, I actually wore lip gloss today. I couldn’t resist your motivation from last week. 🙂
And I also smiled at your Wham reference above. One of my friends thought the words at the beginning were “I want a cheeseburger”. We were little, and hungry, and had probably never heard of jitterbug.
NICE! What color did you wear?
And HAHAHAHA! Now I can no longer hear that song without thinking “I want a cheeseburger.”
I used to think Sade’s Smooth Operator was “Oooh Barba-retta.”
It was a pastel pink which is not a very good shade on me – I find it gives me mummy lips (pale and wrinkly) – but luckily it wore off after my coffee. I’m much better with a darker/berry, which is what I’m sporting today. Progress!
OMG, I’ve had so many lyric faux pas, it’s crazy. One of my friends from Montreal said when she was a teenager and spoke very little English, she thought the Buckingham’s “Kind of a Drag” was “Canada Dry”. 🙂
I’ve always thought it would look ashy on me and never even swatched it in the store. It looks great on you though, I should check it out. I’m around NC35-ish in MAC.
Btw I love the blush shade you’re wearing here, is it MAC Ambering Rose?
Hi Ankita,
I’m wearing Becca Damselfly:
https://www.makeupandbeautyblog.com/product-reviews/flowerchild-youll-look-like-a-fly-damsel-in-the-new-becca-halcyon-days-mineral-blush/
Thanks Karen, it looks gorgeous on you!
This is what I am doing every day ;-)))
Karen! Your blush is gorgeous! What is it?
Hi Inaya,
I’m wearing Becca Damselfly:
https://www.makeupandbeautyblog.com/product-reviews/flowerchild-youll-look-like-a-fly-damsel-in-the-new-becca-halcyon-days-mineral-blush/
It’s currently available on the Becca website:
http://www.beccacosmetics.com/us/store/complexion/blushes/mineral-blush/
Whattup, K-Kat?! Thanks for this post! I just ordered Bare Study a couple of days ago and then BAM! – you posted an unsung heroes post dedicated to it! Now I’m ever more excited to get it in the mail now that I know it’s M&BB Approved! Also, I took you up on the book rec and ordered Angelfall. $2.99 @ Amazon? Unbeatable. I love THG so I’m pumped to read this puppy!
Thanks for your blog! I enjoy it (and you, obvs) every day!
Happy Hump Day from the Peach State!
The new Maybelline color tattoo in BARELY BEIGE is pretty much an exact dupe for this. It’s limited edition, so run out and get it!
This is a great shade. So lovely. I am not as lucky as you however, and am unable to just swipe it on and go. My lids are oily (not terribly, but oily enough) and I need to put some eyeshaow on top first. My latest favourite way to wear it, is all over the moving lid, inner tearduct and lower lashline. I work wedge into the outer V and crease with 217, and with a flat shader brush pat woodwinked only on the moving lid. Then I blend some more with wedge, and then I put wedge on the lower lashline, some black track fluidline real thin, curled lashes & mascara. It’s my perfect eye. & it only takes 5 minutes (minus eyeliner, cuz I’m still new and I need my time) lol
OMG! You beauty blog is so amazing! I am absolutely in love with it! I was thinking of getting this mac paint pot as I am a huge mac collector, does it go on strong? I need just a light little colour that looks like eyeshadow but stays on and lasts me all day;)
Thanks, Natasha