A quick moment of gratitude for those one-step makeup products made for being in a rush — a two-in-one cheek and lip stain, an all-over face and eye highlighter. More and more these days, I find myself reaching for those products (how much time am I really trying to spend in front of my makeup vanity at 8 a.m.?).
That’s why I was intrigued by tarte’s SmolderEYES trio, a set of three pencils equipped with pigment on one end and a smudger on the other. SmolderEYES was made to be an eyeliner and eyeshadow in one, allowing you to either apply a simple line of eyeliner or smudge it out all over lids for an instant smoky look. I recently tested the product just in time for Thanksgiving week’s get-togethers. Let’s dive in.
Bonus: Save 22% when you purchase the SmolderEYES trio on HSN — plus, save $15 on your first order with code WELCOME2025.
I tried three colors — but I’ll probably only wear one
In the tarte trio I sampled, I received Charcoal, Copper, and Navy (as well as a small pencil sharpener). As a brown-eyed, brown-haired person, I had my suspicions — Charcoal and Copper would probably look best on me, with Navy’s blue tones feeling out of place.
Turns out, I was right. I would marry Copper, kiss Charcoal, and kill Navy. In fact, I will probably bring Navy to Thanksgiving and ask if my blue-eyed, blonde-haired sister would like it — though it’s worth mentioning that while I was testing Copper and Navy, my husband walked by and said “both look good on you” (but what does he know?).
Copper is certainly the strongest look in the bunch — smudged out, the product looks like a fun, warm burst of glittery color, while the black and blue options are a little too smoky and dark.
Consistency + longevity
While SmolderEYES does smudge out, it’s not quite as blendable as you’d think. Rather than drawing one line of eyeliner and smudging fully onto lids from there, I ended up having to apply lots of the product to fill in the whole eyelid. I also ended up completing the look with a dark brown matte eyeshadow from my go-to palette — I found just one tone of color lacking a little depth for a finished eye look.
What the formula lacks in blendability, it makes up for in longevity — because the shadow doesn’t slide all over the place, it stays put for a long time. In fact, I’ve been skipping eye shadow primer when I wear these.
For whatever reason, my favorite pencil Copper also has the creamiest formula, too. It feels much more comfortable applying to eyes than Charcoal and Navy, which require more pressure and pull on the skin.
Last looks
Overall, I’d advise experimenting with other one-step eyeshadow/eyeliners to find your holy grail product — there are so many options out there. That said, if you’re interested in wearing a pretty amber lid color for the holiday season, it may be worth taking advantage of HSN’s sale to snag Copper.
Shop the tarte SmolderEYES trio on HSN while it’s on sale for $36.98 (usually $48).
This review was produced in partnership with HSN.