Aromaleigh’s New Hi-Fi Retro Mattes

My Aromaleigh Hi-Fi Retro Mattes samples arrived today.  I had a dozen other things on my to-do list that seriously got shoved aside the moment I saw this envelope.

Mattes are one of those things I’m always searching for.  Mineral mattes are notoriously difficult to formulate, they either get chalky or you can’t seem to blend them.  Some of the last mattes I ran across actually got streaky as I applied them, I assume because they were not quite blended as well as they could be.

The formula on AL’s regular line of mattes, Pure Eyes Mattes, is one of my favorites.  It’s buttery smooth and blends easily.  The only thing that ever kept me from stocking up was the lack of BRIGHT and crazy shades.

When Kristen first posted previews of her new Mattes I was immediately in love with the retro themed bright colors.  So many of these give me instant flashbacks of when I was a kid at my Grandma’s house.  She was generous enough to send me a sample set to review.

From left to right : Supermurgatroid, Kookie, Heels on Fire, Daddy-o, Fake Out, Cranked, Smokin’

From left to right : Ankle Biter, Cool It, Cat’s Pajamas, Train Wreck, Got Dibs, In Orbit, In The Mix

From left to right : Radioactive, Real Gone, What’s Shakin, Big Tickle, Spaz, Flip Your Lid

Formula / Colors

The colors swatch just as brightly as they appear in the baggies, something I honestly did not expect.  With a good base (I’m using TFSI) they are sharp and vibrant.  Some of the shades, while matte, have a bit of a twinkle to them, such as Cranked and In Orbit.  It’s very subtle but lends just a bit of depth.  The shades come in a wide spectrum of colors, from lights to darks.

They blend well, either into each other to shade or out into your lid for a faded look with no sharp edges.  They go on smooth, not at all sticky.  They’re not at all chalky or ‘dusty’ and it only takes a little to get opaque coverage, versus having to layer it on to get the colors to pop.

The actual shadow itself is well blended.  In a few of the mattes I’ve gotten from other companies in the past they had little bits of what I can only assume was the base sort of floating inside that would leave a white streak when applied.  I know AL uses quality machinery to blend their colors, so I have no fear of that here.  The minerals are fine smooth.

The colors themselves are really unique.  My personal favorites are Spaz, which reminds me of the daisies on the plates my Mom used when I was growing up.  Kookie, because it’s an amazing bright pink.  Big Tickle, it’s AQUA, so very retro.

Conclusion

Would I purchase more AL’s Hi-Fi Retro Mattes even though I have a full set of samples?  Oh heck, yes.

• The colors are unique and bright, but there are enough muted shades that there is something for every one.
• The formula really surprised me, no splotching.

You can expect to hear more about these shades in the up coming days as I wear them and try them out.  My initial thoughts, though, are that they are amazing and I can see so many different people liking these, not just for the formula, but for the colors as well.

Overall: /5