Charlotte Tilbury Dazzling Diamonds Eyeshadow Quad Review & Swatches
Dazzling Diamonds
Charlotte Tilbury Dazzling Diamonds Eyeshadow Quad ($53.00 for 0.18 oz.) is a new, limited edition sparkling quad featuring a bright, pale peach, golden brown, bluish-gray, and richer bronze. The formula is designed to work with fingertips for dry application and with brushes for wet application, which was how I tested the performance of all four shades — though you’ll find my observations using a dry brush below, too.
For maximum coverage, the formula does work best with fingertips or a wet brush, though a dry brush yielded semi-opaque, buildable coverage with light fallout. I would recommend using an adhesive base or spray (like an adhesive or fixing spray) to minimize fallout over time. This year’s quad is much more pigmented for three of the four shades, and I felt it was a lot more in line with how it was marketed, which made it one of the better releases I’ve seen from the brand (in this vein)!
Ingredients
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Dazzling Diamonds
$56.00.
Dazzling Diamonds #1
Dazzling Diamonds #1 is a light peach with moderate, warm undertones and a very shiny, sparkling finish. It had more semi-opaque color coverage, but the base seemed almost translucent against my skin. In the angled swatch, you can see that it has more opacity than it seemed initially (from the straight-on swatch).
The texture was lightly emollient, smooth, and dense without being too thick or too firmly-pressed into the pan. It applied best with fingertips, as the brand recommended, as it helped to keep the sparkle on the lid with minimal fallout. I found dry and wet brushes worked similarly with a dry brush just having a bit more fallout during application. This shade wore well for eight hours with light fallout over time.
Top Dupes
- Clarins Flame #1 (PiP, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- ColourPop Alchemy (LE, $6.00) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- ColourPop Crushed Oats (PiP, $4.50) is less shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
- Give Me Glow Blossom (PiP, $7.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Wayne Goss Imperial Topaz #6 (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- NYX Highkey Lychee (P, $10.50) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Stila Nude Shimmer (LE, $18.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Angel Fire (PiP, $19.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona True (357M) (LE, $29.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Mercurial #1 (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Ingredients
CALCIUM SODIUM BOROSILICATE, TALC, DIISOSTEARYL MALATE, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, MICA, HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL HYDROXYSTEARATE, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, CHLORPHENESIN, POTASSIUM SORBATE, TETRASODIUM EDTA, TIN OXIDE, [+/- TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), CARMINE (CI 75470)].
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
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Dazzling Diamonds #1
LELimited Edition.
Dazzling Diamonds #2
Dazzling Diamonds #2 is a light, yellowy brown with strong, warm undertones and a sparkling finish. It had a lot more sparkle than the next two shades in the quad, so there was more fallout when applied and blended out. There were still plenty of sparkles that stayed on the lid and remained sparkling and shiny throughout wear.
It was richly pigmented with a smooth, more emollient texture that was lightly creamy but not thick or difficult to work with, even with a dry brush. Fingertip or wet brush application yielded very little initial fallout (a bit when blended out), while a dry brush had slightly more buildable coverage and some fallout. It lasted nicely for eight hours before fading a bit but had some fallout over time.
Top Dupes
- Dior Fire (584) (P, $29.50) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Tinker Time (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Da Coco (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery, brighter (85% similar).
- ColourPop Nillionaire (P, $6.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Sephora Glitter Dress (357) (P, $9.00) is less shimmery, more muted, cooler (85% similar).
- Natasha Denona Sienna (50M) (P, $29.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Chanel Patine Bronze (840) (P, $36.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Giorgio Armani Incognito #4 (PiP, ) is darker, cooler (80% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Desert Baked (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (80% similar).
- City Color Sandstorm (P, $6.99) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (80% similar).
Ingredients
CALCIUM SODIUM BOROSILICATE, TALC, DIISOSTEARYL MALATE, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, MICA, HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL HYDROXYSTEARATE, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, CHLORPHENESIN, POTASSIUM SORBATE, TETRASODIUM EDTA, TIN OXIDE, [+/- TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), CARMINE (CI 75470)].
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
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Dazzling Diamonds #2
LELimited Edition.
Dazzling Diamonds #3
Dazzling Diamonds #3 is deep, bluish-gray with cool undertones and a sparkling sheen. The base seemed less shiny and metallic than most of the brand’s ultra-sparkly eyeshadows, which worked in the context of the color story to give it more depth and contrast, though some might find the lack of sparkle makes it less special.
