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Sneak Peek: Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette Photos & Swatches

Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette
Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette

Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette ($59.00 for 1.41 oz.) includes thirty eyeshadows, three cheek products, and a travel-sized mascara housed in a medium-large-sized zippered case with sequins on the exterior lid. There is a smaller palette that pops out that contains the three cheek products and six eyeshadows, which is simple cardboard packaging and when removed, reveals the mirror inside. The case is relatively heavy, so the mirror never stays open at an angle, which limits some of its functionality (without propping it up against a wall or the like). Full review to come!

For those keeping track of value…

It’s harder to assess value with a brand like Tarte, as the majority of their eyeshadow releases are in palettes. That being said, I looked at three ways to calculate total value of the eyeshadows: 1) their current and permanent Tartelette palette, which brings the price per ounce to $69.18, 2) the price per ounce of their eyeshadow refills, which brings price per ounce to $83.33, and 3) the price per ounce of their Amazonian Clay Eyeshadow Quads, which brings price per ounce to $110.00. As far as I can tell, they don’t sell their highlighters as standalone products, so I went with the price per ounce of their blush formula. Tarte sets are large and almost always around the $50-ish range, and they are a good value, but I’m not sure what price per ounce they’re using to get to $394 value. As a consumer, given that Tarte mostly releases in palettes, the “value” is softer since you’re almost always getting more for your money than if you bought singles (which aren’t really available from Tarte). There is certainly some value associated with the dual-ended, travel-sized brush and the case itself, but the two aren’t $200+ in value either.

  • Amazonian Clay Eyeshadow | 30 x 0.024 oz. or 0.72 oz. in total = $49.81 (using Tartelette palette PPO) or $60.00 (using eyeshadow refill PPO) or $79.20 (using Amazonian Clay Eyeshadow Quad PPO)
  • Amazonian Clay Blush | 1 x 0.20 oz. = $28.00
  • Amazonian Clay Bronzer | 1 x 0.20 oz. = $18.75
  • Amazonian Clay Highlighter | 1 x 0.155 oz. = $21.70
  • Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara | 1 x 0.13 oz. = $10.00
  • Total Value: $128.26 to $157.65

See more photos & swatches!

Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette
Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette

Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette
Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette

Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette
Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette

Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette
Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette

Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette
Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette

Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette
Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette

Tarte Social Butterfly Bronzer
Tarte Social Butterfly Bronzer

Tarte Social Butterfly Bronzer
Tarte Social Butterfly Bronzer

Tarte Amazed Blush
Tarte Amazed Blush

Tarte Amazed Blush
Tarte Amazed Blush

Tarte Pink Champagne Highlighter
Tarte Pink Champagne Highlighter

Tarte Pink Champagne Highlighter
Tarte Pink Champagne Highlighter

Tarte Popcorn Strand Eyeshadow
Tarte Popcorn Strand Eyeshadow

Tarte Popcorn Strand Eyeshadow
Tarte Popcorn Strand Eyeshadow

Tarte Wrapped Up Eyeshadow
Tarte Wrapped Up Eyeshadow

Tarte Wrapped Up Eyeshadow
Tarte Wrapped Up Eyeshadow

Tarte Dancer & Prancer Eyeshadow
Tarte Dancer & Prancer Eyeshadow

Tarte Dancer & Prancer Eyeshadow
Tarte Dancer & Prancer Eyeshadow

Tarte Shining Star Eyeshadow
Tarte Shining Star Eyeshadow

Tarte Shining Star Eyeshadow
Tarte Shining Star Eyeshadow

Tarte Yule Be Surprised Eyeshadow
Tarte Yule Be Surprised Eyeshadow

Tarte Yule Be Surprised Eyeshadow
Tarte Yule Be Surprised Eyeshadow

Tarte Mulberry & Bright Eyeshadow
Tarte Mulberry & Bright Eyeshadow

Tarte Mulberry & Bright Eyeshadow
Tarte Mulberry & Bright Eyeshadow

Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette
Tarte Light of the Party Makeup Palette

