Product Review -- Tarte Tarteist Metallic Shadows

I love a good matte eyeshadow as much as the next person, but if you forced me to choose between the creamiest of mattes and a high-shine shadow, I'm always going to go for the shimmer.

In particular, I'm a sucker for metallic shadows, which, when done right, always seem to have a really rich, intense appearance on the eyes.

I absolutely love Tarte and most of the products that they put out, so I was very excited when I found out that they'd be doing a line of metallic shadows.

If I'm honest, I was kind of surprised too, because Tarte usually offers more subtle, muted eyeshadow options, which -- don't get me wrong -- I enjoy. But metallic shadows seem a little bolder than Tarte usually go.

So it isn't entirely surprising that all of the shadows in Tarte's Tarteist Metallic Shadow line are more neutral or natural colors. Make no mistake about it, though -- these shadows still manage to make a serious statement.

The shadows come in small black plastic compacts with a clear lid that allows you to see the shade inside. However, what's unique about the packaging is that the shadow pans are extremely easy to remove from the plastic -- they're designed to be that way, in fact -- so you can easily add them to a Z-Palette or another free-form palette for easier storage.

There are 11 shadows in the line, and I went a little crazy and picked up all but one of them (I just knew I wouldn't get much use out of Hussy, a vibrant yellow gold, so I couldn't see buying it to just complete the set).

Tarte Tarteist Metallic Shadows

The shades I bought are: Pin-Up, a prismatic pearl; Shake Down, a light golden taupe; Grind, a taupe-y silver; Poker Face, a silver-y lilac; Dame, a dusty rose; Whisky, a bronze; Scandal, a bright copper; Speakeasy, a copper-y brown; Scarlet, a reddish plum; and Sinful, a plummy slate.

Right off the bat, I'll say that these shades are perfect for fall. Of course, they'd be lovely any time of the year, but they have a richness and warmth that's ideal for the cooler weather.

From l. to r.: Pin-Up, Shake Down, Dame

From l. to r.: Pin-Up, Shake Down, Dame

Secondly, but probably most important, the formula for these shadows is outstanding. It is probably the best that Tarte's ever come out with -- well, at least among those that I've tried.

They are incredibly creamy and well-pigmented so they remind me a bit of the shadows in the Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Palette. However, the metallic shadows seem to have a denser texture than the Rainforest of the Sea shadows so I'd say they have a more intense impact on the eyes.

From l. to r.: Grind, Whisky, Speakeasy

From l. to r.: Grind, Whisky, Speakeasy

Because the shadows have a rather intense look, I've found that it's best to use them with a matte shade or two to help soften the look -- at least for a daytime look. I've done a look with nothing but the Tarteist Metallic Shadows and it was stunning, but for me, it felt more like a nighttime look.

But the shadows blend as well with each other as they do with matte or satin shadows, so you can really use them with any eyeshadows in your collection.

From l. to r.: Scandal, Scarlet, Sinful

From l. to r.: Scandal, Scarlet, Sinful

In addition to the smooth, creamy texture and amazing pigmentation, the Tarteist Metallic Shadows also have pretty great staying power. I always use a primer first, but I got 10 hours of wear out of these babies without noticeable creasing or fading.

The one drawback to the formula is that it seems to be rather fragile -- though this is common among metallic shadows in my experience, so maybe it can't be helped. In fact, I dropped Poker Face a couple of days after I got it and the entire shadow shattered.

I haven't decided if I'm going to try repressing it (I don't know if the metallic formula makes repressing it a bad idea or not, so I'm a little leery) but even if I have to treat it more like a loose shadow, I intend to use because it is an absolutely lovely lid shade.

(Poor, broken) Poker Face

Poker Face

It's difficult for me to pick favorite shades in the line because they're all lovely, but I think Dame, Scandal, Scarlet, and Grind are the shadows I reach for most.

Oh, and by the way, Pin-Up doubles as a really lovely face highlight too.

All in all, I can't say enough good things about these shadows. I think if you like a metallic finish, you'll fall in love with these too.

They retail for $14 each, and are available on the Tarte website, Sephora (online only), and Ulta (online only).

Have you tried the Tarte Tarteist Metallic Shadows? Which shades are your favorite?