About - Blackbird Cosmetics is owned by Maleah and based out of Ohio. They specialize in high quality matte eyeshadows. They also offer contour powders, as well as Magic Trick Super Powders which are color correcting powders. Maleah just recently introduced pressed shadow versions of the entire lineup.
Shipping - The original samples of the entire collection were given to me as a gift so I'm not sure how the shipping was for that. But I made a couple orders, one being for some full size jars of the shades I thought I'd like, and the other for the pressed shadows. These shipped 21 days after I ordered, and arrived 3 days later via USPS from Ohio to California. Even when I only made an order for one pressed shadow, it was meticulously packed into a box which easily kept everything safe and from being damaged.
Product Size - The loose eyeshadows can be purchased in samples or full size jars. The pressed shadows come in a 26mm square pan.
Free Samples - I received two free samples with every order.
All eyeshadow swatches are done over Too Faced Shadow Insurance primer.
*Note*: I believe some of my loose shadow samples are from before the recent reformulation. If the application doesn't look how you imagined it to be, or have swatched, it is probably because of this. The new reformulated versions should be smoother and nicer looking, but the color should be the same. In some swatches, my primer is not completely dry and that is what is causing some of the darker areas in the swatch.
All eyeshadow swatches are done over Too Faced Shadow Insurance primer.
*Note*: I believe some of my loose shadow samples are from before the recent reformulation. If the application doesn't look how you imagined it to be, or have swatched, it is probably because of this. The new reformulated versions should be smoother and nicer looking, but the color should be the same. In some swatches, my primer is not completely dry and that is what is causing some of the darker areas in the swatch.
Volume 1:
Beau (Pressed) - "Reddened dark brown."
This shade applied really smoothly, and would make a great crease shade.
This shade applied really smoothly, and would make a great crease shade.
Dim Tradition (Pressed) - "Light, whitened natural golden beige."
This is one shade that probably really benefited from the reformulation. I found many of the previous versions kind of grainy feeling and looking. It's a nice staple color though.
This is one shade that probably really benefited from the reformulation. I found many of the previous versions kind of grainy feeling and looking. It's a nice staple color though.
Dog Days (Pressed) - "Medium, mid toned exactly neutral brown."
I had the feeling this shade would make a good transition shade, so I wanted to get the pressed version as well. For this one, the pressed version was much creamier and much smoother in application.
I had the feeling this shade would make a good transition shade, so I wanted to get the pressed version as well. For this one, the pressed version was much creamier and much smoother in application.
Fiction (Pressed) - "Perfect dark gray."
This is a great gray shade, that would pair nicely with Whisper.
This is a great gray shade, that would pair nicely with Whisper.
Fire Pledge (Pressed) - "Vibrant orange."
I was a little hesitant about this color when I saw how orange it looked, but it's so vibrant that I kind of love it. This would be a great transition shade for some looks.
I was a little hesitant about this color when I saw how orange it looked, but it's so vibrant that I kind of love it. This would be a great transition shade for some looks.
Gravity (Pressed) - "Medium muted complex plum."
I didn't see much plum in this one, it looks more brown to me. But I think it has enough undertones that it would pair well with the variety of pinks there are in these collections.
I didn't see much plum in this one, it looks more brown to me. But I think it has enough undertones that it would pair well with the variety of pinks there are in these collections.
Immortals (Pressed) - "Soft lightened pink."
I don't remember why I passed on this in pressed form, but I do have a full size jar of it. It's a beautiful light pink that would work well as the lid shade.
I don't remember why I passed on this in pressed form, but I do have a full size jar of it. It's a beautiful light pink that would work well as the lid shade.
Imogen (Pressed) - "Medium muted mauvey pink."
This one I have in full size jar and pressed, and the pressed version applied more smoothly. It's a very nice mauve pink shade though, I might use this as a crease color or a transition shade.
This one I have in full size jar and pressed, and the pressed version applied more smoothly. It's a very nice mauve pink shade though, I might use this as a crease color or a transition shade.
Lucid (Pressed) - "Black."
This is a great staple matte black shadow. Perfect for creating a smoky eye, or using as a more dramatic crease shade.
This is a great staple matte black shadow. Perfect for creating a smoky eye, or using as a more dramatic crease shade.
