When You Look at The Bright Side, Tarte’s New Double-Ended Eye Brightener Has Some Pretty Good Ingredients

Tarte had a bright idea when they thought they’d combine two powder shadows on the same brightener, but is the total package worth the time it takes to use? I hope so! — because I can always use the help when it comes my dark circles.

When I heard about Tarte’s new twin-tipped eye brightener, I thought, heck, let’s look at The Bright Side ($20). 🙂

The Bright Side has a powder shadow on each end — a shimmery champagne called Day on one and a shimmery pink called Night on the other.

To open up and brighten the eyes, Tarte recommends applying Day at the outer corners and under the brow. Then, to really make the eyes pop, they suggest applying Night at the inner corners.

My expectations may have been set a little too high when I gave The Bright Side a try. I mean, the name — The Bright Side? That’s a setup right there. 🙂 I had high hopes, but the product’s not as easy as I hoped it would be to use.

Day / Night: Ingredients

Shimmering Pink: Mica, C12-15 Alkyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Triethylhexanoin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Myristyl Lactate, Ceresin, Silica, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Methicone, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Carbonate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hexylene Glycol, Propolis Extract, Kaolin, Carmine (CI 75470), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491).

Shimmering Champagne: Mica, C-12-15 Alkyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Triethylhexanoin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Myristyl Lactate, Ceresin, Silica, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Methicone, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Carbonate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hexylene Glycol, Propolis Extract, Kaolin, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891).

The sponge tip applicators at both ends apply each shadow unevenly, so I have to spend a few extra minutes patting and blending them in, which wouldn’t be a bother if I didn’t also have to apply about four layers to see the colors on my NC 42 skin (lighter lovelies should be able to get away with one or two).

The brightening effect itself is super subtle, which I like, but for me, The Bright Side still seems like a lot of work for very little improvement. I love the name and like the idea, and perhaps if Tarte increased the amount of pigment and improved the applicators to help them apply the powders more evenly, I’d upgrade my point of view.

PRICE: $20
AVAILABILITY: Available now at Sephora stores and also online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B-

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen