MAC A Glimmer of Gold Mineralize Eyeshadow Quad ($44.00 for 0.05 oz.) is a warm-toned quad that features a gold, light copper, medium-dark copper, and warm taupe. I was disappointed that two of the shades were so, so similar to each other–if this was a palette of twenty eyeshadows, it would be easier to overlook, but when you only have four, it’s completely unnecessary. The wear was surprising (note, I applied all four with a damp brush over bare eyelids), as three of the four shades wore fairly well for eight hours, while the darker copper shade had some fading at the eight-hour mark. I didn’t notice any fall out during wear. The textures were soft but slightly powdery, and applying them dry worked best if I was applying over a good base, as they had a tough time sticking and adhering to bare skin or a more matte eyeshadow primer.

The formula of the mineralize eyeshadows held in the quad is described as a “sheer, lightweight application [that] allows each shade to build lightly, layer after layer, for dramatic colour with a lustrous glow.” It’s supposed to go on with “silky smooth coverage.” But then on some of the Mineralize Eyeshdaow formula descriptions, which follow along the sasme lines, the “sheer” part seems to refer more to the application rather than the color, because under the duos, they’re supposed to yield “easy, rich color.” Under the recently released Divine Night Mineralize Eyeshadows, it says “pairs two rich, contrasting shades.” And then, in the blurb about the new quads specifically, MAC writes, “The rich pigments of Mineralize Eye Shadow are a cult favourite of M•A•C lovers everywhere, because of their bold, blendable shades and gorgeous shimmer.”

It’s been a minute since I’ve looked up the official descriptions for this formula (I’ve been reviewing them for sooo many years now). Generally, they’re a wet and dry formula, which means that applied dry, you’ll get sheerer, softer color, and then applied damp, you’ll get richer, more true-to-pan color. This is typical of most baked formulas, though there have been shades that are quite pigmented no matter how you go about applying them.

Most of the time, I think Mineralize Eyeshadows look prettier in their pots and pans than they do applied. The major downside has always been texture (powdery/grainy, sometimes with fall out) and longevity (prone to fading faster than regular eyeshadow). For anyone who wants richly pigmented eyeshadow, then the tendency to skew sheerer can be a deal-breaker.

I think one thing we should address is the size–the palette contains a mere 0.05 oz. of product. Now, baked (or “Mineralized” as it is called at MAC) products tend to weigh less, even though they seem to take up about as much volume as any other product. To put it into context, Chanel’s baked eyeshadow quads (which is what non-U.S. is most familiar with) contains 0.04 oz. (and the U.S. regular powder eyeshadow quad contains 0.24 oz.).  For reference, a full-sized Mineralize Eyeshadow contains 0.06 oz. and retails for $21 ($350/oz.).  The Mineralize Eyeshadow Duos contain 0.07 oz. and retail for $21 ($300/oz.). This makes the Mineralize Eyeshadow Quads at a price of $880/oz. for the eyeshadow.  You could buy two eyeshadow duos for less than the cost of a quad ($42) and get 0.14 oz. of product–almost three times as much here.  Realistically, I don’t think that one will run through a Mineralize Eyeshadow, quad or single, quickly.

A Glimmer of Gold #1 is a muted, yellow gold with a frosted finish. Applied dry, it’s semi-sheer, and applied damp, it’s mostly opaque. The texture was fairly soft, though when applied dry, it does feel a little loose/powdery. Bobbi Brown 24 Karat (LE, $28.00) is a cream product, less yellow, more metallic. MAC Until Dawn #2 (LE, $21.00) is nearly the same. Sleek MakeUP Meet in Madrid (LE, $9.99) is more metallic. Giorgio Armani #10 #2 (P) is less frosted. MAC Dreammaker (LE, $15.00) is yellower. Urban Decay Blunt (P, $18.00) is similar. L’Oreal Eternal Sunshine (P, $7.99) is yellower. Giorgio Armani #1 Spring 2012 #3 (LE) is warmer. Chanel Intuition #2 (P) is warmer, darker. See comparison swatches.

