July 15, 2015

Tarte Energy Noir Clay Palette Review & Swatches

This was provided to me by a brand for review and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post but all opinions are my own.

Tarte Energy Noir Clay Palette2

Tarte Energy Noir Clay Palette ($38) is a new eye and cheek palette that launched with the Tarte Fall 2015 Collection recently.

Tarte’s legendary for introducing palettes that feature an array of either neutral, natural shades or purples, their signature color. The Tarte Energy Noir Clay Palette definitely focuses on taupes and purples for Fall looks. We’re seeing a lot of matte, some contouring, and either a completely nude eye or a soft metallic one for Fall 2015 but Tarte actually veers off the trend path and heads into a more traditional shade look with these shades. Purple and berries seem to speak of the Fall season and the shades in this palette do deliver those particularly trendy shades if that’s the look you love for the season!

It’s funny as purples and taupe-y shades go so well together but my eyes are aging now and they don’t always look great on me. My brown eyes look great in the shades but it’s my under eyes that end up look a little tired when I’m wearing such dark, sultry shades!

Let’s take a look!

Tarte Energy Noir Palette

The Tarte Energy Noir Clay Palette is priced right at $38 and holds 8 total shades of color, one highlighter, and one blush as well as step by step instructions. The palette is Tarte’s standard rectangle palette done in gold with a full size mirror and a gorgeous hazy purple face plate. Inside you’ll find a printed clear film that lays atop the makeup with shade names. It would be great if they printed the names on the actual compact because I tend to lose these films.

One thing I took note of was the palette for whatever reason does not include the “Amazonian” name. It was dropped for some reason and is now simply known as “Clay Palette”. I’m not sure why they dropped “Amazonian” but I’m curious to see if future product names also drop it.

The sizes of the shadows vary in this palette with six of the shades weighing in at 0.035 oz and two of the others at 0.045 oz in size. The blush is 1.91 oz and the highlighter is 0.045 oz. I thought it rather sad the two shades I liked least were the biggest. Go figure!

Tarte Energy Noir Clay Palette

Tarte Energy Noir Clay Palette

There are definitely dupes to be had here unfortunately and shades are a bit repetitive if you’re a Tarte user, lover, and collector. The Misty Mauve shade for example seems too have made an appearance in many palettes past as well as some variation or another.� And Full Moon (creamy beige), Charged Up (gray taupe), and Up Too Slate (purple taupe) also seem similar to past shades. I don’t any of the shades are exact dupes but there are variations here of shades you may already have from past palette releases. The blush in Unearthed does stand alone as being fairly unique to my collection of Tarte Amazonian Blushes.

The palette is predominantly matte with two frosty satin shades, three if you count the highlighter as an eyeshadow (which I do since the step by step guide uses it in an eye look). The mattes were a little dry particularly the two, larger ones which personally I feel are more liner shades than actually eyeshadows so this might act as an excuse for the dryness and use these wet as eyeliners. However, the smaller top matte shadows also had a certain dryness to them. Full Moon was the exception! This was powdery but still felt fairly silky.

Tarte Energy Noir

Tarte Energy Noir Clay Palette swatches

Tarte Energy Noir Clay Palette Swatches (Full Moon, Charged Up, Dark Drive)

Tarte Energy Noir Clay Palette18

Tarte Energy Noir Clay Palette Swatches (Stone Unturned, Up Too Slate, Misty Mauve)

Tarte Energy Noir Palette swatches

Tarte Energy Noir Clay Palette Swatches (Crystal Spark, Power Plum, Lunar Eclipse)

Tarte Unearthed Blush

Tarte Unearthed Blush

Tarte Unearthed Blush Swatches

Tarte Unearthed Blush Swatches

The satin shades are quite lovely and pigmented with the exception of Crystal Sparkle which is dubbed a highlighter but as I mentioned above it is used in eye looks in the step by step guide. I dislike this shade because it’s a bit too frosty for me! Pigmented yes, but the frost factor is a deal breaker for me. On that note, as I said there are so many descriptions that call this shade a highlighter but I don’t think they mean a face highlighter or I should hope not as the well is terribly small and a brush won’t fit into it easily.

As with most blush shades in Tarte Palettes I thought Unearthed quite dense but it still produced color great and applied seamlessly on cheeks. I just think the formula differs a good deal from individual blush shades in Tarte’s range and that deserves mentioning.

