Help with questionable MAC Paint

[chickatthegym]

I got this in a swap and everything looks okay with it, except it is too long (it didn't even fit in the box) and the "A" on the batch code looks off to me. But it is really old, from '03 so can anyone tell me if MAC has changed their paints since then? I only have one other paint from '07 to compare it with.

I have a picture of them together and it's hard to tell, but the one I got in the swap is much longer then my authentic one. The color of the one in question is "portraiture".

Is this legit? Or Can anyone give me any tips on spotting fake paints? Thanks

 

[tthelwell]

Looks pretty legit to me...IDK...LOL

 

[gildedangel]

It looks ok to me, the packaging shouldn't have changed at all as far as I am aware. They look the same size to me as well, it could be off because they are partially used and the tube changes in length a little as you use them up.

 

[dietcokeg]

looks real to me, not sure if they changed the size of these but they did change the pigment size a few years ago and its gotten considerbly smaller and yet it costs the same amount. i wouldnt be surprised if the size of this has changed too.

 

[chickatthegym]

Well, they have both been used about the same amount (just a couple times) so it isn't that. The tube i got in the swap is just longer... the end of the tube is different too and the batch code printing. I am prob just paranoid LOL

 

[Swirlgirl]

Paints are probably one of my very favorite MAC products (I have 23 of these little buggers - although I do not have Portraiture).

They were one of the first MAC items I got into back in the day when I first fell in love with MAC - this was back around 2000 or 2001.
On the older ones I own, the A is exactly like the one on your Portraiture - more rounded - and I know they're authentic since I bought them myself at a counter.

I'm not going to be any good at tube size since I genuinely use these quite a bit and a lot of the tubes are dented and the tops rolled down or up. But I will try and get some pics up of the batch codes so we can compare the fonts.

 

[chickatthegym]

^ Thanks hun! I just tried a little on my hand and it was really wet with kind of a funny smell. That's prob because it's older though. Do your older ones seem more runny than the new ones?

 

[Swirlgirl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chickatthegym ^ Thanks hun! I just tried a little on my hand and it was really wet with kind of a funny smell. That's prob because it's older though. Do your older ones seem more runny than the new ones?

hmmm...no, usually the older ones are thicker and drier in consistency. But if you received a brand new, never been tested or exposed to air, I can see where it would be runnier. And I had to open mine and smell some, but some do have a stronger smell than others. LOL!

I'm off to take some pictures now. Will post them in a jiffy!

 

[Swirlgirl]

As promised...some pictures - You can click on the image to bring it up super sized.

I unroll my paint tops sometimes because an MA once told me that it helps with the "gushing" that happens with a new paint where you squeeze the tube jut a little and a lot oozes out. So it's a little trick I've picked up.

Although I didn't take a close up picture of any of the paints with a pointy A on the batch code, you can see in the bottom picture that Tan Ray (on the bottom left hand side), has the pointy A.

Hope these pictures help!

Also, I meant to say in the last post,l I've yet to hear of any fake Paints...at least the last time I asked around, it seemed to be one of the few MAC things counterfeiters hadn't tackled...

 

[chickatthegym]

Thanks everyone! And thank you tons, Swirlgirl! You helped me so much! I think the top was just unrolled a little or maybe the older ones had just a little thicker top (where the roll is). That and the pointy "A" were the only things bugging me lol... I am totally paranoid when it comes to fakes but I usually can tell. And you're right, no one here has ever mentioned fake paints and I couldn't find ANYTHING anywhere online about them.

 

[chickatthegym]

Great paint collection BTW

 

[Lottascarlatta]

So very jealous of the paint collection! Can you create a post on just your paints/swatches?