Paint Pots vs. Color Tattoos: Who is the Victor?

I love cream eyeshadows as much as the next person, but an indulgence on one is always the best. There are two in the market that currently top everyone's list as their favourites: one on the drugstore spectrum, and the other on the higher end. If you don't know what they are, or haven't ever watched a beauty guru on Youtube, you've probably been living under a rock for the past year or so. I'm talking about MAC Paint Pots and Maybelline's Color Tattoos. I have both and have been wondering how they stack up recently.

Maybelline Color Tattoos, MAC Paint Pot

Looking at both, they're very high quality and good at keeping my eyeshadows on. Just with primer, since I use quite possibly the blackest eyeliner on the market, I'll always have some left on my lash line, greating a grey cast under my eyeshadow. It's not cute. However, I find a base will eliminate that cast and keep my eyeshadows from blending themselves together throughout the day (even though sometimes a matte taupe blending into Urban Decay's Sin is very pretty).

Maybelline Color Tattoos
Known for their array of colours, I only have three: two neutrals and a white. I have 05 Too Cool, 25 Bad To The Bronze, and 100 Barely Beige. Too Cool and Bad to the Bronze are a part of the permanent line, and Barely Beige was a part of Maybelline's Fall 2012 Collection. I loved these when I first got them. They were so creamy, and a part of my makeup routine every day. However, over time, they dried out very quickly, no matter how I stored them. I store them upside down, and make sure the lids are closed tightly. I've had Too Cool since July of 2012, Barely Beige since September of 2012, and Bad to the Bronze since October of 2012. Bad to the Bronze has hardly been touched and is the creamiest still. I've hit the bottom of Barely Beige, and it's the fussiest. I have to dig my finger into the pot to warm it up and make sure it's a little less "tacky", before I apply. It used to make my eyeshadows stick to my eyes beautifully. It still does its job, but lately, both Too Cool and Barely Beige have made my eyeshadows seem very terribly milled.

L-R: 05 Too Cool, 100 Barely Beige, 25 Bad To the Bronze

MAC Paint Pots

After hitting pan (or glass?) on the bottom of my beloved Barely Beige, I stopped using it and was anxious to find a champagne coloured cream eyeshadow for my lazier days. I finally caved and bought MAC's Paint Pot in Bare Study when I got some gift money. I've had it for about a month and a half now, and it's become a a part of my makeup routine very quicky. It's creamy, lovely formulation, and I love it to death. Not to mention, I get a very opaque layer in one or two swipes, leaving me more product to use later. I love this to death, and I want to go get more as time progresses.

MAC Bare Study

Swatches!

L-R: Maybelline Too Cool, Maybelline Barely Beige, Maybelline Bad to the Bronze, MAC Bare Study

How do they stack up?

The swatches I've shown are heavy swatches. You can see a little bit more of the chunkiness in the Color Tattoos, at least Too Cool and Barely Beige.

If you're on a budget and don't mind a product that dries over a period of time (as all cream products do), Maybelline Color Tattoos are the way to go. They provide a larger array of colours, and are good for the price point. I have yet to try any of the coloured shadows, so I'm not necessarily one to talk. With my beginning experience, they were very, very lovely. Over time, however, their quality lacked. If you need coloured cream shadows, or prefer a $6-$8 price point, they're the way to go. I'm personally more of a MAC Paint Pot girl. I prefer the texture and pigmentation a lot more. I don't mind spending $18.50 on something I would use often.