MAC Temperature Rising Eyeshadow Quad ($44.00 for 0.19 oz.) includes these shades: Performance Art (frosted gold mauve, Veluxe Pearl)), Temperature Rising (light warm tanned peach, Lustre), Swelter (mid-tone grey violet, Frost), and Beautymarked (charcoal black with red pearl, Velvet). Beautymarked is part of the permanent range. The quad will be available online on May 16th and in-stores May 23rd (of course, it usually is online earlier than the stated date). It is packaged in a matte bronze with a rubbery texture–if you’re familiar with NARS’ packaging, it’s very much like that, only bronze in color.

Performance Art is is a pinky mauve with a dusting of very fine gold shimmer. It had good color payoff and applied smooth overall, though it was a smidgen dry. MAC Smoky Mauve is purpler and darker. Jasmine Carpet is darker and purpler. Tarte Frozen Hot Chocolate is slightly darker. NARS 413 BLKR #1 appears cooler-toned. Wet ‘n’ Wild We’re Blasting Off #3 is cooler-toned.

Temperature Rising is copper-shimmered peach with a soft, frosted sheen. It was very stiff to work with, and it really needed to be layered and packed on to get visible, even color both swatched and on the eye. Estee Lauder Pink Zinc is lighter (and a cream product). Chanel Complice is lighter. MAC Seaside is more coppery. Chanel Emerveille is a cream product and is less coppery. MAC Expensive Pink is pinker, darker.

Swelter is a muted, medium-dark purple with subtle red undertones and a satiny sheen. It had decent to good color payoff, but it was a little stiff to work with. When I jabbed at it with a stiffer brush, I was able to get better color payoff. MAC Smoky Mauve is more frosted. Jasmine Carpet is very similar. NARS 413 BLKR #1 is grayer, cooler-toned. MAC Circa Plum is extremely similar.

Beautymarked is a blackened brown with burgundy and copper micro-shimmer. It was dry, somewhat chalky, and generally stiff and difficult to blend. Applied, it looks mostly like a matte black, but if you mix it or blend it with Swelter, you can bring out more of the shimmer in Beautymarked. Giorgio Armani #2 is similar in concept but has a much more pronounced shimmer/sparkle. L’Oreal Smoldering Plum is purpler. MAC Young Punk has more purple shimmer.

The real miss here was Beautymarked, which had a rather undesirable texture that made it a problematic shade to use. It’s also the kind of shade that looks incredibly complex in the pan but when used, it can be difficult to pull out those nuances and see the complexities. Performance Art was the best eyeshadow in this quad, because it had good pigmentation and a softer, smoother texture and application. Temperature Rising needs to be packed on for a smooth, even application. I wish it performed better overall, because the color combination works well together and would flatter a variety of skin tones. The eyeshadows did wear for eight hours with no creasing and only very minor fading with minor fading occurring after nine hours.

The Glossover

	Temperature Rising B
	I wish it performed better overall, because the color combination works well together and would flatter a variety of skin tones.
	Product 8/10 Pigmentation 8.5/10 Texture 8/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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MAC Temperature Rising Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Temperature Rising Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Temperature Rising Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Temperature Rising Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Temperature Rising Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Performance Art Eyeshadow

MAC Performance Art Eyeshadow

MAC Temperature Rising Eyeshadow

MAC Temperature Rising Eyeshadow

MAC Swelter Eyeshadow

MAC Swelter Eyeshadow

MAC Beautymarked Eyeshadow

MAC Beautymarked Eyeshadow

MAC Eyeshadows: Performance Art (inner lid), Temperature Rising(middle of lid),
Swelter (outer lid), Beautymarked (crease)

MAC Bare My Soul Eyeshadow Quad ($44.00 for 0.19 oz.) includes these shades: Romantico (light taupe bronze, Veluxe Pearl), Bare My Soul (frosted gold, Lustre), Friendly (deep bronze chocolate, Veluxe Pearl), and When in Rio (deep green with copper pearl, Frost). The quad will be available online on May 16th and in-stores May 23rd (of course, it usually is online earlier than the stated date). It is packaged in a matte bronze with a rubbery texture–if you’re familiar with NARS’ packaging, it’s very much like that, only bronze in color.

Romantico is a soft, medium-dark bown with a frosted finish and subtly warm, reddish undertones. It had nice color payoff and applied smoothly. Giorgio Armani Summer 2013 Eyeshadow #3 is warmer. Too Faced Hot Cocoa is lighter. NARS Flowers 3 is warmer. Milani Caramel Brown has a more metallic finish. MAC Buckwheat is darker. MAC Lie Low is more orange. MAC Sable is darker.

