Bobbi Brown Slate Eyeshadow Review, Photos, Swatches
Bobbi Brown Slate Eyeshadow
Contour with a Clean Slate
Bobbi Brown Slate Eyeshadow ($21.00 for 0.08 oz.) is described as a “medium grey.” It’s a softened gray-tinged taupe brown with a matte finish. MAC Omega is lighter, warmer. theBalm Celebrational is darker and has a satiny sheen. Bare Escentuals Vow is a few shades darekr and has a strong red undertone. MAC Twilight Falls is frosted and darker. MAC EarthlyM is a little browner and has a shimmery finish. Inglot #360 is a bit darker and less gray, but it was the closest I could think of.
This hue is part of Bobbi Brown’s permanent matte eyeshadow range.  The pigmentation is true-to-pan, but it looks soft, almost sheer, but not really.  I think the matte finish, combined with the soft texture and muted color, might give off that impression.  This kind of shade works well as a contouring shade (great for defining the crease or layered to add definition over another crease color) on light to medium-dark skin tones.  Darker complexions may like this has a general lid shade but will not see as much contouring with it as it starts to blend in more with the skin color on the darker end of the spectrum.
It has a soft texture that’s not too dense or buttery but not horribly dry and stiff and firm. There are two distinct matte formulas: Â one is softer, more buttery/dense (but often can be powdery) and the other is firmer, drier, but so long as it’s soft and not stiff, it will work quite nicely and deliver great color payoff, blendability, and wear. Â The same is true for eyeshadows, but I’ve noticed the distinction is much stronger within the matte category. Â Slate is dry but soft, so it isn’t powdery and blends out easily–but not so easily that you have to go back and add more color. Â It wore for eight hours (without a primer as well as with a primer) without creasing or fading.
Slate
PPermanent. $22.00.
Bobbi Brown Slate Eyeshadow
Bobbi Brown Slate Eyeshadow
Bobbi Brown Slate Eyeshadow
Bobbi Brown Slate Eyeshadow
Bobbi Brown Slate Eyeshadow
Bobbi Brown Slate Eyeshadow
Sorry Bobbi Brown, but… YAWN! 🙂 Very boring color. But like you said, it would be nice for contouring.
Kiss and Makeup I look at this and see such a staple color! 🙂
Christine-Temptalia I’m gonna sound like an idiot, but what does that mean exactly? 🙂 (you can’t punch me, I wear gla…errr, I’m foreign!)
Kiss and Makeup Staple just means something you would use all the time – like your favorite foundation might be a staple in your makeup routine. Does that help?
That helps,I understand now 🙂 Thanks for explaining!
For some reason I’ve never been a fan of matte eyeshadows, but this is a lovely neutral. I could maybe see myself using it.
blueraccoon It took me a few years to fall in love, but once I did, I fell hard!
L’Oreal has a couple of similar shades in their regular line of singles. Unfortunately, I can’t think of the names right off, and mine are still packed away. Although they aren’t *exact* dupes, they are *very* similar, have great texture & pigmentation, and are about 1/4 of the price.
xamyx Let us know if you remember! 🙂
One I *believe* is called Antique Brown (or something *very* close), but it’s just a touch greyer/deeper. I can’t for the life of me remember the other, which is even closer.
Smooth Latte is the other one, which is alot closer. Again, they aren’t *dupes*, but for those looking for a similar shade to “experiment” with, or want to add a staple, neutral matte shade, and only want to spend about $5 USD, it may be a good alternative. In my experience, the singles are pretty good, especially the neutrals, but I stay away from the duos & quads. They’re under $5 USD at Bed, Bath, & Beyond, and there always seem to be 20% off coupons floating in the mail.
Thanks for mentioning these. They’re on my shopping list!
I have this but in the old round packaging. It was one of about 6 BB matte eyeshadows that I used to wear nonstop for work. Very practical and understated. A extremely appropriate eyeshadow for a conservative workplace. All of which explains why I haven’t touched it in years and can’t stand to look at it, but I do truly recommend it for someone seeking a good matte eyeshadow for a very understated look in a workplace hostile to makeup. As you said, it’s dry but yet, soft and blendable. It goes with a lot of things. And God, did I hate having to wear it. I’m soooooo not a fan of under-stated neutrals.
