I wanted to write about this quad sooner but I wasn't sure what to say. I was a bit bummed that I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. At the same time, I was hopeful because everybody loves Pat McGrath makeup, right? Blitz Astral Quad Ritualtistic Rose is especially popular, too. Ritualistic Rose was the first one to sell out when Blitz Astral Quads were introduced and I had to wait for a long time until it was restocked. And, it quickly sold out for the second time. I must be doing something wrong, I think. I still haven't figured out but today, I will show you some swatches and a makeup look and tell you what I like and don't like about Ritualistic Rose.
Packagings and presentation
Blitz Astral Quads come in the glossy black plastic case which feels sturdy and luxurious. I actually think it's a little bit too heavy. If a quad is this weighty, I can't imagine myself comfortably folding a Mothership palette while applying colors on my lids. I also loved the beautiful outer packaging made of cardboard but off it went to the recycling bin. I have already ranted many times about Pat MacGrath packing materials being wasteful so I will spare you this time.
Color Story
It's beautiful and enticing. Overall, it leans slightly warm but the feminine light rose and the muted plum makes the quad appealing for many different complexions. The light gold is on the cool side and the bronze is deep enough to add depth to the look.
Formulation
I am aware that each full-sized Mothership palette includes these "special colors" with baked textures. Pat McGrath says, "these hybrid formulations combine the best features of powder, cream and fluid textures...". Because I didn't have much luck with her pressed powder eyeshadows, I had high hopes for Ritualistic Rose which consists of baked formulations only. Unfortunately, I am not exactly enamored by them. They swatch beautifully as you see in the photos below, but they feel somewhat gritty on the fingertips while being creamy. When I use eyeshadow brushes, they feel kind of crumbly and leave a ton of fallouts.
Application & Color Payoffs
When I swatched the colors for the first time using my fingertips, I gasped because all colors looked so pretty. I mean, no one can deny these shimmery shades are beautiful. However, this excitement died down quickly when I applied them on my eyes for real. As I mentioned above, these colors don't play very nicely with conventional eyeshadow brushes. Granted I don't own the most expensive brushes but some are pretty good quality and they usually serve me very well with other eyeshadows. I have tried both natural and synthetic brushes but neither seems to give me a satisfying result. If I use my fingertips, the colors adhere much better to the skin. I don't mind doing this for a sheer topcoat color, but the idea of only using fingertips is ridiculous.
The biggest disappointment would be the light rose that flashes soft gold (Astral Rose Orchid). That gorgeous pinky base color gets eaten up and only the shimmer is visible but it's the chunkier kind.
This is the best overall look that I could come up with using all 4 shades. (You can't say I didn't try because I even busted out a satin floral dress with very similar colors and rosy brown color contacts.) The whole look is quite glittery and it actually looks great under the artificial lighting but it's not exactly how I like my shimmer and glitters. If you look at my cheek color (Becca Rose Gold), you can see it gleams with utter sophistication, and that's how I imagined Ritualistic Rose would look. On the lips, I am wearing Pat McGrath lip gloss in Divine Rose.
To be fair, each shade works nicely as a standalone color. Applying any of these colors as an all-over sheer wash and pairing with bold lips is the best way that I have found to wear this quad. Then again, I personally like an eyeshadow palette that yields a distinct look with all colors incorporated, so in that sense, Pat McGrath Ritualistic Rose is a disappointment, too.
Currently, there is a good sale going on the Pat McGrath website and everyone is buzzing about the Divine Rose II palette, but I won't be looking to buy more from the brand anytime soon. Not everything can work for you, I guess. Don't be surprised if this one pops up on my future blog sale. Meanwhile, I am all ears. Any suggestions to wear this quad in better ways?
*The Pat McGrath eyeshadow quad was purchased by me. This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for choosing to use them.
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