Melt Cosmetics The Dark Matter Stack Eyeshadow Review

Hello ladies,

Product Purchased by IMBB

I just realised that today’s product is actually from a brand which has never been reviewed on IMBB. This seems quite surprising because this brand, owned by two entrepreneur women, is not really a new brand. Melt Cosmetics is extremely popular and not just by the Instagram Gen. They are known for their eyeshadow, bold lip, and eye shades and their “palettes” which are sold in the most unique form – stacks. I am super excited to introduce this brand on IMBB.

Melt Cosmetics The Dark Matter Stack Eyeshadow Review

Product Details:
Blurr – a soft beautiful blending/eraser shadow
Unseen – a cool-medium delicious caramel brown
Enigma – a beautiful red-brown
Dark Matter – the most pigmented pitch-black.

Melt Cosmetics The Dark Matter Stack Eyeshadow shade names

We carefully crafted all our favorite matte shades to create every variation of the smokey eye, no boring grey-browns, or dull black, these warm rust colors will create the most beautiful chocolate smokey eye. *Stack includes mirror. Vegan: Dark Matter.
Non-Vegan: Blurr, Unseen, Enigma.

Ingredients:
Talc, Zinc Stearate, Lauroyl Lysine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PTFE, Silica, Phenoxyethanol. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Carmine (CI 75470), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), D&C Black 2 (CI 77266), Red 40 Lake (CI 16035), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510)
Price:
USD 48

Melt Cosmetics The Dark Matter Stack Eyeshadow packaging

Melt Cosmetics The Dark Matter Stack Eyeshadow outer packaging

My Experience with Melt Cosmetics The Dark Matter Stack Eyeshadow:

Each eyeshadow is available as a single shade as well and retails for $17 while a normal stack, consisting of 4 eyeshadows (except the Rust stack which has 5 shades) and 1 mirror, retails for $48.

Melt Cosmetics The Dark Matter Stack Eyeshadow full

A couple of points to remember:

  • It obviously makes more economic sense to buy the stack rather than individual shade.
  • However, if you like just one shade from the stack – you have the choice to purchase it individually.
  • The price of $17 for an individual eyeshadow is fairly staggering and unprecedented – when you consider that Melt Cosmetics is an Indie brand and not really Tom Ford level. Similarly, $48 for a palette of 4 shades seems fairly steep. However, do note that an individual shade has about 3.57 gms of product vis-a-vis say a MAC shadow which is about 1.5 gms. So, you are getting more than double the amount of product. Take a look at the pic where I have shared the size comparison.

Packaging: The packaging is one of the most interesting aspects of the product! Each eyeshadow comes housed in a magnetised pan and each of these pans conveniently stack up on top of each other. If you have more than one stack, you can just add the new one right on top! Or if you decide to pick a stack and maybe two individual shades – everything just stacks up together. You can unfurl the stack in any which way you want, I have shared some examples below – a fun way to manage a palette.

Melt Cosmetics The Dark Matter Stack Eyeshadow stacks

The mirror forms the cover of the stack. The mirror is of good quality and a nice touch. However, considering the size of the mirror, it is something which is more suitable for on-the-go touchup and not really something you would use to apply the makeup. Each pan is made of this hard but good quality plastic which though looks like the NARS rubberised packaging, it thankfully isn’t! It is more like the packaging used by Bite Beauty.

Melt Cosmetics The Dark Matter Stack Eyeshadow stacked together

The shade name is distinctly mentioned on the flip side of the shadow. The stack comes packaged in a cube-shaped cardboard box. I have travelled with this and have not faced an issue with anything breaking. *Touchwood!!!*

Melt Cosmetics The Dark Matter Stack Eyeshadow shades

My Experience with Melt Cosmetics The Dark Matter Stack Eyeshadow:

The stack that I really wanted from Melt Cosmetics was their Rust stack – warm oranges and browns – yes, please! The issue? Perpetually sold out! So, I shifted focus to the closest neutral stack. Someone from the blogosphere pushed my attention to another stack from Melt Cosmetics – the Love Sick stack. I went ahead and bought that too and will be reviewing it soon. In the interim, you will be able to see the swatches of both stacks in this review.