Kafka LOL! It’s also a good color to add depth to a more frosted shade, even if it’s a more exciting blue or something 😉
Christine-Temptalia I agree. Unfortunately, but this one was a bit too … something on my skin tone. I preferred some of the other ones like Wheat or just basic Blonde for that sort of minimalistic all-over colour with some darker shades added later for after-work events. (Well, when I actually had time for fun, after-work events, as opposed to just a 16-18 hr day.) You should check out Expresso. It’s my favorite out of the BB batch that I own. And Smoke is very chic, too!
Kafka Can definitely see this being more skin color-specific – great on some, disappearing on others!
Kafka I still love them a whole bunch!  I like punching them up with a glittery black or a ETK on the lid and this type of shade smoked into the crease.  I could wear this shade, or a similar one, every day… well almost 🙂
wwendalynne I think I’m too scarred from the memories of wearing it. Mental associations with a place nicknamed and known as “Hitler Mengele.” <shiver>  I see my BB round eyeshadow pots and am immediately transported back.  But this colour *is* extremely practical. Personally, I prefer other matte neutrals from BB. I can’t rave enough about Expresso. Mahogany is pretty & then, for practical, understated colours, Hot Stone, Wheat & Taupe are also really versatile.Â
Lovely shade. I love that this has more brown in the swatch than in the pan.Â
yellowlantern I think it turned out quite nicely!
I love the Bobbi Brown matte shadows! I fill in my brows with Sable, but I also contour with it sometimes. This one looks great as well!
Mostly Sunny I’ll have to check out Sable 🙂
BB is sooooo boring.
madii There’s a time and place for “boring,” I’d say. There are different products and brands for everyone’s needs – there can be a real art form to using more natural shades and really enhancing beauty that way. You could check out Bobbi Brown’s lip color range or her High Shimmer glosses – those are less “boring.” 🙂
I love matte shades and this looks lovely but I can’t justify $21 for a shade that I am sure I’d use only for my brows.
Dinitchka You know, my go-to brow shade is MAC Espresso, and though I prefer buying pans vs. pots, it’s the one shade I buy in a pot (for convenience), but it’s the only eyeshadow I’ve gone through multiple pans of. I do like this in the crease – can create a really nice contoured/defined lid!
Hmm, wonder how close this is to UD Buck? Buck is a bit browner, no?
@KARÂ Yeah, I’d say Buck is browner, warmer. Â If you asked, I’d say Buck was a brown, Slate was a taupe.
I am a huge sucker for shades like this..muted/purply/grey browns ever since my first MAC eyeshadow purchase so many, many years ago in Bark. Â
wwendalynne Me too! I still LOVE seeing insanely pigmented bright colors but I have a real soft spot for great neutrals.
Is this comparable to MAC’s Copperplate in any way?
@Mo I think Copperplate may be grayer, less brown, Mo!
I actually really like this–I don’t have enough matte, taupy-grey shades like this and I LOVE Bobbi Brown shadows…I realy need to pick this up
How does it compare to MAC Quarry or UD Tease?Â
AmyHuang I’d say Tease is more purple, Quarry almost pink/plum? I wouldn’t say either are very close – Tease would be closer than Quarry, though.
I agree the color is a bit dull, but it would work marvelously as a contour shade…of which I can never have enough!
Love Bobbi Brown!!!! Very suitable for OLs…
Christine – love your blog. THis is my bible site to visit before I purchase! Need a suggestion on a great smoky eye palette (not UD) or a good grey without any brown hints. Nothing too sparkly please!! Fair skinned and blue eyes.
Maybe Too Faced’s?
Could this work as a facial contour? I’m having a hard time finding a good one.
I think it could!
How does this shadow compare in color and texture to Mac Copperplate? I adore the Matte2’s, as do alot of other folks I hear.
It’s not as soft? in a way. Bobbi Brown’s mattes are a bit firmer than Matte2s but not as firm as MAC’s regular mattes.