e.l.f. Mad for Matte 2 Summer Breeze Eyeshadow Palette Review

UPDATE: Since writing this review, the Mad for Matte 2 palette has been renamed to the Mad for Matte Palette in Summer Breeze.

About a year and a half ago, e.l.f. released their Studio Eye palettes in four different versions. The original Mad for Mattes palette was one of my fave of the releases, being that I’m crazy for matte shadows. I seriously believe that eyeshadow palettes aren’t complete with a good range of mattes, so when they’re full of them, I’m a happy camper.

In the past month, e.l.f. released a new batch of palettes, among them Mad for Matte 2 which I’m most excited for. This one is a bit more colorful than the original version, with warm peaches, mauves and a pop of purple. Because of this, I feel like it’s better for day-to-night looks and in general is more versatile. The range of shades goes from light neutrals to sultry smoky colors, so you can really get creative.

The finish on these shadows are said to be “satin matte” on the brand’s website, but I think that refers more to the texture than the finish. These have a true flat matte appearance, but aren’t dry or powdery at all. The feel silky smooth and apply as such. I would say it takes about two layers to build up to full pigmentation, but they blend out like a dream.

For mattes, these shadows are fairly pigmented. I felt that each shade was strong, with no duds in the bunch. Above, I did two layers of each shade, and I think they are all stunning… especially the deep black! So hard to find in budget eyeshadow palettes.

I will say that this palette definitely leans warm with a lot of orangey browns and peachy shades. I know these are super hot right now after the launch of the Too Faced Sweet Peach palette and Kylie Cosmetics’ Royal Peach palette, and while this certainly is nowhere close to a dupe of those, it’s a nice alternative if you want to try out the trend first without breaking the bank.

Here I tried my hand at a peach eyeshadow look, with a soft cut crease. I didn’t think this trend would look good on me, but I really like how this came out and would wear it again! I especially love how the matte shades really blend into each other seamlessly for a diffused look.

The Mad for Matte 2 palette is only $10 and is exclusive for e.l.f.’s website, so you won’t be seeing it on shelves anytime soon, if at all.

Which one did you like better– Mad for Matte 1 or 2?