February 24-March 2 I used the Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Volume II & Tarte Tartelette Tease palettes. The main reason I grabbed for the Tease was because the two matte shades in the Rainforest palette needed a little help blending out and adding a few more colors to get me through the full week.

The Tease mini palette was one of my early purchases after really getting into makeup. I liked the idea of trying out brands’ formulas in mini palettes, so I grabbed this and the two mini Smashbox palettes one day. Oddly enough, I haven’t purchased another Tarte or Smashbox eye palette since, but I do really enjoy the formula of the Tarte shadows. These six shades do great just on their own to make plenty of beautiful looks.

As for the Rainforest of the Sea palette, I am still on the fence about this one. I was given this palette a few months ago and hadn’t reached for it much. I like the shimmers in it, but I felt they applied best over a shadow stick. The mattes leave something to be desired, in my opinion. I prefer much more powdery formulas in general for my mattes, and these are very creamy. If you’re trying to make these mattes work to their best ability, I recommend using a brush with more coarse bristles.

Looking back at the looks I created from these palettes, I’m overall happy and a little surprised. I think both of these palettes may be ones where you first look at them and think that they’re not enough, but they have some hidden gems – especially when they’re combined together – that make for some really special looks. Of the two, I would most recommend the Tartelette Tease because of all the times I’ve used it, I’ve always been happy with the looks.

What palettes do you like to use together? What are your tricks to make eyeshadows work better for you?

– Natalie

P.S. Here’s some referral links to some of my favorite sites. Use if you’d like!

• Ebates – This is a great way to earn cash back from online shopping (that you’re already doing) at many of your favorite stores! (Including Sephora & Ulta!) If you join through this link and make a purchase of $25 or more, you’ll get an extra $10 cash back and I’ll get $15, as well as your own referral code.
• thredUP – I love using thredUP to clean out my closet and shop for new pieces at a discounted price – sometimes they’re even brand new with tags! When you join thredUP through this link, you get $10 to spend and I get $10 to shop after you place your first order.
• StitchFix – This is a great way to try out some new items for your closet, without the hassle of going to the stores and the bonus of a personal stylist. If you sign up with this link, you’ll get a FREE styling fee (usually $20) on your first Fix, and I’ll get $25 credit once it ships.