Thirteen (Pressed) - "Light to medium exactly neutral brown."
This was the only one out of the ones I tried where I had a harder time with the pressed version than I did the loose. It is a very nice light brown shade though, would be perfect for a variety of applications.
Volume 2:
Here's everything in Volume 2.
Atlas (Pressed) - "Dark, slightly blackened chocolate brown."
This is a really nice milk chocolate brown shade that would be a great crease shade.
Everest (Pressed) - "Dreamy green beige."
I ended up really liking this shade, I just worry it would look weird on my eyes. I'll have to experiment with it, but if it works well I might get a full size or pressed version of it.
Figment (Pressed) - "Light muted plum."
This is one of my favorite shades, it's such a perfect light to medium pinkish plum color. I did like the pressed version more, but the sample I have is the reformulated version.
Half Full (Pressed) - "Light whitened gold."
I had imagined used lightly, this would make a great brow highlight shade. I'll have to try though, because it seems pretty warm toned compared to some of the shades I would use it with. It was one of the few that the loose and pressed versions look almost exactly the same in color though.
Juliet (Pressed) - "Dark muted pink."
I really like this shade, it's kind of an orange-y pink shade. I tend to go for pinks and purples for basic looks, but I worry about how to apply this one. My eyes have a tendency to look pretty good with most shimmery shadows, but I try to do mattes and it looks sickly. I usually tend to prefer using mattes as an accent with other shimmery colors, but doing all matte looks will be new for me.
Modesty (Pressed) - "Natural golden beige."
I saw a bit more green in this that I thought I would, and it might work well with Ruca. I'm really not sure how I would use this.
Ruca (Pressed) - "Blackened red."
This one applied like a dream, and I ended up loving the color. I might buy a pressed version of this, it's such a beautiful dark red.
Smudge (Pressed) - "Dark taupe."
This might actually be a great shade to get pressed as well, it's such a staple shadow I can see using for a variety of looks.
Vintage (Pressed) - "Muted, but somehow still vibrant mid-toned violet."
I actually really loved the loose version application of this shade better than the pressed. For the record though, in order to swatch the pressed versions, I had to kind of swirl the brush around to lift some product, and then dump in on where I was swatching. Then it had to be brushed on. It was a pain and a half, but I bet applying to your eyes would be much easier.
Whisper (Pressed) - "Light perfect grey."
This is a very nice light gray color, perfect for matching with many other shades in these collections.
Overall, it's hard to not like this huge variety of matte shadows you can get loose or pressed. They apply so smoothly, and a pressed version is just even more convenient. I love that there is a color for everything, and so many ways to mix and match them to create an infinite number of looks. There are quite a few pinks, but I like that because I love pink shades. It would be nice to get a straight matte white shade in the future, that's really the only color I feel is missing. Half Full is too yellow for my liking. Now the challenge will be creating looks with all matte shades that don't make me look like a zombie or sick or something! I am sure I will be able to though, as these are so carefully crafted. My favorite shades are pretty much the ones I purchased in pressed form, but I also ended up loving Fiction, Fire Pledge, Immortals, Ruca, Smudge, and Whisper. For anyone who loves mattes or just wants some staple neutrals in their collection, this is it. You could get everything from Blackbird Cosmetics and be set.
Customer Service - I did not have to contact customer service regarding any problems with my order.
Availability - The loose shadows are almost always in stock, however the pressed shadows do sometimes go out of stock. They will be restocked on a future date.
Overall Satisfaction - Other than the pressed shades I purchased, my new favorites are Fiction, Fire Pledge, Immortals, Ruca, Smudge, and Whisper. I would love to just collect every single pressed shadow and have a matte palette that is ready for any look I can possibly imagine.
What did you think of the Blackbird Cosmetics loose and pressed shadows? Let me know in the comments!
For all other Blackbird Cosmetics reviews, click here
This was the only one out of the ones I tried where I had a harder time with the pressed version than I did the loose. It is a very nice light brown shade though, would be perfect for a variety of applications.
Volume 2:
Atlas (Pressed) - "Dark, slightly blackened chocolate brown."
This is a really nice milk chocolate brown shade that would be a great crease shade.
Everest (Pressed) - "Dreamy green beige."
