Tarte Tarteist™ Metallics Single Eye Shadows- Swatches

I think I was bottle-feeding the kittens at some ungodly hour when the Tarte newsletter announcing the new Tarteist Metallics popped in my mailbox (I had the iPad next to me).  I no longer remember the thought process that led me to ordering nine out of the eleven available colors. Maybe it were the kittens sprawled on my lap in a food coma. Or perhaps I really wanted pretty metallic eye shadows. The package from Tarte arrived the other day and I have yet to actually put the eye shadows to the test (I'm going out tonight, so that will be a start), but I wanted to show you swatches and give you the basic information. I will most likely tell you more about performance and longevity as part of an upcoming makeup look.

I passed o two colors from the Tarteist Metallics range: Pin-Up, which is a pearl white with what looks like a holographic sheen, and Hussy, a yellow gold that appeared too yellow for my taste. My enthusiasm for the  Tarteist shadow texture is making me reconsider, but truly, these nine are enough. They're all incredibly pigmented, very soft, and have slightly more of a gleam than a true metallic finish, making them somewhat easier to wear than I initially expected. The aforementioned softness is probably responsible to the fact that Speakeasy arrived shattered (and crumbled even more when I attempted to swatch it). Tarte's customer service has already sent a replacement.

Here's what I've got:

Dame

Grind

Poker Face

Scandal

Sinful

Shake Down

Speakeasy

Whiskey

Dame- Mauve/rose brown (Tarte calls it a "dusy rose").
Grind- A sliver taupe with khaki leanings (especially on warmerskin tones).
Poker Face- A complex lilac taupe with a silvery gleam.
Scandal- A coppery terracotta.
Scarlet- A red plum in a brown base
Shake Down- A light-to-medium taupe
Sinful- A very rich and complex brown with traces of cool purple.
Speakeasy- A reddish dark brown
Whiskey- A warm bronze

The Tarteist Metallics are meant to be popped out of their cases and placed in a magnetic palette, which is an excellent thing for space saving, even if the outer box is quite attractive and has a helpful colored panel that tells you what's inside.  I'm pondering which single matte eye shadows I should transfer to said palette to make it a complete set for various looks (Tarte doesn't offer single mattes in a similar format).

Bottom Line: Stunning pigmentation, but the jury will have to wear them several times.

Tarte Tarteist™ Metallics Single Eye Shadows ($14 each. Made in the US) are available from Ulta (online only) and tartecosmetics.com. No idea if and when they'll arrive at Sephora.