Tarte Skin Twinkle Lighting Palette ($42.00 for 0.49 oz.) features two shimmery highlighters and one setting powder (center shade). According to Tarte, that setting powder is a “universal matte sand that brightens and corrects any darkness under the eyes.” I doubt that it is universally workable, as it is a pretty light shade. As I mentioned in the sneak peek, I had tremendous issues with the consistency of the center shade to the point where even I–a skeptic–think that there’s a manufacturing error in its creation, because when I try swatching it, it sounds like sandpaper as it is so dry. It just seems like someone forgot an ingredient or double-salted the batch; I don’t know if I’ve ever had a powder feel like this one does. Short of jabbing at it with a metal spatula, not much product comes off the surface. At $42, a center shade that is faulty at best, horrible at worst is just difficult to justify.

I would also have liked to see Tarte releasing two or three versions of this, because I don’t think they’re truly considering all skin tones with this palette at all. I like the highlighters, though they aren’t out-of-this-world.

Sunlight is a light gold with warm, yellow undertones and a lightly frosted sheen. It had semi-sheer coverage with a lightly dusty, but blendable, consistency that didn’t look dry or powdery on the skin — there was just a slight dryness to the texture where the powder came off the surface easily but seemed to have less binder. The color lasted for seven hours before fading on me. ColourPop Double Down (LE, $10.00) is darker (95% similar). Kaja Toy Alien (P, $19.00) is less shimmery (95% similar). ColourPop Ur Glowing (LE, $12.00) is lighter, cooler (95% similar). Tom Ford Beauty Moodlight (Top) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (95% similar). Urban Decay Now's the Time (LE, $26.00) is more shimmery (95% similar). Natasha Denona My Dream (Dream Glow Powder) (PiP, ) is cooler (95% similar). Dior Precious Rocks (001) (DC, $56.00) is darker (95% similar). Urban Decay Sesso (Highlighter) (PiP, ) is more shimmery, lighter, brighter (90% similar). Becca Moonstone (P, $19.00) is lighter, brighter (90% similar). Urban Decay Nooner (Highlighter) (PiP, ) is lighter, brighter (90% similar). Linda Hallberg Cosmetics Virgio (P, $21.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar). Charlotte Tilbury Original (P, $38.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar). Tarte Champagne (LE, ) is more shimmery (90% similar). Chanel Camelia de Chanel (LE, $80.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar). MAC Let It Rock (LE, $34.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar). Melt Cosmetics Stargazer (P, $39.00) is darker (90% similar). Becca Moonstone (DC, $38.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar). NARS Orgasm Ecstasy (LE, ) is less shimmery (90% similar). Smashbox Glow (LE, ) is more shimmery (90% similar). Tarte Daylight (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar). Top 20 dupes listed, see the rest. See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

Filtered Light is a light, yellowed beige with warm undertones and a matte finish. It’s incredibly dry, stiff, and chalky in the pan. The only way I was able to get enough product out of the pan to show up in a swatch was by scraping the surface with a metal spatula. It doesn’t sit well on the skin and can make areas look caky; I tried it as an under eye setting powder as well as all over. It did not seem to improve the wear of my base products, but that could very well be that it’s so difficult to actually apply and get enough product to stick to the skin. Hourglass Surreal Light (LE, $48.00) is darker (90% similar). KVD Beauty Lyric (PiP, ) is darker, brighter, warmer (90% similar). Too Faced Light Cocoa (PiP, ) is lighter (90% similar). Tarte Halo (PiP, ) is lighter (90% similar). Cle de Peau Almond (16) (P, $55.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

Moonlight is a light-medium, peachy gold with warm undertones and a frosted sheen. It is more shimmery than Sunlight, and it has more color to it. I think it looks almost rosy-beige at times, particularly in more shadowy lighting, but filtered sunlight (not direct sunlight) makes it appear peachy. The consistency was fairly soft and smooth, and it blendd out easily on the skin without emphasizing pores. It wore well for seven and a half hours. Dior Precious Rocks (001) (DC, $56.00) is less shimmery (95% similar). Cover FX Moonlight (P, $34.00) is darker (95% similar). Kosas Tropic Equinox (Highlighter) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter (95% similar). Iconic London Rose Glow (Right) (PiP, ) is less shimmery (95% similar). By Terry Light & Tan Vibes #3 (LE, ) is lighter (95% similar). Chanel Or Rose (LE, $70.00) is more shimmery (95% similar). Benefit Dandelion Twinkle (P, $29.00) is less shimmery (95% similar). Tom Ford Beauty Solar Exposure (Highlighter) (LE, $60.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar). Dior Nude Glow (001) (P, $50.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar). Cover FX Sunlight (P, $34.00) is darker (90% similar). ColourPop Coastin' (LE, $10.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar). Charlotte Tilbury Illuminating Glow (LE, ) is cooler (90% similar). Too Faced Warm Glow (Right) (PiP, ) is more shimmery (90% similar). Kosas Papaya 1972 (Highlighter) (PiP, ) is less shimmery (90% similar). Hourglass Absolute Strobe Light (LE, ) is darker (90% similar). Clinique Nude Glow (P, $27.00) is less shimmery (90% similar). ColourPop Gnomie (P, $7.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar). theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer (PiP, $24.00) is more shimmery (90% similar). ColourPop Main Attraction (LE, $12.00) is lighter (85% similar). MAC She's a Rainbow (LE, $34.00) is darker (90% similar). Top 20 dupes listed, see the rest. See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

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Tarte Skin Twinkle Lighting Palette

Tarte Skin Twinkle Lighting Palette

Tarte Skin Twinkle Lighting Palette

Tarte Skin Twinkle Lighting Palette

Tarte Skin Twinkle Lighting Palette

Tarte Skin Twinkle Lighting Palette

Tarte Sunlight Skin Twinkle Lighting Powder

Tarte Sunlight Skin Twinkle Lighting Powder

Tarte Sunlight Skin Twinkle Lighting Powder

Tarte Filtered Light Skin Twinkle Lighting Powder

Tarte Filtered Light Skin Twinkle Lighting Powder

Tarte Filtered Light Skin Twinkle Lighting Powder

Tarte Moonlight Skin Twinkle Lighting Powder

Tarte Moonlight Skin Twinkle Lighting Powder

Tarte Moonlight Skin Twinkle Lighting Powder