Tarte Sugar Cookie Eyeshadow
Tarte Sugar Cookie Eyeshadow

Tarte Sugar Cookie Eyeshadow
Tarte Sugar Cookie Eyeshadow

Tarte In a Flurry Eyeshadow
Tarte In a Flurry Eyeshadow

Tarte In a Flurry Eyeshadow
Tarte In a Flurry Eyeshadow

Tarte Fizz the Season Eyeshadow
Tarte Fizz the Season Eyeshadow

Tarte Fizz the Season Eyeshadow
Tarte Fizz the Season Eyeshadow

Tarte It's Snow Time Eyeshadow
Tarte It’s Snow Time Eyeshadow

Tarte It's Snow Time Eyeshadow
Tarte It’s Snow Time Eyeshadow

Tarte Eggnog Eyeshadow
Tarte Eggnog Eyeshadow

Tarte Eggnog Eyeshadow
Tarte Eggnog Eyeshadow

Tarte What a Wonderful Pearl Eyeshadow
Tarte What a Wonderful Pearl Eyeshadow

Tarte What a Wonderful Pearl Eyeshadow
Tarte What a Wonderful Pearl Eyeshadow

Tarte Miracle of Light Eyeshadow
Tarte Miracle of Light Eyeshadow

Tarte Miracle of Light Eyeshadow
Tarte Miracle of Light Eyeshadow

Tarte Rum Pum Plum Eyeshadow
Tarte Rum Pum Plum Eyeshadow

Tarte Rum Pum Plum Eyeshadow
Tarte Rum Pum Plum Eyeshadow

Tarte Tartetini Eyeshadow
Tarte Tartetini Eyeshadow

Tarte Tartetini Eyeshadow
Tarte Tartetini Eyeshadow

Tarte Baby It's Gold Outside Eyeshadow
Tarte Baby It’s Gold Outside Eyeshadow

Tarte Baby It's Gold Outside Eyeshadow
Tarte Baby It’s Gold Outside Eyeshadow

Tarte Peach on Earth Eyeshadow
Tarte Peach on Earth Eyeshadow

Tarte Peach on Earth Eyeshadow
Tarte Peach on Earth Eyeshadow

Tarte Come What Grey Eyeshadow
Tarte Come What Grey Eyeshadow

Tarte Come What Grey Eyeshadow
Tarte Come What Grey Eyeshadow

Tarte Under the Mistle-taupe Eyeshadow
Tarte Under the Mistle-taupe Eyeshadow

Tarte Under the Mistle-taupe Eyeshadow
Tarte Under the Mistle-taupe Eyeshadow

Tarte Ring-a-ling Eyeshadow
Tarte Ring-a-ling Eyeshadow

Tarte Ring-a-ling Eyeshadow
Tarte Ring-a-ling Eyeshadow

Tarte Fireside Chat Eyeshadow
Tarte Fireside Chat Eyeshadow

Tarte Fireside Chat Eyeshadow
Tarte Fireside Chat Eyeshadow

Tarte Party Favored Eyeshadow
Tarte Party Favored Eyeshadow

Tarte Party Favored Eyeshadow
Tarte Party Favored Eyeshadow

Tarte Gingerbread Mansion Eyeshadow
Tarte Gingerbread Mansion Eyeshadow

Tarte Gingerbread Mansion Eyeshadow
Tarte Gingerbread Mansion Eyeshadow

Tarte Chrome for the Holidays Eyeshadow
Tarte Chrome for the Holidays Eyeshadow

Tarte Chrome for the Holidays Eyeshadow
Tarte Chrome for the Holidays Eyeshadow

Tarte Sleigh Watch Eyeshadow
Tarte Sleigh Watch Eyeshadow

Tarte Sleigh Watch Eyeshadow
Tarte Sleigh Watch Eyeshadow

Tarte Mulled Wine Eyeshadow
Tarte Mulled Wine Eyeshadow

Tarte Mulled Wine Eyeshadow
Tarte Mulled Wine Eyeshadow

Tarte Cocoa What Fun Eyeshadow
Tarte Cocoa What Fun Eyeshadow

Tarte Cocoa What Fun Eyeshadow
Tarte Cocoa What Fun Eyeshadow

Tarte Black Velvet Eyeshadow
Tarte Black Velvet Eyeshadow

Tarte Black Velvet Eyeshadow
Tarte Black Velvet Eyeshadow

Tarte Haute Chocolate Eyeshadow
Tarte Haute Chocolate Eyeshadow

Tarte Haute Chocolate Eyeshadow
Tarte Haute Chocolate Eyeshadow

Tarte Midnight Kiss Eyeshadow
Tarte Midnight Kiss Eyeshadow

Tarte Midnight Kiss Eyeshadow
Tarte Midnight Kiss Eyeshadow

46 Comments

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Comments on this post are closed.
Katherine T. Avatar

