What I'm Not Buying: Tarte Rainforest of the Sea III

Tarte has released the latest in the Rainforest of the Sea palettes, Volume III. 

And I won't be buying. 

I'm not gonna lie—this palette actively makes me kind of angry. And I know that is so lame of me, because this is just makeup. 

You see, I have the Rainforest of the Sea Volume I palette:

I absolutely love the formula of the shimmer shades (not so much the matte), and it is definitely my favorite packaging of any palette I own. I was really hopeful when the first palette came out that Tarte was going to adopt this formula (shimmer) moving forward and was disappointed when they did not. 

My one complaint with the Volume 1 palette is that the colors are all so neutral. And it's not that I wanted a palette with screaming neons, but all the colors were just so similar to each other. I have light to medium skin with a warm olive undertone, and a lot of the shadows in the palette are almost too light on me, and so many of my looks were similar to each other:

(From my one week, one palette post on Volume 1)

When I heard they were going to serialize these palettes, I was pretty excited because I did like the formula (and packaging if we're being honest) so much. And with the theme of "Rainforest of the Sea," I was imaging how creative they could get with the color scheme. Maybe an entire coral-themed palette? (Seriously, how gorgeous would that be?)

But, no. 

Tarte, the brand that perpetually doesn't know who it wants to be, who is stuck literally between boring neutrals and unicorns, decided to make these palettes all variations on the same colors. 

Let's recap. There's Volume I:

Volume II:

And Volume 3:

I guess Volume 2 is slightly different, but Volume 1 and Volume 3 literally look like the same palette to me. In fact, while I've been writing this post, I've had to check to make sure I've put in the correct pictures of Volumes 1 and 3 because they are just so similar. 

What's even more lame of me is that the main reason I want this palette is for this:

YEP. The packaging. That's why I want this palette. Because I like the packaging. 

And had this palette not been practically the same as the one I already own, I probably could have justified that to myself. And I am not a person who buys or keeps products for the packaging, and I always advocate that buying something for the packaging alone isn't really a great reason to buy. 

My Volume I palette is interesting. In terms of the actual colors in the palette, how often I reach for it, and how the entire thing performs, I should have decluttered this palette a while ago. But I haven't, and it is the only item in my entire collection that I won't declutter because of sentimental reasons and because of the packaging. The packaging is so beautiful to me, and it reminds me of a vintage compact. I know the compact itself is something that I will love for years to come, long after the makeup inside expires. And because of this utter rarity for me in terms of loving packaging, I was almost able to justify buying the lovely packaging of Volume 3. 

But here's the thing. 

This palette costs $36, and that is honestly more than I would like to spend on a compact. 

Let's look at swatches. 

I read this review by Beauddiction where she compared Volume 1 and Volume 3:

(Photo: Beauddiction)

While there are differences between the two palettes, for me personally, that difference is far too subtle for me to spend the money, especially when the colors in the Volume 1 are already all so similar on me. I feel if I had both of these palettes, between the two of them, I would only be able to make two distinct looks. 

Finally, repetition aside, the color scheme of this palette is just utterly boring to me. Looking at the colors as just pigments:

I am again just bored. 

I feel like this palette could be good for someone who is brand new to makeup and wants a collection of neutral shimmer shades, but since there is only one matte shadow, it wouldn't be great as a standalone palette. 

This palette also looks so transparently geared toward light skin, which is always so disappointing. This is even more disappointing considering how similar it is to Volume 1, which was also transparently geared toward light skin. Tarte could have easily made Volume 3 something that would work on multiple skin tones, but instead, they chose to churn out a copy of the Volume 1. 

If you own any neutral palette, like Urban Decay Naked:

Stila In the Light:

Too Faced Chocolate Bar:

Too Faced Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar:

Or Wet N Wild Comfort Zone:

You already have all these colors. 

I've said it before, but I think Tarte is really blowing it with the color scheme of these palettes. With the theme of "Rainforest of the Sea," there are so many fun possibilities. But instead, it seems as though Tarte is interested in only exploring the theme of "sand." In that case, I don't know why they didn't just call this their Sand collection. 

There are so many palettes available and brands are pumping out new releases every few months to keep up with the insane demand consumers have generated. Keeping that in mind, a release that will only really work for incredibly light skin, looks like every other neutral palette, and looks nearly identical to a palette of theirs that is still for sale, is just not cutting it. I'm tired of brands selling me the same thing over and over, and this kind of release looks like they're not even trying to convince me they are selling me something different. The only reason for me to buy this palette is for the packaging, and that's not a good enough reason for me. So, I'm not going to buy it. 

What I'm Not Buying: Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Volume 2

Photo: Temptalia 

In keeping with Tarte's latest marketing practice to pump as many products out as possible, they have released yet another eyeshadow palette: Rainforest of the Sea Volume 2. 

