I love the new neutral Dolce & Gabbana Smoky Smooth Eye Colour Quad ($59) like…like Mariah loves wind machines. Like Iron Man loves tinkering. Like Portlandia loves bird motifs (“Put a bird on it!”). Like Ben Affleck loves beards. Like drag queens love contouring…
For me, good neutral quads are like tropical vacations. They just make everything better. 🙂
When I’m stumped for what to wear with crazy colors like that hot pink glitter over there (ooh!) or that matte red blush over there (ah!), I’ll go with one, two — or when I’m feeling more adventurous — three or four neutrals on my eyes.
Why?
Because they go with everything!
But…
…not all neutral quads get it right.
Sometimes, there are problems with the powders, and the shadows end up on my cheeks. Other times, they’re way too pigmented, or not pigmented enough, or they pull a David Copperfield and disappear right before my eyes, or they’re just annoyingly chalky.
But the matte black, pearly neutral gold, shimmery chocolate brown and shimmery golden beige in Dolce & Gabbana’s Smoky Quad do WERK!
These bunny soft textures would probably impress Peter Cottontail, and all of the easy-to-blend colors contain just the right amount of pigment, making them ideal for a wide range of eye looks from demure and dainty to smokey and sassy.
And because the shadows last as long as they do — all day long for me with barely any creasing or fading — you don’t have to carry the quad around with you while you go about your day plotting cosmetics conquests and beauty world domination. 🙂
The quad does cost a few tacos… About 50 of them at Taco Bell prices, plus tax (it’s $59), but Dolce & Gabbana knows a thing or two about pigment, texture and wear time when it comes to their high-end eye quads. Smoky isn’t all that flashy, but its shades should look great with just about everything (picture: a pair of black Manolo patent-leather pumps).
I could happily wear it a dozen days in a row.
PRICE: $59
AVAILABILITY: Available now at Dolce & Gabbana counters and online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A (so many tacos!)
Wednesday mental wanderings…
Two things that I believe every girl needs: a pair of really great dangly earrings and her very own “intro” theme song (the music that plays in your head when you walk, very often in slow motion, into a crowded room).
My intro theme song changes fairly often, but it’s been the chorus of this song by Imagine Dragons for quite some time…
Man, that’s catchy. 🙂
Hope you had a lovely Wednesday.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Wow what a classy quad! I never thought of what my intro song would be but I do want a wind machine on my entrance into a room.. But this chorus is definitely catchy!
Hi Rosyln,
Definitely must have the wind machine. I’d like one too! 🙂
This quad is gorgeous!!!!! The colors are perfect… they remind me of Tabs 🙂
Hi Nikolas,
Totally Tabs approved. You know he loves the luxury lines, LOL!
How have you been? 🙂
your eye makeup is super wow 🙂
Hi Gowthami,
Thank you!
Beautiful! Worth the price! Thanks for posting Karen, will definitely put this on my wish list.
Hi Charisma,
You’re welcome! 🙂
I was a little afraid of the matte black in the pan but you’ve blended it so beautifully! 🙂 The whole quad is lovely but it didn’t make me forget about Tom Ford. HAHA!
I like Radioactive but I always like it could be a Linkin Park song. Maybe it’s just me. 🙂
Don’t forget the Chanel, either. 🙂
Are the boys doing better? I hope you didn’t get pink eye!
It’s funny you say that because I thought when I looked quickly at your first pic that you were wearing Daydream! Apparently, I’m seeing it everywhere. 🙂
Yes, thank you! One is done and the other has 3 more days of drops and has become a champ with it – he was very reluctant at first. 🙂
Ahhh! SO much love for this quad! This looks like absolute PERFECTION on you, Karen!
Hi Alison,
Thanks! This quad is great because you can wear it with everything. 🙂 Do you have any other Dolce quads that you love?
Happy Thursday!
This is the perfect quad to keep in my makeup bag!
Hi Danielle,
Glad you like it!
Quincy likes that you compared the softness of the shadows to bunnies! He’s very soft, but shedding like crazy right now!
This is a gorgeous quad! Too many tacos for the grad student budget though!
Hi Chelsea,
Shout out to QB! 🙂 Tabs is shedding too, and he does a wonderful job of leaving his fur all over my clothes. (So thoughtful.)
How’s the internship search going?
Not bad! I had a test last week for an interview at a market research company, and have an interview tomorrow for a position in media sales that’s not ideal, but it should be interesting.
I will keep my fingers crossed and Tabs will keep his paws crossed for you. Who knows, maybe if you get that position it could lead you to unexpectedly cool places!
Karen, you look gorgeous in those pics! I have been drooling over this quad! Thanks for featuring it. Oh, and I’ve been OBSESSED with this song, and it was my slo-mo entrance song, too!! Werq it, gurl.
Kate
Girl you sure know how to rock them neutrals! you make them look so fabulous in contrast to when I wear them and feel blah.
do u use eyeliner in this look or just use the dark shadow as liner?
Hi Yelena,
I did wear liner in this look! That’s Dolce & Gabbana’s Graphite on my water lines. Sometimes I use eyeshadow on my water line, but in this case I skipped it.
Have you tried wetting your brush before applying your neutral shadows? That might help to kick them up a notch.
I have tried wetting my brush to apply liner. I’ve used that a lot lately with colored liners (teal, navy blue, etc) on my bottom lash line. my water line doesn’t really like anything on it or it will feel itchy and my eyes will bother me the rest of the day. which is sad bc I got the tarte aqualilies liner in teal and its gorgeous but i’m afraid it may not get along with my waterline. but I digress. you look gorge I will try to play with neutrals for tomorrow 🙂
p.s. I may have asked u this before but I cannot wait to see your take on the lorac glogetter palette! beautiful colors, not crazy pigmented but beautiful nonetheless. 🙂
altho there are some brights in there, there are some nice neutrals as well 🙂
Ooh, try wetting a flat shadow brush to apply your neutrals shadow sometime. It will help intensify the color and give it more life if that’s what you want. One trick is to only grab from one part of the pan — that way you don’t mess up the whole surface of the pan, as sometimes shadows can harden over time if you’re repeatedly applying them with a wet brush.
So, I’ve been testing LORAC all week long and so far, so good! 😀
Now that is an amazing quad!
Love how you used the colors on your eyes.
Monica.
These colors look AMAZING with your skin tone. The perfect neutral, smokey eye. I think this is one of my favorite eye looks on you in a while.
Hi Karen! Long time reader here–love your posts but have never commented before. However, I just HAVE to say your hair looks gorgeous in the first pic! <3 the colour on you
Hi Bits,
Aww, you’re sweet! Thank you for popping in and leaving a comment. It’s very nice to meet you, finally. 🙂
Hope you are having a lovely evening!
Sigh…. I love your makeup ability. Those eyes are fantastic!
Wow Karen, I need more eyeshadow like I need another hole in my head however after seeing the stunning photo of you with this quad I’ve lost the willpower to resist. I’d seen another positive review of this quad and was trying to resist after buying way to much from MAC’s temperature rising collection.
Thanks for the awesome reviews that you offer and always lighthearted fun commentary!
Hi Melissa,
Thank you for this sweet comment! 🙂
What are you loving from Temperature Rising?
Ah Bare My Soul is an amazing quad – really MAC has dropped the ball with the last how many dozens of quads, however this one they knocked out of the park. Also loving both blushes especially Ripe for Love. BTW I did cave and tracked down a smoky D&G quad.