Face of the Day (FOTD) and Product Reviews: Tarte Ready-to-Wear/Pret-a-Porter Palette, Part II – Paris Mon Amour

Bonjour! Today is part three of our Tarte Fall 2007 reviews, so we travel to Paris via Tarte’s Prêt-a-Porter Palette, a dual personality palette with shadows, cream blushes, and lipsticks for two different smoky eye looks. The other day we took a look at the green smoky eye from the I Love NY side, so today we’ll check out a gray/purple smoky eye from the Paris, Mon Amour side.

Oui, oui, grab your croissant

Product: Tarte’s Ready-to-Wear/ Prêt-a-Porter Palette — Paris, Mon Amour side
Use: to create a gray/purple smoky eye look, comes with coordinating blush and lipstick
Price: $44.00
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+!

I followed the instructions in the “How to Get the Look” booklet that comes with the palette, and used:

Tarte products:
– deep purple shadow from the upper lash line into the crease
– gray-purple over lid and up into crease
– pale pink on brow bone
– deep purple on lower lash line applied with wet eyeliner brush
– coral rose cream blush on cheeks
– burgundy rose lipstick on lips

This look also includes:
– two coats of L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black
– Laura Mercier Oil-Free Foundation, Translucent Powder and Secret Brightening Powder
– MAC Concrete in brows
– MAC Bare Canvas Paint as shadow base

What I liked about it

I lurves this smoky look. Usually I have a hard time with purples because I end up looking like a post-fight street thug, and when I started applying these shadows I initially thought it was not going to end well. There was purple, purple, everywhere and it was not a pretty sight. But after ditching the palette brushes and working quickly before the MAC Paint dried I ended up very pleased with the results.

Just for the hell of it on one eye I tried using the palettes’ small brushes (an eyeliner brush and shadow brush) to apply the shadows, which is what the booklet tells you to do, and let me tell ya it was so not crackin’. The shadows are sheer and the eyeliner brush is tiny so it took forever to apply it and to blend. It took forever to get the purple dark enough. The brush was fine for wetting and applying the purple shadow on the bottom lash line, though. And while the eye shadow brush was alright for applying color onto the brow bone it really wasn’t working in my crease because it was too big, so I ended up using my MAC 217 to get the gray-purple into the crease.

Sidenote: MAC lovers, I had a minor epiphany when doing the other eye. When working with MAC Paint it pays to apply shadows quickly before the paint dries. It makes blending easier.

The burgundy rose lipsticks also blend together well and have a slight sheen that’s very pretty. The coral rose cream blush has a little bit of sparkle to it but it’s subtle. I plan on pairing this with Nars Torrid, a coral blush with shimmer, in the future. I think it’s going to look crazy good.

What I didn’t like about it

Obvs there was the palette brush issue, but that’s minor if you own your own brushes. Another small point is the shadows are set close to the cream blush, so I have to be aware of which way I’m stroking my brush so I don’t get deep purple shadow all over blush.

The final word

This palette rocks. It has a few minor flaws: blah brushes, and no eye primer base to grab the shadows. Usually when I get palettes there’s one or two colors I can’t wear but everything in here works for me. You really do get a lot for your money in terms of usability. If you’re a makeup addict-in-training who already has a few basics brushes and a cream base or two then check it out, and get ready to explore the lovely world of green and purple smoky eyes.

Last night I went to dance class for the first time in a month and I’m hurting. My hip hop teacher, Jackie, busted out a song from a new R&B artist Ray Lavender, and it’s called “Donkey Kong.” HA HA HA! The lyrics are kind of lame – “she got that donkey kong bouncing in that blouse.” Um, what? Still, the beat is sick and I can’t stop dancing to it. The song hasn’t been officially released yet so there isn’t a video, but you can hear it via this youtube clip. I warn you though — once you hear it you won’t be able to get it out of your head.

Have a great day, and get some dancing in, even if it’s just in your kitchen while you’re making dinner.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen