There are two quads in the upcoming MAC Padma collection (coming March 15), and this one is the one with the unmistakable pop of blue.
I never would’ve guessed that Padma would be into pastel powder shadows, but I’m usually staring at the food, rather than Padma’s makeup, when I’m watching Top Chef.
I do remember that she likes a bright inner corner highlight, and I guess that makes sense with the light green in the purple quad and the baby blue in this one.
1. A good beginner’s quad
I think Desert Dusk is the better beginner’s quad of the two quads in the collection, just because you get three lighter lid colors (a shimmery gold, a matte peach and that beautiful shimmery baby blue), and you also get a deep, delicious dark chocolate matte brown, which looks a little like MAC Brun, by the way, one of my favorite MAC browns of all time. If you blend any one of the three lighter colors on your lids, or a combination of them, then line your lash lines with the dark brown? You’re set. Easy-peasy!
2. For more complicated looks, though, you’ll need a separate transition shade.
If you’re farther along with your eyeshadow skills and you’d like to add more depth and do more complicated gradients, this quad could use a mid-toned brown, something like MAC Cork or MAC Soba, or any sort of mid-toned neutral- or cooler-toned brown. I think it would make this quad more flexible for more varied looks.
Now, if you asked me to choose between this and the other quad in the collection, I’d choose the purple one because I think you can do more with it. I think it’s better as a standalone palette because it does have a mid-toned transition shade. Plus, the color combination just seems more unusual to me and off the beaten path. There’s also something very high end and almost Chanel-esque and Tom Ford-y about it. I can do so many more looks with it by itself.
3. Shimmers are shinier in this palette
The two shimmers in this palette are definitely frostier than the shimmers in the purple one, which is something to think about if you have fine lines like I do…
Still, overall, I don’t think you can wrong with either quad. Both have soft powders and very little fallout. MAC’s LE eyeshadows vary wildly in quality, but these are on the good side –comparable to the shadows in the Girls Palette series. If you’re feeling the colors and think you could use either one often, I say go for it!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
