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Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo Review, Photos, Swatches

Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo
Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo

Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo ($49.00 for 0.09 oz.) features the Magnetic Color Shadow formula, which is supposed to be “saturated with pigment,” but then, they later say “buildable color” yet it is “pretreated and primed for high-color impact.” (Under the monos, they only say “intensely pigmented,” while the quads say “saturated with color for a high-impact, buildable finish.”) Both of these shades were quite pigmented, and the texture was soft and smooth, though the right shade had a little dryness to it while the left shade was fantastic.

You might be wondering what is the most “cost-effective” way to try Gucci’s eyeshadows. Their singles are $528.57/oz., duos are $544.44/oz., and quads are $382.35/oz., so quads are significantly more for your money, both when you crunch the numbers and because you can try four shades for the price of two singles. I’m not sure where Gucci is trying to price themselves, because some of their products are comparable to Chanel, Dior, etc., others more like Tom Ford but slightly less. The single and duo shadows seem over-priced relative to the much of the range.

Malachite (Left) is a rich, grassy green with warm undertones and a soft, frosted sheen. It had excellent color payoff with a really smooth–almost creamy–consistency that blended well on the skin. It wore well for eight and a half hours before fading slightly. Anastasia Emerald (LE) is darker, more muted. Sephora Collection Rolling in the Grass (10) is more shimmery, cooler-toned. (P, $13.00) NARS Night Porter (LE, $24.00) is darker, cooler-toned. MAC Humid (P, $15.00) is slightly lighter. L’Oreal Golden Emerald (P, $7.99) is more shimmery. Sugarpill Junebug (P, $12.00) is darker. Make Up For Ever #310 (DC, $20.00) is darker, cooler-toned. Inglot #418 (P, $6.00) is darker. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Malachite (Right) is a deepened, muted navy blue with a pearly sheen. It had good pigmentation, and while it was blendable and smooth applied, the texture had a slight dryness to it (but it wasn’t stiff). The color didn’t show signs of fading until after eight and a half hours of wear. Dior Pied de Poule #1 (P) is less shimmery, darker. Sleek MakeUP Black Magic (LE, $9.99) is darker. NARS Giove (P, $29.00) is similar. Too Faced Heavy Metal (P, $16.00) is darker. Illamasqua Android (P, $25.50) is more shimmery. Giorgio Armani #20 (LE, $33.00) is similar. bareMinerals Controversy (LE) is lighter. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Malachite

DCDiscontinued. $49.00.
A
A
9.5
Product
9.5
Pigmentation
9
Texture
9
Longevity
5
Application
93%
Total

Malachite (Left)

DCDiscontinued.
A
A
10
Product
10
Pigmentation
10
Texture
9
Longevity
5
Application
98%
Total

Malachite (Right)

DCDiscontinued.
B+
B+
8.5
Product
9
Pigmentation
8
Texture
9
Longevity
5
Application
88%
Total

Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo
Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo

Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo
Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo

Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo
Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo

Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo
Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo

Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo
Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo

Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo
Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo

Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo
Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo

Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo
Gucci Malachite Magnetic Color Shadow Duo

Gucci Malachite (Left) Magnetic Color Shadow
Gucci Malachite (Left) Magnetic Color Shadow

Gucci Malachite (Left) Magnetic Color Shadow
Gucci Malachite (Left) Magnetic Color Shadow

Gucci Malachite (Right) Magnetic Color Shadow
Gucci Malachite (Right) Magnetic Color Shadow

Gucci Malachite (Right) Magnetic Color Shadow
Gucci Malachite (Right) Magnetic Color Shadow

Gucci Malachite (Right) Magnetic Color Shadow
Fume (Right) (inner lid), Fume (Left) (middle of lid), Malachite (Left) (outer lid),
Malachite (Right) (crease), Iconic Ottanio Eyeliner

Gucci Malachite (Right) Magnetic Color Shadow
Fume (Right) (inner lid), Fume (Left) (middle of lid), Malachite (Left) (outer lid),
Malachite (Right) (crease), Iconic Ottanio Eyeliner

62 Comments

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Kelly Avatar

I did not expect this duo to be so beautiful! It looks a bit boring in the pan. I think I’m too put off by their pricing to try this, though. Maybe a quad!

Stacey Avatar

Oh Christine knows I will ask where it is made. So At Saks, it says it is imported. Usually imported means China on these sites. I was hoping the green to been more like malachite n the blue to be less silver blue. Oh, well.

I wish I could test them. Especially given the price.