Melt Cosmetics stacks

“The Dark Matter” stack consists of 4 matte eyeshadows ranging from a soft light brown to a deep black. In my mind, I picked this up as a replacement for the Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye contour palette, which I have been trying to convince myself for a year now that I do not need. I have been lemming for the KVD palette only for the warm quad and couldn’t justify paying for the whole palette when I only wanted 1/3rd of the palette. Yes, before you point it out, I know the KVD palette costs $46, while the stack costs $48. But, again, in my mind, this was also a replacement for Tom Ford Cocoa Mirage – which is $80! So!!

“Dark Matter” stack is the essential neutral stack, something which can be used every day! Something which will form the base for each and every eye look that you create – be it the base shade, the transition shade, something to warm up the crease, smokey eye, smudged black liner – this basic palette takes care of it all. Having said that, when I tested this palette, I wanted to see if I can use it on its own too, like if someone likes neutral makeup and wants one basic palette for everyday use or for office….does this stack work? Can I create a half decent look using ONLY this stack? I am happy to report, yes! Look 1 and Look 2 have been created using only this stack. For Look 3, I have added shades from “Love Sick” stack to amp up the look.

I will discuss the texture and pigmentation of each shade individually because I felt there was a bit of variation between the shades.

As I have mentioned earlier, the stack consists of 4 neutral matte shades. Let us discuss them individually:

1. Blurr – Melt cosmetics refer to it as “a soft beautiful blending/eraser shadow.” The shade is a soft brown shade. This is the kind of shade that I used to look at in a palette and think to myself – Oh! that shade is too light! Such a waste of a shade! It won’t even show up on my skin! Wish it was darker – could have worked as a crease shade.” Thankfully, not anymore. This is the type of shade which can literally make or break a look. Perfect for setting your tacky eyeshadow base with, perfect for reading an even canvas on the lid (at least for us medium skin-toned girls) and the perfect shade for transition and blurring out the harsh lines. Honestly, when I look at my pics from the time, I started delving into eyeshadows, I actually cringe! I didn’t know how important such a shade is. Used with a flat shader brush, this shade will also work nicely all over the lid with another shade darkening the crease and/or the outer V – for a quick office look. This shade is extremely smooth (smoothest out of all the shades in this stack), finely milled and has good pigmentation. It is easy to apply and to blend. A shade you can use for each and every look that you create.

Unseen – Described by Melt Cosmetics as “a cool-medium delicious caramel brown.” The shade is a warm-toned medium brown. It again is quite smooth and finely milled. It has decent pigmentation. When swatched with hand, the colour payoff does not seem that great – though it does not look patchy either. However, in terms of performance on the lid – it works very well. The medium brown works very well as a crease shade or on the lid or to darken the outer V without making the look too bold. Just the combination of Blurr and Unseen can work very well to create a daytime office look.

Melt Cosmetics The Dark Matter Stack Eyeshadow all shades

Enigma – Described by Melt as “a beautiful red-brown.” This is the star colour from the Dark Matter stack. A gorgeous red toned brown which elevates the stack from its all neutral status to a bit of fun! Even though it is red toned – seeing that it was more brown than red – it was fairly easy to work with and incorporate in a look. The shade is fairly smooth to touch – not as smooth as Blurr. Swatched with a finger – it did not seem too good in quality because it didn’t have full on pigmentation that I am used to (with my Viseart shadows). However, the shade is easily buildable and considering the shade itself, it might be a good thing for controlled application and building it up rather than going in with the exact shade in the pan. Initially, I was wondering if this shade would be too similar to the shade Love Sick from the Love Sick stack because honestly, at this price point, who wants dupes!! I was glad to see that both shades were fairly distinct. I have purposely switched them next to each other in case someone has the same question in their mind.

