We were born to flex diamonds on our necks (and glitter on our lids)
Foreword
We all know just how over-saturated the beauty industry can feel at times with dead ringer products being launched over and over again. Right when I was about to give up on the idea of investing into anything holiday-related this year, Mama Pat dropped a hot new quad-bomb on us mortals and… she did not disappoint. Curious to hear more? Then please keep on scrolling.
About the Product
We all know and love Pat McGrath Labs Mothership Palettes (review here) that retail for 125 USD. While they do cost an arm and a leg, every beauty enthusiast currently owning these palettes will quickly assure you that, while they are expensive, they are also worth every single penny. You pay for a great amount of product, excellent quality, innovative color-combinations and most importantly on the right-hand side of every big palette you get four uber unique shades that are made of multi-dimensional pressed glitter and multi-toned, intergalactic pigments. I bought two of the Mothership Palettes in the past - mainly for Pat’s signature shades alone.
But what if you just sell those unique four shades separately for almost half the price?
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Featured: Pat McGrath Mothership V Palette
Pat McGrath Labs Blitz Astral Quad (65 USD; Made in Italy) is exactly that. It comes in three different colour-stories filled with never-seen-before shades exclusive to this holiday collection:
Iconic Illumination (champagne/gold/burgundy/brown theme)
Nocturnal Nirvana (blue/green/violet/gold theme)
Ritualistic Rose (pink/gold/orchid/bronze theme)
Packaging: the new quad looks like a baby version of the original Mothership Palette. I love the fact that the brand decided to go all the way and improve on the last year’s 6-pan cardboard packaging (which I still like, don’t get me wrong) by giving us an opportunity to get the true feeling of the luxurious world that is Pat McGrath makeup. The palette itself is not too heavy; it has a beautiful mirror with sleek magnetic closure. Overall, I would say it is quite travel-friendly.
Formula, Texture: from what I can tell, every quad has at least two different shadow formulas/finishes in it: a. high-shine metallics and b. finely milled pressed glitters. What I love the most about the brand’s glitters is that they never feel chunky, rough or gritty. While I only purchased one quad, all shadows in it feels silky smooth to the touch, with an exception of one shade, that is a hair drier (which is typical for most purple pigments anyway).
Colors: the palette you see in this article is called Nocturnal Nirvana and it is the most gorgeous quad I have ever purchased. I have dark brown eyes, so it is natural for me to gravitate towards blue, green and purple tones. And they sparkle? Here is my card, give it to me straight! After all – they make my eye color pop and seeing something so jewel-toned and high-shine in a holiday palette, makes me even more excited for the upcoming festive season. We’re so used to seeing classic golds and reds, perhaps it is time to break free and push the envelope of what is considered “holiday-esque”.
Unlike Nocturnal Nirvana, I feel like the other two quads - Iconic Illumination and Ritualistic Rose – need a few extra colors to create an entirely wearable, non-editorial look. So, if you are thinking about getting one of these, keep in mind that these quads are more like “icing”, rather than the cake itself. Every shade has an excellent pigmentation and extra-dimensional punch to it. My number one favourite in this quad is the shade called “VR Emerald”, which has the most gorgeous green-purple shift to it.
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As always, all of my swatches are raw and unedited (no added brightness, saturation or primers here baby)
Application: as Pat says “use without caution”. While I love dipping my brushes into metallics here, I find that glitters do have some fall-out, which is why it is best to press them on slightly damp/tacky base using good ol’ fingertips. I do advise you to either cash out on a glitter glue or even something like MAC Prep + Prime Fix Plus, a finishing mist with a lot of glycerine in it, that is going to give your glitter that extra-foiled, wet look. Another option is Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner, which is a wonderful alternative to a traditional glitter glue and is my personal favourite out of all three (glitter will stay put all day long).
Wear: when you invest in these eyeshadows, you’re paying for a bulletproof wear with zero fall-out throughout the day (of course, be mindful of the eyeshadow base you use). I find that Pat McGrath Labs pressed glitters do look even better on my eyes, as the day goes by; probably because my lids can get a touch oily over time. Other than that, I can’t think of a single negative thing to say.
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Verdict
Are these worth the price? 100% yes. Blitz Astral Quads represent a perfect selection of Pat’s iconic eyeshadow formulas and if you have always wanted to experience the absolute best that the brand has to offer, now is the time (FYI: in the past you could only get these unique shades in big 125 USD palettes; last year’s 6-pan palettes did not have them). Personally, I understand the pricing and think that 16 USD per pan is well justified here, because of just how innovative and [borderline] mind-blowing these hybrid formulations are. If you love glitter, high-shine dimension and rich color payoff - then this holiday collection will undoubtedly tickle your fancy. Go with a color-combination that you believe you will get the most use out of. You can always mix and match these with any palettes you currently own and love, which is what I enjoy the most about Pat McGrath one-of-a-kind eyeshadows – they spice up even the most basic looks. A++ from moi.
P.S. Sephora Sale starts on November 1st (Rouge, VIB) or November 7th (Insiders), so if you are interested in these magical quads, make sure to use your discount to save a few dollars. Happy holiday shopping!
What do you guys think about this collection? Let's chat some more in the comments!
More online: sephora.com
Purchased products; full disclaimer here
