theBalm Meet Matt(e) Eyeshadow Palette Review, Photos, Swatches
theBalm Meet Matt(e) Eyeshadow Palette
theBalm Meet Matt(e) Eyeshadow Palette
theBalm Meet Matt(e) Eyeshadow Palette ($34.00 for 0.33 oz.) contains nine matte eyeshadows named after theBalm’s favorite Matts. It includes a small, dual-ended bristle brush, which is usable and better than sponge-tipped brushes that are often included in these kinds of palettes, but it wouldn’t replace full-sized brushes for me. The palette is small, square-ish, and made out of heavy-duty cardboard. It flips open and has a mirror under the lid.
- Matt Smith is a matte gently warmed-up light beige. It’s warmer than Urban Decay Walk of Shame. It’s not as warm or as pale as Urban Decay Booty Call. MAC Vanilla is yellower. MAC Blanc Type is lighter. Inglot #390 is darker.
- Matt Gallagher medium-dark brown with a matte finish. Bobbi Brown Stone is several shades darker. MAC Quarry has a slightly mauve tone to it in comparison. Inglot #360 is darker and cooler-toned.
- Matt Ramirez is a dark, sooty brown with warm red undertones but an almost gray-ish tint. MAC Diamond Dove is very similar, perhaps less gray-tinted. MAC Brun has a stronger gray tinge. MAC Midnight Flurry is pretty similar.
- Matt McDonald is a bluish-gray with a slightly pearled silver sheen. I wouldn’t describe this as matte. NARS Mandchourie is a bit darker and has gold sparkle. MAC Weathered is slightly darker.
- Matt Horowitz is a purpled blue with a semi-matte finish. I couldn’t think of anything that was really similar to this. Inglot #321 is in the same color family, but it’s much, much darker.
- Matt Chung is a pale white-pink with a matte finish. NARS Douce France is similar, slightly less pale. Bare Escentuals Muse is brighter. MAC All Races is darker and grayer.
- Matt Batali is a deep burgundy eggplant with brown and purple tones. Laura Mercier Deep Garnet is redder. MAC Deceit is shimmery. NARS Arabian Nights is darker and shimmery. MAC Shadowy Lady is a little browner.
- Matt Schilling is a matte teal that leans a little blue. MAC Emerald Dusk is shimmery and darker. Urban Decay Hijack is darker and greener.
- Matt Patel is a gray-ish mauve with a little brown. MAC Tendersmoke is pinker. Bare Escentuals Rowdy is a bit warmer. MAC Winterized is purpler. NARS Lhasa is browner.
Overall, the texture of these shades are soft, smooth, and buttery–they’re not as dense or as buttery as theBalm’s more shimmery eyeshadows (think the Shady Lady series or their singles). These are finely-milled and soft enough that there is some excess powder kicked up when you go to use them. The majority of the shades applied with good to excellent color payoff, though Matt Chung was a little chalky and sheer, Matt Schilling wasn’t chalky but it was a bit sheer and a little dry, and Matt Patel was slightly sheer in places and didn’t apply as smoothly. Also worth noting, Matt Batali was a bit drier and not as soft or as dense as the other shades in the palette, but the pigmentation didn’t suffer as a consequence.
Each eyeshadow is 0.037 oz., whereas the average full-sized eyeshadow is typically 0.05 oz. I actually like the size of each shade, because they’re about 75% the size of regular full-sized ones (though theBalm’s individuals shades are 0.10 oz.), you still get plenty of product, but the entire compact fits in your hand and is very travel-friendly. I will point out the obvious that theBalm’s Shady Lady palettes contain a whopping 0.60 oz. (almost double the size of this palette) and retail for $39.50, which is only a little bit more. Nude ‘tude is slightly larger at 0.38 oz. and retails for $36. The Shady Lady palettes are still a super-sized value palette in comparison, but I think the pricing is about right here, and you’re getting a good amount of product for your buck.
