Blackbird Cosmetics Matte Neutrals Volume 1 Collection Review + Swatches

Blackbird Cosmetics is a new indie company listed on Etsy. The owner, Maleah, posted a link to the shop on /r/indiemakeupandmore so that's how I heard about it.

I ordered one of each sample, and Maleah was sweet enough to include a handwritten note along with a sampler of her next collection. I feel confident enough to say that Blackbird's customer service is excellent.

REVIEW + SWATCHES

First off, let me list the things that all shadows have in common.

They are all immensely pigmented, especially Gravity and Fire Pledge. All of them last for a very long time, as well. I can touch them without taking all of the pigment off, although I will get a small bit on my finger. I even splashed water on them and, to my shock, the water beaded up and rolled off the shadows, keeping them intact.

Each shadow is so smooth and has the perfect matte finish, I think due in part to how fine the powders are.

GRAVITY

Description from Etsy.com:

Vegan, cruelty free & lip safe.

Gravity is a medium, complex toned plum eyeshadow. It’s a matte but glowy finish. From the collection matte neutrals, volume 1.

Ingredients list from Etsy.com:

Talc, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Zinc Oxide, Magnesium Myristrate, Boron Nitride, Zinc Streate, Vitamin E Oil

$10.00 for one jar with roughly 4gr. of product, $6.00 for one jar with roughly 1.5gr. of product, $1.00 for one sample baggie with roughly 1/8tsp. of product.

Gravity

Gravity is a mid-toned plum-gray-brown.

This shadow is tied with Fire Pledge for being the most pigmented.

The gray and brown within this shadow are the most prominent, while the plum is a bit more subtle. The swatch pictures of this shadow tone down the plummy vibe even more, though it is more noticeable in person.

Similar: Dark matte brown from NYX Love in Paris palette in Let Them Eat Cake, less pigmented; Côte d'Azure from Too Faced À La Mode Eyes palette, satin with microshimmer; Dark matte brown from Lorac afterGLO palette, less pigmented with subtle microshimmer; Semi Sweet from Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette, lighter, less pigmented.

FIRE PLEDGE

Description from Etsy.com:

Vegan, cruelty free & lip safe.

Fire Pledge is a really pretty red-orange eye shadow. Matte but glowy finish. From the collection matte neutrals, volume 1.

Ingredients list from Etsy.com:

Iron Oxides, Zinc Oxide, Talc, Magnesium Myristrate, Boron Nitride, Zinc Streate, Vitamin E Oil

$10.00 for one jar with roughly 4gr. of product, $6.00 for one jar with roughly 1.5gr. of product, $1.00 for one sample baggie with roughly 1/8tsp. of product.

Fire Pledge

Fire Pledge is a deep intense orange. In the jar it seems more red, whereas on skin it picks up more of a yellow tint.

This shadow came just in time for my orange eyeshadow obsession. This along with In Rust from MPZ will give me enough orange pigment for the rest of the summer.

Similar: Murder by My Pretty Zombie, darker, more red with shimmer; In Rust by My Pretty Zombie, more yellow with chartreuse shimmer; coral color from Lorac afterGLO palette, more pink with gold microshimmer.

DIM TRADITION

Description from Etsy.com:

Vegan, cruelty free & lip safe. 

Dim tradition is a really light neutral beige eyeshadow. It makes a really great base to blend into or a highlighter. Matte but glowy finish. From the collection matte neutrals, volume 1.

Ingredients list from Etsy.com:

Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Talc, Zinc Oxide, Magnesium Myristrate, Boron Nitride, Zinc Streate, Vitamin E Oil

$10.00 for one jar with roughly 4gr. of product, $6.00 for one jar with roughly 1.5gr. of product, $1.00 for one sample baggie with roughly 1/8tsp. of product.

Dim Tradition

Dim Tradition is a light grayish beige.

Even though this shadow is very light, it still applies evenly and doesn't look splotchy or streaky.

Similar: Crete from Sleek MakeUP i-Divine Eyeshadow palette in Ultra Matte V1, less beige; White Chocolate from Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette.

IMMORTALS

Description from Etsy.com:

Vegan, cruelty free & lip safe.

Immortals is a light pink eye shadow, it’s an awesome shade to blend into or use as a highlight. It’s a matte but glowy finish & looks great on every skin tone. From the collection matte neutrals, volume 1.

Ingredients list from Etsy.com:

Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Talc, Zinc Oxide, Magnesium Myristrate, Boron Nitride, Zinc Streate, Vitamin E Oil

$10.00 for one jar with roughly 4gr. of product, $6.00 for one jar with roughly 1.5gr. of product, $1.00 for one sample baggie with roughly 1/8tsp. of product.

Immortals

Immortals is a light antique pink with a light grayish undertone.

As with Dim Tradition, this is a very light shade but still applies without streaking or splotching. This is perfect for pairing with Imogen, which is essentially a darker Immortals.

Similar: Light satin pink from NYX Love in Paris palette in Let Them Eat Cake, less pigmented and satin; Jardin from Too Faced À La Mode Eyes palette, satin and more pink; Floss from Sleek MakeUP i-Divine Eyeshadow palette in Ultra Matte V1, pinker and lighter, no gray.

IMOGEN

Description from Etsy.com:

Vegan, cruelty free & lip safe. 

Imogen is a dark, devious pink eye shadow. It’s a matte but glowy finish & looks great on every skin tone. From the collection matte neutrals, volume 1.

Ingredients list from Etsy.com:

Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Talc, Zinc Oxide, Magnesium Myristrate, Boron Nitride, Zinc Streate, Vitamin E Oil

$10.00 for one jar with roughly 4gr. of product, $6.00 for one jar with roughly 1.5gr. of product, $1.00 for one sample baggie with roughly 1/8tsp. of product.