Bare My Soul is a gold-shimmered coppery brown with warm undertones and a frosted finish. It had good color payoff and applied smoothly when I used it on the lid. Wet ‘n’ Wild Sparkle ‘Til Morning #2 is very similar. Guerlain Calligraphy Eye & Lip #2 is slightly darker. Urban Decay Penny Lane is darker. Le Metier de Beaute Goldstone is more golden, brighter. bareMinerals Golden Iris has more of a satiny sheen.

Friendly is a rich, chocolatly brown with subtly warm undertones and a frosted sheen. It had fantastic color payoff, and it applied incredibly smoothly, too. Inglot #421 is slightly more coppery. Laura Mercier Cedar is more matte. MAC Make Your Mark is not quite as intense. MAC Mulch is redder.

When in Rio is a deep, red-brown base with a greenish-teal sheen. It had good color payoff when layered, but it was a little on the drier side and slightly stiff when I tried blending it out on the lid. It’s workable, but it’s not as nice as Romantico or Friendly. Wet ‘n’ Wild Comfort Zone #8 has a much redder base. bareMinerals Mirage is browner. MAC Double Feature #5 #2 is similar in design but much redder in practice. Tarte Exquisite Emerlad is similar though not as intense. MAC Woodsmoke is bluer. Inglot #414 is greener. MAC Club would also be similar, though I think the duochrome is not quite as obvious (and also Blue Brown pigment).

Initially, it reminded me of the Burmese Beauty quad from a few years ago, but they’re definitely not one-for-one. Burmese Beauty had a more golden, rather than copper-toned, shade, but it did have a similarly duochrome blue-brown shade (Burmese Beauty). The other two eyeshadows are not similar to the other two found in this quad.

I liked the quad overall, but at this price point, I really wish When in Rio was softer, more pigmented, and more blendable.  In the world of MAC eyeshadow quads, this is certainly one of the better ones in the past few years.  I wore all four eyeshadows together yesterday, and I didn’t have any issues with creasing or fading after nine hours of wear (no primer).

The Glossover

	Bare My Soul A-
	I liked the quad overall, but at this price point, I really wish When in Rio was softer, more pigmented, and more blendable. In the world of MAC eyeshadow quads, this is certainly one of the better ones in the past few years.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 4.5/5
	Where to Buy
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MAC Bare My Soul Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Bare My Soul Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Bare My Soul Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Bare My Soul Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Bare My Soul Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Romantico Eyeshadow

MAC Romantico Eyeshadow

MAC Bare My Soul Eyeshadow

MAC Bare My Soul Eyeshadow

MAC Friendly Eyeshadow

MAC Friendly Eyeshadow

MAC When in Rio Eyeshadow

MAC When in Rio Eyeshadow

MAC Eyeshadows: Romantico (inner lid), Bare My Soul (middle of lid),
Friendly (outer lid), When in Rio (crease)

MAC Rimal Dahabia Eyeshadow Quad ($40.00 for 0.21 oz.) contains these shades: Shroom (soft beige with shimmer), Soft Brown (soft golden peachy brown), Beautyburst (rich reddish brown), and Najm el Lail (blackened deep brown). Shroom and Soft Brown are permanent, while Beautyburst came out with Barbie Loves MAC in 2007.

Shroom is soft, light beige with a hint of warmth and a lightly frosted finish (though it’s officially a satin). It’s soft, smooth, and easy to blend out. It also has lovely color payoff. This used to be a go-to brow bone highlighter for me, because it wasn’t too stark or too cool/warm. Make Up For Ever #126 is darker, slightly shimmery. Urban Decay Anonymous is more matte and less beige. Cinderella A Wish is more matte. Giorgio Armani #1 Madreperla #1 is similar, but a touch more frosted. Urban Decay Skimp is a touch warmer and more shimmery. bareMinerals Serendipitous is very similar. MAC Brule is matte.

Soft Brown is a light-medium brown with warm, subtly red undertones and a matte finish. It is soft, silky-smooth, and nicely pigmented. It’s a great go-to neutral for outer lid and crease work on many skin tones, and then it can work as an all-over lid shade on darker complexions, too. MAC Exposed is darker and redder. MAC Body Conscious is more orange. MAC Glimpse of Flesh is shimmery and lighter. MAC Indie Spirit is a bit darker.

