The Tarte Treasure Chest (US$52) is my first holiday purchase. When it first launched on Sephora.com, I was amazed that Tarte doubled the number of eyeshadows (compared to the past two holiday palettes) and yet kept the price the same. No doubt that this is one of the best bargains to be had this holiday season!
The lid is a padded metallic silver with an array of festive ornaments sewn on.
Here's the Treasure Chest compared to the previous two holiday palettes. You can see how hefty the Treasure Chest is!
The flap is magnetised, just lift it up to get access to the various layers. The mirror under the lid makes this even more convenient. There's a removable plastic sheet covering each eyeshadow tray.
The four powder blushes in shimmery baby pink, rose pink with intense silver shimmer, coral with gold shimmer and medium red with gold shimmer.
The face highlighter is a very sweet pale pinkish white that gives a very soft pearlescent glowy finish.
The 16 lip colors feature a good diverse mix of creamy glosses (with no shimmer) and shimmer-packed shades in various tones of pink, red, and plum.
And the highlight: the 16 shimmery eyeshadows. I wasn't expecting very vibrant shades as the past two holiday palettes have featured many pastels and neutrals with just a few bright/smokey shades thrown in. But when I lifted the lid of the Treasure Chest, it literally took my breath away. I was immensely delighted to find a very colorful and interesting mix of shades, that are quite different from the previous palettes. My instant favourites are the shimmery rich chocolate, smokey olive, cranberry, dark wine, dark emerald and midnight blue. The photo on Sephora does this palette no justice at all. The shades are much more vibrant and gorgeous in real life.
The mattes are more boring in comparison, but still feature a good mix of shades that I can see myself playing around with.
And here's a side-by-side comparison of the eyeshadow and lip colors in Treasure Chest with those from the 2007 (extreme left) and 2008 palettes (middle).
I haven't tested the palette yet as I'm still admiring it in its perfect pristine condition but from what I can tell, the quality and textures look very similar to the previous two palettes. If you don't have a lot of makeup, this palette will be very nifty to have as you can create countless looks with it. I have no idea how long it would take to use up a palette of this size but it's probably safe to say that even if you use it daily, it can probably last you well until next Christmas and beyond. The lip tray does get messy once you start using it, which is why many people dislike having lip and eye colors in one palette but if you handle it with care, it should be manageable.
The palette is made in China and contains no preservatives, parabens, petro-chemicals, phthalates, sulfates, GMOs or triclosans, gluten, talc, glycols, MEA/DEA/TEA. It also has an mark showing a shelf life of 12 months.
The lid is a padded metallic silver with an array of festive ornaments sewn on.
Here's the Treasure Chest compared to the previous two holiday palettes. You can see how hefty the Treasure Chest is!
The flap is magnetised, just lift it up to get access to the various layers. The mirror under the lid makes this even more convenient. There's a removable plastic sheet covering each eyeshadow tray.
The four powder blushes in shimmery baby pink, rose pink with intense silver shimmer, coral with gold shimmer and medium red with gold shimmer.
The face highlighter is a very sweet pale pinkish white that gives a very soft pearlescent glowy finish.
The 16 lip colors feature a good diverse mix of creamy glosses (with no shimmer) and shimmer-packed shades in various tones of pink, red, and plum.
And the highlight: the 16 shimmery eyeshadows. I wasn't expecting very vibrant shades as the past two holiday palettes have featured many pastels and neutrals with just a few bright/smokey shades thrown in. But when I lifted the lid of the Treasure Chest, it literally took my breath away. I was immensely delighted to find a very colorful and interesting mix of shades, that are quite different from the previous palettes. My instant favourites are the shimmery rich chocolate, smokey olive, cranberry, dark wine, dark emerald and midnight blue. The photo on Sephora does this palette no justice at all. The shades are much more vibrant and gorgeous in real life.
The mattes are more boring in comparison, but still feature a good mix of shades that I can see myself playing around with.
And here's a side-by-side comparison of the eyeshadow and lip colors in Treasure Chest with those from the 2007 (extreme left) and 2008 palettes (middle).