theBalm Meet Matt(e) Eyeshadow Palette
theBalm Meet Matt(e) Eyeshadow Palette
theBalm Meet Matt(e) Eyeshadow Palette
theBalm Meet Matt(e) Eyeshadow Palette
theBalm Meet Matt(e) Eyeshadow Palette
theBalm Matt Smith Eyeshadow
theBalm Matt Smith Eyeshadow
theBalm Matt Gallagher Eyeshadow
theBalm Matt Gallagher Eyeshadow
theBalm Matt Ramirez Eyeshadow
theBalm Matt Ramirez Eyeshadow
theBalm Matt McDonald Eyeshadow
theBalm Matt McDonald Eyeshadow
theBalm Matt Horowitz Eyeshadow
theBalm Matt Horowitz Eyeshadow
theBalm Matt Chung Eyeshadow
theBalm Matt Chung Eyeshadow
theBalm Matt Batali Eyeshadow
theBalm Matt Batali Eyeshadow
theBalm Matt Schilling Eyeshadow
theBalm Matt Schilling Eyeshadow
theBalm Matt Patel Eyeshadow
theBalm Matt Patel Eyeshadow
Unfortunately, these don’t seem to be available in brick-and-mortar stores, so I’ll be skipping this. I really hate having to order anything online, otherwise I’d love to pick this up.
SOLD. Totally buying this when I can.
I was able to get this at TJ Maxx last year for the low. I haven’t really used it though.
Nice! I haven’t really seen any reviews for this palette. I like how neutral it is! It seems rather small for the price, but I imagine it would be good for travel.
I got this at Marshall’s a while back for cheap. Pretty good palette!
i have been trying to find this at marshalls/tj maxx but only found the shady lady vol 3
I love matte palettes and I love theBalm’s eyeshadow formula, but there is just not enough differentiation among the colors for me to buy this.
i hope this is on the upcomingsale on hautelook.
I’m confused, is this a new meet matt(e) palette? I thought you had reviewed this a while back!
No, I didn’t.
I keep think Matt Smith should have been the blue shade. lol You can get this are Rexall in Canada so long as they have the boutique section. ^_^
@Ani_BEE But it needs to be a *bright* blue. Ten points for the reference *g*
@blueraccoon Tardis blue! Perhaps his shadow is bigger on the inside?
@Ani_BEE As a fellow makeup enthusiast/Doctor Who fan/Canadian, I salute you.
@Ani_BEE tardis blue! though his shade does work, since it’s about as pale as he is!
@brittersrae He’s a tad darker then me then but I’m ginger… poor bloke has yet to be ginger. lol
@Ani_BEE My thoughts exactly!!!!!!! And it should be a little wibbly-wobbly, and perhaps wearing a fez….
I bought this for $10 at TJ Maxx last year.
I had the good fortune to purchase this for around $10 on HauteLook a few months ago (thank you for the link, by the way!). Unfortunately, hardly any of them suit me even slightly; most of the palette leans too cool for my neutral/warm colouring. The top row is just fabulously gorgeous for my warm-green eyes, though, and Batali is exactly the sort of rich, deep eggplant that works for smoking and lining.
The quality’s really lovely, though: I didn’t find them as buttery-soft as Alima’s mattes, but the neutrals didn’t feel too chalky for me, and even Batali is super-pigmented.
I actually never was a fan of matte eye shadows but this book of shadows completely changed my outlook on them! Amazing palette, love all the colors and love the texture and pigmentation!
MY NAME IS MATTHEW PATEL, AND I AM RAMONA’S FIRST! EVIL… EX… BOYFRIEND.
(Sorry, that’s the first thing that came to mind when I saw the shade name, “Matt Patel”.)
Pretty colours, but I find there is only one colour that stands out as being somewhat unique – Matt Patel. Good value though.
Looks like the SAME colors as the new Sigma palettes -_- BUT, one always needs mattes, so great duo then!!
