Whenever Melt Cosmetics teases a new release, the hype quickly builds. Hype turns into hysteria as avid fans rush to snag Melt’s newest eyeshadow stack and eyeshadow palette releases. But is the Melt Cosmetics Blueprint Stack a bust or must? Keep reading for my honest review on this half-colorful, half neutral palette.

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About Melt Cosmetics

Founded in 2012 by Lora Arellano and Dana Bomar, Melt Cosmetics aimed to fill a need in the market for ultra-colorful, bold matte lipsticks. The brand quickly reached cult status since officially launching their first five lipsticks in 2013.

Melt Cosmetics embodies freedom of expression through makeup, and the need for fans to be themselves. Moreover, the brand aims to inspire their followers to “take the risks involved in pursuing [their] dreams.”

The brand releases innovative products in bold shades that set color trends in the industry. Melt Cosmetics “pushes the boundaries of what quality cosmetics should be” in terms of color, packaging, and edgy shade names.

All of Melt Cosmetics products are Cruelty-Free and many products are vegan. Non-vegan products are denoted with an asterisk below.

Melt Cosmetics BluePrint Stack

The BluePrint Stack includes eight half-pan shadows, half of which are blue and half of which are bronze-toned. The stack consists of six shimmers and two mattes.

Price & Packaging

The BluePrint Stack retails for $48.00, which is on par with the brand’s stacks and palettes. However, the limited edition cobalt blue packaging is no longer available. The Blueprint stack can be purchased in the brand’s traditional black packaging.

Eyeshadow Swatches

As always, swatches are not a perfect indicator of quality as shadows can perform much differently on the eye than on a bare arm. However, swatches can still provide clues as to a shadows pigmentation, ability to blend, and ease of use.

Blue Shades

Skylight (baby blue shimmer), Deadbolt (cerulean shimmer), King Stud (saphire metallic), Dim-light (midnight blue matte)

Skylight lives up to the online description. This is a chunky shimmer shadow. Skylight and Deadbolt glided across the skin with one swipe. Dim-light is a deep blue shade that is not only pigmented, but swatches with ease. However, this is a dry formula.

Neutral Shades

Beaming (pink-gold duochrome), Hotwire (orange copper shimmer), Nailed (bronze gold shimmer), Hammered (mahogony matte)

The neutral shades in the Melt Cosmetics BluePrint stack performed very similarly to the blue shades. However, I didn’t notice any chunky shades. Hotwire and Nailed were extremely pigmented. Surprisingly, the matte shade Hammered was dry. This is uncommon for a neutral matte shadow.

The metallic shadows are incredibly soft and crumble easily. In fact, they are messy. These metallics are so soft that they make the Huda Beauty Smokey Obsessions formula seem stiff. For example, Skylight and Nailed crumbled when the magnetic pans came together too quickly. They continue to make a mess every time I’ve use the Blueprint Stack. Also, one year later – these shadows exploded.

Application & Wear-Time

The shimmer and metallic shadows apply best with a finger. However, the metallics can be picked up with a flat eyeshadow brush. Again, the metallics are extremely messy. Users need apply their eyeshadow first before applying any face makeup.

In comparison, the matte shades pack on a lot of pigment and blend with ease despite the drier formula.

Melt Cosmetics Blueprint Stack Demo – Blue Gradient 

I created a gradient, blue eyeshadow look with copper on my lower lash line. First, I set my eyelids with my NYX HD Shadow Base. Second, I blended the shades Sandalwood and In a Wink (from the ColourPop x ILuvSarahii Palette) into my crease. Next, I applied the shade Deadbolt to the center of my eye and King Stud to the outer corner. Skylight was applied in my inner inner corner.

Then, taking a dense, fluffy brush I packed the matte shade Dim-Light in the Outer-V. I smoked out my lower lash line with the shades Hammered and Hotwire. Finally, I finished this look by tight-lining my water-line and lining my upper lid, using  the Melt All Day/Everyday Eyeliner in Neptune and rimming my lower lash-line with the the All Day Everyday Eyeliner in Dusk.

The blue eyeshadows creased on my lids within 10 minutes of application. Even though I have oily lids, creasing shouldn’t happen this quickly.

Nevertheless, I plugged on and applied more shadow in an attempt to save the look. Unfortunately, the shadows creased again. By the ten-hour mark, the color had completely faded off the entire crease area and melted off my lid.

Melt Cosmetics Blueprint Stack Demo Look – Warm, Copper Smokey Eye

To create this look, I first primed my lid with my NYX HD Shadow Base. Then I blended the shade Golden Ochre from the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance into my crease. (PSA: the Blueprint Stack lacks any light matte shadows for fair skin.)

Once my crease was blended, I stamped the dark matte shade, Hammered onto the outer-V of my lid. I packed the three shimmer shades onto the lid using my flat shader brush. To add a subtle pop of blue, I lined my waterline with Neptune.

The neutral shades in the stack performed much better than their blue counterparts. However, I overall shadow texture causes issues.

Bad or Rad

I’d be lying if I didn’t say that the Melt Blueprint stack was a letdown. Given the price point, I expected these shadows to apply with ease and to last on my lids. Unfortunately the palette failed both expectations.