Imogen

Imogen is Immortals' dark older sister. It is a darker shade of antique pink with slight grayish undertone.

This color works perfectly for adding definition, but is still light enough that it won't overpower your eyes if you use it all over your lid.

Similar: Matte pink from NYX Love in Paris palette in Let Them Eat Cake, less pigmented and lighter.

LUCID

Description from Etsy.com:

Vegan, cruelty free & lip safe.

Lucid is a black eye shadow, it is not quite opaque, so it makes a really great darkener, rather than making harsh solid black lines. Matte finish. From the collection matte neutrals, volume 1.

Ingredients list from Etsy.com:

Iron Oxides, Talc, Magnesium Myristrate, Boron Nitride, Zinc Streate, Vitamin E Oil

$10.00 for one jar with roughly 4gr. of product, $6.00 for one jar with roughly 1.5gr. of product, $1.00 for one sample baggie with roughly 1/8tsp. of product.

Lucid

Lucid is a charcoal black just nearly not opaque shadow.

As Blackbird states, this isn't fully opaque and is better for darkening than drawing on eyeliner or something requiring a very thick darkness.

Similar: Triple Fudge from Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette, lighter, more brown.

THIRTEEN

Description from Etsy.com:

Vegan, cruelty free & lip safe.

Thirteen is a beautiful neutral light brown. A real nude on my skin. On just eyeliner days, I quickly put a layer of this all around my eyes, it prevents smudging & helps everything seem a little bit more nice and neat. Matte but glowy finish. From the collection matte neutrals, volume 1.

Ingredients list from Etsy.com:

Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Talc, Zinc Oxide, Magnesium Myristrate, Boron Nitride, Zinc Streate, Vitamin E Oil

$10.00 for one jar with roughly 4gr. of product, $6.00 for one jar with roughly 1.5gr. of product, $1.00 for one sample baggie with roughly 1/8tsp. of product.

Thirteen

Thirteen is a light neutral brown with a slight gray undertone.

My skin seems to be a bit paler than Maleah's, so on my skin this isn't a true nude. This works best on me for adding definition, and even contouring since there is no orange in.

Similar: Semi-Sweet from Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette, identical; light matte brown from Lorac afterGLO palette, lighter with light satiny finish.

DOG DAYS

Description from Etsy.com:

Vegan, cruelty free & lip safe.

Dog days is a medium neutral toned brown eye shadow. It makes a really great casual or formal eye shadow. Matte but glowy finish. From the collection matte neutrals, volume 1.

Ingredients list from Etsy.com:

Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Talc, Zinc Oxide, Magnesium Myristrate, Boron Nitride, Zinc Streate, Vitamin E Oil

$10.00 for one jar with roughly 4gr. of product, $6.00 for one jar with roughly 1.5gr. of product, $1.00 for one sample baggie with roughly 1/8tsp. of product.

Dog Days

Dog Days is a darker brown neutral.

This shadow is to Thirteen what Imogen is to Immortals -- clear as mud? Thought so.

Similar: Semi-Sweet from Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette, darker and more reddish. 

FICTION

Description from Etsy.com:

Vegan, cruelty free & lip safe.

Fiction is a dark perfect grey eyeshadow. It’s a matte but glowy finish. From the collection matte neutrals, volume 1.

Ingredients list from Etsy.com:

Talc, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Magnesium Myristrate, Boron Nitride, Zinc Streate, Vitamin E Oil

$10.00 for one jar with roughly 4gr. of product, $6.00 for one jar with roughly 1.5gr. of product, $1.00 for one sample baggie with roughly 1/8tsp. of product.

Fiction

Fiction is a mid-toned matte gray.

I have a love affair with matte gray eyeshadows. I love using them as a contour, it gives me a sort of ghostly goth look. Fiction was welcomed into my collection with open arms and an unsuccessfully suppressed squeal.

Similar: Grey Matte by Shadey Minerals, lighter, more cool-toned and doesn't last as long.

BEAU

Description from Etsy.com:

Vegan, cruelty free & lip safe.

Beau, short for beautiful is named after my dog. He has a spot that' this color around one of his eyes. It’s a warm reddened dark brown. Matte but glowy finish. From the collection matte neutrals, volume 1.

Ingredients list from Etsy.com:

Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Talc, Zinc Oxide, Magnesium Myristrate, Boron Nitride, Zinc Streate, Vitamin E Oil

$10.00 for one jar with roughly 4gr. of product, $6.00 for one jar with roughly 1.5gr. of product, $1.00 for one sample baggie with roughly 1/8tsp. of product.

Beau

Beau is a dark reddish brown.

This color is so gorgeous, I absolutely adore the red in it. I haven't come across many other reddish brown eyeshadows, but when I do I hold onto them.

Similar: Soleil from Too Faced À La Mode Eyes palette, satin and more reddish.

CONCLUSION

I'll be honest: when I found out how sweet of a person Maleah was, I really wanted to like these shadows. I was worried that they may not be very high quality, or just no good in general. Or I thought that maybe I wouldn't be able to separate person from product and truly give an unbiased review.

Luckily, these shadows are amazing. The collection as a whole is well thought out and each color fits in, nothing feels out of place. I was surprised by how long wearing they are, how pigmented they are, and how they all magically smell like matcha.

Other indie companies, take note. This is the best batch of indie eyeshadows I've ever had the pleasure of buying. My samples are already running low after having them for two days, so very soon I may need to order full sizes.

I can't wait to see what else Blackbird has to offer in the following months and years.