It had a lightly creamy consistency that was dense without being overly firm or thick, so it picked up well with a dry brush, wet brush, or fingertips (without compacting in over time). I definitely didn’t feel like you had to use a fingertip or a wet brush to achieve nearly opaque (and buildable) results, though the latter two methods certainly had less fallout during the initial application. It stayed on well for eight and a half hours before fading but had light fallout over time.
Top Dupes
- Smashbox Metal Work (PiP, ) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Moira Black Hole (P, $7.50) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Purple Sky (P, $6.25) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- ColourPop Goody Two-Shoes (P, $4.50) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Urban Decay Granite (PiP, $20.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Urban Decay Drift (PiP, $19.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (80% similar).
- Make Up For Ever ME108 Steel (P, $17.00) is more shimmery, lighter (80% similar).
- NARS Titania (LE, $29.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (80% similar).
- NARS Night Rhythm (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery, lighter (80% similar).
- Sephora Sketch (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (80% similar).
Ingredients
CALCIUM SODIUM BOROSILICATE, TALC, DIISOSTEARYL MALATE, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, MICA, CALCIUM ALUMINUM BOROSILICATE, HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL HYDROXYSTEARATE, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, CHLORPHENESIN, POTASSIUM SORBATE, SILICA, TETRASODIUM EDTA, TIN OXIDE, [+/- TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77499)].
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Look Using this Product
Dazzling Diamonds #3
LELimited Edition.
Dazzling Diamonds #4
Dazzling Diamonds #4 is a brighter, light-medium brown with strong,w arm undertones and a sparkling, metallic finish. Compared to most of the brand’s more sparkly shades, it had a lot of pigment in the actual base and wasn’t quite as sparkly (see the first shade in the palette). The texture was more emollient, almost cream-like, with a lot of glide and flatter, fleck-like sparkle, which I have found adheres better to bare skin and doesn’t have as much fallout over time.
It had opaque pigmentation in a single layer, applied dry or wet whether I used a brush or fingertips, though fingertips yielded the most coverage and least fallout with the least amount of work/product. The eyeshadow applied evenly and stayed on well for eight and a half hours with light fallout over time.
Top Dupes
- Charlotte Tilbury Star Gold (P, $34.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Too Faced Peanut Butter Cup (LE, $16.00) is less shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- MAC Mortal #4 (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (95% similar).
- NABLA Cosmetics Danae (P, $12.00) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Anastasia Hot & Cold (LE, $12.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Icon Diva Eyes #2 (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Too Faced Desire (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- NARS Calendar Girl (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Winter 2018 #3 (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- Pat McGrath Bronze Eclipse (LE, $25.00) is lighter (90% similar).
Ingredients
CALCIUM SODIUM BOROSILICATE, TALC, DIISOSTEARYL MALATE, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, MICA, HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL HYDROXYSTEARATE, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, CHLORPHENESIN, POTASSIUM SORBATE, TETRASODIUM EDTA, TIN OXIDE, [+/- TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), CARMINE (CI 75470)].
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
There was zero reason to put 2 nearly identical brown colors into a quad!
Yeah, that’s my only complaint over this one. Same mistake Tom Ford may possibly have made with First Frost quad.
….it’s so if one shatters, you’ve still got the other one in pristine shape!
I didn’t know this was a comedy site, lol. Agree the browns are overly close, except for the brownophiles.
Love these “cooler” tones for CT to be using! This is my idea of a perfect glam smokey eye quad of shimmers for my skintone and coloring. This along with the Super Nudes are my jam!
One gets reminded of how excellent your swatch photography is, in looking at the last 2 dupes for #3. The purple in Narwhal and the warm brown in Divine Mink stand out exceptionally well. You rule.
I thought I would really love this quad as they are the kinds of shade colours that I would wear, but I find the sparkly/glittery elements are off putting. I don’t like having to use my fingertips or wet brushes to apply my eyeshadows.
I also found that shade 1 – was far too pale and would have preferred a more pigmented peach shade. Shades 2 & 4 are fairly similar to each other and Shade 4 was too dark – a softer navy blue or teal shade would have been preferable.
I agree totally with you Genevieve!
Number 3 is such an interesting color! I’d be tempted to buy it in a single. (Although I hardly ever buy singles.)
I’m glad this got a great review – I purchased it during the Sephora F & F sale based on some reviews on Youtube, but I’m extra confident now that you gave it an A-!