And I won't be buying. 

I recently used the Rainforest of the Sea (I guess it's considered Volume 1 now?) in my one week, one palette project, and I remarked how those shadows were my favorite from Tarte. After first purchasing and using the Volume 1 palette, I remember saying that if Tarte ever came out with another palette in that same formula that I would buy it no matter what. 

It turns out I was wrong. And I'm happy for that. 

I shouldn't be shocked by the color selection of this palette. I mean, it's coming from Tarte, and Tarte is anything but unique and innovative, but I have to say that I am actually surprised that this palette is so neutral, so—frankly—boring, and so similar in color scheme to the Volume 1 palette:

Photo: Temptalia 

This is something that I really don't understand and also can't get behind. At least five shades from Volume 1 appear to be very similar to shades in Volume 2, which is pretty ridiculous. I think Tarte failed big time on this one. If you're going to make a volume 2 of a palette—even a neutral one—I think it should be markedly different from volume 1. Because (in theory) no one wants to buy the same palette twice. With a name and theme like "Rainforest of the Sea," Tarte could have really gone wild with creativity. They could have had an entire palette themed around water and seaweed with blues and greens. Or they could have taken advantage of the red/orange craze and created a palette that explored gorgeous hues of coral. The colors could have been inspired by sea creatures. Or anything, really, apart from yet another volume that explores... what? Sand? Sea glass? Even that would have been more interesting than this. 

And, let me be clear. I am not disappointed by the color scheme because I was hoping to buy the palette or had made up my own idea of what the palette would be. I'm disappointed because it feels like Tarte—and the cosmetics industry on the whole—believes it is acceptable to continually pump out the same products but market it to consumers as something new and different. And that's where we need to come in as smart shoppers and call them out on that bullshit. 

With the first palette, there seemed to be a disconnect between the theme, packaging, names of the shadows, and the actual colors. Sure, "sand," "seashell," "cove" and "abyss" work for a ridiculously light neutral palette, but names like "mermaid," "starfish," "reef," and "wave" make me think of anything but light shades of brown. The packaging also worked with the theme and was gorgeous:

Photo: Temptalia 

But it seems as though more thought went into making the packaging fit the theme than the actual shadows. And as I mentioned in my one week, one palette post about this palette, if there was ever a palette I would keep solely for the packaging, it would be this one. I find everything about it to be incredibly elegant, and I view this compact like a piece of artwork.

Despite what I perceive as a disconnect between theme and product, I purchased Volume 1 because I knew I would get use out of every shadow and I liked the formula. That remains true today, which is another reason why this palette won't be decluttered. 

Volume 2, however, doesn't get as much slack from me. On the most basic level, I'm not a huge fan of the packaging: 

Photo: Temptalia 

And I feel like the packaging is even more disappointing/disconnected because, again, the colors could have been inspired by hues of coral. Instead, the colors were inspired by the Urban Decay Naked palette and the packaging got all the attention. 

This palette also doesn't get much slack from me is because I've read that the quality is not quite as good as Volume 1. The formula is the same (or at least similar) and differs from the brand's Amazonian Clay formula, but the colors don't apply as nicely as they did in Volume 1. This tells me that a corner was cut somewhere, likely to save money, and the product suffered as a result. I'd like to note that I've read the quality is far from terrible, I just think it's worth noting that it is not as great as the original. 

A positive that I can give this palette is that it appears Volume 2 would work better (perhaps only slightly) on medium and deep skin tones. I've read that the color payoff is lighter than what appears in the pan (the same is true for Volume 1), so I'm not sure how well they would actually perform on darker skin tones. Nonetheless, I think it is positive that Tarte is moving in a more inclusive direction. 

Still, the color scheme of this palette remains a mystery to me. I can't understand why Tarte would go in what feels like a dated direction when reds and oranges are hot right now. And that's not to say that they should go in that direction; the market is already saturated with those colors. But it seems like going along with what's hot right now is Tarte's modus operandi. 

Instead, they presented a palette with the most basic neutral color scheme. 

It looks like Urban Decay Naked:

Naked Smoky:

Stila In the Light:

Lorac Pro:

Photo: Shameless Fripperies

NYX Smokey Eyes:

And most recently, Anastasia Beverly Hills Master Palette by Mario:

Photo: Temptalia 

What's tricky about this color scheme is that it is both classic and dated. It's classic in the sense that Naked, Stila in the Light, and Lorac Pro are staples in many people's collections and continue to be loved and celebrated. But it is also dated in the sense that the Naked palette has been around for six or seven years, and most people want to see product releases that present something new to the table. In the entire context of the cosmetics industry, I don't think Volume 2 presents anything new, but more than that, I don't think it presents anything new to Rainforest of the Sea. 