Beautyburst is a warm-toned, reddened, medium-dark brown with a matte finish (though it is listed as a satin). It had good color payoff, and the texture was soft and smooth. It blended nicely on the lid when I applied it. MAC Deep Fixation is more orange and more shimmery. Guerlain Les Fauves #2 is a touch lighter. MAC Brown Script is a bit darker and browner. theBalm Racy Kacy is warmer and shimmery.

Najm el Lail is a blackened brown with a matte finish. The swatch tells the majority of the story: dry, patchy, so-so color payoff. It’s not as easy to blend as a softer eyeshadow, as it tends to stick and be stubborn about softening along the edges. Too Faced Licorice is grayer/blacker. Dior Night Golds #3 is shimmery. MAC Bad Lieutenant is very similar. theBalm Matt Ramirez is also rather similar but has a slightly redder base. MAC Diamond Dove is similar. Tarina Tarantino Wonderful is slightly browner. MAC Brun is a bit lighter and cooler-toned. MAC Midnight Flurry is also similar. MAC Legendary Black is darker, grayer. Wet ‘n’ Wild Comfort Zone has a satin finish.

Three of the four are good or better (and two of the three are great), while the one shade that dropped the ball was Najm el Lail. I’m not sure why MAC seems to have issues with making a soft, buttery black-brown eyeshadow–above, you’ll see I noted several limited edition black-brown shades (mostly found in quads) from MAC over the years and they all have the same issues (dry, stiff).  Like the other quad, I’m testing the wear of these today and will update this post with that information later this afternoon. Based on the textures/payoffs/finishes, I’ve given it a longevity grade based off of years of testing MAC eyeshadows.

Just to do a little math, since the palette contains two permanent shades, here’s how the value works out to be: 1) pan eyeshadows cost $12 each (so $48 in eyeshadows), and the 2) the price of the quad is $9. So, if you purchase everything individually, you would be spending $57–compared to $40 to purchase a pre-made quad (in standard packaging), which means you pay $17 for choice. If you already have a palette to put them in, then you might consider the cost of choice $8. I find this is helpful to put it into perspective, though as a long-time MAC collector, I completely understand when you remember paying $34 for quads!  On the other hand, at $40, I really think it should be fantastic–there are too many $30-50 palettes on the market that are standouts these days.

The Glossover

	Rimal Dahabia B+
	Three of the four shades are good or better, but Najm el Lail is a let-down! It was so stiff and dry, which made it hard to get good color payoff as well as made blending rather difficult.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 8.5/10 Application 4.5/5
	Where to Buy
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MAC Rimal Dahabia Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Rimal Dahabia Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Rimal Dahabia Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Rimal Dahabia Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Rimal Dahabia Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Shroom Eyeshadow

MAC Shroom Eyeshadow

MAC Soft Brown Eyeshadow

MAC Soft Brown Eyeshadow

MAC Beautyburst Eyeshadow

MAC Beautyburst Eyeshadow

MAC Najm el Lail Eyeshadow

MAC Najm el Lail Eyeshadow

MAC Eyeshadows: Shroom (inner lid, brow bone), Soft Brown (middle of lid), Beautyburst (outer lid), Najm el Lail (crease)

MAC Masat al Lail Eyeshadow Quad ($40.00 for 0.21 oz.) contains these shades: Rondelle (platinum silver frost), Waft (deep navy with pearl), Gentle Fume (dirty concrete grey with silver pearl), and Carbon (intense black). Long-time MAC collectors may remember this composition, as it was originally launched in Smoke Signals (2007) as the Gentle Fume quad.

Rondelle is a gray-tinged white with a frosted finish. It had decent to good color payoff, but it was a little dusty, though I was able to get it to apply smoothly for the most part. Tarte Silver Burst is brighter, whiter. Guerlain Les Aquas #4 is more metallic. Bobbi Brown Iced Blue is cooler-toned.

Waft is a dark, bluish-gray with a subtle, frosted finish. The texture is rather dry, which is why this shade looks a bit patchy (and it does look dry, too) when swatched. It has so-so color payoff, but it was buildable and when used with a soft, fluffier brush, it did seem to apply better and more smoothly. theBalm Matt McDonald is very similar. MAC Warm Thunder is more metallic. Tarina Tarantino DIamond DUsk is more metallic, lighter. MAC Weathered is bluer.

