Christmas is coming, breakout the holiday gift sets! Today I’m discussing the Tarte Pretty Paintbox Makeup Case from their Holiday 2016 collection. It’s a Sephora exclusive and features A LOT of makeup.
First thing I can say about the Tarte Pretty Paintbox makeup case, it’s cry proof. That is a whole new category I’m saddened to now pay attention to. But, in the midst of such a difficult week I have been testing out this Holiday 2016 palette and discovered that it holds up very nicely, even among my tears.
It’s been difficult. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that I personally have been called horrific names this week and witnessed hateful remarks being thrown at people of color, different religions and sexuality. Usually I would refrain from ever repeating or calling attention to those hateful remarks here on Dream in Lace, but I don’t want to sweep them under the rug. No, we can’t silently ignore intolerance and cruelty. We can’t passively allow it to continue. So many of my lovely readers are millennial women like me and I know this is a very sad and difficult time for you as well. While I don’t want to wallow in it, I want you to know that I too am hurting and if I could reach out from behind my laptop and give you a massive hug right now I would. I too am deeply saddened by who a large part of American society is and fear for the direction we are going.
While last week was incredibly difficult, I did come home to this beautiful palette from Tarte and it’s been somewhat of a light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Of course, it seems silly to talk about makeup right now…but Tarte as a brand represents two things I love: beauty (in all colors, sizes and backgrounds) and a cruelty-free world. Their commitment to vegan and cruelty-free products that are of no harm to animals is the future I believe in for companies. It’s a good thing to give Tarte credit where it’s due.
Tarte’s overall goodness aside, today’s we’re reviewing one of their Holiday 2016 releases: the Pretty Paintbox Collector’s Makeup Case. I like how they use the word ‘case’ there, because it is in fact a case…FILLED to the brim with makeup goodies.
Make no mistake, the Tarte Pretty Paintbox Makeup Case is certainly a WHOPPER of a holiday gift! Inside you will find Amazonian Clay goodness, including a blush, highlighter, two bronzers and 24 eyeshadows. In addition, Tarte’s included a full-sized Rainforest of the Sea liquid eyeliner, a deluxe Tartiest Lash Paint mascara and a deluxe Tartiest Glossy Paint in the shade Obvi.
Key thing to keep in mind: the Pretty Paintbox makeup case is exclusive to Sephora. So, if you’re browsing TarteCosmetics.com or other retailers that sell Tarte on the hunt for this, remember it’s only at Sephora. Of course, there is a stunning Ulta exclusive palette from Tarte that is mighty tempting… If I pick that up, I’ll definitely review that for you here as well for comparison.
As for the Pretty Paintbox case, there is A LOT to see and discuss. Let’s walk through it step-by-step:
Tucked inside the Tarte Pretty Paintbox are a full-sized liquid eyeliner and deluxe samples of mascara and lip gloss. Tarte also included a mirror, but the positioning of it would be quite awkward when applying makeup, no? While a nice gesture, I don’t see myself getting much use out of it. As for the beauty bits though…
Tartiest Lash Paint Mascara (Deluxe Sample):
I wrote a full review on this mascara earlier in the year, (here). It’s a nice mascara and I immediately stashed the deluxe sample away in my purse. It’s terrific at layering, even on top of dried coats of mascara, and will be handy when creating day-to-night looks on the fly. I always travel with a sample-sized mascara in my purse and I’m thrilled to now have one of the Tartiest mascara.
Tarte Rainforest of the Sea So Fine Eyeliner (Full Sized):
After hearing much about the foundation and palettes, I’m surprised that I didn’t even realize the Rainforest of the Sea collection featured an eyeliner. This is a jet black liquid liner that has a very fine point, perfect for creating thin or thicker lines to open your eyes. If you see me on a day-to-day basis you know I wear a lot of liquid eyeliner and I’m mighty impressed by this one.
Tartiest Glossy Lip Paint in Obvi (Deluxe Sample):
Lip gloss isn’t my usual style, but for the sake of this review I gave Tarte’s warm nude a try. It’s soft and very comfortable on the lips, but predictably not that long lasting. As someone who drinks water nearly nonstop throughout the day, it doesn’t quite serve my needs but for a gloss…it is a nice one.
Before we get deep into the eyeshadows, I wanted to share my thoughts on the cheek products. Included in the Tarte Pretty Paintbox makeup case are four face powders: a blush, highlighter and two bronzers. I give them all two thumbs up, but here’s a breakdown of my thoughts:
‘Moment’ Blush ‘Moment’:
Tarte’s Amazonian Clay blushes are among my favorites and I’m happy to add another to my collection. The dusty rose Exposed is easily my most used blush of the last two years. Moment is a coral pink shade that will skintones across the board. From light to dark, I think this will look really beautiful on the complexion to rosy up your cheeks for the holiday season!
