MAC Layin’ low paint Pot, $22
The long-running Unsung Heroes series here on makeup and beauty blog features some of my all-time favorite permanent collection products.
When was the last time you heard somebody flip their lid and rave about MAC Layin’ Low?
Ever…? have you ever heard it? because I can’t remember ever hearing somebody rave about MAC Layin’ Low. It really does lay low and keep a low profile. among the MAC paint Pots, it just doesn’t get the same kind of love that Soft Ochre and Painterly get and, yes, while they’re also cream eyeshadows, I think Layin’ low deserves some love of its own, because it’s one of the best base colors for warm browns.
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There, I said it! warm BROWNS. I know I go on and on about how much I like to wear cool browns on my lids (the gray tones create fabulous faux shadows that give the illusion of a deeper crease, which is something I’m always striving for since my crease is pretty shallow), but there’s something about warm orangey browns and reddish browns in the fall and winter. They just feel right, and they go oh, so well with plum, wine, brown and red lips.
Warm and creamy matte beige Layin’ low is like Soft Brown’s creamy shadow cousin, and if you like warm browns like MAC Saddle, Texture, Swiss chocolate (and others), it’s an absolute must.
If you’re warm toned like I am with a skin tone around NC20 or up, it’s like friggin’ David Copperfield (i.e. magic). If you’re lighter than NC20, just in case, give it a swatch first before committing, because it can look a little more orange than warm beige on some gals.
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A quick daytime look with Layin’ low on my lids and MAC Costa Riche Eye Kohl on my lash lines; the lipstick is bareMinerals Lead the Way
I’m a MAC NC42, and Layin’ low is in my category of everyday staples. For fast looks, I’ll wear it as a standalone shadow, just popping it right on my lids, diffusing it into the crease and smudging Costa Riche on my lash and water lines before adding mascara and a bold plum, wine or berry lip. It lasts all day and doesn’t even need primer!
MAC Layin’ low as a base (you can see it on my lids and brow bones), with MAC Soft Brown, Saddle and Swiss chocolate in the crease and MAC Smolder Eye Kohl on my lash lines
It’s also a superstar eyeshadow base for warm orangey brown or reddish brown smoky eyes. I’ll buff it on my lids from lash line to brow bone with a MAC 217, then sweep Soft brown into the crease, then Saddle or texture slightly lower into the crease, Swiss chocolate on my lids and a black liner (usually Smolder) on my lash and water lines.
A swatch of MAC Layin’ low on my NC42 skin
If you’re one of those gals or guys for whom the MAC paint Pots look thick and heavy on your lids, try applying a very thin layer of Layin’ low with a domed eyeshadow brush like the MAC 217. I’ll just do quick, little sweeping motions and make tight circles to buff the layers down as thin as humanly possible, which is something I learned from a MAC makeup artist, and it changed my worldview on the MAC paint Pots, LOL! before that I’d always press them into my skin with my fingers, and they’d look heavy and dry on my lids.
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I hope you give Layin’ low a chance one of these days, because I think it’s a totally underrated everyday workhorse. You can find it now for $22 in the MAC permanent line, hoping to change lives one sweep at a time.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
The MAC Unsung Heroes series (a subset of my regular Unsung makeup Heroes series) features some of my all-time favorite products from MAC’s permanent collection
MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Fleur Power Blush
MAC Unsung Heroes: Swiss chocolate Eyeshadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: Costa Riche Eye Kohl
MAC Unsung Heroes: Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC extra dimension Eye shadow in Havana
MAC Unsung Heroes: Chicory Lip Pencil
MAC Unsung Heroes: Smoked Almond Lipstick
MAC Unsung Heroes: half ‘n half Lipstick
MAC Unsung Heroes: Chili Lipstick
MAC Unsung Heroes: Coffee Eye Pencil
MAC Unsung Heroes: Mineralize Skinfinish in global Glow
MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC extra dimension Eye shadow in Havana
MAC Unsung Heroes: retro Matte liquid Lipcolour in Burnt Spice
