first impressions: tarte rainforest after dark palette

Hey guys!

I wanted to get this review up and running for you as soon as I could because who doesn't love Tarte Limited Edition palettes? Considering this has been out for about a month maybe already, I'm not sure how much longer it will be available due to it being part of the Fall collection. I literally waited for two weeks before I touched this palette. As this is a first impression (which is a little harder to do over a blog than on a video), I really wanted to swatch these and get my thoughts down straight away so that it could be a true first impression!

I can imagine the one question that is on all of my Aussie beauties lips right now - Bek, Tarte is 't readily available in Australia.. Or its some outrageous price, do you really want to dangle this in front us and drain us of valuable funds? Well, never fear my lovely readers - stayed tuned to the end to find out where you can find this at a reasonable price AUSTRALIA BASED! 

So back to the palette. I didn't take a photo of the outside packaging (girl was way too excited to swatch these bad boys, so forgive me), but due to it being called the Rainforest After Dark Palette, it is a deep brown colour, and has a tree-like (like wood) pattern. It is also adorned with a gorgeous gold snake with a purple jewel on its forehead. Its really simple and glamourous packaging honestly, I'm super impressed and love how it looks!

Now to the actual contents of the palette. Its focused on more neutral eyeshadow shades, with some taupe-y purples as well. I love how it also includes a highlight and bronzer, as well as a limited edition blush! As Tarte are really known for how long lasting and pigmented their Amazonian Clay Blushes are (which are something like $30US a pop), its so great that they included what looks to be an almost full sized blush in this palette. The other great benefit about this palette is that because you can do your cheeks and eyes with it, it makes for a great travel palette to maximise space in your luggage!

In terms of the pigmentation of the shades, I will say that there seems to be a slight white film on my palette. I'm not sure if it's just mine, or if all Tarte palettes come with this, but it is a bit misleading on how pigmented the shadows actually are. Once you swatch past this, the majority of the shades have great pigmentation! They're all super buttery and blendable, and the shades all work together as well. You have your transition shades, your lid shades, your outer corner shades - there isn't an actual matte highlight colour, but the highlight shade itself can come in handy for your brow bone and inner corner. 

Here are come swatchy swatches for you:

Champagne,  Enchanted & Park Ave Princess

Bare to Explore, Make a Mauve, Plum Away With Me, Up to No Gold, Tan-Gled Up in You & Don't Turn A-Brown

As you can see from the swatches, the light colours will need to be built up a little more to have better pigmentation, but the rest go on super smoothly and are pretty pigmented from the get go. I love this palette so much, and although we're going into Spring here in Australia, I can see how easily this would work for Fall or Autumn. The shades are just perfect, being almost vampy but neutral at the same time. This is limited edition, so if you are interested I highly recommend getting your hands on it ASAP!

Now for the exciting part - I have discovered a website that is AUSTRALIAN BASED and stock brand such as Tarte, Lorac, Urban Decay, Sigma and Nars at super affordable prices and free shipping over $99! The website is www.myqty.com, and if you are a follower on my Instagram page, you may remember that I recently did a Sigma F80 Copper Brush Giveaway with them. I highly recommend this website to you guys - its genuine, and who doesn't want access to all these brands without paying an arm and a leg? BTW QUICK DISCLAIMER - I am NOT sponsored in anyway shape or form with MYQTY. I just love that this is available to you and I, and of course I want to share that with you guys.

I've also got a small discount code available for you guys - use the code 'beautybybek' to recieve 10% off brands such as Sigma, Real Techniques, Coastal Scents and Bdellium Tools (exclusions apply)! Head there now and treat yo' self!

You can find the Tarte Rainforest After Dark Palette here on their website for $54.95AU. It is sold out at the moment but will hopefully be restocked by the end of the month!

Until next time my loves..

xxxx

review: too faced natural eye palette

Hey guys!

It feels like forever since I have actually sat down to do a blog post for you guys! Usually, I do five posts a weeks Monday to Friday, but unfortunately due to university, work and internship commitments, I have little time to photograph and write posts which sucks because I do really miss it. But, until I have more time, I will be sticking to three posts a week - Monday, Wednesday and Friday! This is just because I would rather give you guys three great posts rather than five mediocre ones. Of course, I am nearly always available on my social media networks, which are always linked below at the end of my posts :)

So todays post will be a review on one of my all time favourite palettes. Some of you will know from my earlier posts that I am generally a neutral eye girl - I don't think I wear eyeshadow enough to warrant having one with crazy colours! This is, alongside of my Urban Decay Naked 1, my most used palette. It is just simply perfect for everyday, and is appropriately packaged for travelling as well!

Read on to see swatches and my thoughts on the shades!

I won't lie - I adore all things Too Faced. They are 100% one of my all time favourite brands, and I think they are reasonably priced for a high end brand. They are great quality, and you also get a decent amount of product considering the price you pay. This palette is no different!

Like the majority of their other palettes, it comes with these three cards that give you different ideas for an eye look incorporating the palette. These are great, especially if you are a beginner and are not sure what colours should go with which. 

The shades themselves!

How beautiful do they look.. So gorgeous, you can tell its a neutral eye palette but it also has a little bit of a twist with the shimmery pinks and gold. It's a mix of mattes and shimmers, with the palette focusing on the shimmers this time. The majority of them are opaque and pigmented, but I have to say I was disapointed in one particular shade with how it applied. But aside from that, I am impressed and nearly all shades apply like butter!

And here are the swatches!

First column:

Heaven: A matte white highlight shade. This does take a couple of swipes to build up the colour

Silk Teddy: A shimmery light pink, another highlight colour. Very subtle!

Nude Beach: Seems to be a light pink with pink and silver glitters. I'm a bit disappointed in this shade, as it really only swatches glitter and it fallout goes everywhere!

Middle column:

Velvet Revolver: A very cool toned matte brown, so cool that it's almost grey - a great transition shade

Push Up: A dusty pink shimmery shade

Honey Pot: A gold shimmery shade. This shade and Push Up go on like butter!

Last column:

Sexpresso: A dark cool toned matte brown shade

Erotica: A dark brown shade with gold shimmers

Cocoa Puff: A warmer brown shade with subtle shimmers

I've said it before and I'll say it again - how freakin' amazing is Too Faced! If you are just beginning your makeup journey, this would be your perfect palette. Yes it costs a little more, but its easy to travel with (it's virtually unbreakable), plus it has no scary shades and can be used everyday.

I'm not 100% sure if this version of the palette is still readily available - Too Faced actually re-released this palette this year, and replaced Nude Beach, Velvet Revolver and Cocoa Puff with new different shades. The new shades are still pretty much identical to the ones in this palette though, so I'm not sure of the reasoning behind changing them.

Unfortunately, I can't find it online at the usual Australian stockists (it's temporarily unavailable), and I assume that's because this new version will soon be arriving and taking its place. You can find Too Faced cosmetics here at this website www.kitcosmetics.com.au , and they should hopefully have this palette in stock soon. Their palettes usually range from $50-60AU.

Have you tried this palette? What are your thoughts?

Until next time...

xxxx

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