I have a serious weakness for neutrals. It’s what I reach for on a daily basis, and what I think looks best on me. So, when Tarte released the Clay Play Face Shaping Palette, I had a really hard time resisting. I knew I didn’t need it, but I knew I’d actually use it. Interested in seeing swatches? Then keep on reading!
Retailing for $46, this easy-to-wear palette features 9 creamy matte eyeshadows, and 3 matte bronzer/contour shades. You can purchase it everywhere Tarte is sold, including Sephora, ULTA, and of course tartecosmetics.com. Tarte claims you can use every single shade as an eyeshadow, or for contouring any part of the face, such as the eyes, nose, and cheeks.
CLAY PLAY EYESHADOWS
Although they are all technically eyeshadows, I separated the little shades from the larger (more obvious) cheek shades. Because, who’s really going to use one of the smaller shades for bronzing. I mean, you can, but it would be pretty hard to get a cheek brush into it – am I right?! 😛
If you’re looking for creamy, highly pigmented eyeshadows, these will not disappoint. Every single shade is a breeze to blend, and apply so smoothly you’ll wonder why you ever struggled with other formulas. The lighter blending shades, like Sand and Solstice, are surprisingly pigmented and easy to build. The darker crease shades like Smoke and Ember are also phenomenal, and blend without skipping or blotching.
Tarte states that you can use any of these shadows for the brows, or for precise contouring of the nose and eyes. Again, I doubt anyone would use the smaller shades for their cheeks, but I suppose you can try. For my complexion, I’d reach for dunes to contour and smoke (mixed with onyx) for my brows!
CLAY PLAY BRONZER/CONTOUR SHADES
The three cheek shades are no exception formula wise. They blend easily, are highly pigmented, and aren’t at all chalky or dry. The first shade, Terracota, is really the only one I can get away with on an everyday basis. It’s warm, and not too dark. Desert is a little cooler, but can be too intense if I’m not careful. Timber is definitely too dark for me, but I do love that they thought of all skin tones and added a deeper bronzer.
The issue I had with the cheek shades, was the wear time. Although their Amazonian Clay formula is promised to be long wearing (and their blushes truly are), these faded away in half a day. I’ll give Tarte the benefit of the doubt, since the Carolina humidity has made it feel like triple digits most days. So, once the heat dies down, I’ll give these another go. But, if you’re living in sweltering summer temperatures, these aren’t the greatest for longevity.
SWATCHES
I swatched the palette with the three eyeshadows first, then the bronzer underneath. So, there are three sets. Each shade was a joy to swatch, which didn’t surprise me considering their formula is always superb.
JOURNEY, STONE, SOLSTICE & TERRACOTTA
DUNES, SMOKE, SAND & DESERT
EMBER, ONYX, INSTINCT & TIMBER
SAND, JOURNEY, STONE, SMOKE & ONYX ON LIDS
WORTH THE BUY?
It depends on the size of your collection. If you already own their Tartelette palettes, I suggest skipping this. The shadows blend just as beautifully, and they can easily be duped (plus they are matte as well). But, if you want an everyday palette that’s easy to wear, and you don’t mind that they aren’t the most adventurous or creative shades, then I say go for it. I’ll actually use this palette, because I love me some neutrals, and the formula really is phenomenal!
I’ll have all the details about this look on Friday, so stay tuned! In the meantime, let me know what you think of this palette. Will you be buying it? I’d love to know!
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