MAC Unsung Heroes: Mineralize Foundation/Loose
MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC giddy Lustre Lipstick
MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC studio fix fluid Foundation
MAC Unsung Heroes: Amorous Alloy Eyeshadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: texture Eyeshadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: Prep + Prime 24-Hour extend Eye Base
MAC Unsung Heroes: Swiss chocolate Eyeshadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: Saddle Eyeshadow
Unsung Heroes: MAC In extra dimension waterproof Mascara
MAC Unsung Heroes: Minted Eye Kohl
MAC Unsung Heroes: Take the Plunge Technakohl Liner
MAC Unsung Heroes: Cork Eye Shadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: 221 mini Tapered Blending Brush
MAC Unsung Heroes: Matchmaster shade intelligence Compact
MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Oh My Mocha Eye Shadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: pro Longwear waterproof Colour Stick in Lilacked
MAC Unsung Heroes: Satin Taupe Eye Shadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: High Tea Lipstick
MAC Unsung Heroes: Blooz Eye Kohl
MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Fleur Power Blush
MAC Unsung Heroes: Layin’ low paint Pot
MAC Unsung Heroes: Constructivist paint Pot
MAC Unsung Heroes: Prep + Prime Fix+
MAC Unsung Heroes: Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
MAC Unsung Heroes: Persistence Matte Lipstick
MAC Unsung Heroes: Veluxe Pearlfusion shadow in Brownluxe
MAC Unsung Heroes: Costa Riche Eye Kohl
MAC Unsung Heroes: The studio Chromagraphic Pencils
MAC Unsung Heroes: Brun Eye Shadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: Staunchly stylish pro Longwear Lip Pencil
MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC warm soul Mineralize Blush
MAC Unsung Heroes: reflects Antique Gold Glitter
MAC Unsung Heroes: style Blush
MAC Unsung Heroes: Shaping Powder in Lightsweep
MAC Unsung Heroes: pro Longwear paint Pot in Painterly
MAC Unsung Heroes: era Eye Shadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: Bronze Eye Shadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: Honey Lust Eye Shadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: sun rush Lustre Drops
MAC Unsung Heroes: nice Buzz Plushglass
MAC Unsung Heroes: 33 Lash
MAC Unsung Heroes: Shale Eyeshadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: harmony Blush
MAC Unsung Heroes: Careblends pressed Powder
MAC Unsung Heroes: fulfilled Plushglass
MAC Unsung Heroes: Bamboom Paint
MAC Unsung Heroes: Sublime Nature Paint
MAC Unsung Heroes: face and Body Foundation
MAC Unsung Heroes: Prunella Eye Kohl
MAC Unsung Heroes: The 239 Eye Shader Brush
MAC Unsung Heroes: Greensmoke Eyeshadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: Ample Pink Plushglass
MAC Unsung Heroes: Indianwood paint Pot
MAC Unsung Heroes: Bare study paint Pot
MAC Unsung Heroes: Rubenesque paint Pot
MAC Unsung Heroes: tarnish Eye Kohl
MAC Unsung Heroes: big baby Plushglass
MAC Unsung Heroes: Kohl Power Pencil liner in Feline
MAC Unsung Heroes: format Blush
MAC Unsung Heroes: Ambering rose Blush
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: Fresh Flare pro Longwear Eye Shadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: Viva Glam V Lipglass
MAC Unsung Heroes: Loud & lovely Cremesheen Glass
MAC Unsung Heroes: Viva Glam VI Lipglass
MAC Unsung Heroes: breezy Sheertone Shimmer Blush
MAC Unsung Heroes: care blends essential Oils, Grapefruit + Chamomile
MAC Unsung Heroes: Prep + Prime Vibrancy Eye Primer
MAC Unsung Heroes: right image Cremesheen Glass
MAC Unsung Heroes: Modesty Cremesheen Lipstick
MAC Unsung Heroes: double dare Cremesheen Lipglass
MAC Unsung Heroes: Bamboo Eyeshadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: speak Louder Cremesheen Lipstick
MAC Unsung Heroes: Sandy B Lipstick
MAC Unsung Heroes: Club Eyeshadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: uniform Technakohl Liner
MAC Unsung Heroes: sweet satisfaction pro Longwear Eyeshadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Red Lipstick
MAC Unsung Heroes: lady danger Lipstick
MAC Unsung Heroes: tempting Eyeshadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: Ruby Woo Lipstick
MAC Unsung Heroes: Retrospeck Eyeshadow
MAC Unsung Heroes: Eyeshadow in Phloof!
MAC Unsung Heroes: Twig Lipstick
MAC Unsung Heroes: Creme in Your Coffee Lipstick