It's frustrating for me to see brands churn out product after product, especially when the products are limited edition, because it feels like little thought went into it. If a brand is expecting me to pay upwards of $40 or $50 on an item, I would at least like there to have been some thought and inspiration behind it. I honestly think that's part of the reason people are falling all over Modern Renaissance. Because at the time of its release, only Lime Crime Venus was really similar, and most people either weren't aware of Venus or were boycotting Lime Crime. The color scheme feels inspired, and it was something a little different for most people. But releasing an item that looks so similar to many existing popular palettes and bares a striking resemblance to its predecessor just feels like you want me to collect the Rainforest of the Sea line and give you more money. That's another reason why I'm not a huge fan of serializing makeup items. Because it plays directly into some people's "need" or desire to complete collections. And if you know people will buy something just to complete their collection no matter the quality or how inspired it was, what's the incentive to put effort into making a great item?

Rainforest of the Sea Volume 2 just doesn't do it for me in any way. And Tarte on the whole has become a very unattractive brand to me as it seems they care more about whisking away internet famous people in their twenties to an exotic island in the hopes that they will shill their products than actually producing good quality makeup. This palette feels lame to me and like Tarte didn't even try, and I won't be buying. 

One Week, One Palette: Tarte Rainforest of the Sea

The twelfth week of my one week, one palette project presented an interesting obstacle for me: this was my first week at a new job in a relatively conservative office. It happened to work out that the palette I had in rotation last week—Tarte Rainforest of the Sea—is my most neutral/light/work-appropriate palette, which was definitely appreciated. 

I have to say, though, this wasn't my favorite week by a long shot in terms of looks I created. And I don't think that is the palette's fault; I think I just really don't like conservative and work-appropriate looks. I found myself constantly worrying if I put on too much eyeshadow, and tried to tone down my looks as much as possible while still trying to utilize the palette and show a variation of looks. 

Clockwise from top, Seashell, Wave, Abyss, Reef, Starfish, Cove, Sand, and Mermaid

Since there are only two matte shades in this palette (Cove and Sand), I also incorporated some shadows from the MAC C'Est Chic palette:

I've been debating decluttering this palette for a while, and decided to use it for two weeks to really make a decision. 

Below are six looks I did last week. Look 1 was not on a work day, but the rest of the looks were worn to work.

Look 1:

Reef on the lid, MAC Soft Brown and MAC Corduroy blended into the crease, Abyss padded onto the outer corner, and Sand on the brow bone. Reef on the lower lash line. 

Look 2:

Seashell on the lid, MAC Demitasse blended into the crease, MAC All's Rosy padded onto the outer corner and blended into the crease, and Sand on the brow bone. MAC All's Rosy on the lower lash line. 

Look 3:

Mermaid on the lid, Cove blended into the crease, Starfish padded onto the outer corner, and Sand on the brown bone. Mermaid on the lower lash line. 

Look 4:

Starfish on the lid, Cove blended into the crease, Abyss padded onto the outer corner, and Sand on the brown bone. Starfish on the lower lash line. 

Look 5:

Wave on the lid, Cove blended into the crease, Reef padded onto the outer corner, and Sand on the brow bone. Wave and Abyss on the lower lash line. 

Look 6:

Starfish on the lid, MAC Soft Brown and MAC All's Rosy blended into the crease, MAC Embark padded onto the outer corner, and Sand on the brow bone. Reef on the lower lash line. 

If there was ever a palette in my collection that I would keep for sentimental purposes or because I loved the packaging, it would be this one. Luckily, I also really love the quality of these shadows, and it is a palette that I enjoy. I think it's a perfect palette for people wanting to do looks appropriate for work and who are also looking to have a bit of diversity. 

I really enjoy the quality of these shadows. They remind me a lot of Make Up For Ever artist shadows, which are my favorite shadow formula. They are closer to a cream, in my opinion, than a powder, and are similar in nature to a foiled shadow. I have heard a lot of people complain about the shadows in this palette and say that they don't deposit product well onto a brush, but I strongly feel all of those complaints are due to user error. This is not an eyeshadow formula where one can lightly tap a brush into it and get significant pigment. Due to the creamy nature of it, the product has to be pushed a bit with the brush in an almost scraping/digging motion. 

Due to the nature of the formula, the shimmers are gorgeous and perform seamlessly while the mattes take a bit more effort. Typically when using a matte shadow, I lightly dip my brush into the pan and start building the color lightly on my lid. When I've tried that technique with the mattes in this palette, I have received little to no color payoff. Instead, I need to push/scrape the shadow and then pat the product that comes up into my brush. Once I figured that out, the mattes were easier to work with, but they are not as easy as traditional matte shadows from MAC, Makeup Geek, Kat Von D, Viseart, etc. 

