MAC A Sprinkle of Blues Mineralize Eyeshadow Quad ($44.00 for 0.05 oz.) is a cool-toned mix centered around blue. It contained a white with a blue sheen, muted navy blue, medium-dark blue, and a blackened navy. This quad was horrifying across the board–dry, stiff, difficult to blend, splotchy application, fast to fade, and utter garbage. I’ve worked with all six of the quads released in the collection, and none were as frustrating as this one–this performed so much worse than the others; it didn’t even apply halfway decently. It cannot be used damp; the only hope it has is being applied over a slightly tacky, white base. I don’t know why this quad differed so greatly compared to the others, which, with work and a particular technique, I could apply and it would look fine on.

A Sprinkle of Blues #1 is a pale, cool-toned white that flashes blue. It’s very, very sheer and powdery–it was almost chalky–and difficult to swatch, let alone apply. It clumps if you use it wet, so I wouldn’t recommend applying it with a damp brush. Disney by Sephora Sick of Swimmin’ (LE) is very similar. Maybelline Waves of White (LE, $6.99) is greener. MAC Vellum is whiter with a less pronounced iridescence. See comparison swatches.

A Sprinkle of Blues #2 is a smoky, muted navy blue with a satin finish. This was also dry, a little stiff, and can’t be used wet. It clumped and applied unevenly when I used it with a damp brush–it would dry and look splotchy. theBalm Matt Horowitz (LE, $16.00) is bluer. Urban Decay Occupy (LE, $18.00) is more frosted, darker. bareMinerals Private Isle (LE) is bluer. See comparison swatches.

A Sprinkle of Blues #3 is a medium-dark, slightly brightened, blue with a pearly finish. Applied dry, it was sheer and uneven, and then applied with a damp brush, it was more opaque, but it was still uneven–I couldn’t get it to smooth out even when just swatched on my arm (and there was no help for it on the lid). MAC Tonight’s Temptation #1 (LE, $21.00) is very similar, is also Mineralized, and is infinitely better. Sephora Collection My Boyfriend’s Jeans (19) (P, $13.00) is purpler. Buxom Bulldog (P, $18.00) is more muted, cream product. Urban Decay Radium (P, $18.00) is lighter. Urban Decay Evidence (P, $18.00) is bluer. MAC Love Cycle #2 (LE, $21.00) is similar. MAC Deep Truth (P, $15.00) is darker. MAC Switch to Blue (LE, $18.50) is a cream product. Le Metier de Beaute Lapis (P, $30.00) is lighter, bluer. See comparison swatches.

A Sprinkle of Blues #4 is a medium-dark gray with bluish-teal and silver sparkle and shimmer. Applied dry, I could barely get it to show up at all. I had to dampen the brush with two to three times amount of water I normally would to get color to swatch. Urban Decay Redemption (LE, $18.00) is similar. LORAC Slate (P) is also similar. Disney by Sephora Flotsam (LE) is slightly cooler-toned. Urban Decay Asphalt (LE, $18.00) is warmer-toned. Bobbi Brown Gunmetal (LE, $21.00) is similar. See comparison swatches.

MAC A Sprinkle of Blues Mineralize Eyeshadow Quad

MAC A Sprinkle of Blues Mineralize Eyeshadow Quad

MAC A Sprinkle of Blues Mineralize Eyeshadow Quad

MAC A Sprinkle of Blues Mineralize Eyeshadow Quad

MAC A Sprinkle of Blues #1 Mineralize Eyeshadow

MAC A Sprinkle of Blues #1 Mineralize Eyeshadow

MAC A Sprinkle of Blues #2 Mineralize Eyeshadow

MAC A Sprinkle of Blues #2 Mineralize Eyeshadow

MAC A Sprinkle of Blues #3 Mineralize Eyeshadow

MAC A Sprinkle of Blues #3 Mineralize Eyeshadow

MAC A Sprinkle of Blues #4 Mineralize Eyeshadow

MAC A Sprinkle of Blues #4 Mineralize Eyeshadow

MAC A Sprinkle of Blues #1 on inner lid, #2 on middle of lid, #3 on outer lid,
#4 in crease,  Clinique Cobalt Eyeliner on lash line

MAC A Sprinkle of Blues #1 on inner lid, #2 on middle of lid, #3 on outer lid,
#4 in crease, Clinique Cobalt Eyeliner — this is how it looked after one hour