Skip for me. The packaging looks very bulky, and the sequined cover looks hideous. The colors all look wearable, but very boring –these are the same old colors we’ve seen in every Tarte palette for last few years. Where are the blues, greens, purples? Some of the swatches also look like duds, those could’ve been thrown out to shrink the palette

Kelly Avatar

I agree with the color choices……nothing extravagant or something that we have never seen before. But the package is actually quite stunning! No, it is not travel-friendly, but I think that if a holiday palette comes out, it should be unique and eye-catching! Tarte is known for their subdued colors which are meant to be colors universal to all skin tones. I immediately purchased this, and I was very pleased. No worries! The season seems to have come early this year. I have no doubt that one of the name brands will come out with something that totally blows you away!

Mariella Avatar

So many colours that are awfully similar to one another (2 black, one a patchy looking blue-black and the other a dreadfully patchy looking black) and what is the difference between Under the Mistle-Taupe and Ringaling? Swatched heavily, they look very similar (I can see that Ringaling is a bit lighter and more pink) but applied, I would think there wouldn’t be much difference.

Sabrina S Avatar

I bought this, then returned it the day after it arrived. I can’t believe some of the reviews I’m reading on Sephoras site!!! People actually LOVE this and think the shadows are buttery, uh… No, if you think that, you have never felt Tom Ford, Viseart, Makeup Forever, etc. The top two rows were just awful and chalky, and the only row I actually liked was the third one. The mini palette within the kit was alright, but wasn’t amazing enough to keep the whole kit. Bad move Tarte, bad move…

Aline Avatar

I’ve noticed with certain brands that they get rave reviews at first and then the “real” reviews start coming in. I think they get their employees to write the initial reviews, IMO. Living Proof is guilty of this and I always wait a few weeks before buying their products. They do it on Makeup Alley too.

I have one of their palettes from a couple of Christmases ago and almost never use it. I find their shadows to look muddy when I try to blend them.

Kimberly Avatar

This! I really want to love eyeshadows from Tarte, but they just don’t look good on me! I think they lean very cool and just look all muddy when blended out! Man, I’d had high hopes for this, but womp womp womp! Oh well!

jaz Avatar

People tend to give good reviews before they even have the product in their hands. I noticed it for both of the Urban decay palettes and for the Kvd palette. I think it is odd. Like how and why are you reviewing a product that you don’t even have!!

Rachel R. Avatar

I think the packaging is really ugly. WTF?! It looks like a Navajo blanket design done in cheap sequins. (Which is a huge disservice to beautiful Navajo blankets.) Or maybe it’s supposed to be an Ikat design? Either way…the horribly large, cheap sequins ruin it.

I already have these kinds of shades from them, and probably better quality. I thought last year’s holiday collection from Tarte was much better. I bought a good bit of that one.

* Clutching my Tartelette matte palette to my chest. “My preciousssss….” *

Nancy T Avatar

Um, NO. Definitely not for me. Many shades either look patchy or too similar to one another and quite a many of the shimmery shades have a rather weak level of shimmer, more like a drugstore level, and even then a DS brand like Nyx blows these away.

Trina Avatar

I really like the design on the travel case. I’m so undecided on what to do because the set they just released for ulta looks really nice as well. I wish they would just put out one holiday palette for everybody because it’s too hard to choose. but who am I kidding I’m probably going to end up buying both lol. also ulta has the four individual mini blush set out and a different lip set. actually ulta released a lot of new stuff today for bare minerals, Laura Geller, becca, and tarte. I guess the holidays have officially begun at least in the makeup world.

Debbie Avatar

Omg can you have any more Browns in a palette???? I actually think the packaging is kinda cute, but too bulky. Last few years the Sephora ones were super thin. Best one was Xmas 2013….had pretty blues, silvers, pinks, greens, purples, etc. so far I have been very good this season and have passed on a lot of holiday stuff because it’s frankly super disappointing! I went crazy last year but trying to hold back this year. Thanks for the review and swatches Christine! (Did order the Mi Vida Loca palette though….)

