This, along with Painterly Paint Pot, is an absolute must-have for eyeshadow users. I know that people don't purchase this because they're intimidated by its black color, but its color is actually the key aspect of this product.
You can use this under any pigmented eyeshadow to get a richer, intenser color.
The reason why I say only pigmented eyeshadows is because if you use this underneath badly-pigmented eyeshadows, you're going to see mostly Blackground and not necessarily the eyeshadow itself. If you use this underneath pigmented eyeshadows, the eyeshadows layer on perfectly and much more vibrantly.
Basically, Blackground will make any eyeshadow color layer on more intensely.
Please note that Blackground itself isn't that pigmented, so if you want an intense black, you need to layer on more. If you use less, you'll get a gray color.
The $17.50 price is well worth it. (:
Would I repurchase? Yes.

Who knew one and only product would make my eye shadow collection so versatile!
I won't describe the product because it's already described below and the pictures are quite realistic.
First of all it's a pleasure to apply on the lids, so smooth and creamy! I have only tried finger application so far and it works. But I have in mind to try the 217 brush soon to.
It's beautiful on it's own with some black eyeliner and mascara BUT with a colorful layer on top it's out of this world!

My favorite combinations so far:
- with nocturnell on top: instant gorgeous amethyst smokey eye
- with deep truth: sultry deep sapphire color
- with noir emeraude by borjuois: mysterious emerald
- with sumptuous olive: vibrant golden green
- with typographic: classic black smokey
- with satin taupe: deep taupe since it cancels the purple undertone of the eye shadow

I'm still experimenting with it but I believe it's truly gorgeous. I love jewel colored smokey eyes and it's ideal for that purpose, makes the color so deep and vibrant at the same time, I'm not sure if I explained it well!
Only problem is a bit creasing so I use TFSI underneath and lasts all night.
Of course I will repurchase, I still consider to give one as a present to all my girlfriends!

I'm not sure if I got a bad one of these after reading the other reviews.
I'm a huge fan of the Painterly Paint Pot and thought this one would be nice to use instead under a dark eye. I straightaway noticed that it is quite dry and doesn't blend very well.
The base could be blacker and unlike Painterly, I found it wasn't as good at keeping creasing at bay.

This is the first paint pot I've tried from Mac, and I am really impressed. First of all, the texture: creamy, with only a short period of time to work the product on your eyelid, and definitely best to use a brush (I use the Bobbi Brown cream shadow brush). As for the color: yes, it's black, but there's a nice subtle bit of sparkle, and it's only as black as you want it to be. For example, I have a conservative job. So I used a light hand, put on one rather sheer layer so it came out as gray, and then put MAC pigment Aurora (from the new Daphne Guinness collection) on top and it was really beautiful and totally day time appropriate. But I also used the same color for going out on NYE, with black sparkly shadow on top, and used a thicker layer of the paint pot product, and had a great super dark eye. So don't be put off by a BLACK paint pot! It's still versatile! I love glass jars for my beauty products, so I appreciate that this is how the paint pots are sold. I would buy this color again, and have actually ordered two more paint pots after discovering how awesome they are.

nice for a smoky eye and so great to make my light colors and pastels pop!!

I really love this. I have been wearing it nearly everyday since I got it. I love trying new color combos. I put it on my lid up to crease and layer shadow or pigments on top for different looks. It brings out the color in a lot of shadows/pigments. I wore it the other day with Vex on lid and Dark Soul blended up into crease with Knight Divine (nice smokey eye). Green Brown pigment, Blue Brown pigment, Old Gold, Club etc. like I said I love trying new looks and this Paint Pot is very versatile.

I love this as a liner! It looks more natural than plain black, more cold toned than brown, more interesting than gray and less intimidating than colorful liners. I set it with Rum Spice from Clinique and it looks like a deep taupe with gold, bronze and silver shimmer. I find it amazing as a liner and I also used Quite Natural PP in the same way. I'm giving this a 4, because the price is rather high for a middle-range product. However, I think it's a great product and I will repurchase!
Update 07-12-11: I've grown to love this PP more and more! I now use it everyday with Quite Natural and Bare Study. It's absolutely effortless in the morning, and it takes me around 30 min to get my makeup done, compared to the 50 min it took me before! Blending shadows was never my strong point, but now I don't have to worry about it anymore because a few dabs of Quite Natural, a highlighter in the inner corners and this used as smudged liner is all I need! :) I'm so happy that I succombed to the beautiful color of this cream shadow! Giving it the full 5 lippies!

