The Fancy Face: 2014

Tartelette Amazonian clay matte Palette

An all matte palette with 12 exclusive eyeshadows inspired by real tartelettes just like you.

Product Performance: tarte is introducing an all matte eyeshadow palette featuring 12 never-before-seen shades to inspire, celebrate and empower real women to take on the day with confidence. The name says it all – this sleek, statement palette is all about the tartelette and features tarte’s signature Amazonian clay-infused, longwear eyeshadow in rich matte shades that are as beautifully diverse as the brand’s loyal fans:

free spirit (cream)
force of nature (nude)
dreamer (warm brown)
multi-tasker (chocolate)
caregiver (pale pink)
natural beauty (mauve)
best friend (mulberry)
bombshell (dark plum)
super mom (ivory)
wanderer (light brown)
power player (taupe)
fashionista (black)

Amazonian clay: nature’s most perfect ingredient for better, longer, truer wear
vitamin E: natural preservative that also acts as an anti-inflammatory emollient and antioxidant
mineral pigments: soothe and soften skin

Price: $44.00

Size: 1.50g / 0.053oz x 12 shadows

Launches January 2015 (Early access was offered through 11/21)

The tarte Tartelette Amazonian clay matte Palette will retail for $44.00 for 1.50g / 0.053oz x 12 (total 0.636 oz) of eyeshadows.

The eyeshadows are the same size as the typical small eyeshadows on the market - think MAC and Urban Decay single eyeshadows. That means your are paying approximately $3.66 per eyeshadow.

While neutrals are not new for tarte, this is their first venture into the all matte, all neutral theme. Similar palettes on the market are:

Stila Eyes Are the Window™ Shadow Palettes which retail for $49 for 0.051 oz x 12 of eyeshadows

Urban Decay Naked Palettes (1, 2 & 3) which retail for $54 for 0.05 oz x 12 of eyeshadows

Lorac Pro Palette which retails for $42 for 0.02 oz x 16 (total 0.32 oz) eyeshadows

It Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Palette which retails for $42 for 0.028 oz x 14 + 0.064 oz x 1 (total 0.456 oz) of eyeshadows

As you can see, even though the tarte Tartelette Amazonian clay matte Palette costs $2 more than the cheaper palettes, it stills boasts a better value with more product overall almost 50% more than Lorac and 30% more than It Cosmetics). Since this is a palette filled with neutrals and one you should get lots of use out of (versus a colorful palette) then the size of the eyeshadows plays a major part in the overall value.

The Tartelette Amazonian clay matte Palette comes in at a great price point in the saturated neutral palette market and has the product size (read value) to back it up!

The Tartelette Amazonian clay matte Palette will be available for purchase online at tarte cosmetics as well as online at Sephora and Ulta starting January 2015 for the Spring 2015 makeup season. You will also find these in store at most Sephora and Ulta locations near you once the palette is officially launched.

The palette was made available in limited quantities for 5 days through November 21 for tarte subscribers - which is how I got my hands on it! Of course anyone else will now have to wait for the official launch to grab it (or get it through slimey eBay scalpers).

The Tartelette Amazonian clay matte Palette comes packaged in a shiny gold and purple hard plastic palette with a snap-fit tab closure. The front of the palette is decorated in a brilliant purple with the Tartelette product name and tarte logo in gold lettering. Of course, although the shiny gold design is very pretty to look at initially, it is a magnet for fingerprints and smudges which in the end leave the palette looking dirty and grimey! Arrrghhhh.....when will we get scotch guard for makeup packaging?!

The lid features a full-sized mirror and is hinged so it stays locked (can't be moved) at a 120°angle position. This may be handy for those of you who like to use the mirror in a palette during your eyeshadow/makeup application and need the lid to in place.

I personally prefer a lid to lay flat and find the locked position a bit awkward for filming videos and taking photos. Of course this won't matter to the everyday consumer - but I thought I would mention that.

Inside the eyeshadows are embedded to the glossy gold slots which are highly reflective and the eyeshadow names are printed below each eyeshadow in purple text. This is a major change for tarte since typically they use transparent inserts with the names printed on instead of printed on the actual palettes themselves.

In this age of over-sharing and blogging/vlogging, the eyeshadow names are very handy when describing what you used in a look. Plus it's always great to put a name to an eyeshadow rather than a number or even worse - the dreaded blank.

The packaging is sleek and pretty and is definitely a step up from tarte's usual cardboard packaging and flimsy inserts. It is thin and easy to store which is a bonus! Also, it is sturdy and secure which makes it great for traveling and touting around in a makeup bag. The closure holds up to tousling and even the accidental fall from (my) clumsy hands.

"This sleek, statement palette is all about the tartelette and features tarte’s signature Amazonian clay-infused, longwear eyeshadow in rich matte shades that are as beautifully diverse as the brand’s loyal fans"

COLORS/SHADES

The Tartelette Amazonian clay matte Palette features 12 neutral shades organized in cool, warm and neutral tone categories - 3 rows of 4 shades in each category. The colors range from light, medium to darker hues.

It is the great assortment of neutral tones that will suit every skin tone and various looks. The eyeshadows can also be mixed to create the perfect shade to go with any look. The deeper shades are also versatile since you can use them for filling in eyebrows!

TEXTURE & FINISH

The eyeshadows in this palette are matte in finish with a smooth creamy finish. Typically matte eyeshadows have a powdery texture by virtue of being just that - matte. However, what I find key is how the powders bind together and blend on the skin. These eyeshadows applied evenly and smoothly without being patchy and creating too much fall out. They also blend very well with each other and other eyeshadows without losing their intensity - another issue with mattes.

PIGMENTATION
The Tartelette Amazonian clay matte Palette has great pigmentation and color payoff - even the lightest shades. It is very impressive to have great pigmentation with light shades especially with a matte finish. Again, they blend nicely without the need to keep building up color to get great color payoff.

APPLICATION & WEAR

The eyeshadows apply nicely and stay creamy without much fallout. There is some loose powder but it is minimal especially with an eyeshadow primer. I didn't see any fading of the colors through 8 hours of wear.

They blend evenly without getting patchy or blotchy and build color well. I found these really easy to work with - another typical matte failure - and they work well with other eyeshadows as well.

One thing to note is that these can tend to go a bit darker with moisture (oils in the skin, moist primers, etc) so I prefer to use them with a dry primer. But this also means you can apply these with a damp brush (I dampen my brush after picking up eyeshadow to avoid damaging the eyeshadow with water) and use them as an eyeliner.

The Tartelette Amazonian clay matte Palette is a great addition to the neutral eyeshadow palette market. In fact this is perhaps the best neutral palette to complement your collection. If you loves or neutral looks then this is a must have. These are amazing eyeshadows to use for highlighting, blending and adding depth to any look. You can also use these as liners and for your eyebrows. I recommend picking this up once it launches!

Grade: A

Did you pick this palette up? Are you Interested?