Kat Von D Plum Shadow + Light Quad ($26.00 for 0.21 oz.) contains four shades designed to work together and are named to help guide application–Base, Define, Contour, and Highlight–though you can obviously go wherever your creativity takes you. The Shade + Light Eyeshadow formula is supposed to have “high pigment” with a “silky and blendable” consistency and long-wearing. I think if you enjoyed Kat Von D’s recent eyeshadow palettes, I think you’ll like these; they are very soft and smooth with a finely-milled, velvety texture that can kick up an excess amount of powder any time something touches the pan’s surface. I notice an abundance of fall out (surprisingly!) when working with the eyeshadows, but a very smooth base is critical to maximize adhesion to the skin without getting unevenness/darkening due to the looser nature of the powder paired with the more matte finishes. The lighter shades seem chalky on my skin tone and have strong white bases. The darkest shades blend better when mixed with one of the lighter shades rather than alone, and I actually tried blending them over primer to see if that helped, but it was marginally better–patience and multiple tools (clean brushes are key for blending these out), while the light and mid-tone shades were easy to blend out. The wear varied between seven and a half and eight hours for me, which is consistent with my past experiences using this formula.

I have seen some mention that the larger Shade + Light palette is a better buy due to price/size, though it seems like it should come down to which one presents the better color combination/most usable amount of shades. The quads cost $123.81/oz., while the larger palette costs $76.67/oz. — it is pretty common for a quad to cost more (per ounce) compared to a much larger palette, and the pricing doesn’t seem really off the mark to me. The quads are housed in a thicker, plastic component, whereas the larger palette is a slimmer, cardboard-based product.

Plum (Base) is a light-medium, rosy pink with warm undertones and a matte finish. It had good color payoff with a soft, lightly powdery texture that was very smooth and blendable. It wore well for eight hours on me. ColourPop Rose Ave (PiP, $4.50) is darker (95% similar). bareMinerals Beautiful (LE, ) is cooler (95% similar). MAC Missing My Baby (LE, $17.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar). Viseart Cupidon (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar). Chanel Rose de Mai (P, $29.50) is lighter (90% similar). ColourPop Kickstart (PiP, $4.50) is darker, cooler (90% similar). Natasha Denona Belle (466CM) (PiP, ) is cooler (90% similar). ColourPop Dreamboat (LE, $4.50) is darker (90% similar). ColourPop Entrance (LE, $4.50) is darker, cooler (90% similar). ColourPop Come Thru (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery (90% similar). Sydney Grace Laughter (P, $5.25) is lighter (90% similar). BH Cosmetics Carli Bybel Deluxe Edition #8 (LE, ) is darker (90% similar). Too Faced Pink Suede (PiP, $16.00) is darker (90% similar). Hourglass Monochrome #3 (PiP, ) is lighter, warmer (90% similar). Inglot #341 (P, $6.00) is warmer (90% similar). ColourPop Pillow Fight (PiP, $4.50) is lighter, cooler (90% similar). MAC For Your Pleasure (LE, $17.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar). Sydney Grace Faithful (P, $5.25) is darker, cooler (85% similar). MAC You're Bluffing (LE, $17.00) is lighter (85% similar). Urban Decay Backtalk (LE, $19.00) is brighter (85% similar). Top 20 dupes listed, see the rest. See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

Plum (Define) is a dark plum with soft, warmer undertones and a matte finish. It had mostly opaque pigmentation with a fairly soft, smooth texture that kicked up some excess in the pan but didn’t seem to have real fall out during application. The color could have been easier to work with, though, as it was harder to blend it on on its own. It was doable when using some of the other lighter shades in the palette to layer and soften the edges, and this was true even over primer. MAC Snappy Style (LE, $17.00) is cooler (95% similar). Melt Cosmetics Last Caress (PiP, ) is darker (95% similar). Smashbox Editor (PiP, ) is more muted (95% similar). Clarins Rosewood #4 (PiP, ) is cooler (90% similar). Tarte Still Life (LE, ) is darker, cooler (90% similar). Linda Hallberg Cosmetics Occult (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker, brighter (90% similar). LORAC Plum (PiP, $19.00) is cooler (95% similar). ColourPop Razy (LE, $4.50) is darker, warmer (90% similar). LORAC Black Currant (PiP, $19.00) is lighter (90% similar). Ciate Day Dream (LE, ) is darker (90% similar). ColourPop Two Much (P, $4.50) is brighter, warmer (90% similar). Make Up For Ever M928 Eggplant (P, $17.00) is lighter, brighter (90% similar). ColourPop Marquee (PiP, $4.50) is darker, warmer (90% similar). Urban Decay Lethal (PiP, $19.00) is darker, brighter (90% similar). ColourPop Top Tier (PiP, $4.50) is lighter, warmer (90% similar). Tarte Mancat (LE, ) is warmer (90% similar). Huda Beauty Chocolate Brown #9 (PiP, ) is darker (85% similar). Tarte Power Plum (LE, ) is darker, cooler (85% similar). Melt Cosmetics Charro (LE, ) is warmer (85% similar). Wet 'n' Wild VI Purple #3 (PiP, ) is darker (85% similar). Top 20 dupes listed, see the rest. See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