Tarte Energy Noir Clay Palette is a delightful palette of sultry Fall shades and it should have many Tarte fans excited. I just wish the mattes were a little more silkier though and all the shades a little less repetitive! It creates some very lovely looks that’s for sure but I feel like I’ve been here a lot already with Tarte so some new shades are definitely in order for this older Tartelette.

Tarte Energy Noir fotd

Tarte Energy Noir Clay Palette fotd

What do you think?

Did you buy it?

Do share!

The Tarte Energy Noir Clay Palette is available now at Sephora.com, Ulta.com, and at tarte.com.

This was provided to me by a brand for review and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post but all opinions are my own.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • devon

    i have absolutely no self control when it comes to tarte palettes. they’re the red button that i just have to press. (except that 16 pan brown one that just came out. if i can’t touch it, i won’t buy it). damn them and their palettes!

  • andrea

    the blush is gorge but that’s about it…the shadows are a snooze…
    lovely swatches and review, thanks muse!

  • Maria

    Mine is out for delivery today. I had trouble resisting. I also feel the shades are similar to other Tarte palettes with neutral and brown shades.

  • Lori

    I think that the shades look lovely on you, Muse! I believe you’re right about many similar shades from Tarte lately, though. I feel like I could grab any one of about 5 palettes from them right now and have a nearly identical look! Not sure if I will indulge in this or not…

    You’ll have to tell us what you’re wearing on your lips ~ that color and shine are a must have!!

  • Janessa

    As a total sucker for darn near all things Tarte (except the new round palette and the new long one with the 2 blushes and bronzer) I’m compelled to add this one to the collection, especially since QVC is offering it with a brush for the same price as the palette alone. Would you say the colors are too similar to the first “be your own Tarteist” shadow and blush palette from earlier this year?? Help me! haha! 🙂

    • Janessa

      I mean the palette from the autodelivery that came out earlier this year with the purple mosaic cover 🙂

    • Isabella Muse

      that’s actually a good deal and only three bucks to ship! No, not really! the shades are a bit different this is kinda a light dusky peach and the Tarteist Palette has more of a deeper, warmer dusky peach. I’m sorry I suck at descriping shades hope that made some sense? but yeah, the shades are different! But The Tartetist palette does have shades that are similar to the ones in Energy Noire for sure and both create really the same looks! https://www.musingsofamuse.com/2015/02/tarte-tarteist-amazonian-clay-eye-cheek-palette-review-swatches.html if you see my swatches here and compare them to my swatches in this post you’ll see the similarities easily 🙂 Sorry for not comparing them in the post! 🙁

      • Janessa

        I actually had both posts up side by side earlier! Great minds, Muse! I have green eyes, so Tarte hooks me with their plum/purple/taupey palettes every time.

        • Isabella Muse

          haha 🙂 Sorry I don’t do the dupe thing in my posts! I never have time 🙁 but glad you at least looked at them side by side 🙂 They look great on brown eyes too! But sadly my eyes are dry and finely lined so I can’t always pull them off boooo!

  • Lori

    Ooooh, thanks ~ I know I have a tube or two of Korres lip gloss, but I have no idea what shade. I’ll have to do a search this evening!

    • Isabella Muse

      I love them! They were such a great gloss 😀 Hopefully you have this shade!

  • diane

    wow those shades are pretty! I want this but I also agree, shades look similar to past tarte palettes and i’m still not working so I have to hold off. They are so flattering on you!

    • Isabella Muse

      I thought so too but a little too similar to past palettes 🙁 aw thanks chica! sorry for the delayed reply, been crazy swamped and behind on comments!

  • Genevieve

    I think this is a cool toned palette and YAY to Tarte for delivering one. The colours are certainly appealing to those who don’t have many Tarte eye shadows. I think I agree with you Isabella, I am not sure that these are your colours – they do look a little muddy/dark for you. Although your eye look was lovely.

    • Isabella Muse

      aw thanks chica! Yeah, I just can’t really pull these shades off well!

  • Susan K.

    I use various Tarte products on a semi-regular basis. I really like their primer and those lip crayon things. But I have never purchased one of their palettes. But I might have to get this one. Kinda strange name, though. Dark energy? Weird. Muse, I enjoy your posts, but could you occasionally recruit a older pale friend or relative to model some of these products? Just wondering. Thanks.

  • Rowena

    I think the highlighter meant highlighter for the browbone; I use it mostly for that. I tend to use the darker colours as a liner and they worked just fine. I guess my having missed getting the Rainforest palette justified me getting this one 😀 I spose if you don’t have most of their palettes (like me..I still think of the Rainforest palette) this one is a good starter palette.