Lisa G Avatar

For several years in a row (and because of rave reviews on some sites) I bought Tarte’s holiday and non-holiday palettes, only to be massively disappointed. So, I’ve learned my lesson that this just isn’t a brand for me. Plus, some of the swatches on this one look pathetic. I want to love Tarte…but I don’t love these swatches.

Jill Avatar

It looks nice from the outside but the swatches indicate less than stellar quality. In fact, because it’s such a huge set and there seem to be so many misses, it reminds me of dollar store xmas sets. Not great, tarte 🙁

Ella Avatar

I bought this and actually quite liked mine, granted, the mattes were a bit disappointing, but performed pretty well with a primer and base. That being said, the packaging is pretty garish, so I might try to depot them. The travel palette is very lovely though.

xamyx Avatar

I’m *guessing* they’re basing the “value” of the products based on what the retail price of the single eyeshadow pans they used to sell, which was around the $8-10 mark…

Is it just me, or does anyone else notice a glaring similarity between the bronzer in this set & Park Avenue Princess?

Packaging & quality aside, this is a skip. All the shades are just renamed from past sets/palettes. There must be an entire warehouse filled with eyeshadow pans that get pulled at random, placed in a palette, and the creative team goes to work coming up with punny names… I don’t mind the specific shades, or “lack of color”, as that is the brands premise, but once you have a couple of palettes, you don’t need another…

Veronica Avatar

For the number of shades available, you’d think there would be more variety. Too many warm hues and overlap for me, though at least it looks to be of decent quality.

Jackie Avatar

Why did Tarte decide to do away with adding a variety of colors to their palettes? Palette after palette seems to be filled with nothing but neutral browns and plummy shades…and do we really need a whole row of highlighter shades? I wish Tarte had come out with something different for the holidays…I miss their more colorful palettes from a few years back. 🙁

Hannah Avatar

I fell asleep looking at these swatches!! But thanks for all the work you do in calculating the price per ounce, it’s really helpful for those of us on a budget!

Luba Avatar

I don’t know you guys. I actually like this palette, I think it’s a great deal for what it is sells, there’s a big selection of similar hues allowing one to create great dimension, the packing is fancy. YES to the sequins, as I might not wear a sequined dress or a clutch but why not have them on top of your vanity? And no, Tarte is not available in my country so I am just whining for a forbidden fruit. <3

Kelly Avatar

I agree…I’m not sure about the quality but as far as the shades go I thought it was a very soft, pretty, romantic collection of colours. I have too many dupes to justify buying it, but I can see how someone would want all those shades together in one place.

Rachel R. Avatar

For me, it’s not that the colors are ugly, but the quality of the shadows aren’t up to par with Tarte’s usual. I love Tarte as a brand, and they can do better than this. Last year, I bought the big sets, and the shadows were amazing quality. This year’s colors are very similar, but the quality is not there. I don’t need them. If someone else needs and loves them, that makes me happy.

I suppose some of us do sound a bit whiny, when lots of countries don’t get the brands we have access to. I really hope that changes.

MissJae1908 Avatar

I sooo wanted to get this palette, but there are too many misses for me. I’m especially disappointed in Peach on Earth. I was looking forward to that shade.

Jen Avatar

Who cares about the packaging! I care about the eyeshadow quality. I don’t buy tarte eyeshadows because of the chalky quality. I have to practically stab my mac brush in it to get color several times. Is it like the lorac eyeshadows? If yes i am in!

Angelica Avatar

Wow, totally disappointed.
Clearly, this palette is meant for lighter skin tones, as mine could definitely not pull it off.
And why so many light pinks?
Skip skip skip

@MakeupbyMekaxo Avatar

I was so excited for this until I read these comments.. thankgod I came here ??. I still may try it just for the brush, blushes and highlight to complete my Tarte Collection and I like the fact it looks like I can put my bible in it lol. I LOVED the Tartelette palette so its honestly refreshing to see some shimmer. And as far as colors, for palettes like these I don’t expect a ton of color I’ll leave that to Urban Decay etc..

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