Gentle Fume is a medium-dark matte gray base with silver sparkle. The silver sparkle doesn’t adhere or bind with the base color very well, so it flakes and disappears the moment you go to blend out the color. If you want any sparkle to survive, pat the color on, and then leave it alone. There will be fall out during the day, though. MAC Fabulous Fit doesn’t have the sparkle and is a touch lighter. MAC Silver Gull is much lighter. NARS Delphes #2 is close to the base color but doesn’t have the silver sparkle. Chanel Gris Exquis is a darker gray with no silver sparkle.

Carbon is a medium-dark black with a matte finish. It is part of the permanent range, and it varies in its dryness. This isn’t the worst iteration I’ve seen of it, but it’s certainly not the best and is by no means a favorite of mine to use. The beauty world can do better black eyeshadows now, so Carbon could use a reformulation to put it on par with current black eyeshadows. It’s just so dry and stiff, so the color payoff is sheerer and patchy–even applied on the lid, it can be a pain to blend out. You can find numerous black eyeshadows that compare to this (in terms of color).

It is a cool-toned, silver-and-gray smoky eye palette.  Over the years, I’ve grown frustrated with Carbon, so the inclusion of it in the quad is tiresome, as it is so often released in quads and palettes, so you very likely have one already (and it’s just not a great quality eyeshadow to begin with, so why have doubles or triples of it?).  I think the color of Waft is the most interesting, but it turns out that Weathered ends up looking more nuanced on the lid because it is bluer.  I wish the silver sparkle stuck to Gentle Fume, because then it would be something harder to dupe or find, but it just disappears and gets everywhere else.  Rondelle is the best performing shade in the palette.  I’m going to be wearing this quad for wear today, so I’ll report back with the results this afternoon–based on my experience with MAC’s drier/sheerer shades, I don’t get great wear (between seven and eight hours, some fading), I’ve assessed a rating but if it is better/worse, I’ll be sure to let you know.

The Glossover

	Masat al Lail C
	The quad just requires too much work. I think that eyeshadows have significantly improved over the past five years, and I feel like these are too dry and stiff and lack color payoff.
	Product 7.5/10 Pigmentation 7.5/10 Texture 7.5/10 Longevity 7.5/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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MAC Masat al Lail Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Masat al Lail Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Masat al Lail Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Masat al Lail Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Masat al Lail Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Rondelle Eyeshadow

MAC Rondelle Eyeshadow

MAC Waft Eyeshadow

MAC Waft Eyeshadow

MAC Gentle Fume Eyeshadow

MAC Gentle Fume Eyeshadow

MAC Carbon Eyeshadow

MAC Carbon Eyeshadow

MAC Eyeshadows: Gentle Fume (inner lid), Rondelle (middle of lid), Waft (outer lid), Carbon (crease)

MAC Strength: Inner Strength Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Inner Strength Eyeshadow Quad ($40.00 for 0.21 oz.) consists of three new shades and one repromote: Lithe Spirit (palest white pink), Inner Strength (light cool mauve taupe), Fabulous Fit (mid-tone cool grey), and Heatherbelles (deep charcoal).  This is a rather cool-toned quad, more so than All Woman, with the only warmth coming from Inner Strength, which isn’t all that warm, so if you like cooler tones, you’ll be in luck with this color composition!

Lithe Spirit is a cool-toned white with a matte finish. It is listed as a satin finish, but I didn’t see much sheen in it (or any). It had good pigmentation, but it was a touch powdery. Urban Decay Venus is a touch warmer and more shimmery. MAC Vanilla is warmer.

Inner Strength is a warm peach with subtle pink undertones and a barely-there sheen, though it is listed as a matte. It had good color payoff, and it was soft to the touch. Too Faced Peach Fuzz has gold sparkle. Urban Decay Freestyle has less pink. MAC Nubile is similar in color but is a cream product.

Fabulous Fit is a light gray with blue undertones and has a matte finish. It was a bit weak on pigmentation, and it had a drier texture that made blending harder. Estee Lasuder Modern Mercury is more metallic. MAC Scene is darker. Chanel Gris Exquis is also darker. Inglot #339 is somewhat darker but closest with respect to its cool undertone.

Heather Belles is a dark gray with a mostly matte finish but there’s a touch of sheen; the sheen becomes more apparent when blended out. It has a satin finish, and the color payoff is so-so–it is a stiffer, drier shade. Urban Decay Ace is more shimmery. Guerlain Les Gris is matte. Estee Lauder Black Chrome is darker.

