Tarte The Jewelry Box for Holiday 2010

Just when you think Tarte's sets can't get any better, Tarte introduces The Jewelry Box ($52). This is one of the most amazing value sets I've seen in a long time. You get the quality and good-for-you glamour for which Tarte is famous and so many color choices you'll be creating new looks for years.

This isn't one of those common, gigunda sets of questionable quality made for the holiday market and offered in mass market stores to delight every pre-teen with $20. I'm sure you see those everywhere. This is Tarte! It's one of my favorite cosmetics brands.

This mega-palette is packed with 32 new eye shadows, eight lip glosses, a mineral bronzer, a new shimmering powder, five deluxe long-wearing eyeliners, and a necklace. The gold-tone and black necklace is easily detachable from the jewelry box and wearable. It's cute! I think mine is going in a box I'm sending a fellow blogger. I hope she enjoys it.

The Jewelry Box is a veritable treasure trove packed with new and limited-edition products and shades, along with Tarte bestsellers, including as a full-sized Park Avenue Princess Mineral Powder Bronzer, the one that has left beauty bloggers raving this year.

This set contains these fabulous products.

• 16 full-sized shimmering eye shadows
• 16 full-sized matte eye shadows
• 8 dynamite lip glosses
• A full-sized Mineral Powder Bronzer in Park Ave Princess
• A full-sized highlighting powder in soft pink
• 5 long-wearing eyeliners

I took swatch photos of the 32 eye shadows, bronzer, and lip glosses for you. The first photo at right shows the shades in the top left pull-out compartment (see product photo above to understand the compartment layout). I swatched from left to right on each row, starting at the top and moving down the rows. Each shadow was applied with a sponge-tipped applicator, and my photos were taken in full sun. I have no idea why my arm looks very pale in some of the photos since they were taken at the same time of day. I am pale, but not ghastly so.

The range of shades is astounding. In this batch, my favorites are the top, icy neutral, the third rose gold, the true gold, and the bronze above it. Really, though, what's not to like about any of them? They are all gorgeous. This palette offers "something plus" for everyone. I especially like the greens.

At left, you'll see my photo of the shadows in the right pull-out compartment. Look at the range! These shimmering shadows are gorgeous. My personal favorites? First three, top to bottom, and the copper. Then there's another pretty green! This is love.

It's going to take a couple of photos to show you the full-shadow second level of this fold-out, pull-out palette. I swatched left to right on each row, top to bottom. The photos are at right and below at left. You can see that the shades range from very light to dramatic. This is eye shadow heaven. The greys and taupes are fabulous, and the special shades are amazing. I even like the plum - it's soft and wearable. You really have to see these colors in person to appreciate the amazing range, depth, and variability of color. This is a to-die-for set.

The shadows more than paid for the set. You can see the full middle level on my arm directly below. You can also see that my little round bruise is starting to heal.

There are two more levels of beauty! The middle level, a pull-out drawer, houses the Park Ave Princess Bronzer (acclaimed by everyone who has tried it) and a pale pink highlighting powder. The bronzer is shown on my arm at right. The highlighter is hard to see on my arm in a photo. You'll have to trust that it's very pretty and will light up your face.

The photo at right shows the bronzer above four of the lip glosses, swatched left to right on the rows, top to bottom. Every single shade of gloss is gorgeous. I couldn't believe it when the palette arrived. I loved every shade of gloss. There are no throw-away's in this palette!

The photo at left shows the second set of lip glosses - a little closer up. Aren't they beautiful? Think about the price of this set, and then consider the gorgeous range of shades. I'm gushing, I know, but this is a must-have set - and I haven't finished.

The bottom pull-out drawer provides five glam mini-eyeliners in every shade you'll need to coordinate with your eye shadows. I didn't measure them, but I'd say they are about three inches long. They will whet your appetite for the full-sized Long-Wearing Natural Eyeliners from Tarte.

The Jewelery Box is an extraordinary set. It's hard to believe how much $52 buys, and when you consider that all of Tarte's makeup is packed with skinvigorating ingredients, the Jewelry Box becomes this season's must-have makeup palette buy. Seriously - order it! How often do I tell you you must order something? I'll go out on a limb for this set. Tarte sent me this one (yes, I am a very lucky blogger). I love it so much, I have ordered a second from Sephora. It will be a Christmas gift for a very nice friend.

The limited-edition Jewelry Box is exclusive to Sephora. You can purchase The Jewelry Box at Sephora, where Friends & Family continues for a few more days. Use code FF2010 for a 20% discount. That's a $10.40 savings, making The Jewelry Box a steal.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora