Melt Cosmetics Dark Matter Eyeshadow Stack Review, Photos, Swatches
Dark Matter
Melt Cosmetics Dark Matter Eyeshadow Stack (x4) ($48.00 for 0.36 oz.) contains a medium peach, soft brown, rich plum, and deep black. Two shades–Blurr and Unseen–had sheerer coverage, while two shades–Enigma and Dark Matter–were fairly pigmented. I think whether the sheerer coverage of the first two shades is a deal-breaker depends more on one’s skin tone and how one expects to use the set of shades; I could see where some may prefer the softer coverage given the color scheme.
Look Using this Product
Dark Matter
PPermanent. $48.00.
Blurr
Blurr is a medium peach with warm, orange undertones and a matte finish. The consistency was soft and finely-milled, but it was moderately powdery, so it had a tendency to sheer out a bit too readily and only had semi-opaque coverage at best. With a primer, it was a little easier to work with as more of it adhered to the lid, but it was hard to get full coverage out of this particular shade. The color stayed on well for seven hours on me before fading noticeably.
Top Dupes
- LORAC Pink Beige (PiP, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Sephora Magnolia (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Makeup Atelier Red Ochre #3 (P, ) is darker (95% similar).
- NYX Blame It On Midnight (P, $4.50) is darker (95% similar).
- Anastasia Soft Peach (P, $12.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- MAC Como te Extrano (LE, $17.00) is warmer (95% similar).
- Dominique Cosmetics Fringe (LE, ) is more muted (95% similar).
- ColourPop Hustler (PiP, $4.50) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- LORAC Dunes (LE, $19.00) is darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Tragic (LE, $4.50) is darker (90% similar).
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)
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Blurr
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Unseen
Unseen is a soft, light-medium brown with warm undertones and a matte finish. It had semi-opaque, buildable pigmentation paired with a soft, velvety texture that wasn’t powdery or dusty in the pan, but it was still easy to blend out and diffuse on bare skin. The color lasted nicely for eight hours before it started to fade on me.
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Lil B (PiP, $4.50) is lighter, warmer (95% similar).
- ColourPop Ring It Up (LE, $4.50) is warmer (95% similar).
- NARS St-Paul-de-Vence II (PiP, $19.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- ColourPop Dubs (LE, $4.50) is darker (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Vibe (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Too Faced Spiked Cider (LE, $16.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild Fit for a Queen #1 (LE, ) is brighter, cooler (95% similar).
- Anastasia HOE (LE, $12.00) is darker (95% similar).
- KVD Beauty Unrequited (PiP, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- LORAC Acorn (LE, ) is cooler (95% similar).
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)
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Unseen
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Enigma
Enigma is a muted, medium-dark plummy brown with warm undertones and a matte finish. It had nearly opaque color coverage in a single layer, which was buildable to full coverage with half of a layer more. The texture was smooth, finely-milled, and blendable with minimal dustiness in the pan. It wore well for eight hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Zoeva Lonely City (PiP, ) is cooler (95% similar).
- Anastasia Passion (LE, $12.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- Too Faced Just Ripe (PiP, $16.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- LORAC Dusty Plum (LE, $19.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Dose of Colors Spaced Out (PiP, ) is cooler (95% similar).
- Tarte Koalified (LE, ) is darker (95% similar).
- ColourPop Succa 4 U (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Huda Beauty Confident (PiP, ) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Strike (Heat) (DC, $19.00) is darker (90% similar).
- LORAC Goji (LE, $19.00) is lighter (90% similar).
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)
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Enigma
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Dark Matter
Dark Matter is a deep black with neutral-to-cool undertones and a matte finish. It was richly pigmented and had a smooth, velvety texture that was blendable without being powdery or prone to fallout. The eyeshadow lasted well for eight hours on me before I noticed any fading.
Top Dupes
- NARS Radical (LE, $25.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Wayne Goss Pearl Moonstone #3 (PiP, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Sephora Obsidian (PiP, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Persona Limitless (PiP, ) is warmer (95% similar).
- Viseart Chroma #3 (PiP, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- ColourPop Atlantic Ave (LE, $4.50) is darker (95% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty Tonight (LE, ) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
- Dior Black Bow #3 (PiP, ) is darker (95% similar).
- Anastasia Beast (LE, $12.00) is warmer (95% similar).
- Dior Golden Day #5 (PiP, ) is cooler (95% similar).
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)
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
This particular Stack is 1 of 3 that has intrigued (and tempted) me in the past. I’m not sure, but I’m wondering if perhaps Melt was trying to tell us that Blurr and Unseen are meant to be used as transition / blending shades by giving them these names? Just a thought!
The first two shades look pretty similar to each other and perhaps a lighter grey shade would have been a better alternative to two caramels.
Love your eye look Christine.
Loving the Melt and Glossier reviews!!
I ended up buying this stack in bits and pieces during sales and only kind of use the lighter browns sometimes, but Dark Matter is a daily staple. It’s a really easy black to work with – not being the darkest or the lightest – and I even use it in my brows (they are a dark cool, cool. so cool it’s ice cold brown and almost no one makes a cool enough dark gray to really mesh so a light hand with black it is!).
I totally agree! I have also been super excited about the Melt reviews. And! Dark Matter is a daily go to for me as well. I also use it for brow and as tight liner. It made me smile when I saw your comment because it was exactly what I was thinking about Dark Matter!
I want a Melt eye shadow Stack but not this one because I have these colors already.