Plum (Contour) is a muted, medium-dark smoky plum with subtle, warm undertones and a matte finish. It had semi-opaque pigmentation with a soft, smooth, and blendable texture that ran powdery–it was the “loosest” in the palette, so it sheered out easily. The color still lasted for eight hours before fading. Viseart Titania (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (95% similar). bareMinerals Flash (LE, ) is warmer (95% similar). Too Faced Dreams (LE, $16.00) is lighter (90% similar). Too Faced Mulberry (LE, $16.00) is warmer (90% similar). Tarte Misty Mauve (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (90% similar). Laura Mercier Plum Smoke (PiP, $23.00) is lighter (90% similar). Fenty Beauty Wife It Up (PiP, ) is lighter, warmer (90% similar). Inglot #358 (P, $6.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar). Benefit Rain Check (P, $20.00) is darker (90% similar). Ciate Pony (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar). Anastasia Buon Fresco (P, $12.00) is lighter (90% similar). Too Faced Rendezvous (LE, $16.00) is lighter (85% similar). Too Faced Be You (LE, $16.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar). Makeup Geek Vintage (DC, $6.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar). LORAC Wisteria (LE, $19.00) is warmer (85% similar). Tarte Best Friend (LE, ) is darker, warmer (85% similar). Too Faced Blackberry (LE, $16.00) is darker, warmer (80% similar). Coloured Raine Purpleberry (LE, $6.99) is lighter, warmer (80% similar). MAC Stormy Pink (DC, $23.00) is lighter, cooler (80% similar). LORAC Violet Gray (LE, $19.00) is darker, warmer (80% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

Plum (Highlight) is a very light, pinky-lavender with cool undertones and a mostly matte finish. It had good pigmentation, though the texture was rather powdery and tended to drop a lot of excess product when applied. I was using it as a brow bone highlighter, and even after tapping prior to applying, there was still enough that required me to have to reapply/blend out colors on my lid. The color lasted for seven and a half hours before fading. Anastasia Baby Cakes (P, $12.00) is warmer (95% similar). Sephora Ballet (LE, ) is lighter (95% similar). bareMinerals Velvet Lavender (LE, $14.00) is cooler (95% similar). LORAC Bonfire (LE, $19.00) is darker (95% similar). ColourPop Butterscotch (LE, $4.50) is brighter (95% similar). MAC Flounce (PiP, $17.00) is darker (95% similar). LORAC Jelly Donut (LE, $19.00) is lighter, brighter (95% similar). KVD Beauty Baptism (LE, ) is warmer (95% similar). Too Faced Candy Cane (LE, $16.00) is lighter, brighter (95% similar). NYX Birthday Suit (P, $4.50) is lighter (90% similar). Too Faced Kitten (LE, $16.00) is warmer (90% similar). Marc Jacobs Beauty With Style (PiP, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar). Stila Pale Pink (LE, $18.00) is more muted, warmer (90% similar). ColourPop Celeb (LE, $4.50) is brighter (90% similar). MAC Tomillo (LE, $17.00) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar). Sephora + Pantone Universe Rose Quartz (LE, ) is warmer (90% similar). Marc Jacobs Beauty The Lover #1 (LE, ) is brighter (90% similar). L'Oreal Mademoiselle Pink (P, $5.99) is brighter (90% similar). Dior Celeste (121) (LE, $30.00) is warmer (90% similar). ColourPop Pearly (PiP, $4.50) is warmer (90% similar). Top 20 dupes listed, see the rest. See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

Kat Von D Plum Shadow + Light Quad

Kat Von D Plum Shadow + Light Quad

Kat Von D Plum Shadow + Light Quad

Kat Von D Plum Shadow + Light Quad

Kat Von D Plum Shadow + Light Quad

Kat Von D Plum (Base) Eyeshadow

Kat Von D Plum (Base) Eyeshadow

Kat Von D Plum (Define) Eyeshadow

Kat Von D Plum (Define) Eyeshadow

Kat Von D Plum (Contour) Eyeshadow

Kat Von D Plum (Contour) Eyeshadow

Kat Von D Plum (Highlight) Eyeshadow

Kat Von D Plum (Highlight) Eyeshadow

Kat Von D Plum Shadow + Light Quad (with ColourPop Descando Eyeliner)

Kat Von D Plum Shadow + Light Quad