FOTD: tarte eyeshadow palette (be a mermaid & make waves)

Tarte is a brand that has always been there but has never been my main focus. Despite the fact that beauty bloggers and YouTube gurus from around the globe continued to rave about Tarte products....I never really got the hype. Sure, their blushes were fabulous, but so what? Was that enough to make it a must-have brand? Not in my mind. Then the Be a Mermaid & Make Waves palette happened. Needless to say, my eyes have been opened. Each eyeshadow shade in the set is creamy, pigmented, easy to blend, and effortlessly fabulous. Could it be the start of a new love affair? Time will tell, but in the meantime, here is a closer look at Tarte's mermaid inspired palette and the very first look I created with it.

Thoughts on the Eyeshadow Palette

Before starting in on my face of the day, I wanted to take a moment to discuss the eyeshadow palette itself. As I mentioned in my recent mall haul blog post, the packaging immediately grabbed my attention. A mermaid themed palette? Yes, please! It comes in a blue and green holographic shell-shaped palette with fourteen shades inside. There are a handful of mattes, a holographic shadow, and lots and lots of pearl and shimmer finishes. Though most of the colours themselves are neutrals (browns, golds, and warm rust-tones), there are some unexpected pops with a navy blue and sea foam green, just to mix things up! I love the variety, how easy these are to wear, and the gorgeous texture.

Getting Ready and #FOTD

I was getting ready to meet a couple of friends downtown. Since it was a Friday night, and I had just finished a long shift at work, there wasn't a lot of time to get ready before beginning my commute. That meant that my hair and outfit had to be pretty simple. I opted for a high ponytail with lots of volume and waves (my go-to when my hair is grown out and is overdue for a cut) and a green sweater from the Lauren Conrad collection. My jewellery was simple but made me feel fabulous: a pair of small black studs and a jade necklace for luck, prosperity, and harmony.

As for the makeup? This was my chance to play around with this new Tarte palette. Since most of the shades are neutrals, I knew that this would be a fool-proof palette that could be used quickly and still create a bold and beautiful makeup look. Ultimately, I used Shipwreck (a deep matte shade) to define the crease, Frose (a soft brown shade) on the inner part of the eyelid, and Beach Please (a rust shade) mixed with Cavern (a deep shimmery brown) on the outer portion of the eyelid. Then it was a dash of Lagoon (that navy blue) above the crease and Salt Water (a glittery champagne shade) on the inner corner and underneath the brow bone. Add on some liquid eyeliner, a warm blush, and a neutral lip, and the end result was something polished, pretty, and easy to create.

It wound up being a really fun night out - and I had a blast putting this Tarte Be a Mermaid & Make Waves palette to the test. Thankfully, the eyeshadow shades were just as beautiful as the packaging led me to believe. I cannot wait to keep using it and see what other types of looks there are to create. (That holographic eyeshadow has my name written all over it.) Until then, I am having fun looking back at this bold neutral look and remembering the wonderful time I spent with friends.

What do you think of this FOTD? Have you tried this Tarte palette?