Is the Gucci emblem smooth or is it engraved on the packaging? Thanks.

Christine Avatar

There’s a picture on the packaging that says it is made in Italy. Hope that helps!

It’s not really raised, but it’s not smooth entirely – you can feel the logo underneath your fingertip. There’s a very thin separation between the gold logo and the rest of the black compact that is a border.

Stacey Avatar

Yes, I see…on the packaging n on the back of the container. That’s why I say……oh, she is going to look for…..so you took the pics in two different places :). I hope eventually Saks sell it in sf soon. That store always get the most current collection coming out.

Lotus Avatar

1. That’s a good thing! Except the prices have doubled.. But… It means the gorgeous white duochrome iridescent polychromatics are coming back, too! 😀
2. I must say that Gucci did an *extraordinary* job with this duo! Malachite is a most splendidly enchanting gemstone of rich, unforgettable, green hues and depth. If making perfect duos named after crystals/gemstones/minerals/what have you/ became a “thing” with Gucci, all made remarkably epitomizing the beauty of its hues accurately… I would have to collect them. Crystals have been an integral part of my life since I was a very young child and I have amassed such a collection, the energy is beautiful. So, a well intended collection like that would be incredibly awesome. Especially because the colors of many are so hstd to truly capture! Could anyone even do that? We shall see. 🙂
3. The price is steep, yet with the crappy quality of palettes and the fact these remind me so much of my two most used eyeshadow colors when quite young, though they were matte, and I’ve been looking for dupes all the time. I would like to have this. I’m glad it’s permanent! I will be adding this at some point! Thank you for the stunning review, Christine! 🙂

kwmechelle Avatar

I did not expect this to be so pretty! They’re not the most impressive looking in the pan but they swatched beautifully & you created such a gorgeous look!

xamyx Avatar

Sooo much prettier together than I expected, but I can’t justify it ATM… I wonder if I can simulate the blue by blending NARS Malacca & Thunderball…?

Considering I’ll not even think twice about dropping $25 on a single shadow, I still have trouble justifying$50 on a duo, LOL! It’s not because the pans are smaller, because I *know* I’ll never hit pan on any (never have!), but I just can’t…

Mariella Avatar

An odd but gorgeous pairing (sort of puts me in mind a bit of 2 Nars duos I have that seem like strange pairings too). Like Michelle, I’m sort of lamenting that these aren’t available in Canada (or if they are, it’s only at Holt’s and there isn’t a Holt Renfrew near me) but at these prices, that’s probably a good thing.

Genevieve Avatar

At first, I thought these colours were way too dark and in the shops I would not give it a second look, but now that you have swatched them, they are beautiful. What glorious colours! They are just what I love.
However I have both L’Oreal’s golden emerald and bareMinerals The Wild Thing palette, so I have dupes for both of these colours. They are gorgeous. I think they should be in a quad with some pearl grey and cream to make it more user-friendly.

Adhishree Avatar

Don’t know why it’s called Malachite because neither of the shades resemble it 😛 But on a brighter note, they’re both stunning! I’m digging the green.

artemis Avatar

But neither of the shades look like malachite :)))

http://a401.idata.over-blog.com/2/34/08/59/divers/externes-7/bot_480006_289847621145938_488120358_n-malachite-copie-1.jpg

that’s a cooler green, a bit cooler than emerald, I think. Kinda teal.

I think they meant that the blue one is azurite. They’re often found together.

http://www.gemselect.com/other-info/graphics/azurite-gemstone.jpg

The eyeshadow is a bit closer, but not nearly as vibrant. It looks grey againt azurite :))

The duo is pretty, but they look a bit lifeless together.

I think some true to name shades for this duo would be something like

http://www.temptalia.com/make-up-for-ever-eyeshadows-304-34-302-168-93-greens-teals

(168 or more likely, 93)

and

http://www.temptalia.com/product/inglot-eyeshadow/428-2

Sylirael Avatar

Ah, I’m glad this turned out well – it caught my eye in the promo pics! I love how you’ve used it with the brown shades, and it pairs nicely with that liner! I could wish it were a *tiny* bit brighter and more jewel-y, but it is very elegant nonetheless.

I wish more brands would make their singles more affordable/better value. I know palettes will always be better value (and should always be better value in pure numbers), but it would be nice to be able to pick up a single on a whim from more brands (just to try one particular colour that takes your fancy) without having to buy a whole palette full of other shades you don’t want in order not to fee like you’re being taken for a ride somehow… 😉 *nitpicks*

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