A Glimmer of Gold #2 is a coppery orange with a golden shimmer and sheen. It had semi-opaque color coverage when applied dry, and then more opaque color coverage when applied with a damp brush. The finish also became more metallic when applied damp, as is often the case. The texture was fairly soft and smooth, not too powdery. This type of color is done frequently by many brands, so there is no shortage of similar shades available (past and present). Too Faced Jingle All the Way Eyeshadow #7 (LE) is similar. MAC Exquisite Ego #2 (LE, $21.00) is brighter/warmer but still similar. Too Faced Honey Honey (LE) is also similar. Guerlain Crazy Paris #1 (LE) is more orange. Sleek MakeUP Sunset #10 (P, $9.99) is slightly warmer. Maybelline Breaking Bronze (P, $6.99) is warmer, less frosted. MAC Brownluxe #3 (P) is yellower. theBalm Manic Maribel (LE, $16.00) is less orange. Urban Decay Chopper (P, $18.00) is less orange. MAC Retrospeck #2 (LE, $15.00) is darker. bareMinerals Hoopla (LE) is darker. See comparison swatches.

A Glimmer of Gold #3 is a slightly muted, copper with stronger brown tones than the shade before it and a frosted sheen–but it is less metallic. The texture on this one was powdery, almost grainy at times, with little bits of powder clumping together. When I applied it with a damp brush, this resolved a lot of those texture issues. The color payoff was semi-sheer when applied dry (but be careful, there will be excess fall out during application), and when applied damp, it was fully opaque. Too Faced Jingle All the Way Eyeshadow #7 (LE) is a touch lighter. Clarins The Essentials #6 (LE) is darker, browner. MAC Exquisite Ego #2 (LE, $21.00) is more orange. LORAC Gold (P) is warmer. Maybelline Breaking Bronze (P, $6.99) is slightly more golden. NARS Isolde #1 (P, $24.00) is less metallic. MAC Retrospeck #2 (LE, $15.00) is similar. bareMinerals Louder (LE) is slightly warmer. bareMinerals Hoopla (LE) is less metallic. See comparison swatches.

A Glimmer of Gold #4 is a medium-dark, taupe with subtle warm, brown undertones and a pearly sheen. It was the least frosted shade in the quad. It had semi-sheer pigmentation applied dry, and then mostly opaque coverage when applied with a damp brush. MAC Silver Dawn (LE, $19.50) is lighter. Anastasia Antique (LE) is grayer. Urban Decay Nameless (LE, $18.00) is a bit darker. Edward Bess Dusk (P, $30.00) is browner. Urban Decay MIA (LE, $18.00) is darker. MAC Twilight Falls (LE, $21.00) is cooler-toned, less brown. MAC Satin Taupe (P, $15.00) is darker, cooler-toned. See comparison swatches.

MAC A Glimmer of Gold Mineralize Eyeshadow Quad

MAC A Glimmer of Gold Mineralize Eyeshadow Quad

MAC A Glimmer of Gold Mineralize Eyeshadow Quad

MAC A Glimmer of Gold Mineralize Eyeshadow Quad

MAC A Glimmer of Gold Mineralize Eyeshadow Quad

MAC A Glimmer of Gold Mineralize Eyeshadow Quad

MAC A Glimmer of Gold Mineralize Eyeshadow Quad

MAC A Glimmer of Gold #1 Mineralize Eyeshadow

MAC A Glimmer of Gold #1 Mineralize Eyeshadow

MAC A Glimmer of Gold #2 Mineralize Eyeshadow

MAC A Glimmer of Gold #2 Mineralize Eyeshadow

MAC A Glimmer of Gold #3 Mineralize Eyeshadow

MAC A Glimmer of Gold #3 Mineralize Eyeshadow

MAC A Glimmer of Gold #4 Mineralize Eyeshadow

MAC A Glimmer of Gold #4 Mineralize Eyeshadow

MAC A Glimmer of Gold #1 on inner lid, #2 on middle of lid, #3 on outer lid,
#4 in crease, Urban Decay Scorch Eyeliner on lash line

MAC A Glimmer of Gold #1 on inner lid, #2 on middle of lid, #3 on outer lid,
#4 in crease, Urban Decay Scorch Eyeliner on lash line