Review: e.l.f. Mad For Matte Palette (Vegan & Cruelty-Free)
Hello, friends! It's time for another beauty review... and this time we're taking a look at the e.l.f. mad for matte eyeshadow palette! A compact palette of ten neutral matte shades at a very affordable price... but is it any good? Let's get into it!
What e.l.f. has to say about it...
'Achieve both beautifully bold or subtle everyday eye looks with these perfectly curated 10 matte eyeshadow shades. This collection of hues is ideal for shading, highlighting, and defining the eyes. The satin matte shadows can be used as a liner, on the lid, and in the crease of the eye for an expertly contoured and blended look.' (from elfcosmetics.com)
Cost: $10 US
Vegan? Of course!
Cruelty-Free? 100%.
Ingredients: Talc, Mica, Silica, Magnesium Stearate, Nylon-12, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol. May Contain:Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Red 40 Lake (CI 16035), Ultramarines (CI 77007)
This palette comes with a 10 neutral matte shades, ranging from light to dark and cool to warm. From left to right there is light nude, baby pink, light warm brown, medium pink beige, medium red brown, medium cool brown, medium taupe, dark warm brown, medium gray, and soft black.
The Good
- This palette has a nice range of everyday shades, making this a great starter kit for anyone transitioning to vegan and cruelty-free makeup;
- The matte shades are very wearable and versatile;
- Most of the shades are quite pigmented;
- Very affordable, and;
- Decent longevity of about 5 hours when applied dry with a brush.
The Bad
- The shades are smooth, but slightly chalky which means they can cause fallout, so be sure to tap off the excess before applying and be prepared for a bit of cleanup;
- The two lightest colours don't show up on my skin at all (but would perhaps be pretty on someone with a darker skin tone);
- The darker colours are difficult to blend, and;
- There is no highlight shade for lighter skin tones.
Shade by shade...
light nude... good for setting my primer or concealer on the lid, but not light enough to work as a highlight (basically invisible on my skin).
baby pink... almost invisible and not a good shade for my skin tone.
light warm brown... my go-to eyebrow colour since I picked up this palette! I used to use omega from MAC, and while this one has a warmer undertone than the cooler taupe of omega, that's actually a better match for my slightly reddish brown hair.
medium pink beige... a very pretty 'no makeup makeup' shade for the crease on days you want your eye look to be subtle, or a lid colour for a more dramatic look. Blends well.
medium red brown... a pretty everyday crease colour, blends relatively well.
medium cool brown... the cool version of your everyday crease shade, also blends pretty well.
medium taupe... for me this is the cool version of the medium pink beige, aka a great crease shade for subtle eye makeup or a nice lid colour for something dark and dramatic. Blends well.
dark warm brown... my favourite 'natural' eyeliner shade applied with an angled brush and a nice dramatic crease shade, but is a bit difficult to blend.
medium gray... a pretty late gray shade that is a nice subtle eyeliner or a pretty crease shade. Blends relatively well.
soft black... my favourite for everyday liner, applied with an angled brush. Another one that is more difficult to blend. Wetting the brush can deepen this shade and give it more of a dramatic feel, but it is definitely a SOFT black, not a deep or true black.
RATING: 4/5
Final Thoughts: This is a very good quality palette considering the price point and is a great starter kit for any vegan beauty lover! I wish it contained a true highlight shade as that would land it squarely in the land of all-in-one everyday eyeshadow palette, but I do think the shades are well varied. I find the fallout slightly irritating but it doesn't prevent me from using this palette daily. I dislike shimmery eyeshadow and wear almost exclusively neutral shades, so this palette a big hit - convenient and affordable!
Would I recommend? I would definitely recommend this palette if you are just starting your makeup collection (or restarting it, as I have been!) or want an all-in-one neutrals palette. It is also great for those of us without extra cash to spend on expensive single shadows or high-end palettes. Plus, it's 100% vegan and cruelty-free!
Do you have the e.l.f mad for matte palette? What did you think? Is there a vegan and cruelty-free product you'd like me to review or another e.l.f. product that you love? Let me know in the comments below!
Also, be sure to check out my list of cruelty-free beauty brands before you head on your next shopping trip!
Until next time,
