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Hello, everyone! I hope you are doing well today!
Since I realized halfway through April that I never did a March Favorites post, I’ve decided to combine the two months for today’s favorites extravaganza. To be honest, I’ve really been loving the same products for a few months now, so it works out perfectly. Here is what I am currently obsessed with.

The Tarte Make Believe in Yourself Eye & Cheek PaletteTarte Make Believe in Yourself Eye & Cheek Palette, which I swatched here is the most amazing little unicorn palette. I normally dislike jewel tones, but these are richly pigmented and incredibly easy to work with.

Two items from MAC that I’ve been loving are the new Next to Nothing Face Colour and the  In Extreme Dimension Mascara from the Work it Out Collection. The Next to Nothing Face Colour is a super sheer base that applies easily with both brush and sponge. I love that it is light but still somehow offers enough coverage to be used without any other foundation. I am also a huge fan of colored mascaras so the In Extreme Dimension mascaras from the Work it Out collection are my jam. Be sure to check out Well-Toned and Gym Dandy.

Going back to unicorn amazingness, can we talk about the Laura Geller Diamond Dust Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator? It’s basically heaven. It is officially my favorite iridescent highlighter and that’s saying a lot because I own approximately eight. Get yours at the Laura Geller website (where they also offer free shipping for orders over $50!) Get yours at the Laura Geller website (where they also offer free shipping for orders over $50!)

Lastly, I’ve been carrying around the new Dior Addict Lacquer StickDior Addict Lacquer Stick. This formula is creamy, but lasts longer than other shiny, creamy, comfortable lipsticks. My favorite everyday shade is “Underground,” a mauve-y nude. However, I also enjoy Sassy, Turn Me Dior, and Gamer for some brighter options.

As always, I want to hear about your monthly favorites. Tell me in the comments or link to them!

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Hello, class, and please accept my apologies for my lengthy absence.  I would like to make it up to you today with some absolutely stunning swatches. I mean, the swatches are stunning because of the amazing product… not because my swatches are particularly good or anything. Anyway, we are talking about the new Tarte Make Believe in Yourself Eye & Cheek Palette. This palette is a part of Tarte’s new unicorn-inspired collection, which also includes a lovely highlighter and other goodies.

The Make Believe in Yourself Eye & Cheek Palette contains one matte shadow, nine shimmer shadows, and one highlighter. The shades range from warm copper to pearly blue. I happen to think this is one of the most consistently awesome palettes in terms of pigmentation and color payoff. So, if you like what you see, get shopping ASAP, because this palette is limited edition! Also, the packaging is really cute.

I swatched the palette over a lightly primed arm. In my experience, shimmery shadows do best with a primer underneath.

Hopefully those photos gave you a good idea of the richness of the shades in the Tarte Make Believe in Yourself Eye & Cheek Palette. I find that all of the shades perform well on the lid. The highlighter shade is not my favorite to use as an actual cheek highlight as I find it emphasizes texture, but I do like it beneath the brow bone and in the inner corner.

Here is a photo of one of the more unicorn-y looks I did with this palette:

I find that, with primer, the shadows can potentially last all day without any terrible creasing.

The Tarte Make Believe in Yourself Eye & Cheek Palette is available for a limited time at Ulta and on the Tarte website.

Shop Tarte:

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[may contain affiliate links] This week I put two concealers to the test. Both are recent releases and certainly have quite a bit of hype around them. As you may remember, I have always struggled to find concealers/correctors that brighten my undereye area without emphasizing the natural creases. So, I thought it might be fun to do a head-to-head showdown of two products!

The Products

Tarte Double Duty Beauty Shape Tape Contour Concealer claims (via Ulta):

Sculpt and highlight as you mask imperfections with this 2-in-1 full coverage concealer. The hydrating, longwearing formula delivers natural, radiant coverage across all skin types so you can instantly brighten and cover acne, dark circles and redness while softening the look of pores and fine lines. Wear it 1-2 shades lighter or darker, and it works as a creamy highlighter or contouring stick with a lightweight, blendable formula and tapered wand applicator ideal for precise strobing and sculpting. Powered by Amazonian clay and conditioning mango seed and shea butters, the nutrient-rich concealer helps promote skin elasticity and illumination with each crease-free application.

Too Faced Born This Way Naturally Radiant Concealer claims (via Sephora):

Born This Way Naturally Radiant Concealer banishes the appearance of dark circles and imperfections while it blurs the look of lines and wrinkles. It’s infused with skin care benefits, including coconut water to replenish moisture levels, Alpine rose to brighten and boost radiance, and hyaluronic acid for a smoother, more youthful look. Creamy and comfortable, a proprietary blend of color correctors create the look of flawless skin. The result: a complexion that appears naturally radiant when applied over or under foundation—even when worn alone.

The Test

To compare the Tarte Shape Tape and Too Faced Born This Way, I applied each beneath one eye. Below you will see my eye area after foundation but prior to any concealer:

You’ll notice that I naturally have slight discoloration in this area, as well as some very deep creases. For the sake of this experiment, I did not use any additional corrector (like one with peach tones to combat the discoloration).

I applied the Too Faced to my left eye (which will appear on the right below) and the Tarte to my other eye. I used the lightest shade available in each, and it is interesting to note that the “Very Fair” Born This Way is by far darker than the “Fair” Shape Tape.

Tarte Shape Tape, left Too Faced Born This Way, right

I did set both sides very lightly with the RCMA No Color Powder. Below is immediately after finishing my makeup.

You probably notice that the Tarte side is visibly lighter. Since the product was lighter, this makes sense! The Instagram response was an overwhelming preference for the Too Faced side, which many said was more natural looking.

I kept my makeup on for most of the day, and took a photograph again after about seven hours of wear:

I do apologize for the lighting difference, but I think you can still see that both concealers gave about the same performance.

Conclusions

In terms of application, I prefer the Tarte Shape Tape. The thicker formula is somehow easier to blend and offers slightly better coverage. However, in terms of longevity, both the Tarte Shape Tape and Too Faced Born This Way concealers offer very similar performance. Both sank slightly into my creases, but not to the extent that previous concealers have. Since this experiment, I’ve even played around with combining these two products for a better color match and amazing coverage.

Have to pick just one? First, consider the color range. If you are very fair you will need to go with Tarte. Prefer a smaller wand? Too Faced it is. Like a thicker formula? Tarte. So, you can see it will really come down to personal preference.

Do you have either of these products? Let us know how you like them in the comments!

Concealer favorites:

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