Melt Cosmetics The Dark Matter Stack Eyeshadow comparison with Anastasia eyeshadow

Dark Matter: Described by Melt Cosmetics as “the most pigmented pitch-black.” Well, it is a deep black shade; however, buildable. So, it can be built up to a pitch black shade. It isn’t pitch black with a single swipe – unlike MUG Corrupt. However, considering how smooth it is and easily bendable – it isn’t a pain to use like MAC Carbon either. The shade is easy to work with and diffuse, it does not seem to grey out. It works very well as a liner too.

Texture: I have discussed the texture of the individual shades while discussing each of the shadows. The texture is quite smooth and soft. They aren’t comparable to Viseart Mattes – nothing really is, but yes, comparable to those from Anastasia, Make Up Geek or Kat Von D. The added advantage with these was also that unlike the ones from ABH, MUG and KVD, these did not seem to kick up any powder when the brush touched the shadow.

Pigmentation:  Have discussed pigmentation with individual shades. The shade Blurr and Unseen have good pigmentation, while Enigma and Dark Matter have more buildable pigmentation. However, when I say, buildable, I don’t mean that you need a lot of elbow grease for that. They build up effortlessly. The shades in Dark Matter, do not need to be built up to show their true colour. They need to be built up to show depth or intensity of the shade.

Swatches stacks

Swatches in a different light

Staying Power:  Disclaimer – I apply my eyeshadows with a primer because my lids are way too oily. Almost all of the looks that I have tried with this palette – the shadows stayed put the whole day. Maximum I have kept them on is about 9 hours.

Look 1

Look 2

Pros of Melt Cosmetics The Dark Matter Stack Eyeshadow:

  • Excellent array of neutral shades.
  • An all-matte stack/palette.
  • Smooth texture.
  • Good pigmentation.
  • Zero fallout.
  • Long wearing.
  • No creasing.
  • Does not transfer.
  • The colours blend easily and mesh very well together.
  • Does not irritate my eyes.
  • Travel-friendly packaging.
  • A variety of looks possible despite being a predominantly neutral stack.
  • A unique shade thrown in the mix.
  • Unique sturdy packaging.
  • The stacks allow you to carry only the shade/s you want to carry.
  • Huge amount of product in each pan.
  • Quick dispatch from their warehouse post placing the order.

Look 3

Melt cosmetics face swatch

Cons of Melt Cosmetics The Dark Matter Stack Eyeshadow:

  • The price point, I guess can be a deterrent. $48 for 4 shades!! Even with a tonne of product involved, most customers would rather have half the product with corresponding reduction in price, especially considering that the pans are available individually too – assuming you hit pan on one shade.
  • The challenge you may face when ordering from them are as follows:
    There is a $7 shipping charge – within US. If you are ordering just one stack, this bumps up the already substantial price.  You could opt to order for more than 1 stack at one go but the issue I invariably face with them is that some or the other stack is perpetually sold-out. So, you end up ordering stacks individually and paying the shipping charge each time. There also does not seem to be any option of free shipping over X amount.

IMBB Rating:
4.5/5
I love the stack!! I am so glad that I picked it up. Even though it looks so basic – it is hell of a palette to own, especially for us medium skin tones. The shades are just perfect for us.
Would would I Recommend Melt Cosmetics The Dark Matter Stack Eyeshadow?
Someone new to eye makeup and wants some basic neutral easy to work with shades.  Someone who is working and needs conservative eye makeup on a daily basis. You buy this once, you are sorted for a long time. Someone who travels – the stacks allow you to carry only the shade/s you want to carry.  Conversely, if you are an eyeshadow junkie, you probably have more neutral palettes than you can remember. So, i would not recommend for them. Even with that unique shade Enigma – this stack would not make sense. However, if you do still end up buying it, you won’t regret it one bit!!

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