PRODUCT REVIEW: TARTE SmolderEYES Waterproof Clay Eye Liner & TARTE EmphasEYES Waterproof Clay Eyeliner

While at ULTA picking up something I actually was out of and did "need", I checked these out and ended up buying one of each in Bronze. The color was nice for each though they are slightly different in tone, one is slightly warmer than the other.

The SmolderEYES pencil is really smooth and the little smudger was soft and didn't feel remotely scratchy like the Smashbox variant. It came with a sharpener, which to me was a nice touch. The color was perfect, better even than the Smashbox Waterproof Shadowliner jar of Hollywood I love so much, and a little more opaque even. It definitely has serious fallout issues, just like the Smashbox ones did, but thankfully no glitterbombs. I will say that the same issue does still apply with the smudger tool: it does take everything back off when you use it, so if I keep the pencil (on the fence bec of that smudger tool issue) I will probably use a brush to smoke it out. It might be worth keeping for travel, since not packing a brush and jar would be nice.

The EmphasEYES jar variant is very creamy and rich, much creamier than the Smashbox, and much more opaque, less of a buildable smoke, and also a very nice color, though is a "cooler" bronze than both the SmolderEYES and the Smashbox.  Just like the Smashbox jar, it came with a brush as well, though a smaller brush, which is more maybe detailed. I have not used this Tarte brush, and have no idea if I will. Maybe the tiny end.  But the blendability is nice, and like the SmolderEYES and Smashbox products, when they set, they set and they are there for the day, waterproof and not going anywhere. That really is the strong suit of all of them. I am not a toucher-upper so that's big for me. Even if I wear shadows I use these things as the base coat and layer matching shadows over them for more...I dunno....MORE. Like the little old lady told me last week: "You wear a lot of eye makeup honey". I have been told by a coworker that I wear an excessive amount of eye makeup too. *shrug*. I like it. If I look like a lady of the night, what of it.

The price point was nice, especially since a sharpener was included with the pencil and a brush came with the jar. I believe the Pencil was $25 and the Jar was $22? Pretty fair, especially the Jar because that thing will last a lifetime. Those jars from Smashbox ....they last a lifetime. I have a stockpile and I still have yet to finish the original. I have no idea why I have a stockpile now but thankfully I have one. The thing is tiny and I launch it.  The Tarte jar is a little larger and easier to hold, though holds about the same amount.

Here are a few swatches. On the left is the pencil, the middle is the jar, and the right is the Smashbox jar.

You can get the Tarte at Ulta, QVC, and I believe also Sephora.