Like all paint pots... it goes on smooth, doesn't crease and is an excellent eye shadow base. The thing I really ;like about this particular paint pot is that you can build up the color depending on the look you want, put on one layer and get something nice for a "daytime smokey look, put on a layer or two more and this is an excellent all over black look

I love this stuff. Such a great base if you want a darker look. I love putting purple over this (Parfait Amour) and blend it up and out. So pretty. It stays all day long. Gotta work quick though because it does dry fast, which is a good thing really. I just use my finger to apply and blend out. Thinking I should try a brush though just to get that nice diffused line. This isn't so black that it looks super gothic, but it's a sheer-ish black, if that makes sense. I love paint pots and will always have them because they just keep your makeup in place all day long. :)

I love this stuff. Awesome for a smoky eye obviously. But I love to put all kinds of colors over it gives it a crazy cool effect. My favorite is goldmine! But only really fitting for girls who like to be daring with their makeup.

Although I bought this to be a smokey eye base, I somewhat regret it. If you have Blacktrack fluidline, you really dont need this. Its the only PP I dont touch as much bc I dont like the idea of it having a strong blue base to it. Its not straight black, but has a undertone of blue. Dont get me wrong, this is nice for a smokey eye, but Id rather use my blacktrack. This is also on the drier side and working fast with it is a must! There are other cheap alternatives out there for this, reason why I dont see it as a must have PP from MAC. Ive had mine for maybe a year, barely touched it, and its already dried. Ehhh, waste of money but Im trying to use it up so I dont feel bad.

Great base for a smoky eye, or even on it's own for a smoky eye. Lasts for ages, and is very pigmented! If you want to blend this though, work fast as it sets pretty quick.

This goes on very dark and shimmery, and lasts a long time. You have to blend quickly because once it dries, it's hard to move around. You can use a little bit for a subtle sheer effect, or a lot for an intense deep dark shadow. You can smudge all over the eyes to use as an eyeshadow, or you can apply with a thin stiff brush and use as an eyeliner. The versaitility and staying power are great. This shade is probably not the best one for me, so I wouldn't buy it again, but I would definitely buy this in a more flattering color.

Great product, easy to use, pigmented, texture is fantastic. Its not completely opaque/deep black but i think thats a good thing, its buildable and makes it more multipurpose for different looks.
Perfect eyeshadow primer for a smokey eye, even to change/intensify colours. keeps eyeshadow on all day, everything i could want! :)

i love this pp its a must have for smoky eyes

This is the one and only PP I own as this is the only one IMO that isn't really dry. If you want the easiest smoky eye ever, get this. I apply with a 217 all over the lid and blend up into the crease. I also use this a lot to line my upper lashline. To me (someone that is liquid liner-challenged) this is so easy to work with in order to achieve an even perfect line. <3 continued >>

This is great base-wise but even for a smoky eye especially for the daytime I prefer Constructivist or Painterly for some reason! LOL

I purchased this paint pot and many others in 2008. I loved the texture the way it went on easy with a proper brush. The colour was decent. I layered this with Black Tied and Carbon to get a deep dark dramatic smokey eyes. BUT there aren't enough chances to use this. And now three years later the PRODUCT shrunk in the jar. It's litterally just a hard mass. It was so disappointing and depressing. I couldn't believe how it dried up and cracked. I put some water on a brush and tried to get the colour to transfer but it just didn't do anything.
So if you buy paint pots use them fast before they shrivel up and dry. I have to throw away 3 of the paint pots I have. Thankfully my paint pot Painterly is alright.... maybe because I use it more.
Very disappointing.

A great base for a smokey eye! I just got it and wanted to try it out right away, so I used this and mac carbon to create a very dark and dramatic eye. I had agreed to a rather absurd event to raise money for a friend's nonprofit; a girl-on-girl lube-wrestling event. I got my butt whooped, faceplanted in a tub full of lube, and was then hosed down. My eyeshadow smudged a wee bit beneath my eyes but stayed on through all of that! Amazing! I assumed I'd emerge looking like a raccoon, but nope. I emerged drenched and defeated, but looking good! Another Mac miracle. :)

Love this! It makes smokey eyes so easy. After my eye cream is absorbed by my skin, I apply a thin layer of Blackground using my 239 brush, pat on some eyeshadow, blend with my 217 brush, line with Blacktrack fluidline, apply mascara, and viola! Smokey eyes. I can't give it a 5 as it still creases by the end of the day, but it definitely makes smoking out your eye makeup a lot easier.