I did not have the same luck with this palette, I also reviewed it and found it to be lacking in pigmentation and I thought the shadows were very powdery. I even showed a photo of the palette after swatching, there was excess powder everywhere. Maybe I got a dud? I use it mainly for lining my eyes and I like Matt Ramirez for my brows. Its a shame too cause I love theBalm!
i literally just bought this a few weeks ago! i actually love the pigmentation for a matte shadow, but i’m having the same problem as julie- excess powder EVERYWHERE and i don’t jab my products, that’s from gently picking some up. cos there was one or two shades where it was sooo soft that it just burst into powder- i never thought that an eyeshadow can be TOO soft. no real chalky-ness tho.
What I don’t understand is why Matt Smith is just a subtle/boring highlight color. He’s anything but subtle!
@ashleemalfoy Lol – Geronimo!
Love this palette! I use it all the time. The only shade that kind of fell short for me was Matt Chung – it just doesn’t show up very well on my lid and can’t be built up, either. But otherwise, it’s definitely one of my favorite purchases, and I definitely feel I got my money’s worth out of it. 🙂
theBalm always kills me with their eyeshadow palettes! It’s always a split between “ugh, that’s gorgeous,” and “seriously, Rae, stop it, you don’t need anymore eyeshadow.”
But… mattes! And Matts! ;oP
I am glad I am reading these comments. I have been on the fence about purchasing this palette for the ‘powder’ reason. Now, after seeing this, I am convinced I made the right decision by NOT buying it.
These sound like Inglot mattes, which work better when you tap the brush on the e/s surface as swiping the brush kicks up a lot of powder. Miya and Julie, what brush-to-eyeshadow-pan technique do you use with this palette?
wow, I’m not sure if those shade name/color combinations are politically correct lol
Just went to the website to check this out and saw all the changes to the website. No more easy click access to new MAC launches? I mean I know everyone likes to hate on MAC but did you have to get rid of the button completely? I like to know what they are launching because they are always sooooooooooooo prolific. I feel like what you tell us about each new launch helps me determine if I need to go check it out or if there are enough things from previous launches that I can skip it. Please consider bringing back the different tabs along the right side of screen for us to have quick click access to many different brands newest up and coming launches.
Thank you so much for the review, Christine. 🙂 I have been waiting for this! If you ever have the time, would you do a review of Too Faced’s Matte Palette? That would be fantastic!
Nice to see a matte palette but I just can’t with the names.
Shelley Volpert Just go to “launches” in the navigation bar and click on “MAC launches”
Just a heads up to anyone interested in getting this palette. I just received a preview email from HauteLook.com showcasing this & other Balm products. It might be available for sale so check in May 16, 8am PST/ 11am EST
Ooh thanks!
Hautelook has this on sale today for $9. Great deal – I just bought it for myself!
I almost didn’t buy this palette because it reminds me of my first love Matt, oh what a heartbreak! but I did anyway, really nice colors 😀
This palette is so interesting! I saw it the other day and didn’t really pay attention to it, but I think that it’s a good purchase – I don’t use matte colors, so this one would a be good deal to get all the matte colors I need for a reasonable price. Definitely wishlist approved.
Hey Christine, thanks for your great reviews 🙂 i have tried this palette 2 months ago, purchased it from beauty.com, and as soon as i tried it, i hated it! it was my second palette from theBalm, the 1st was theBalm and the Beautiful, and i faced the same problem with both : as soon as i apply the eyeshadow on the lid -with or w/o primer- and try to blend it, all the color fall out like i don’t have any shadow on! my lid stays empty! i try to apply more and more but with every blending i get a ton of fallout on my face and a teeny tiny product on my eyes! i wonder if i am the only one facing this problem. After that i tried the matte palette from toofaced and it was much better in pigmentation and staying in place. Anyway let me know if you have a solution for this problem. and thanks again for everything!
What primer are you using?
I definitely haven’t had that problem 🙁
@Christine (Temptalia) tried both urban decay primer potions in original + eden ..
🙁 I was more curious than anything, because it SHOULD work over any primer or on its own.
They have this on HauteLook today at a great discount ladies! I just ordered mine! Can’t wait to try it based on Temptalia’s review!
this (and the nude tude) palette is now 50% off on hautelook!
$18 and $17! GO GET YOURSELF ONE, ending soon!