‘Authentic’ Highlighter:
I’ve seen mixed reviews from others on this highlight, but I actually really like it. It’s not a blinding highlight, but rather gives a soft radiant glow to the skin. That’s more my style. Of course, you can certainly build it up to give a more dramatic look to your cheek bones if you like, but I prefer the more natural and romantic glow. For a comparison, it reminds me of the Strobe Lighting powders from Hourglass.
‘Unique’ Bronzer:
The palette includes two bronzers, Unique being the warmer of the two. It’s threaded with specks of shimmer, ruling it out as a contour shade but making it great to create some sparkle on your face through the holiday season. It will also be beautiful in the warmer months of the year with a tan.
‘Provocative’ Bronzer:
I’m in LOVE with this bronzer! It’s a deep matte brown and can be used traditionally to add some color to your complexion or as a contour shade. Honestly, it’s such a beautiful bronzer that I am keeping my fingers crossed Tarte releases it as a single.
One thing I will say straight off the bat about the Tarte Amazonian Clay eyeshadows: they are a dryer formula than other shadows you might be used to from say Lorac. That said, they hold quite a bit of pigment and last well on the eyes, with a primer of course.
The Tarte Pretty Paintbox makeup case features 24 shades, including neutrals, pinks, statement shades and of course a vivid matte black and deep brown. As a purple and navy fan, I was really excited they included deep matte shades of those as well. That’s something you don’t often see in eyeshadow palettes.
How Even is the Pigmentation of the Eyeshadows?
Browsing others’ reviews of the Pretty Paintbox case, the biggest question I saw was about the consistency of the eyeshadows.
When you’re looking at the palette head-on, I would say the shades Fresco, Porcelain Doll and Pastel did not swatch as nicely as the other shades in the palette. I was going to write those off completely, but then I found that after swatching off the top layer of product, the shadow beneath was much more consistent with the other shades in the palette. Not sure exactly what that means, but if you have the opportunity to look at this palette in Sephora I would pay close attention to that if they are shades you anticipate using a lot.
Beyond that, I think the quality of the shadows is strong and on-par with what I have seen in other Tarte products. To give you a better idea of what to expect, here are some swatches of the shadow for you:
I know, I know…this post is getting pretty lengthy! Here are some final thoughts of mine on the Tarte Pretty Paintbox makeup case:
Value of the Tarte Pretty Paintbox Makeup Case for the Price?
A HUGE pro of this palette: the value for the price. You get a full-sized eyeliner, a blush, highlighter, two bronzers, 24 Amazonian Clay eyeshadows, a deluxe mascara and lip gloss…all for $59. For reference, the liner itself is $22. Tarte says the overall value of the palette is $418 and I don’t think they’re exaggerating. You are receiving A LOT of product for the price…and great product at that.
Who is this palette ideal for?
If you are a fan and collector of Tarte Cosmetics already, I would say this is definitely a nice palette to add to your collection. I also the case is a wonderful introduction to the brand if you are interested in learning more about what Tarte has to offer. The case provides a nice overview of their face products (which are FANTASTIC), their mascaras and of course the eyeshadows.
How do you see yourself using this palette?
Personally, I see myself reaching for this on a near daily basis. On the days I might skip over the eyeshadow, I’ll be reaching for the bronzers. On days I skip the face products, I see myself reaching for the eyeshadows. I also think the Pretty Paintbox makeup case is PERFECT for travel. The compartment that holds the Tartiest Lash Paint mascara and liner can hold even more product, such as your foundation and concealer – making the case essentially your one-stop-shop while traveling.
What are the Biggest Pros of the Pretty Paintbox Case?
You are getting A LOT of product for the price. $59 for everything is a virtual steal. Huge pro there! The face products are all beautiful. The eyeshadows have a great variety of shades and the eyeliner is lovely. I also love how compact the packaging is.
Are there any cons of this palette?
I do wish there was a divider between the eyeshadows and the face products. While I haven’t noticed an issue yet, I think it would be nice to separate them in case of any fallout. Also, to me the whites and nudes are very similar. I wish they had just one of each and added another color option in their place. Teal would be great!
Thank you, thank you for taking the time to read this long post! I feel like I’ve been rambling on for ages about this palette – and yet it seems like there is much more I could say. Please, if you have any questions at all that I did not cover, jot them down in the comments and I’ll happily reply.
As well, I want to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. In making your holiday beauty purchases, it is important to choose the companies and brands that best represent our beliefs. While we don’t have a president and elected officials that do, we can use our dollars as our vote. Truly! Let’s be responsible and educated consumers, loves.
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Tarte Pretty Paintbox Makeup Case (Sephora Exclusive)
As always, stay stylish and keep chasing your dreams!
XOXO
Kelly
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