I haven't tested the palette yet as I'm still admiring it in its perfect pristine condition but from what I can tell, the quality and textures look very similar to the previous two palettes. If you don't have a lot of makeup, this palette will be very nifty to have as you can create countless looks with it. I have no idea how long it would take to use up a palette of this size but it's probably safe to say that even if you use it daily, it can probably last you well until next Christmas and beyond. The lip tray does get messy once you start using it, which is why many people dislike having lip and eye colors in one palette but if you handle it with care, it should be manageable.
The palette is made in China and contains no preservatives, parabens, petro-chemicals, phthalates, sulfates, GMOs or triclosans, gluten, talc, glycols, MEA/DEA/TEA. It also has an mark showing a shelf life of 12 months.
18 comments:
wow, I'm never going to be able to use this up, but I think I'm going to have to buy it! It looks gorgeous and usable.
oh my gosh, you 're the first blogger to blog about the treasure chest, i absolutely adore it!!
btw i love your blog!
Hi Nonnon,
I'm not the first, this blogger already posted a detailed review with swatches last week! Do check it out!
http://duhastmakeup.blogspot.com/2009/09/tarte-treasure-chest-palette.html
Hi kuri,
I know I'd never use it up too , i've used probably less than 10% of the previous two holiday palettes but this was just too good a deal to pass up.
32 shades of eyeshadows??? Wow!! Wow!! It is really gorgeous! And 16 shades of lippies....For the price, I'd say it's so worth it. Even though I may have more than enough makeups to last me another 3 Christmases, at least, (or more?) but it's really very tempting...
Thank God, Sephora is not so within easy reach for me.
hi haru, very nice indeed! i especially love the cover of the palette, the jewels are so bling bling! =)
wow! that treasure chest really does look amazing xD
I don't fancy these sorts of palettes as you won't be able to use it up by the shelf life. As for glosses, I tend to re-apply it quite often while I'm out. I can't be toting around a huge palette like this. However, it's X'mas time & I guess if you do not own much makeup, you can get this as a present for yourself.
hello Haru
it's so too good to pass it up. when i was in USA last christmas, they have the Sephora, Smashbox holiday palettes like Tarte, iirc, about 40 USD with 32 colors, very affordable. however i hold my horse, it's made in china. when i was reading midway of your Tarte holiday post i sort of think it's made in china too for it's affordable price.
but seriously, will it affect your usage knowing it's made in china? not being bias or anything but i believe china manufactured is often the lower considered item.
PS where u get it from, dear?
thanks,
hi pinky,
A friend in the US helped me to order it from Sephora and she mailed it to me.
The Tarte palette is made in China. While I would prefer that it be made in the US for greater peace of mind (not slamming made-in-China products here but just that the numerous product safety scandals in China would give anyone reason to pause), my experience with Tarte's palettes is that they are of good quality. The eyeshadows are very soft with good color payoff. And so far, I think Tarte has had no complaints about its products made in China causing adverse reactions.
no way a normal person can use all that in 12 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ugh why don't they have it in sg ): can't wait for sephora to bring more brands in
hi dear,
do you know in Japan can I find primavista(by sofina) cosmetics?
Hi,
I think Primavista is sold in Japanese drugstores and it should be quite easily available at all major drugstore chains like Matsumoto Kiyoshi. Or you can try the Sofina counters in department stores.
Thank you for your reply. :)
Thank you so much for such a detailed review (in words and pictures!). I know it took some time to do and I appreciate the fact that you took the time to do this. It's a beautiful holiday palette...dare I say much more desirable than the Mac one. Gasp! Is this blasphemy?! Oh well! Thanks so much!!!
I just bought this today. I can't wait to get it now. Soooo pretty!!!!!
hi!
could you tell me the dimensions, please? thanks... I wanna know how big it is.
Hi,
It is about 5.5 inches long and wide and just over 2 inches in height.
I just bought this today!!! At sephora.com with 20% off! I tested it in the store and looooved it am so excited for it to come in the mail!! :)
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