Beauty Talk: Tarte's Showstopper Palette

I've never been the kind of person to brave the crowds on Black Friday, but I did make one purchase this year during the pre-Black Friday cyber sales: I picked up the Tarte Showstopper Palette from Ulta. I'd had my eye on it ever since Kate @ The Small Things Blog used it in a day-to-night tutorial; it seemed like the perfect one-and-done palette, so when it became available for $24 instead of the usual $40, I snatched it up like the last yeast roll at Thanksgiving dinner.

The first thing that struck me when I opened it up was the packaging: it's round. It has a huge mirror - I can (and have) applied an entire face of makeup using it - and those elements set it apart from most of the palettes I've seen recently.

The product that really sold me on this palette was the blush - I've heard nothing but good things about Tarte's Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blushes, and this peach shade (Fame) is a color I naturally gravitate toward. Sold individually, their blushes are $28, so that alone makes this palette worth the price of admission, but that's not all that I love about this collection. 

It has an appealing combination of colors, and I found each of them wearable on the day to day, even as someone who shies away from shimmery shades. My favorite eyeshadow shades are You're a Natural (camel brown) and Rose to the Top (rose gold), but I've also gotten quite a bit of use out of Steel the Scene (steel taupe). Dim the Lights (black brown) is the most versatile, as it can double as a liner - I have very little patience for eyeliner and have used eye shadow as liner for years!

Shadow shades, from left to right:
Showstopper Copper, Go for the Gold, You're a Natural, Steel the Scene, Rose to the Top, Dim the Lights

The dark horse of this palette was definitely the bronzer - it seemed unassuming and a little warm for my liking, but after giving it a shot I quickly realized why Park Ave Princess is such a cult favorite - it's beautiful, natural, and warms up the face without looking muddy. I was most disappointed by the Champagne Pink highlighter, which didn't do much for my fair complexion. The best results I've found occur when I use it as an inner corner or brow bone highlight. I'm sure, however, that it would work beautifully on those with deeper skin tones. 

In fact, this palette is designed to be pretty versatile - each of the products are buildable and would flatter a variety of skin tones. The quality, pigmentation, and lasting power of this palette is on par with my other experiences with the Tarte brand - that is to say, it's fantastic. I've raved about their Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara before, and while I've also tried and loved some of their other products, this was my first time using anything from their Amazonian Clay collection, and I'm already ready to go back for more.