Tarte Rainforest of the Sea radiance drops liquid highlighter review, swatches & TMO

Tarte's newly released extension of the Rainforest of the Sea line is their radiance drops liquid highlighter. My review of the Rainforest of the Sea foundation is here. I've been on a no buy (aspiring, in reality is a low buy / replacement only buy) but I have lots of unused Sephora points. I saw this as a 100 point perk and wanted to try it out!

If you're here for a TMO (talk me out of it!), just skim on down to the TMO header!

The Basics

• Dropper style packaging - see the pooling right under the dropper and the residue smeared onto my hand from my fingers to behind my rings? Don't travel with this and be careful with the bottom of the dropper when you pull it out of the bottle. 
• Super super runny liquid
• Only available in one shade, a clear liquid base with gold
• Pieces of shimmer not metallic sheen or natural pearl 
• You MUST shake this aggressively, the clear base will somewhat come out of suspension with the shimmer particles 
• $30 for 1 ounce / 30 mL

Swatches

See that swatch dripping down the sides of my hand? I had about .002 seconds to take a photo before it dripped off onto my vanity...

Based on the internet and the packaging, I was expecting a pearly beige shade, but surprise, it's GOLD! In indirect light it looks almost like a cooler yellow gold, but in direct sun the gold flecks are very brassy/warm. On my cool toned skin, it looks bizarre in direct sun.

Let's compare it to a few other highlights I have.

Before & after: Tarte rainforest of the sea foundation in porcelain - pale dry skin review & swatches

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea is supposed to be a 12 hour lightweight, water based, full coverage formula with SPF 15. When the new lightest shade Porcelain came out, I was excited to give it a try. I usually try to get foundation samples at Sephora because my skin is sensitive and acne prone, but the dropper format is unhygenic for getting samples.

After trying it for the past few weeks, it is definitely a lightweight fluid, but I don't think it is full coverage. I would rate it a light-medium coverage - building serious coverage would require quite a few layers. I get light coverage with one dropper and medium with three. I could see someone using up 5-6 droppers full of foundation to get maximum possible coverage with this one. The dropper system gets messy, so I wouldn't advise traveling with this.

Swatches

5 natural shades of pink makeup for Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day! In the spirit of the holiday, I have 5 shades of pink makeup to share. Many people are hesitant about pink makeup - no one wants to look like they have pink eye and sometimes bright pink shades can look immature and juvenile on a grown ass adult. The shades I have chosen are each pretty pinks, but are wearable shades for real life.

As a Valentine's bonus, do your makeup with pink brushes! No one will know but you, but I think it's fun. I love the Real Techniques Multi Tasking brush for blush, bronzer, and powder and the Setting Brush for an all over eyelid wash of color and highlight.

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara - review & lash demo

I adore trying new mascaras, especially free samples that come with online orders. I got a sample of Urban Decay's new Perversion mascara from Sephora awhile back and I have used it for almost three months. Perversion mascara is an extension of Urban Decay's Perversion line that contains pencil, liquid, and gel eyeliner. Apparently Urban Decay needed a break from milking all possible dollars from their Naked line, so they picked another faux scandalous product name to milk. True to the original Perversion eyeliner pencil, this mascara only comes in one shade - advertised as a true dark black.

Perversion mascara retails for $22 for 12ml / .4oz of product. An Urban Decay Perversion mini mascara is also Ulta's free birthday gift for July, August, and September 2015, so if you have a summer birthday you are in luck!

Spotted at Ulta: new releases & first impressions

I love browsing beauty counters and stores just to see what's new. I went to Ulta a few days ago and saw quite a few new spring releases, particularly palettes. I couldn't resist taking some pictures on my phone to show you - a few of these surprised me and a few slipped right through my radar. Unedited phone quality pictures and impulsive first impressions ahead!

Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot O'Blushes comparison swatches

As promised in my review of the Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot O'Blushes holiday blush palette (here), I now have comparison swatches to share. Before purchasing this palette, I didn't own any Benefit powders. This limited edition palette includes Dandelion, Bella Bamba, Sugarbomb, Hoola, Coralista, and Rockateur, plus a mini cream Watts Up highlighter.

Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot palette swatches

From left to right, Benefit Dandelion, Bella Bamba, Sugarbomb, Hoola, Coralista, Rockateur

Keep reading for comparison swatches to other products in my collection. All swatches in this post were done with my finger on bare, unprimed skin.