Brand Spotlight: Tarte

Tarte goodies

I tried Tarte for the first time about ten years ago when their best-known product was their unique gel cheek stain. I had several of the stains, which they still make, and liked them quite a bit, though I guess they didn’t make a huge impression on me since I was really tempted to try any other items from the line.

Fast forward several years when a friend from work was cleaning out her makeup collection and gifted me with a Tarte eye shadow palette. The colors were gorgeous, and the shadows were super smooth and easy to blend. That palette definitely got me excited about the brand, and I immediately began stalking their website and trying to figure out what items I’d try next.

A couple dozen purchases and several fabulous TSV kits from QVC later, and I am a full-blown Tarte addict.  I love that they put an emphasis on natural ingredients, don’t test on animals, and keep parabens, phthalates and other nasty chemicals out of their products. But mostly, I adore the way that their makeup performs and the adorable packaging that it comes in. 

Picking out three favorites from Tarte’s offerings was difficult for me.  But I forced myself to be tough and settle on the three products that I wouldn’t want to be without.  Here they are, in no particular order:

1.       Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blushes – Yes, like pretty much every other beauty junkie out there, I love these blushes. While my skin has gotten less oily over the years, I still can’t seem to keep any blush on my cheeks for more than a few hours at a time. These babies last a good six to eight hours on me, which feels like a lifetime.  They’re also super pigmented, so a little goes a really long way – meaning you probably won’t need to replace them for quite a while. I have 8 of the Amazonian Clay Blushes, and I definitely use them more than any of the other cheek products in my collection. Some of my favorite shades include Exposed, a rosy nude shade; Glisten, as shimmery peachy-pink; and Dazzled, a rose berry. Dazzled is from a QVC TSV kit, so I don’t know if it’s available on its own yet but it is quickly becoming one of my favorite blushes (See February Favorites). It just gives such a pretty, natural flush.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blushes

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush swatches: tickled & passion; dazzled & exposed; charisma & peaceful; glisten

2.       Maracuja Creaseless Concealer – I included this concealer in a list of favorites, so I guess it’s no surprise that it’s one of my favorite products from Tarte. At the risk of repeating myself, it works beautifully under the eyes because it contains maracuja oil which helps moisturize that delicate area. The shade I have, Fair, also has a peachy cast so it helps counteract blue discoloration under the eyes. The concealer is fairly thick, but you only need a tiny bit to cover whatever you need to hide (I’ve gotten several tubes from QVC kits, and I don’t think that I’m even a quarter of the way through the first tube yet). It also has a subtle brightening effect, which is another reason I like it under the eyes. And while at the end of a long day, I have noticed some creasing, it does hold up for a good eight hours without any problems. Not bad in my book.

Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer

Tarte Maracuja Concealer in Fair swatch

3.       Lip Surgence Pencils – Tarte has several products in the LipSurgence line – lip tints, matte lip tints, and lip lusters. I’ve tried all three, and while I like them all, I like the lusters the best because I’m a fan of their shimmery finish. They’re like a cross between a lipstick and a gloss – they have the shiny finish of a gloss but last longer on the lips. They’re also pretty moisturizing and have a nice minty scent/flavor. The Lip Surgences come in large pencil form, and you can adjust the tip by twisting the end of the pencil. I have nine of these - I got the kit that Tarte put out at the holidays with 5 of them for an amazing $29 (they retail for $24 for each!) and most of the others in TSV kits.  My favorite shades are Glitzy, a natural, my-lips-but-better shade; Sweet, a light, neutral pink; and Obession, a deeper berry shade.

Tarte Lip Surgence Pencils

Tarte Lip Surgence swatches (left to right): swank, dazzled, delighted, fiery, glitzy, obsession, joy, sweet, perky, & flashy

I have to give an honorable mention to Tarte’s Amazonian Clay Foundation. It feels lightweight on the skin, but offers pretty full coverage and the Fair shade matches my pale skin perfectly.  However, it does tend to cling to dry patches, and my skin can get flaky sometimes, especially in the winter.  If you’ve got oily or normal skin, though, I definitely recommend checking out this foundation.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation in Fair

Are you a fan of Tarte?  What are your favorite products from the line?  What items are interested in trying?