Tarte Caramel Apple Chrome Paint Shadow Pot Review & Swatches
Caramel Apple
Tarte Caramel Apple Chrome Paint Shadow Pot ($22.00 for 0.11 oz.) is a medium-dark copper with warm orange undertones (that are slightly muted, almost brownish) paired with an intense, sparkling, metallic finish. It was loosely-pressed upon arrival, but the box contained a small, plastic tamper, which quickly presses it into a more compacted form. Because the tamper isn’t included in the pot to begin with, there was some messiness initially working it into the pot (and some product accumulated on the interior of the lid). The plastic insert fits inside the pot, so after you place it in, you can keep it there (they used to come inside upon arrival).
The texture was smooth, lightly creamy–the powder almost melted onto my skin as I blended and buffed it into place–but it definitely was easiest to work with when gently pressed with the tamping piece (so don’t lose it!). It had opaque pigmentation applied dry as well as wet, and I didn’t feel like applying the product with a dampened brush did much for it; at most, it stretched out the pigmentation and gave it a slightly smoother, more sparkly finish. I didn’t have any trouble getting the product to adhere evenly to my skin, and it blended out nicely without having much fallout. It wore well for nine hours before creasing slightly on me.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Moira Fantasy (P, $7.50) is cooler (95% similar).
- Moira Stay Golden (P, $7.50) is less shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- NARS Fuel the Fire (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Natasha Denona Bronze Foil (437M) (PiP, $29.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- ColourPop Mud Pot (LE, $4.50) is cooler (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Diva Lights (Enhance) (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Kaja Penny (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Pat McGrath Rose Venus (LE, $25.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Wing Woman (LE, $4.50) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Lust in Time (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$22.00/0.11 oz. - $200.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to have "rich, vibrant" color that comes in "loose pigment" form and will "melt instantly" and "stay put for hours" on the eyes. They feel like a heavier, creamier loosely-packed eyeshadow, which I think is illustrated well across the six shades I initially purchased (shown in the group shot): some arrived more crumbly and two arrived very smooth, densely and tightly packed. They brand recommends using these with a fingertip, but I was able to use brushes as well as fingertips to achieve very similar results.
Most of the shades were quite pigmented whether applied dry or wet, but wet application definitely intensified the vibrancy and shine of the finish. I found they applied a little better in practice (dry) than initially swatched, which might be due to applying to a smaller area and pressing/patting on without spreading across a larger area. They have a slightly thicker consistency, so I recommend using a patting/pressing motion to get them to adhere evenly and smoothly on the lid, but they did seem to "melt" (as described) as I worked with them on my skin and after a few minutes, so they had a very smooth sheen while worn.
I did get some fallout, especially with the shades that appeared more crumbly, and I had less fallout after I pressed the looser product down in the respective pot (effectively crushing everything together). They lasted between eight and nine hours on me before creasing faintly.
Browse all of our Tarte Chrome Paint Shadow Pot swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Alumina, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Sorbic Acid, Tin Oxide, Silica, Carmine (CI 75470), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491).
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
It has an incredibly rich, incendiary glow coming from it! Even though I’m showing as having a slew of dupes, none of them glow like this. I did, however, find some inspiration from my dupes, though: pair Patrick Starrr pigment with Arriba e/s!
That’s a really gorgeous shade and it’s great to know that it can be applied easily without fall out. I think this is a versatile shade too.
I really like the Tarte pot shadow I have (Martini) and plan to get one or two more, but I think this colour is a bit too orange-y for me.
They are nice – I’m glad they keep putting out new shades, but they could be more diverse in colors/tones!
So pretty! I recently purchased one of the shades of these from the regular line-up. And I’m such a dork, but oh my gosh, thank you for clearing up what that plastic insert was for! I mean I know what it’s for, but was confused when it wasn’t in the pot to begin with. And when it wasn’t a perfect fit, I just thought it was to keep the jar from sliding around in the box. Which led me to think, why not make the box form fitting? Anyways, enough of my little rant. Thanks for the review!
They used to be inside but the newer packaging (with the see-through lid) has kept them in the box but not in the pot! So weird to me. Almost like they forgot…
I don’t know why Tarte isn’t pressing down the chrome paint pots anymore, it’s messy and annoying and wastes product!
If it could stay on for 9 hours straight then I’m all for it. Love your short and concise review. I hope they give us more shades soon.
Safe to say I want this for the name alone, but it’s also a gorgeous coppery red. Wow.
Very pretty but I have so many of these shades that getting another would be crazy. I do like the formula and I think I have 3 or 4 so, like others, I would like a better shade range.