The quality of Inner Strength as a quad is below-average to average.  It’s not impressive, and it’s not the most heinous release we’ve seen from MAC.  It’s middle-of-the-road.  The problem with this palette is in the textures, which tended to be a bit dry and stiff (in the case of Fabulous Fit and Heatherbelles).  Lithe Spirit was somewhat powdery, which can have a tendency to make such a pale color look chalky on darker complexions.  Inner Strength was the best-performing shade here, as it wasn’t so soft that it was powdery, but it wasn’t too dry or firm that you couldn’t get color payoff out of it.  The shades lasted for seven and a half hours and looked just a smidgen faded after eight hours.

The Glossover

	Inner Strength C
	The quality of Inner Strength as a quad is below-average to average. It's not impressive, and it's not the most heinous release we've seen from MAC. It's middle-of-the-road.
	Product 7/10 Pigmentation 7.5/10 Texture 7/10 Longevity 8/10 Application 3.5/5
	Where to Buy
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MAC Inner Strength Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Inner Strength Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Inner Strength Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Inner Strength Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Inner Strength Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Lithe Spirit Eyeshadow

MAC Inner Strength Eyeshadow

MAC Fabulous Fit Eyeshadow

MAC Eyeshadow

MAC Heatherbelles Eyeshadow

MAC Strength: All Woman Eyeshadow Quad

MAC All Woman Eyeshadow Quad ($40.00 for 0.19 oz.) consists of four new shades: Flawless Figure (pale warm shimmering white), Brains & Brawn (mid-tone taupe), All Woman (greenish dark grey), and Black Magique (deep, dark black with warm tones).  The color composition reads cool-toned to me, both at a glance and when applied, though it’s not overly cool-toned–closer to neutral-cool.

Flawless Figure is a bright white with a high frosted sheen. It has a veluxe pearl, officially, and it had great color payoff. Cinderella Midnight Hour is similar but warmer-toned. MAC Crystal Avalanche is very similar. Maybelline Too Cool is a touch more metallic, and it is also a cream product.

Brains & Brawn is a medium-dark taupe; a mix of gray and brown for a rather balanced taupe. It has a matte finish, and the color payoff was decent to good. It seemed to apply best with a fluffier brush. It is grayer than Urban Decay Naked 2. MAC Omega is browner, warmer. Estee Lauder Tempting Mocha is similar but a touch purple.

All Woman is a green-tinged dark gray with a dusting of shimmer, though it is mostly matte. This shade had rather weak color payoff, as the texture was dry and stiff. Tarte Stiletto almost looked a bit like this, just darker because it had more pigmentation. bareMinerals Earth is a bit lighter.

Black Magique is a brown-based dark black with a mostly matte finish, though it is officially a velvet finish. It reminded me a lot of Urban Decay Crave. Le Metier de Beaute Fin is darker, richer.

I think the inclusion of the ultra-shimmery shade Flawless Figure doesn’t make the most sense; it’s just very, very shimmery and ended up detracting from the overall composition of the palette. My gut was, “Don’t use it! Don’t use it!” but it’s a quad, so I really wanted to try and incorporate all four shades–and no, I should have went with my gut there!   A better use for it would be to lightly mix it with one of the other shades to create varying levels of shimmer/sheen and lightness.  It performed well, but it seemed out of place in this quad.  

All Woman was disappointing with its drier, stiffer texture, which made it difficult to blend as well as apply. Brains & Brawn is the kind of color I see anyone who wears neutrals getting a lot of use out of, and it’s a shame we don’t see more of these matte taupes in permanent, core ranges (across all brands).  It will work nicely for sculpting and defining the crease on light to medium (possibly medium-dark) complexions.  The eyeshadows wore for just under eight hours without creasing or fading.

The Glossover

	All Woman B
	It can be amazing how one shade can make you go, "Ooh! I need this!" even if the rest do not sing out in the same way. Brains & Brawn draws me in, but All Woman kills the value of the palette.
	Product 8.5/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 8/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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MAC All Woman Eyeshadow Quad

MAC All Woman Eyeshadow Quad

MAC All Woman Eyeshadow Quad

MAC All Woman Eyeshadow Quad

MAC All Woman Eyeshadow Quad

MAC Flawless Figure Eyeshadow

MAC Brains & Brawn Eyeshadow

MAC All Woman Eyeshadow

MAC Eyeshadow

MAC Black Magique Eyeshadow