I enjoyed using every color in this palette. Reef is my favorite shade because I love the richness to it, but I also really enjoy Starfish, and Cove is a surprisingly nice crease color for me. The rest of the colors are also pretty, they are just lighter shades and therefore not as interesting or fun for me to use, but work nicely in an office setting. 

It's probably not a surprise that my favorite look last week was look 1 because it was the only look that I did not wear to work. As far as work looks are concerned, I enjoyed looks 2 and 6 the most. Using this palette all week to work really opened my eyes about my palette/eyeshadow collection. I love the diversity of colors in my collection, but if I am only able to wear super neutral looks, I certainly don't need the vast majority of everything I have. And, frankly, that makes me a little sad. I know it sounds silly, but eyeshadow application is something I enjoy so much and has really become an artistic form of self-expression for me. Thinking that I'll need to do light washes of color for the majority of the week, every week, is a sad thought for me. 

What I don't understand about Tarte is why they have so many different eyeshadow formulas. This formula is different than Tarte's Tartelette palettes and is also different from the Tartiest Pro formula. I've read that the second Rainforest of the Sea palette has a formula that is similar or the same to this one, but I've also heard that the quality is not as strong as in the original. 

Tarte as a brand has rapidly become one that I am not really interested in supporting anymore. I think they are taking a few cues from Too Faced and are pumping out as many releases as possible and compromising on quality. I'm also not interested in a brand that seems so incredibly desperate to be seen as "cool" by people on YouTube. I watch YouTube reviews, but I am not a person who is impressed in any way by brand trips to exotic locations in exchange for people shilling products. And that seems to be Tarte's biggest marking tactic at the moment, which I find very off-putting. And the Rainforest of the Sea palette is just another example of my confusion with the brand. I think these shadows are of excellent quality and easily the best I've experienced ever from Tarte, so it would make sense that they adopt this formula as their main formula. But that hasn't happened and seems as though this formula is only for the Rainforest of the Sea palettes. It would be nice to see some consistency across the brand!

Truthfully, this was a purchase that I absolutely did not need to make. And this is absolutely not a palette that I need to keep in my collection. But as I've said, this is the only item in my collection that I would keep for sentimental reasons and packaging if I didn't like the product (which I do). I bought this palette when I was going through a rough time. My graduate program was incredibly challenging, and it created a lot of stress, anxiety, and general life problems. At the time, I combated those problems with buying makeup. I don't condone that behavior or advocate for it, but I think it's something important to talk about because a lot of people engage in emotional shopping behaviors. This palette purchase was a product of that time in my life, and part of the reason I purchased it was because I was going on a tropical vacation for spring break to a remote part of Puerto Rico. I knew I was buying it for reasons that ultimately didn't matter (like the theme and packaging in addition to the color scheme, which I have always liked), but I bought it anyway. And I brought it on the trip. And I would love to say that the trip was incredible and everything that I wanted it to be. But it wasn't. The beach was gorgeous, the weather was perfection, and I was so far away from New York City. But the trip was also not great because I wasn't doing well as a person at the time, and it didn't matter how much makeup I bought or tropical vacations I went on, I was having a hard time. Ultimately, the trip was incredible because I learned that. 

The palette reminds me of Puerto Rico. And, honestly, not all of those memories are good. And it also reminds me of this impossible time in my life. And most of those memories are not good. But it's important for me to remember that time and keep things in perspective. This palette was a frivolous purchase that helped get me through another day when, at the time, that was my only objective. I've gotten rid of most of the purchases I made during that time, but this one remains, and I think it's because it reminds me of Puerto Rico. Because if I was still troubled in paradise, there was something larger that needed to be addressed. 

This week was really the first time I've used this palette since the Puerto Rico trip. And everything in my life is different now, except that I still live in New York City. It was a pleasure using this palette under these new and better circumstances because I had the perspective of where I was the last time. The colors in the palette didn't inspire me to the lengths that some of the other palettes in this project have, but using it made me realize that the majority of my looks will now have to be work-appropriate. And I think that was an important experience.

Most importantly, however, using this palette made me feel beyond grateful that I have a job, full stop. I am in a privileged position at the moment, and having this palette as a reminder each morning that I am in a better place was humbling. And that's why I keep it even though I have all of these colors and the palette is functionally superfluous in my collection. I wish I could have let myself know when I bought this palette where I would be now because I still remember all too vividly how it felt when things were falling apart. And I think that during the holiday season and coming into the New Year, that awareness is an incredible gift, and I'm glad this palette helped me put things into perspective.

I would like to wish everyone a merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, and happy holidays.