In some ways, the performance of the blue shades in the blueprint stack remind me of the Natasha Denona Mini Lila Palette. As previously mentioned, this palette creates a mess whenever. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to see my eyeshadow (a.k.a. my money) spilling onto the floor or across my counter.

Although I love shimmer shadows and am not as matte-obsessed as many others, I found it difficult to create complete looks using the Blueprint stack. There were no transitional matte shades to smoke out or blend into the crease. See where this palette ranked in my Melt Cosmetics Palette ranking.

Melt Cosmetics Blueprint Liquid Set Lipstick in Circuit

The Melt Cosmetics Liquid Set Lipstick in Circuit released as a part of the BluePrint Stack. The color is described as a high-voltage steel blue color.

Swatches

The fuzzy, flat, doe-foot applicator makes swatching and applying Circuit incredibly easy. The below swatch represents one swipe of color across my bare arm.

Application & Wear-time

The Liquid Set Lipstick in Circuit is pigmented. However, this particular shade is patchy. Also, this liquid lip formula takes at least two-minutes to fully set and dry down on the lips.

The longer setting time is helpful for correcting mistakes, but this is a problem when in a hurry. Once the first coat dries down, add another layer of Circuit for better pigmentation and for correcting patchy spots. To note, the color darkens when the second layer dries down. With a second cote, it looks nearly black.

From a formulation perspective, the Melt Cosmetics Liquid Set Lipstick is drier than those from Anastasia Beverly Hills or BareMinerals. However, Circuit is nowhere near as drying as the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks. Thankfully, the formula does not emphasize lip lines or suck the life out of your lips.

In terms of longevity, this lipstick fades in the center of the lips during and after eating or drinking. Furthermore, the lipstick smudges if you touch your lips throughout the day.

Bad or Rad

All-in-all, I was impressed with Circuit. I felt like a badass rocking this color.

I enjoyed the formula. I prefer comfort over longevity. I’d rather wear a liquid lipstick like Circuit that doesn’t dry out my lips.  I don’t care if a liquid lipstick lasts all day if it leaves my lips looking like the Sahara. I will certainly buy more liquid lipsticks from this line in the future.

Melt Cosmetics All Day/Everyday Eye Liner – Dusk & Neptune

The Melt Cosmetics All Day/Everyday Eye Liners promise to apply smoothly on the eyes. Melt attests that the All Day/Everyday Eye Liners last for eight hours without smudging or transferring. Also, these eyeliners are waterproof.

Price & Packaging

The All Day/Everyday pencil liners retails for $17.00. They are traditional pencil liners. Thus, once dull users will need to sharpen the pencils.

Swatches

With the gentlest touch, both liners glided across my wrist with full pigmentation. The formula reminds me of Urban Decay’s 24-7 Glide On Eye Liners. Furthermore, living up to the waterproof claim, I needed an oil-based cleanser to remove the swatches from my wrist.

Neptune is described as a “true sapphire blue” with glitter flecks, while Dusk is described as a “dimensional citrus orange liner” with gold flecks. Dusk transforms depending on the look. For example, Dusk looks orange when applied in orange-toned looks, but leans copper-colored in neutral, copper-toned looks.

Application & Wear-time

Both Dusk and Neptune glided onto my lid and onto my waterline with ease. No tugging required, no smudging. The colors retained their saturated pigmentation all day without transferring, fading, or sliding around my face.

Bad or Rad

I love both of the Melt Cosmetics All Day/Everyday Eyeliners. They live up to their claims to provide amazing, bold pigmentation in a formula that is easy to apply and lasts all day.

Will I purchase more? Honestly, these are so expensive, that I’d only likely repurchase if (1) they released a unique color that I cannot find at the drugstore or (2) they were offering a seasonal promotion.

Where to Purchase Melt Cosmetics

Melt Cosmetics is available at MeltCosmetics.com and Sephora.

Final Thoughts on the Melt Cosmetics Blueprint Stack & Collection

Although I loved the All Day/Everyday Liners and the Liquid Set Lipstick, the BluePrint stack disappointed.  The shadow formula is perplexing. The metallic shades are much softer than the metallics in their previous stacks (i.e. the Gun Metal Stack).

Also, the color selection of this particular stack reminds me of the Blue Runway Eyes Baked Eyeshadow Palette that Milani sold at the drugstore. I wish that Melt created an entirely blue stack that included more matte shadows. If they had done so, a complete blue look could be created.

The above being said, I commend Melt for making this a permanent product with Limited Edition packaging. I wish that more prestige and indie brands did this with their packaging.  Limited Edition packaging builds buzz and creates hype amongst a brands’ super fans in a way that doesn’t play on consumers’ fears of missing out on a product.

How so? Fans who know they want the stack can buy it in the special packaging. Whereas, consumers on the fence can wait to read reviews or watch tutorials before making their decision.

Will I buy more eyeshadow from Melt? Heck yeah I will, but I may look for more reviews before doing so. For any US readers, Melt is now available at Sephora. I highly recommend playing with these products in store if you find yourself on the fence!

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In the mood to read more in-depth product reviews? Check out some of my recent reviews of affordable and prestige beauty brands: ColourPop, Glossier, Milani, Milk Makeup.

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Have you tried anything from Melt Cosmetics before or are you interested in any of these goodies? Would you rock a bold blue eye or lip? Please let me know in the comments below.

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