Last week, I published my Huge Sephora Haul, and promised that I would be giving you all more in depth reviews and comments on some of the products.

When I was at Sephora, the holiday gift sets and palettes were everywhere, and I although it may not look like it from the amount I purchased, I genuinely had to utilise some serious self-restraint to stop myself from throwing them all in my basket.

The Tarte Bling It On Blush Palette was on my wish list before I left, so it was one of the first things I threw into my basket. I have never tried the cult Amazonian Clay blushes, and when I checked the shade range out before travelling, there were several that I wanted to try. This palette was therefore an excellent way for me to delve into the world of AC blushes as I get 5 shades to try out. Like all holiday sets, this is a limited edition palette as well as a Sephora holiday exclusive product (why does limited edition status immediately make a product 100% more appealing?!), so I wouldn’t umm and ahh too long before committing to buying one…

Before I get started on the product itself, can we take a moment to appreciate the packaging?! Its slick, “blingy” and beautiful. The black sequin sparkle detail is perfect for Christmas and I just think that it looks so pretty in my make up bag (Heart eyes emoji). There’s also a good sized mirror inside along with rose gold detailing and a magnetic closure. The packaging is slim and lightweight, making it ideal for the indecisive traveller. Personally however, I think that  the packaging could get battered quickly if you choose to travel with this palette, so bear that in mind.

The palette itself contains five good sized blushes, and for $44, it’s an absolute steal. Each blush in the palette is 0.15oz whereas in comparison, the standard AC blush is 0.20oz and costs $28 a pop, so you are getting a hefty 0.75oz of product for a fraction of the standard cost.

The shade range is great, and for me, the only base that isn’t sufficiently covered in the palette is a really nice bright coral, but that certainly isn’t a deal breaker. Four of the five shades are limited edition, but I think sufficient alternatives can be found in their permanent lines.

 There are four matte shades (Fetching, Dollface, Prim and Smashing) with one shimmer (Beaming).

• Fetching – a  warm toned, medium rose pink;
• Dollface – a cooler toned light pink;
• Prim – a nude, plum tone with mauve undertones (my personal favourite for Autumn);
• Smashing – a slight coral pink; and
• Beaming –  a mild apricot shade with silver shimmer.

For me, Beaming is a tad on the glittery side as opposed to shimmery, and whilst I am not usually a glitter fan, I’m not totally adverse to how it looks on the skin when applied as it doesn’t transfer as obviously to the skin.

I have been using these blushes every day since I bought them to get a good feel for the product and I have to admit, I love them. These blushes are incredibly pigmented and a light hand goes a long way, particularly with Fetching and Smashing. They are also very long wearing (12 hour wear)  and I have found that they are still visible on my cheeks after a full day at work without touch ups.

The texture of the blushes is wonderful. They are very buttery smooth and blend out with minimal effort on the skin. On first use of Smashing, I was a little too heavy handed and was left with an extremely bright cheek. However, I only had to work softly with my brush for a second and the colour intensity had blended out completely to leave a lovely glow.

My verdict on this blush palette is GET IT WHILST IT IS STILL IN STOCK!! It is incredible value for the price. The blushes have fantastic longevity and the shade range allows for a variety of make up looks to be achieved. I think this would make a beautiful Christmas gift for the make up junkie in your life.

What are your top recommendations for the holiday gift sets?

Lynsey xox