I ended up really liking this shade, I just worry it would look weird on my eyes. I'll have to experiment with it, but if it works well I might get a full size or pressed version of it.
Figment (Pressed) - "Light muted plum."
This is one of my favorite shades, it's such a perfect light to medium pinkish plum color. I did like the pressed version more, but the sample I have is the reformulated version.
Half Full (Pressed) - "Light whitened gold."
I had imagined used lightly, this would make a great brow highlight shade. I'll have to try though, because it seems pretty warm toned compared to some of the shades I would use it with. It was one of the few that the loose and pressed versions look almost exactly the same in color though.
Juliet (Pressed) - "Dark muted pink."
I really like this shade, it's kind of an orange-y pink shade. I tend to go for pinks and purples for basic looks, but I worry about how to apply this one. My eyes have a tendency to look pretty good with most shimmery shadows, but I try to do mattes and it looks sickly. I usually tend to prefer using mattes as an accent with other shimmery colors, but doing all matte looks will be new for me.
I saw a bit more green in this that I thought I would, and it might work well with Ruca. I'm really not sure how I would use this.
Ruca (Pressed) - "Blackened red."
This one applied like a dream, and I ended up loving the color. I might buy a pressed version of this, it's such a beautiful dark red.
Smudge (Pressed) - "Dark taupe."
This might actually be a great shade to get pressed as well, it's such a staple shadow I can see using for a variety of looks.
Vintage (Pressed) - "Muted, but somehow still vibrant mid-toned violet."
I actually really loved the loose version application of this shade better than the pressed. For the record though, in order to swatch the pressed versions, I had to kind of swirl the brush around to lift some product, and then dump in on where I was swatching. Then it had to be brushed on. It was a pain and a half, but I bet applying to your eyes would be much easier.
Whisper (Pressed) - "Light perfect grey."
This is a very nice light gray color, perfect for matching with many other shades in these collections.
Overall, it's hard to not like this huge variety of matte shadows you can get loose or pressed. They apply so smoothly, and a pressed version is just even more convenient. I love that there is a color for everything, and so many ways to mix and match them to create an infinite number of looks. There are quite a few pinks, but I like that because I love pink shades. It would be nice to get a straight matte white shade in the future, that's really the only color I feel is missing. Half Full is too yellow for my liking. Now the challenge will be creating looks with all matte shades that don't make me look like a zombie or sick or something! I am sure I will be able to though, as these are so carefully crafted. My favorite shades are pretty much the ones I purchased in pressed form, but I also ended up loving Fiction, Fire Pledge, Immortals, Ruca, Smudge, and Whisper. For anyone who loves mattes or just wants some staple neutrals in their collection, this is it. You could get everything from Blackbird Cosmetics and be set.
Customer Service - I did not have to contact customer service regarding any problems with my order.
Availability - The loose shadows are almost always in stock, however the pressed shadows do sometimes go out of stock. They will be restocked on a future date.
Overall Satisfaction - Other than the pressed shades I purchased, my new favorites are Fiction, Fire Pledge, Immortals, Ruca, Smudge, and Whisper. I would love to just collect every single pressed shadow and have a matte palette that is ready for any look I can possibly imagine.
What did you think of the Blackbird Cosmetics loose and pressed shadows? Let me know in the comments!
For all other Blackbird Cosmetics reviews, click here
I'm thinking about ordering from them for the first time, but I cannot decide whether to buy a loose or pressed version of the shadows. I think I would prefer the pressed version for its user-friendliness, but only if the quality is the same or not much worse than from the loose ones. What do you think? Are those which weren't better in the pressed form really bad? Or are they still useable?
ReplyDeleteI think their pressed shadows are going to be just about the best quality matte pressed shadows there are, so if you like the convenience of a pressed shadow, definitely go with those. If you're used to loose and prefer loose, stick with that, but the pressed in a palette is such a nice thing to have.
DeleteThank you! :)
DeleteI have a lot of loose eyeshadows, but I cannot use them when I'm in a hurry, so I wear them less often than I'd like. I'm not much into mattes, but I wanted to give Blackbird's a try, because they are highly praised. As I'd like to use them more often, I think I'd like the pressed version more. And those magnetic palettes from Anothersoul, which they recommend for storing those pans, are gorgeous. :)))
Delete