MAC Rimal Dahabia Eyeshadow Quad Review, Photos, Swatches
MAC Rimal Dahabia Eyeshadow Quad
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.
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)
I agree that for the price the quality should be excellent. I would never settle for this quad when I could pick up Bare Minerals The Truth quad for $30 or one of UD’s Naked palettes for just $10 more than this MAC quad.
Beautyburst looks a lot less red toned on your eye than I would have guessed from the swatch. At first I thought you didn’t even use the color in your eye look.
How does this beautyburst compares to the beautyburst from the barbie collection?
They seemed about the same to me.
I still haven’t bought a pre-made quad like this from MAC. They always just seem okay to me.
I’m really disappointed with the palettes in this collection (or in general lately). I’ve wanted both Shroom and Soft Brown when I started getting interested in make up, but eventually there’s always been better alternatives. Why would I want to buy a quad with basically 3 usable shades when I can get (for example) a Naked palette with more product and better performance for 10 bucks more? Not to mention that 2 of the shadows are permanent and none are exceptionally mind blowing colors.
Do you think this would be worth getting? I only own 3 other MAC eye shadows, so the fact that this gives me 4 for $40 plus the packaging, its just amazing.
It just depends on whether you’d use it regularly or not, I think. I really don’t (personally) feel or the like the idea of recommending something with a major dud in it at a $40 price point. There shouldn’t be duds at $40. (Similarly, a $15 eyeshadow shouldn’t be a dud, either.)
This palette is actually far warmer than I thought from the peek preview. I bought a MAC quad years and years back and haven’t purchased one since. This one is not going to swing the ball in their favour either.. it’s just okay.
I’m really hoping the quads coming out in May will be amazing. 😀
we can always hope :D..but not holding my breath.. ha!
Forgot to add: Bobbi Black Chocolate is my HG matte black/brown if anyone is looking for a better quality option.
I’m glad you reviewed this, Christine! I really wanted to buy this due to it having “Shroom” and “Soft Brown” but now I don’t think I’ll spend my money on this. I wish MAC could make a good nude/brown eyeshadow quad but I guess I will have to buy singles or create my own quad.
I may cave and buy this, but I am wondering if I should go for a Chanel quad instead. I need to look at the sizes and see what is a better value, but I also know I can use Chanel wet and do more with it. There are so many quads out there that are similar in color 🙂 Help ladies! I need another quad like I need rabies but I like makeup
GO WITH CHANEL! not just bc of its prestige, but also due to the increase in quality. mac quads are terrible.
I think these colours work really well especially with blue eyes. 🙂
The two middle colors are too warm for me – very pretty shades though.
Soft brown is perfection for my eyebrows. Its the perfect shade for redheads, light or dark.
That’s a really good point–the old MAC quads were cheaper, and there are SO many palettes in the $40-50 price range, with more colors and better quality.
This might be off-topic, but I like the name.
Rimal Dahabia means “Golden Sands” in Arabic. Najm Al Lail is also Arabic, which means “Night Star”.
🙂
Love it, except for the shroom colour, that one never works well for me
This palette looks just lovely as a whole – too bad there’s a dud in it. I already have Shroom and Soft Brown, which are lovely ES. I guess it´s best to choose single ES from the permanent line and complete my own quad!
rimal dahabia is in arabic and it means golden sand 😀
and najm alail means night star
Does anyone know if these new quads have the eyeshadows glued in or if they can be removed?
They are always glued in when they are pre-made as far as I know!
Can you believe that it’s 47.50 CAD???? I mean come on USD and CAD are about the same now! Even worse, in Quebec we have 15% tax! So I end up paying 55 CAD for a quad I think it’s ridiculous for MAC makeup!
I’ve waited since 2007 for Beatyburst to come back again! It’s gorgeous with blue eyes! I’ve stalked Temptalia for info on each collection, PRAYING they would bring it back! Please, MAC, if you’re reading – make Beautyburst a permanent color!
Beautyburst is certainly a Satin finish. The little flecks of subtle shimmer are visible in every single photo of it, including the swatch!